Sanitation pipes

Cloven

Cloven

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Replacing the sanitation pipes on a sea toilet. Two questions:

1. I have found 38mm outlet (black water) sanitation grade piping ranging in price from about £6/metre from one of the online chandlers to about £12/metre from ASAP whom I consider to be very reliable. They are definitely different products but does anyone know if the more expensive product is that much better. Is it like lots of things - you get what you pay for.

2 Second question, should the sea water inlet hose be sanitation grade also and if so, once again is it better to go for the more expensive product.

Thanks for any replies.

Dave
 
1 Depends on why you think the ASAP pipe is better/worth spending double the money. Does it do the job that much differently?. As this is an istallation you dont want to repeat for a very long time (fit and forget) is spending £30 or so on the best product for the job that expensive?

2 No need for sanitation grade. However, it will still smell!

Donald
 
I would use sanitation hose for the inlet...for a couple of reasons: 1. It's rated for below waterline connection, whereas water hose is not. 2. Inlet hose isn't as likely to permeate as discharge hoses--intake odor is foul stagant water IN the hose, not the hose...but water hose is a lot MORE likely to permeate than sanitation hose. You can get away with cheaper sanitation hose for the intake, but I would definite use sanitation hose.

As for which sanitation hose to buy for the discharge lines...with the possible exception of Dometic/SeaLand "OdorSafe" brand, I'm not familiar any of UK or European brand names...but even £12/metre is about half the price of any here that won't permeate very quickly. "OdorSafe" is one of the two most impermeable sold here...at a whopping $8-9/FOOT!
 
I dissagree that the hoses will always smell. I recommend you use 'sanitation' grade. As said, you want 'fit & forget' - they are a B***** to get on & off! - particularly the old pipes as they calcify up and usually need cutting into pieces to remove. The ONLY reason the loo smells when first flushed is that the 'sealife' in seawater trapped in the inlet pipe dies and this gives off the smell when first flushed. The solution is to put FRESH water in the inlet pipe when leaving the boat. I achieved this in my last boat by fitting a Tee piece as close to the seacock as possible with a ball valve and a 5 gallon container filled with fresh water. When leaving the boat, shut the seacock, put the hose from the Tee into the fresh water container and pump until the inlet pipe is full and then flush the loo. Turn off the Tee ball valve. You will be able to leave the boat for weeks and when first flushed will not smell. Guaranteed!! The In-Line Deodorisers also don't work - just turn the water blue.
Interestingly, on my current boat with a Lavac, I always empty the pan before closing the lid and it doesn't smell.........
 
Cheap hose is poor long term value. Have a look at the Lee Sanitation site. I have used their Leeflex brand which, if I remember is designed to allow you to bend it to a tighter radius without kinking or flattening. It is still a b**** to get on and there have been many posts on this forum with advice on how to do it. For what it's worth I have found the only way that works is a combination of heat from a hot air gun ( on lowest setting) and stretching the end with a suitable bit of wood. The softwood cones used as emegency plugs are ideal. It needs lots of patience because if you overheat the pipe it will collapse and be useless. The fresh water dodge to avoid smells in the inlet is sound advice.
 
Use the best as HM says then the only souce of smell will be the bowl, the water left in it and where little boys miss!!!!!!!!!
 
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