Bad Joker Valves

[boating2go]

Is anyone else having trouble with their joker valves for an electric Jabsco toilet? I just installed the third new one since the beginning of 2014. I even did research to make sure I was doing it correctly since being human one can forget things but I did install them correctly. So I am wondering if there my be a defect by the manufacturing firm.

[dlymn]

I have had issues with joker valves but I can understand it considering all of the sh** that they have to put up with. For mine the real cause has been calcium build up at the edges of the tristar valve surfaces and also dislodgement of calcium from the bowl surface.

After a few years of vinegar etc, it appears that all of the calcium encrustation in the bowl pipes has gone. I still get buildup on the valve. When you take the valve out, check that the edges of the tri star seal actually do seal. I found that there is often a calcium buildup at the edge and this causes the rubber to lose flexibility. Try scraping the inner surfaces to remove the calcium and check to see that no light shines through the joints.

When I overwinter the boat, I flush with fresh water so that it's not left with seawater sitting there for months.

[wingless]

Mine last "forever" on my Vacuflush system.

Don't tighten them more than snug, because it will deform the rubber.

[transmitterdan]

They can be damaged by using "stuff" often recommended on web blogs. Vinegar is a known destroyer of joker valves.

[Sailor Bob 350]

Vinegar is a waste of time, and replacing joker valves is a waste of time and money. Don Casey recommends clearing calcium deposits from the whole system using muradic acid, which is really hydrochloric acid. You can buy it dirt cheap by the gallon or two-gallon box at Lowes, it's used for cleaning concrete and also for adjusting the Ph of swimming pools. Should only cost a few bucks a gallon, unless you get it at a pool and spa place, where you may pay triple!

It's very aggressive stuff, but won't hurt the joker valve, head or pipes. I've used it for several years, and it works wonders. I used to have the same frustration with the joker valve all the time, even replaced a deposit-clogged hose once. Now I just laugh at that! Such an easy fix!

Wear gloves and eye protection, and open a window. Empty the bowl, and pour the acid in till it covers up any discoloration in the bowl. If the build-up is bad, you may hear it start to bubble. Close the lid, and come back 10 min later. If it was bad, you will probably see half a bowl full of foam!

Don't worry about the foam, just give the head one pump or a tiny burst if an electric head, just enough to move the acid along a little ways in the pipes. You will hear it bubbling in the pipes. When the bubbling stops after a few minutes, give another little pump, and wait for that to stop bubbling. Put some water in the bowl to push the slug of acid along. For an electric head, just let water come into the bowl as usual. Keep moving the slug of acid along in the pipes until you can't hear bubbling in the pipes anymore. You may then hear it in the tank - might as well go have lunch and let it eat the calcium out of there, too.

Flush well with water. No problem letting it go over the side, it is just
hydrogen and chlorine, plenty of both in the sea already. Or it can go in the holding tank and get diluted, then get removed at your next pump-out.

Your head will look and work like you just installed it! The joker valve and all the other parts of your head will be clean as a whistle, and work like a charm! You really won't believe it!

Once you have it clean, just do this whenever the bowl gets a little crusty or it stops flushing well. If you'd rather use something a little less potent for periodic cleaning, you can use the grocery store product CLR in the same way (but muradic acid is way cheaper).

[boating2go]

Originally Posted by Sailor Bob 350

Vinegar is a waste of time, and replacing joker valves is a waste of time and money. Don Casey recommends clearing calcium deposits from the whole system using muradic acid, which is really hydrochloric acid. You can buy it dirt cheap by the gallon or two-gallon box at Lowes, it's used for cleaning concrete and also for adjusting the Ph of swimming pools. Should only cost a few bucks a gallon, unless you get it at a pool and spa place, where you may pay triple!

It's very aggressive stuff, but won't hurt the joker valve, head or pipes. I've used it for several years, and it works wonders. I used to have the same frustration with the joker valve all the time, even replaced a deposit-clogged hose once. Now I just laugh at that! Such an easy fix!

Wear gloves and eye protection, and open a window. Empty the bowl, and pour the acid in till it covers up any discoloration in the bowl. If the build-up is bad, you may hear it start to bubble. Close the lid, and come back 10 min later. If it was bad, you will probably see half a bowl full of foam!

Don't worry about the foam, just give the head one pump or a tiny burst if an electric head, just enough to move the acid along a little ways in the pipes. You will hear it bubbling in the pipes. When the bubbling stops after a few minutes, give another little pump, and wait for that to stop bubbling. Put some water in the bowl to push the slug of acid along. For an electric head, just let water come into the bowl as usual. Keep moving the slug of acid along in the pipes until you can't hear bubbling in the pipes anymore. You may then hear it in the tank - might as well go have lunch and let it eat the calcium out of there, too.

Flush well with water. No problem letting it go over the side, it is just
hydrogen and chlorine, plenty of both in the sea already. Or it can go in the holding tank and get diluted, then get removed at your next pump-out.

Your head will look and work like you just installed it! The joker valve and all the other parts of your head will be clean as a whistle, and work like a charm! You really won't believe it!

Once you have it clean, just do this whenever the bowl gets a little crusty or it stops flushing well. If you'd rather use something a little less potent for periodic cleaning, you can use the grocery store product CLR in the same way (but muradic acid is way cheaper).

Thank you!!! This worked so well my wife said to thank you!

[IdoraKeeper]

Go to the hardware store and get a nylon ball valve of the correct size for your pipe. Install on the output line of the head. Open when you need to flush, when your done, close. Use fresh water to flush......joker valves? Faagetaboudit!!!!

[Sailor Bob 350]

Glad it did the trick! I wish I'd have learned it long before I did, I haven't had to suffer a cranky or crusty head since!