Toilet filling when under way

[jimg]

The toilet on my boat only had a holding tank when new, which is a bit of a pain when you out to sea and really needed a direct discharge option. So, last winter we installed a Y-valve and a new sea-cock and so now have both options. The only problem is water coming back through the waste into the toilet bowl. Looking a the Jabsco manual, they recommend an anti-syphon valve in the waste pipe. I guess this will work, but I am not very keen on smells escaping ( or worse ) from the waste pipe. Am I worrying too much or should I just fit one?
Cheers
Jim

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[HeadMistress]

A vented loop will break a siphon and prevent water from flooding the a toilet bowl at or below the waterline while the boat is at rest...so yes, you should install one. It should be at least 8-12" above the waterline at any angle of heel. There should also be one in the head intake between the pump and the bowl.

However, a vented loop will not prevent water from being forced up the head discharge hose by the pressure of the hull against the water while underway--an effect known as "ram water"--which is what is happening. The only solutions are: keep the y-valve closed to the thru-hull except while actually flushing the toilet...or keep the seacock closed except while actually flushing the toilet.

<hr width=100% size=1>Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987

 

[hlb]

Cant understand the problem with just using the holding tank as normal. You can always just eject the stuff straight after if you like. Else leave it there and let it fester to maximum effect. Experimenting with. Fresh, one week old or one month etc. Eventually you will have a whole book full of data which you can call upon for any possible occasions. Geting rid of inlaws for instance.

<hr width=100% size=1> Flags Solly MFBR</font color=red>
Haydn

 

[DogStar]

You're supposed to close toilet seacocks except when stationery, I thought. I don't know many that do, but it might be best just to close the seacocks before casting off.

<hr width=100% size=1>I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy!

 

[HeadMistress]

They're actually supposed to kept closed at ALL times except when actually in use...but because decor concerns have replaced safety in boat design, and because seacocks do NOT enhance decor, boat builders in recent years have taken to putting them "out of sight/out of mind" in locations that make doing that so inconvenient as to be impossible from a practical standpoint. The most one can hope of boat owners today is that they will make the effort to close 'em all when leaving the boat...but many don't even do that. It also means that few owners ever even bother to check the condition of hose connections at seacocks...resulting in failures that are sinking an increasing number of boats in their slips and at sea.

It's hard to lay ALL the blame on boat builders, though...they're only responding to what the buying public wants. I recently told a client that a vented loop is the solution to water rising in his toilet bowl...and showed him the easiest place to put it to maintain it--high on the bulkhead behind the toilet. His response: my wife will never let me put that ugly thing there.

A new career perhaps for Martha Stewart when she gets out of jail: helping the marine industry to design seacocks and vented loops that WOULD pass decor muster?


<hr width=100% size=1>Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987

 

[DogStar]

I had a nervous few hours after getting my boat back in the water after acquiring her, only to find that the inlet seacock was jammed solid. The previous owner hadn't even known where it was, and he'd owned the boat for 2 years. For a while I thought I was going to have to get her slipped again just to sort the seacock out, but thankfully those old blakes jobs are built to last. 20 minutes after a good soaking with WD40 and it worked easy as wink, no pressure needed.

It would seem a terrible shame, to me, for a boat to sink because of an unnoticed syphon situation in your heads while underway... or a burst inlet pipe. Actually that is most scary... imagine not being able to shut off a seacock with water up to your knees and getting higher.

An old bloke in Island Harbour chandlers pointed out that its plain stupid to have a below-the-water skin fitting, and not know its condition, or in some situations, even where it is!

<hr width=100% size=1>I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy!

 

[boatone]

Dont get me going...had a near miss a few years ago when noticed skin fitting weeping round skin flange. Originally thought might try stilson and just tighten up a little but something made me stop and had boat lifted. Then used stilson and whole fitting sheared off at hull entry point...had corroded right through but from inside so no visible evidence.
Also had bad experience with current boat when checking worm clips on hoses on seawater inlets for toilets (posh see...got two !). Clips just fell to bits in my hands cos mild steel and rusted thru so only tightness of hose on pipe holding it together and keeping boat afloat.

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