tamarind
New member
Does anyone know what is the quietest electric head? Apart from the vacuflush which are very expensive. I do have an electric head in my Trader but it is old and sounds like a angry delek!!
Quietest electric head
- Thread starter tamarind
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jon711
Well-known member
Probably the Microphor range of heads, but you will need a large boat, and a compressor!!!
Jon
Jon
rafiki_
Well-known member
I have Sealand Vacuflush on my Snazi, but they are quite obtrusive when rebuilding the vac pressure. JFM, the forum heads guru always recommends Tecma as his head of choice. I can't speak from personal experience, but JFM is seldom wrong with these things.
DavidJ
Well-known member
Another vote for Tecma.
Just check though that you have space under the plinth. I bought one for my Sealine S37 only to find a stretcher right under the plinth. Manged to get a full refund thankfully.
Just check though that you have space under the plinth. I bought one for my Sealine S37 only to find a stretcher right under the plinth. Manged to get a full refund thankfully.
IDAMAY
Active member
We also have electric heads in our Trader 42 (2008). They are of the Jabsco so called Quiet Flush variety. All I can say is that, if they are quiet, I wouldn't want to hear the "Loud Flush" model!
capsco
New member
I'm sorry I can't help with the quietest but I am sure that one of mine is the loudest, it is a also ajabsco, when it got water into the bearing and motor I thought that a new motor would solve the problem, to my astonishment the new motor is just as noisy
I do not understand why, it is almost as if the stainless steel chopper is grinding on the body, it is not, there is considerable clearance.
I do not understand why, it is almost as if the stainless steel chopper is grinding on the body, it is not, there is considerable clearance.
jfm
Well-known member
There are no very quiets systems until you get to big yacht systems and HeadHunter type units, but these are suitable in say 30-40m upwards boats
For smaller boats than that you have:
1. Jabsco "quiet flush". As others have said, the noise is amazing and the use of the word "quiet" is a lie. Not great machines imho and not the least liable to block, but only a few £ hundred. The bowl itself is fine - it's ceramic
2. SeaLand Vacuflush. This is good stuff (I've owned several and cleaned em out) and reasonably unlikely to block, but can block when #3 below wouldn't. The flush noise itself is ok, but then afterwards the vacuum pump clunks away for 15 seconds maybe (there is a crank arm pushing/pulling a bellows) and that isn't a nice noise. It can be ok in a bigger boat where the pump is more buried, but is noisy in small boats. Ceramic bowl, and perhaps not the sleekest/prettiest looking
3. Tecma - this is the best imho and in the opinion of a lot of great yachtbuilders. Lots of people just wont have anything else. All ceramic bowl, nice styling, looks like a swish house loo, doesn't block. Is a little bit noisy for very few seconds, and nothing like as noisy, nor for as long, as #1 or #2 above
4. Dometic masterflush 8600. This is Dometic's attempt finally to make something as good as Tecma. Pretty good effort, all ceramic, big macerator pump. Looks v good. It is newish on the market and I have not used it or owned it. It is standard fit on squadron 78 now but I specced Tecma on mine. Dometic go on about the fact I uses a litre per flush less water than Tecma and draws 20 amps not 35 at 24v, but I'm not convinced those things are advantages. I like lots of flush water to keep the system running and not getting stuck solids, and I love the ridiculously powerful motors in Tecmas that will macerate logs not just logs. The dometic is reputed to be quiet but I haven't heard one
Price wise all of 2,3,4 are around £1000 per unit
For smaller boats than that you have:
1. Jabsco "quiet flush". As others have said, the noise is amazing and the use of the word "quiet" is a lie. Not great machines imho and not the least liable to block, but only a few £ hundred. The bowl itself is fine - it's ceramic
2. SeaLand Vacuflush. This is good stuff (I've owned several and cleaned em out) and reasonably unlikely to block, but can block when #3 below wouldn't. The flush noise itself is ok, but then afterwards the vacuum pump clunks away for 15 seconds maybe (there is a crank arm pushing/pulling a bellows) and that isn't a nice noise. It can be ok in a bigger boat where the pump is more buried, but is noisy in small boats. Ceramic bowl, and perhaps not the sleekest/prettiest looking
3. Tecma - this is the best imho and in the opinion of a lot of great yachtbuilders. Lots of people just wont have anything else. All ceramic bowl, nice styling, looks like a swish house loo, doesn't block. Is a little bit noisy for very few seconds, and nothing like as noisy, nor for as long, as #1 or #2 above
4. Dometic masterflush 8600. This is Dometic's attempt finally to make something as good as Tecma. Pretty good effort, all ceramic, big macerator pump. Looks v good. It is newish on the market and I have not used it or owned it. It is standard fit on squadron 78 now but I specced Tecma on mine. Dometic go on about the fact I uses a litre per flush less water than Tecma and draws 20 amps not 35 at 24v, but I'm not convinced those things are advantages. I like lots of flush water to keep the system running and not getting stuck solids, and I love the ridiculously powerful motors in Tecmas that will macerate logs not just logs. The dometic is reputed to be quiet but I haven't heard one
Price wise all of 2,3,4 are around £1000 per unit
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D
Deleted User YDKXO
Guest
+1 for Tecma but why would you want a quiet electric head? I want to know when my guests are flushing precious fresh water down the loo especially when I've asked them to be sparing with it
jfm
Well-known member
But why is it precious? You want them to use loads of it, to keep the black tank system nicely lubricated and clean on the inside. I also want my guests to leave taps running when brushing teeth, and shower for ages, then I have fresh water in the tank everyday
D
Deleted User YDKXO
Guest
If I had a watermaker or somebody else to fill the tank for me, I'd be thinking the sameBut why is it precious? You want them to use loads of it, to keep the black tank system nicely lubricated and clean on the inside. I also want my guests to leave taps running when brushing teeth, and shower for ages, then I have fresh water in the tank everyday
jfm
Well-known member
Ah I assumed your new ship would have a w/maker. At your new boat's size it would be a great upgrade. You suddenly become self sufficient for ages. Then you only have to tender ashore to take the trash!If I had a watermaker or somebody else to fill the tank for me, I'd be thinking the same
D
Deleted User YDKXO
Guest
Unfortunately not. The first owner was a cheapskate. You're right though, it would be a worthwile upgrade although, correct me if I'm wrong, I understand you have to use them regularly or not at all
jfm
Well-known member
Modern ones are easier. Filters are all screw on screw off easy types, and they have auto back flush which means that every week if you don't use the thing it does an automatic 20 minute cycle of rinsing the membrane and flushing the membrane part with new fresh water, using the ship's fresh water supply. This keeps it all fresh and good to go. So all in all they're incredibly easy imho
lanerboy
New member
John
Are these the type with the large (ish) ball in the bottom of the loo and a foot pedal on the side of the basin??? I have seen a few of these on boats I am looking at if mine sells
Now you know what problems I have had with my jabsco electric loos/pipes smell etc etc, are these a lot better than the jabsco I have fitted and do they block and if so how hard are they to unblock, I have got very good at unblocking the jabsco unit now :disgust:
jfm
Well-known member
Yes they are the ones - ball at bottom of bowl and foot pedal
They're quite good. But the craaap is "pulled" by the vacuum down through a hole at the bottom of the WC bowl (under the ball that you mention) and that hole is only 25mm dia. That has the effect of breaking up the log (semi maceration) before it goes down the 38mm pipe to the vacuum generator unit under the floor somewhere and perhaps 3-4m away from the loo.
Now I said "pulled" but of course vacuum doesn't pull at all, ever. Air pushes. And that's the problem here. Air is 15psi and that is ALL you have, and it aint enough to push a hard log through a 1 inch hole. Fine for 95% of logs, but not all of them. So you are there trying to be on holiday pushing logs down holes with sticks. Niiiice.
Now, once you have the log thru the hole it is pumped into the black tank by being pumped by a standard Sealand T Series pump. This is ok, but not brilliant. Note, there is no vacuum at work at this stage in proceedings, just a back tank T series pump pumping c-raap that hasn't been much macerated, and relying on duck bill vlaves. Cherry stones and similar WILL defeat the valves. There are plenty of scenarios when the vacuum tank will clog and need a manual clear out, most likely when people use too much paper and not enough water. Niiice. You MUST use loads of flushing water with these loos to keep them working well. Go wild with the quantity of flush water (Lift the pedal and nearly fill the bowl, then flush, then do it again)
In conclusion, the things work but if you use the boat a lot with guests plan on 2 sessions a year in rubber gloves with heavy gauge bin sacks and a swim or a shower afterwards. I wouldn't not buy a boat due to SeaLand Vacuflush, but I wouldn't ever spec them nowadays when there is the Tecma alternative. And if I bought a boat with them, I'd get a full service (and I know what to check for in case any yards just SAYS it has serviced them)
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lanerboy
New member
Thanks John
If I do get a boat with these then I will give you a shout regards getting them serviced and what to look for, they do sound better than the jabsco I have so that's a bonus for me
cheers
If I do get a boat with these then I will give you a shout regards getting them serviced and what to look for, they do sound better than the jabsco I have so that's a bonus for me
cheers
rafiki_
Well-known member
Shawn, JFM is truly the Heads King, he could write the Haynes Manual on them, although I'm not sure he is volunteering to deliver a practical training session
Elessar
Well-known member
Disagree with the "doesn't block" on the tecmas and when they do they are very difficult to unblock as you have to take the pan out, which involves re doing the silicone etc. You also have to have your head right above the pan, arms around it holding it up as you reach round to undo the jubilee clips. Yuk. Could be mitigated by an access panel in the bulkhead behind. Still agree they are nicest, but your definitive statement is wrong and they are not well designed when they do.
My boat manual says that if you block the loo, a screwdriver and instruction manual is free - and rubber gloves are £20. Tongue in cheek but focusses minds!
henryf
Well-known member
I'm a big fan of the Dometic range.
I fitted a vacu-flush system to a 70 foot narrow boat I built in my youth. At the time it was virtually unheard of to use something like that in a narrow boat but Lee Sanitation provided all the advice and parts. The disadvantage is that you take up valuable real estate with the ancillary equipment which supports the throne it's self. You also need easy access to all parts. Mrs Henry-F was ill at one point when we lived on the boat and managed to block the system. The powerful pump managed to compact everything to the point where we had invented a new building material. Oh how we laughed !!
The last 2 boats have had Dometic systems, the current P50 fresh water flush, the previous P42 raw water flush. A massive improvement over the usual deafening roar when you flush. It isn't silent but to be fair the vacu-flush system wasn't either as it gobbled up the contents of the pan.
Henry
I fitted a vacu-flush system to a 70 foot narrow boat I built in my youth. At the time it was virtually unheard of to use something like that in a narrow boat but Lee Sanitation provided all the advice and parts. The disadvantage is that you take up valuable real estate with the ancillary equipment which supports the throne it's self. You also need easy access to all parts. Mrs Henry-F was ill at one point when we lived on the boat and managed to block the system. The powerful pump managed to compact everything to the point where we had invented a new building material. Oh how we laughed !!
The last 2 boats have had Dometic systems, the current P50 fresh water flush, the previous P42 raw water flush. A massive improvement over the usual deafening roar when you flush. It isn't silent but to be fair the vacu-flush system wasn't either as it gobbled up the contents of the pan.
Henry
jfm
Well-known member
I suspect that you have the series 1 Tecmas, if you managed to block them. Sort of 2000-2005. When they tweaked the design they became virtually unblockable. (As ever with various part of boats not just loos, we the users are the testers and product refiners)
Silicone? All mine are fitted without silicone and I wouldn't have it any other way. And the trouble you're talking about accessing pipe fastenings is just bad installation. They should be installed with more slack in the pipes. Mine can be unscrewed from the floor and moved well away from the wall, and rotated, giving access to the back