Maintenance for manual head plumbing question

[1HappySailor]

I have just replaced hoses and Y-Valve due to extreme calcification. I broke the old valve forcing the selectors too hard.
Hoses and valve experienced extreme buildup and finally got plugged up after I ran some white vinegar through to clean out the jabsco manual pump.

My question is what type of regular preventive maintenance and how often is recommended to minimize build up in the black water system.

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by 1HappySailor

I have just replaced hoses and Y-Valve due to extreme calcification. I broke the old valve forcing the selectors too hard.
Hoses and valve experienced extreme buildup and finally got plugged up after I ran some white vinegar through to clean out the jabsco manual pump.

My question is what type of regular preventive maintenance and how often is recommended to minimize build up in the black water system.

Start here. http://www.jamestowndistributors.com...t.do?docId=772

We just had a calcification problem on a private boat on which I was teaching. We took to a boatyard owned by a friend who suggested that at least every two years your should remove the calcification from hoses. They actually remove hoses and then break the calcification free and flush it out.

They is also a product that can be added to holding tanks to mitigate against calcification. The name escapes me right now.

[barnakiel]

Flush, flush, flush, flush, ...........

b.

[peghall]

I dunno why everyone insists on doing it the hard way. A cupful--no more--of distilled white vinegar flushed ALL the way through the head discharge line once a week is all that's need to PREVENT seawater mineral build up. Flush it down the toilet...do NOT leave it sitting in the bowl! After 45-60 minutes, follow with a liter of clean fresh water.

If you've failed to to do any PREVENTIVE maintenance and are faced with a major "OMG every hose is totally blocked, NOW what do I do?" situation, buy a gallon of Sew Clean Barnacle Buster ® Concentrate | TRAC Ecological and use it according to directions.

Like most things, prevention is a lot easier and cheaper than cure, and usually costs a LOT less!

[sailcrazy]

We treat our heads to a vinegar soaking about once every 7-10 days. After soaking for 15-20 minutes, we flush it, slowly and in spurts, then add an oil to the water(Baby Oil, Cooking oil, etc) and let it soak for another 15-20 minutes before flushing it. So far we only use salt water in the heads. I last replaced the hoses 7 years ago, and the joker valve was replaced about 2 years ago, when the toilet pump jammed and I installed a whole new kit in it. So far, there is no evidence of calcification, or oder, or reduced performance anywhere....the toilet was initially installed in 2003. Something must be working right!

[dlymn]

our calcification slowly went wth occasional vinegar and thorough flushing for every use. read the jabsco manual for overwintering; basiclally drain every drop of water out of the entire system

[1HappySailor]

Thank you for your advice I will definitely be using white vinegar weekly in the flushing system 2 eliminate the problems for the future.

Btw, I live aboard 24/7 and use the head often.

[Kalinowski]

We pour a cup of muriatic acid in the head about every 10 days or so when the pump action starts to feel sluggish. We pump a few times to get it into the "works" and then let it soak for 10-15 minutes. After that we flush with fresh sea water then pour in a some vegetable oil and pump through to lube it up. We've been following this same routine for 4 years with no problems. The acid quickly dissolve all scale buildup and does no harm to the system. You have to be careful when using it and be sure not to breath the vapors when you pour it into the bowl water. This dissipates in a minute or two.

[zstine]

A different solution... I just plumbed my head sink drain, Teed into the toilet intake so I keep the hull valve closed. Wash your hands and flush with the grey/fresh sink water. The fresh water flush prevents the typical smell of a marine head, and will also get rid of the deposits and need for vinegar.

good luck

[peghall]

Not a good idea....the soap scum, body oils, toothpaste and dirt in gray are not good for the toilet pump. They strip the lubrication and can build up on the seals, 0-rings etc and can even damage the rubber. And the same bacteria etc that make shower sumps stink unless they're cleaned religiously can do the same for toilet plumbing. Flush with CLEAN fresh water and send your gray water overboard.

[zstine]

Originally Posted by peghall

Not a good idea....the soap scum, body oils, toothpaste and dirt in gray are not good for the toilet pump. They strip the lubrication and can build up on the seals, 0-rings etc and can even damage the rubber. And the same bacteria etc that make shower sumps stink unless they're cleaned religiously can do the same for toilet plumbing. Flush with CLEAN fresh water and send your gray water overboard.

sorry but from my experience I have to respectfully disagree. The salt water and little critters in it is way worse than the fresh water, with a little soap from washing hands. While the soap may not be great for seals, I'm sure it is the lessor of 2 evils. I know that the smell has gone away compared to the raw salt water flush. And I'm pretty sure the scale of piping is not going to be an issue. Also, this is how Tartan plumbed the boat originally. We can agree to disagree.

[peghall]

Tartan never intended for anyone to flush with gray water. They plumbed it that way to eliminate a hole in the boat and save the cost of a thru-hull and seacock. However, it also provides a safe source of CLEAN fresh water to rinse the sea water out of the whole system before it can sit, stagnate and stink (close the thru-hull, fill the sink with clean water, flush the toilet)...so it's not necessary to chose between two evils unless you're just determined to do so.

[Sailmonkey]

I chose to use a grease that is not washed away by soap. It's called krytox, is not affected by temperatures of over 400 deg f, or pressures of over 40,000psi. Overkill? Maybe, but I've got it and it's great!!!


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