Toilet quicky

[webcraft]

Jabsco pumps out smoothly when lever in empty bowl position, but very stiff when pumping water in.

Partially blocked inlet, or something in the pump?

Don't really want to take the pump apart as the outlet seacock won't close completely (scheduled for replacement during liftout early in the New Year)

 

[Porthandbuoy]

Crustaceans in the suction pipework would be my guess.

 

[Chiara’s slave]

Crustaceans in the suction pipework would be my guess.

Sounds like a sketch by Derek and Clive. Which, TBH, goes well with the tread title. an afterthought, I agree with you.

 

[webcraft]

Crustaceans in the suction pipework would be my guess.

I thought that too, but the pressure is on the downstroke, not the upstroke.

 

[vyv_cox]

Can be that the changeover lever on the top of the pump is not quite getting into the home position correctly. It only needs to be a few mm out to block the pump completely.

 

[Porthandbuoy]

I thought that too, but the pressure is on the downstroke, not the upstroke.

Cetacean in the bowl then?

Looks like you'll have to strip the pump and have a look. Could be something sucked up and jammed inside.

 

[webcraft]

Cetacean in the bowl then?

Looks like you'll have to strip the pump and have a look. Could be something sucked up and jammed inside.

As I said in the OP, I can't completely shut the outlet seacock, so stripping the pump could get messy . . .

Or can I remove it without flooding the boat?

 

[VicS]

I thought that too, but the pressure is on the downstroke, not the upstroke.

The downstroke pumps the waste out AND draws water in from outside.

The upstroke draws the waste out of the bowl and pumps the flush water into the bowl

Therefore, if the pressure is on the downstroke, but is not due to obstruction of the waste being pumped out, the problem is with the incoming flush water.

 

[RunAgroundHard]

... Or can I remove it without flooding the boat?

Light plastic or rubber sheet, not too big, placed over the inlet, should stick to the hull due to differential pressure and stop the flow. To be sure coat the plastic / rubber with sticky grease the plaster in place. It does work, but could be unreliable depending on the amount of water movement / waves. may have to repeat from time to time.

 

[Martin_J]

I thought that too, but the pressure is on the downstroke, not the upstroke.

The downstroke is what pulls the water into the pump barrel (from the sea)..

The upstroke then lifts the water out of the barrel and into the toilet bowl.

Still suggests poor inlet..



Edit: Took me longer to write than VicS did ..

 

[VicS]

As I said in the OP, I can't completely shut the outlet seacock, so stripping the pump could get messy . . .

Or can I remove it without flooding the boat?

It's the inlet that's causing the problem

 

[PlanB]

We once had an inlet blockage which appeared to be near-solid algae. Disconnected both ends and blew! Solved.

 

[Stemar]

Is the top of the pump above the waterline? If so, you could take the top off for a poke around. If not, I'd wait for that liftout.

If it absolutely has to be done, a wooden plug in the outlet would work well enough to get away with it, but I'd expect some leakage.

 

[Thresher]

As I said in the OP, I can't completely shut the outlet seacock, so stripping the pump could get messy . . .

Or can I remove it without flooding the boat?

Yes, undo the inlet pipe from the bowl and keep the end above the outside water level or stick a bung in it.

 

[webcraft]

It's the inlet that's causing the problem

Yes, seems so. I can shut it, but it is likely the blockage is at the seacock/through-hull

Am considering the following procedure:

Shut inlet seacock

Disconnect inlet hose from pump both sides

Join hoses together to provide a continuous length from above waterline to through-hull inlet

Open inlet seacock

Rod the inlet using a 1m flexible nylon rod I have on board

Any way this can go horribly wrong.?

 

[capnsensible]

Tip. Have a correct size spanner ready in case the handle for the valve breaks. This is very common.

 

[webcraft]

Yes, undo the inlet pipe from the bowl and keep the end above the outside water level or stick a bung in it.

The pump is below the waterline and before the bowl, so I don't see how this would allow me to dismantle the pump or rod the inlet.

 

[webcraft]

Tip. Have a correct size spanner ready in case the handle for the valve breaks. This is very common.

The valve opens and closes very easily, so any growth is not in the seacock itself.

 

[Refueler]

Live with it till lift-out !

Honest - do not tempt the Gods ........

 

[capnsensible]

The valve opens and closes very easily, so any growth is not in the seacock itself.

Can you disconnect inlet pipe at heads end and blow back through with dinghy pump?