Fresh Water for the Head

[ericoh88]

Originally Posted by Tim R.

Your ball valve is a bad idea. You will introduce salt water to your fresh water system every time you turn the valve. This means you will be contaminating your fresh water with bacteria and other small critters.

Why not just rinse the bowl with fresh? That way you flush with unlimited supply of salt water and then use a small amount of fresh to rinse. No need to change any plumbing as long as you have a faucet sprayer that will reach. Also handy to clean up stubborn solid material on the bowl.

Thanks you for the suggestion.

The old head was a baby lavac. Great manual head. With this set up you could add fresh water and pump out. However with the Jabsco electric macerator and intake water pump, you can either have the intake pump connected to a fresh water supply or a sea water.

If you were to close the intake, the pump will struggle to create vacuum to clear the water in the bowl.

I tried.

Thanks again for the suggestion.

[ericoh88]

Originally Posted by Pau Hana

At the very least you do NOT want to install the 3 way valve as outlined above- that setup is a ticking time bomb waiting to go off.

The correct way to do this would be check and see if your toilet can be retrofitted with a freshwater fill system, including a vacuum break.

Alternatively, replace the toilet with one that is factory set up for using fresh water.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ing-67673.html

Thanks for writing.

Never thought of adding a vacuum loop to the fresh water.

[ericoh88]

Originally Posted by rw58ph

We have the same toilet I converted to fresh 15+ years ago. I closed off/plugged and disconnect the intake water, installed a separate domestic water pump, wired to the flush button, with a couple of in line one ways as extra measure to prevent back flow. So when the button is pushed the pump turn on. the best is to have a two buttons one for flushing and one for the pump, but one button works for us.

Thank you for the tip.

When I first tried using the shower pan waste water connected to the head intake pump, the pump will groan for a while before water is sucked up to the bowl.

I was concerned that this lack of water on the intake for a about 5 seconds will shorten the rubber in the pump head. I always wonder if adding a small pump below the shower pan will become a "booster" pump ie the water makler set up.

I was cautious on this booster pump route as the head electric sucks about 20 amps!!
I found the Jabsco electric pump did consider using a pump because the Jabsco pump .

Glad you shared your 15 years actual experience. I will add a small booster pumpe on the fresh water side. May opt follow your approach on plugging up the sea water.

[HappyMdRSailor]

I think if a separate tank is not utilized.... The bare minimum number of check valves between the head and the fresh water supply should be at least 7.... in series....

[ericoh88]

Originally Posted by JK n Smitty

This works with manual heads and should work with electric flush ones as well. Change the intake for the head to a T on the sink drain. Most of the time it will work as a regular intake for salt water. But if the odor is an issue, you can close the seacock, fill the sink with water and then flush with fresh water from the sink. You can eliminate one through-hull and add the ability to flush with fresh water without having to risk cross contamination.

Thank you for the suggestion.

The main reason of looking at fresh water is the fishes around here were dying due to lack of oxygen in the water resulted from over growing of plankton from the hot weather. So I will have to use fresh water all the time, well at least until the water does not stink or when I get out to clean water again.

[ericoh88]

Originally Posted by jeepbluetj

Or do the simple cheap thing. Hook the toilet inlet into the sink outlet (low, below the waterline). Open the outlet's seacock, salt water flush. Close the outlet and run water into the sink, fresh water flush.

I would not use a 3-way ball valve. That'd be bad, mmmmmkay?

Thank you for info.

Did you use a bronze T joint? The current set up by PO is a plastic T joint above water for the shower sump pump outlet.

[ericoh88]

Originally Posted by Freedom45

I made a tank out of large 5 or 6in pvc pipe and caps. Installed regular toilet fill valve from Home depot and walla! fresh water supply to 2 heads, put y-valve downstream of tank to head to switch to sea water. ....no worry of back feeding sea water.
Works great.

Chuck

Thanks. I was searching for a neat container and yours was the best idea. I tried to get a float valve here but they were all having long float arms.

Are concerned if the rubber seal fail, then you will lose some fresh water to the bilge?

[ericoh88]

Originally Posted by Lepke

I am lazy, but before I changed to incinolet I kept a small squirt bottle with a mild bleach solution in the heads and would give a small squirt after use. No problems will smell or growth if unused for a period of time. However, straight bleach will eat some rubber parts.
Lepke

Thanks for the tip.

I use white vinegar. Anyway with fresh water, all is well and no stains from the sea water.

[ericoh88]

Originally Posted by Mycroft

My head is currently plumbed with salt water, but it's plumbed wrong. There's no vented loop and it's running from a demand type water pump. Serious possible sunk boat situation.

Instead of trying to retro-fit an anti-siphon loop and DC relay for the pump, I'm planning on converting to the potable water system by T-ing off the pressurized cold tap in the head. The MasterFlush is supposed to already have an in-line check valve to prevent reverse contamination. I'm going to check with an expert to be sure.

Thanks.

I did the same. The bowl over flowed . Have to use the low pressure side.

[ericoh88]

Originally Posted by HappyMdRSailor

I think if a separate tank is not utilized.... The bare minimum number of check valves between the head and the fresh water supply should be at least 7.... in series....

Thank you for writing.

Are you serious that I will need to have 7 check valves? I hope this has nothing to do with Fung Shui.

[HappyMdRSailor]

Originally Posted by ericoh88

Thank you for writing.

Are you serious that I will need to have 7 check valves? I hope this has nothing to do with Fung Shui.

Noooo... I was kidding.... just making a point of being overcautious to introducing anything into the freshwater supply....

[sailorchic34]

Originally Posted by ericoh88

Thanks for the info. This unit looks like a swing gate check valve which require a horizontal installation. I will add a ss spring loaded check valve.

The watts is a dual check, spring loaded with an intermediate vent port. Its a listed backflow preventer. No additional check valve required.

[ericoh88]

Thanks to every one who gave their tips.

I have routed a T from the fresh water manifold to the inlet head pump. Added a brass spring check valve. Used a nylon braided clear hose. If I have to do it again, I would use the wire wound clear hose. This way when the head pump runs, the water will come in a bit sooner.

Now the Admiral is happy. Boat boy is happy too.

[FrankSB]

In regards to the watts check valve, they are illegal for use in CA (though readily available) and for good

[FrankSB]

Well, let's try that again. The watts valve are illegal in CA domestic water systems, and for good reason....they cannot be tested. The only really acceptable safe alternative is an Air Gap.