Heads (Manual): Raritan, Jabsco, or Aqua T?

[CruisingKitty]

Hi all,

We need to replace our Raritan head and are wondering if anyone has experience with alternative models. We serviced the pump on our old PH II but apparently the pump is an older model and the service kit doesn't work on it. So now it sprays water at you (albeit clean saltwater) whenever you pump.

A replacement pump for a Raritan PHII toilet costs $219.00. Raritan ph II new is $399 – seems expensive compared to other units.

Jabsco makes a compact one at $214 which is reasonable and the full size one is $276. The Aqua T toilet is $172 from Defender. So for this price, instead of a replacement pump, we can have a new head.

Are these heads that much less reliable than Raritan to warrant the price differential? Are they lower quality? Anyone have experience with them?

Thanks!

[Talbot]

or change to a lavac at $440 + pump.

Newer Jabsco's are made down to a price, and do not have the quality of their earlier generation, particularly the Par Brydon from which it derives. They are fine for occassional weekend use, but for serious use you need a more robust system, and the lavac has very little that can go wrong!

[barnakiel]

We have an RM69 manual. We get approx 2 years between replacing parts. Apparently, Jabsco parts easier to get.

The Lavac looks great on paper but have never been on a boat with one. This would be my choice if I knew how good/bad their are.

Anybody?

[s/vfootloose]

we have a Lavac and love it basicly nothing to break

[k2kamahele]

I used to hate our cheap Jabsco, every year I had to replace the joker valve and even with the whole service kit would get stuff backing up into the bowl after a few uses. THIS year I bought the new locking handle --$99! IT has made us feel civilized enough to invite company again.

[onestepcsy37]

i'm not sure where you're located, but...

in fort lauderdale raritan has a sales/parts facility. they also sell 'seconds'. i bought a raritan phII there a couple of years ago for half price. it was a factory second. i asked the clerk what was wrong with it and she pointed to some scratches in the porcelain. i've had that phII four years now and still works great.

and yes, there is an 'older' model and a 'newer' model and they have different repair kits.

i've never seen a lavac in operation but users that write about them seem to like them. the key part of the lavac is the rubber seal (i think there are actually two of them) and i've read that users recommend carrying spares if off cruising.

[CruisingKitty]

Originally Posted by k2kamahele

I used to hate our cheap Jabsco, every year I had to replace the joker valve and even with the whole service kit would get stuff backing up into the bowl after a few uses. THIS year I bought the new locking handle --$99! IT has made us feel civilized enough to invite company again.

Thanks! Was it difficult to retrofit the new handle and does the handle replace the whole pumping unit or just the handle portion?

[CruisingKitty]

Thanks to everyone for their quick and very much appreciated responses.

I should have mentioned that this is the secondary head on the vessel. We normally cruise double handed and have a fairly bulletproof older full size "toilet" in our aft quarters. The forward head is for crew and passengers when they come along for short stints - so on the one hand, it could take more punishment from novice guests but on the other hand it would get less use. Not sure this makes any difference.

[CruisingKitty]

Originally Posted by s/vfootloose

we have a Lavac and love it basicly nothing to break

Thanks. I looked up the Lavac and there is a thread that makes it sound like a bear to install. http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...tall-9489.html Did you have these kinds of issues?

[k2kamahele]

Originally Posted by CruisingKitty

Thanks! Was it difficult to retrofit the new handle and does the handle replace the whole pumping unit or just the handle portion?

The installation was a breeze...it replaced the whole pumping unit, and fastened in with like, 4 screws. The new Jabscos I think come with the locking handle, and the footprint is the same. I would think also pretty easy to install.

[imagine2frolic]

Lavac..........i2f

[Badsanta]

The Raritan PHII toilet also comes in a larger size, still small compared to a house but larger than most. You can also just buy the Raritan PHII toilet base and use the old bowl. Saves on shipping. I got the Raritan PHII toilet house hold size bowl. I really like it.

[s/v 'Faith']

If I were going to install another convintional head it would be a Lavac.

That said, I am tired of dealing with all the vlaves, hose, pupouts and other problems.

Have you considered a composting head?

I am going with this one;

Nature's Head - Eco-Friendly Waterless Composting Toilets for Marine and RV use.

[s/vfootloose]

installing the Lavac wasn't to bad I plumbed with Y valves so everything runs through the henderson pump,toilet to overboard,toilet to holding tank, holding tank to overboard. It works with no problems. I did have to through bolt the pump, using screws it wanted to pull out

[gs41escapade]

I replaced two older Raritan PH II's with new ones of the same model, so that it would match all the old bolt-down holes, etc. Raritan told me it was "basically identical". What that actually meant is that they moved the discharge outlet fitting by about 4". Just enough that I had to cut a new 1.5" hole for the sanitary hose, and patch the old one. <sigh>

I also do not like the coupling on the discharge fitting. It has only two bolt holes 180deg apart, but really needs 4 bolts 90deg apart. The slightest misalignment and it leaks. Had to put 1.5" clamps on the plastic collar above and below. Had to do this on both heads, both of which were 'virtually' 100% correctly aligned. It doesn't take even the slightest flex pressure to leak.