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Old 31-03-2012, 07:46   #16
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Re: HATE Jabsco Manual Toilet - should we Convert to Electric?

Anjou, it's not the quality (or lack of it) of the toilet that's causing your problems...your whole system is in desperate need of some corrective maintenance--and MAYBE some corrected installation problems too--now, and regular preventive maintenance after we've cured all your problems. 'Cuz Jabsco toilets ARE at the bottom of the quality/durability "food chain," but they aren't THAT bad!

For openers, I'd bet that sea water calcium carbonate buildup is blocking the holes i the rim of the bowl and prob'ly also reduced the diameter of your head discharge hose by 50% or more. You prob'ly haven't replaced the joker valve in years, if ever...which is at least part of the reason for your backflow....

I'll be glad to help you sort out and solve all your problems...it's not difficult and I don't sell any thing...it's just a bit labor intensive... email me and I'll walk you through it,
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Old 31-03-2012, 07:50   #17
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Re: HATE Jabsco Manual Toilet - should we Convert to Electric?

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Originally Posted by HopCar View Post
I see several of you are having problems with hose blockages. This happens when you don't clear the hose with clean water each time. You need to flush long enough to get the paper and poop all the way to the tank or overboard. The urge is to stop pumping as soon as the bowl is clear. Don't do that, keep pumping until the hose is clear. A cup of vinegar pumped into the hose once in a while and left for a while will help as well.
We have two Brydon Boy (now Jabsco) heads on our boat, both 1986 era. On is converted to electric with Jabsco's kit. Both continue to work very well with only routine annual maintenance. As HopCar states, pump enough water through the heads to thoroughly clear the lines/hoses. On the manual head that's 15 "pumps" (we even have a little placard for that). On the electric head that means once the bowl clears, least 10 seconds (10 Hipi-Potymuses for the girls) more run time. We add a couple of squirts of a solution of SaltAway and fresh water to each head for the last few pumps/seconds which seems to help prevent salt/calcium carbonate build up around the joker valves or in the hoses.

FWIW...
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Old 31-03-2012, 07:56   #18
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Peg, please continue in public ....we all want (need) to read it.
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Old 31-03-2012, 08:03   #19
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Re: HATE Jabsco Manual Toilet - should we Convert to Electric?

One of the things I always do is install an electric pump to add water to the bowl with a switch.

Bad plan...for two reasons: manual toilets are designed to PULL in flush water...water PUSHED through by a pump misaligns the seals and o-rings, making the toilet much less efficient...as evidenced by the fact that you only could get two years between "overhauls." That should only be necessary every 5-6 years.

I've found that the additional water makes the manual head work much better..

It would if you never lubed the pump...but it also fills up a holding tank too fast, which is another reason no to do it. ANY manual toilet that's working anywhere NEAR factory spec can move bowl contents up to 6' in the dry mode...Adding a couple of beer cups of water from the sink before solids (I've never understood why it never occurs to most people to do that) is all that's needed for a toilet that's kept lubricated to flush efficiently with very little flush water.

But the main reason it's a bad idea is because manual toilets provide no protection from bacteria migration into the fresh water plumbing. Even if your pump bypasses the toilet pump and connects directly to the bowl, there's that danger. You've obviously gotten away with it so far, but you're playing Russian Roulette with your health and that of your family and other crew.

ONLY toilets that are designed by the mfr to use pressurized fresh water should ever be connected to the fresh water plumbing!!
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Old 31-03-2012, 08:11   #20
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Re: HATE Jabsco Manual Toilet - should we Convert to Electric?

I'm wondering whether you have had the same priming problem I had.

Problems priming any sea water toilet--manual OR electrid--are almost always caused by a vented loop in the intake that's installed in the wrong place--in the line between the thru-hull and pump.

It has to go in the line that connects the pump to the bowl. If the toilet is an electric all china "throne" that doesn't have a line connecting 'em, it has to go in the line between the thru-hull and the toilet...in which case, it's necessary to install an electric solenoid air valve in the hole in the nipple at the top.

Which Raritan toilet are you installing? And what parts are you waiting for?
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Old 31-03-2012, 08:25   #21
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Re: HATE Jabsco Manual Toilet - should we Convert to Electric?

I have had so much trouble and heard of so much trouble with Jabsco heads that I really can't understand why the company hasn't made any effort to redesign an inferior product

They've actually redesigned it to BE an inferior "disposable" toilet...which is why the "service kits" cost about 80% of the price of a new pump for it. Reason: there's no profit in repair parts. They also know that more owners will replace the pump every year with another Jabsco instead of upgrading to a better toilet because that's a not only the cheapest solution, but because it's a "plug and play" replacement that doesn't require any new mounting bolt holes or plumbing.

Jabsco isn't the only one...Thetford bought Wilcox-Crittenden, then discontinued the entire line a couple of years later because there's no market any more in our "buy it cheap and toss it instead of fix it" culture for toilets like the Skipper and Imperial and no profit in repair parts for 'em. That leaves only two US mfrs of quality marine toilets--Groco and Raritan...both small family owned companies run by people who take pride in MAKING things instead of MBAs who can't see anything but bottom lines.
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Old 31-03-2012, 08:27   #22
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Re: HATE Jabsco Manual Toilet - should we Convert to Electric?

I think you mean the Vacuflush, which is a good toilet, but way overpriced. However, SeaLand hasn't made manual toilets in 30 years...they discontinued 'em in the mid '80s.
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Old 31-03-2012, 08:31   #23
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Re: HATE Jabsco Manual Toilet - should we Convert to Electric?

The Head Mistress, Peggy Hall, will tell you to convert your Jabsco manual toilet to a Raritan SeaEra.

Not necessarily...not everyone wants to convert manual to electric...You're forgetting about the PH II and PHC.
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Old 31-03-2012, 08:42   #24
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I have had such good performance from my sea land vacu flush. Yes it's pricey but I'm nit fretting when my kids or guests use the head. A little maintenance over the years but never a block. Lavac properly installed I found to be pretty bullet proof. The wil cox was okay but I had times when I had to take the thing apart and fix huckkey parts. The vacu flush has easy access and containment when servicing. Those factors make the cost well not as costly when other enjoyment factors come into play. Plus on vinegar nit sure it's recommended but I found ammonia 2 do a nice job cleaning up the pipes. I use it end of season as a flush let it sit overnight and then fresh water flush. This might be really bad form now I'm not sure it's a good thing but it has worked. Peg am I doing bad things here
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Old 31-03-2012, 08:48   #25
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Re: HATE Jabsco Manual Toilet - should we Convert to Electric?

I've already posted 90% of it at least twice on this site by now...and two dozen times elsewhere over the 20 years I've been online...so you're asking me to spoon feed you information I've already set out on the "buffet" for you to help yourself.

I really prefer TALKING over typing when there are so many problems to solve that it would require 50 posts from both of us and still not solve 'em all. Then I'm happy to post a summary. OK???
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Old 31-03-2012, 08:48   #26
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Re: HATE Jabsco Manual Toilet - should we Convert to Electric?

my raritan phII has been working great for the last year .. just have to grease the o-ring on the pump shaft every couple of weeks.
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Old 31-03-2012, 09:09   #27
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Quote:
Originally Posted by peghall
I've already posted 90% of it at least twice on this site by now...and two dozen times elsewhere over the 20 years I've been online...so you're asking me to spoon feed you information I've already set out on the "buffet" for you to help yourself.

I really prefer TALKING over typing when there are so many problems to solve that it would require 50 posts from both of us and still not solve 'em all. Then I'm happy to post a summary. OK???
Actually I don't remember that and I have read a bit never mind
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Old 31-03-2012, 09:24   #28
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Re: HATE Jabsco Manual Toilet - should we Convert to Electric?

Quote:
Originally Posted by svHyLyte View Post
We have two Brydon Boy (now Jabsco) heads on our boat, both 1986 era. On is converted to electric with Jabsco's kit. Both continue to work very well with only routine annual maintenance. As HopCar states, pump enough water through the heads to thoroughly clear the lines/hoses. On the manual head that's 15 "pumps" (we even have a little placard for that). On the electric head that means once the bowl clears, least 10 seconds (10 Hipi-Potymuses for the girls) more run time. We add a couple of squirts of a solution of SaltAway and fresh water to each head for the last few pumps/seconds which seems to help prevent salt/calcium carbonate build up around the joker valves or in the hoses.

FWIW...
Yeah, I've had a quite a few of the cheap Jabsco's in the last 15 years or so. Cant remember having an issue with any of them. One didnt pump water in well enough but that turned out to be because I used the sink thru hull for the toilet also. (you could hear it gurgling sucking air in the sink when you pumped) The repair kits are way over priced though and the toilets seem real cheap for sure... Sometimes it's easier to take a stinky old toilet out and put in a $120 Jabsco it seems..we usually put a little mineral oil or veg oil in now and then...
I havent looked at the Raritan in years, maybe they're better now, but they always seemed like they were cumbersome to use...the flat disc you turn for water in/out is very poorly designed from an ergo standpoint. The Jabsco you can flip the valve without even stopping pumping... nice ergo! I've seen more than one PHII with the plastic part that holds the aluminum handle cracked or broken. Hopefuly they have fixed that issue over the years. The Raritan is still plastic for almost 3x the money....
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Old 31-03-2012, 09:40   #29
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Re: HATE Jabsco Manual Toilet - should we Convert to Electric?

ANY manual, electric, vacume, ect are all better then a bucket !!! so they take a little care and repair once in a while !! so what ! shut em down and use a bucket for a week or two and you will love what ever head you have LOL take it from Connie ! she had to use a bucket for a year when we first launched our Colvin schooner! and when we at last installed a Vac u flush, she smiled 24 hrs a day for a couple of weeks !! Just a thought
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Old 31-03-2012, 09:56   #30
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Re: HATE Jabsco Manual Toilet - should we Convert to Electric?

Another vote for the Raritan phII. Jabsco's are junk threw mine out on my last boat after many problems and put in a phII, ran perfectly for 9 years then I sold the boat , Tossed the Jabsco on my new boat and put in a phII 5 years ago never had a problem.
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