Head will not trying to fill the bowl

[PHR]

Hi, looking for suggestions. My books are inadequate without more info, and even if I hire a marine plumber, I'm still at a loss as to what to expect. I have two new plumbing problems, and I cannot see any connection.

2008 Hunter 49 --

(1) Hot water flow dropped to a dribble two days ago. Still hot water, but the faucet streams are about 1/4 what they were.

(2) One of two electric Jabsco heads discovered today continues to leak water into the bowl despite not being pumped in, kind of just a dribble every few minutes. It filed one of the holding tanks, requiring an emergency pumpout! I can hear the water pump activate every so often to respond to the dribble, but where do I go to trace down the problem?

I could not find any water leak or fitting loose. I would replace a washer if I could figure out if that was problem. The hot water is still hot. No new water in the bilge. Just nothing obvious to me with my limited experience.

Any ideas?

Thanks. My books on boat systems are more education than troubleshooting, so not much help with these issues.

[CSY Man]

Always good to include a picture with your questions:
Jabsco heads have 3 different colors on the pump handle.
Each color represent a different vintage and model.

Looks like your head is electric:
Jabsco have numerous YouTube videos for troubleshooting: Try a google search.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by PHR

(2) One of two electric Jabsco heads discovered today continues to leak water into the bowl despite not being pumped in, kind of just a dribble every few minutes. It filed one of the holding tanks, requiring an emergency pumpout! I can hear the water pump activate every so often to respond to the dribble, but where do I go to trace down the problem?

Which Jabsco electric model?

Our Quiet Flush freshwater version uses a solenoid to control supply water flow... and when that solenoid goes south, the symptom is dribbling water into the toilet bowl. I've read the solenoid leak could be caused by debris, and fixed by cleaning... but I simply replaced ours... and didn't see any flaw in the original that would have responded to cleaning.

Don't know if the raw water version is similar or not...

You can get product manuals and parts diagrams from the Xylem website...

-Chris

[peghall]

Jabsco makes several electric toilets...It would be useful to know which model(s) you have, and whether they're designed to use sea water or onboard pressurized fresh water. Do you have owners manuals for them? If not, I can send you links to them and also get a good idea of what the problem is when I know which models you have. Meanwhile, if the toilets use pressurized flush water, keep the water pump off except when water is needed and especially while away from the boat. If sea water, make sure the seacock isn't leaking and keep it closed when away from the boat.

As for your hot water problem...is it only in one faucet or all of 'em? In only the hot water or in the cold water too? Again, knowing the make/model of your water heater would be helpful

Peggie
"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein

[PHR]

Thanks for the info. I posted a query too on FB in the Hunter Owner's Group. For the hot water, one suggestion was a bit of calcium in the distribution block. I don't know the brand of the hot water heater, but I'm going to start with evaluating that idea. The hot water problem is at all faucets and outlets, so I'm hoping the blockage is in main distribution block where the hot water goes to be distributed.

The solenoid, that sounds like the right place to start there too. Jabsco videos online?! Amazing. I will look for them shortly.

Thank you all for your suggestions and help. Once again, Cruisersforum peeps comes through with solid ideas.

[peghall]

I posted a query too on FB in the Hunter Owner's Group

You'll find a lot more Hunter owners, all sizes on sailboatowners.com

The solenoid, that sounds like the right place to start there too. Jabsco videos online?! Amazing. I will look for them shortly.

There may be videos too, but I was referring to the owners manuals.

[nautical62]

Trouble shoot the water pressure/blockage issue by disconnecting your hot water line at various locations to see where the problem lies. I’d probably start on each side of the water heating system.

[Dougtiff]

O.K., been there with the hot water problem, the city water has very fine dirt in it and it eventually fills the water tanks and hot water tanks with a film on the bottom, this muddy water clogs the fine mesh and the little spring loaded balls in the faucet, one needs to tear down the faucet and clean, but it will just happen again, unless the tanks are flushed out, then a filter is placed in line on the city water line to the boat.

[Stu Jackson]

Originally Posted by nautical62

Trouble shoot the water pressure/blockage issue by disconnecting your hot water line at various locations to see where the problem lies. I’d probably start on each side of the water heating system.

Have you taken the screens off the faucets? Have you read the troubleshooting guide for your domestic water pump?