Jabsco Manual-->Electric Head

[amiller]

Our new boat has 2 heads, each with a perfectly functional Jabsco head from it's charter days.

My wife has requested an electric head, since she got hooked on this luxury on a previous trip. (Oops!)

I've read a number of old threads that discuss the pro/con of manual vs electric, but the boss has already decided, so that's not the discussion for today. The discussion is:

Use a Jabsco conversion kit to make it electric?
or
Rip everything out and put something new? If so, what?

Thanks in advance!

[Caleb C]

Hi AMiller,

I'm not sure how much a conversion kit is, but retail for a Jabsco head ranges from $429-625 at West Marine. Depends on whether you want loud or quiet operation. I've used both and our boat has the louder toilets just so everyone nearby is alerted to our present digestive state.

[peghall]

Before offering any recommendations, knowing what size your boat is, how many people are typically aboard etc would be helpful when it comes to knowing which toilets are appropriate for it.

[Ita]

Look at the 5ocean , I replaced my jabsco with it and couldn't be happier

[amiller]

Originally Posted by peghall

Before offering any recommendations, knowing what size your boat is, how many people are typically aboard etc would be helpful when it comes to knowing which toilets are appropriate for it.

Thanks, great point. 40' cat, 1 head and holding tank in each hull, and we're a family of four. Me, her, and daughters 5 and 7.

Holding tanks are corroded and will shortly be replaced, so it's time to dive into plumbing either way...

[peghall]

Take a good look at the Raritan Marine Elegance Raritan Marine_Elegance Promo.pdf It's an all china "throne" for a surprisingly reasonable price (ignore the list price, there are excellent deals out there). Not only will your Admiral will love it, it was top rated by Practical Sailor in a shootout against all macerating electric toilet. Also a no-brainer for your daughters to use.

As for your new tanks, your best source is Ronco Plastics (no relation to Ron Popeil and his Pocket Fisherman) Ronco Plastics Marine Catalog hey make TOP quality thick-walled water and waste tanks for a very reasonable price and has more than 400 shapes and sizes, over 100 of which are non-rectangular (which means you might be able to fit a larger one in the same space), and they install fittings in the sizes and locations specified by the customer when they make the tank. Great t work with too!

Peggie
"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein
http://www.amazon.com/New-Get-Rid-Bo...dp/1892399784/

[u4ea32]

We had an electric Jabsco. The problem was that people (everyone, including me) would push that button for as long as it seemed reasonable, which meant a gallon or more per flush, which filled the holding tank rapidly.

MUCH worse, however, was the electric macerator that flushes the head and pumps the effluent in to the tank is a pretty powerful pump, so when the holding tank became full, the holding tank split, erupted.

We pulled it all out and put in a Vacuflush system, and plumbed it to the pressure fresh water system. Put in a half inch vent hose to the holding tank. Could spend several times as long between emptying the holding tank, and never blew the tank apart again. Very simple to maintain, much easier access to stuff that might fail.

I have never had a problem with these heads on several boats. They are very common, almost universal, in the RV industry. Competitive price to other quality heads, much cheaper than many.

[peghall]

...MUCH worse, however, was the electric macerator that flushes the head and pumps the effluent in to the tank is a pretty powerful pump, so when the holding tank became full, the holding tank split, erupted.

The toilet pump didn't split your tank, a blocked tank vent did....unless it was an unvented bladder, which is illegal for sewage holding in all US waters. Because sewage can generate methane, which is flammable, USCG regs require all waste holding tanks to be vented, to the outside the boat, not into a locker or lazarette.

All tank vents--water, fuel and waste--have two functions--to provide an escape for air in the tank displaced by incoming contents, and to provide a source of air to replace contents as they're pulled out. When no air can escape out the vent, flushing the toilet pressurizes the tank--the whole system, actually...THAT's what split your tank. If that hadn't done it, you wouldn't have been able to pump out because without a source of air to replace the contents being pulled out the pumpout or macerator pump would pull a vacuum. A particularly strong pumpout can implode a tank. However, any tank that pressurized would have given the poor soul who opened the deck fitting a bath in the contents first.

So swapping out your toilet for a VacuFlush won't prevent your new holding tank from bursting if you keep flushing it against a blocked vent long enough.

Pumping out is taking you twice as long because a 1/2" vent is even smaller than the standard 5/8"...it's not allowing enough air into the tank to keep up with the rate the pumpout is pulling out the contents. a 1" vent is recommended for waste holding.

Peggie
"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein
http://www.amazon.com/New-Get-Rid-Bo...dp/1892399784/

[tkeithlu]

Peggie, that was a damned good explanation. I'm going to go back and check my holding tank vent diameter and outlet location.

[a64pilot]

There is also a smart flush option that is programmable and has standard flush times, just push the button, the computer does the rest.
I could not find a standard Ronco tank that would work and had a custom tank made, Peggie gave me the name of the company, darned if I can remember. They are in Maine I believe, a Mom and Pop Company, and a delight to work with, on time and build quality is excellent.

Give Hopcar a shot at pricing a toilet. I reused my bowl and lid and just replaced the base.

Also since your replumbing the new macerating head can use a 1" hose, much easier to run and hose of course would hold much less, less water to flush clean.

Oh the smart flush control can have a tank level sensor that will both light an LED to indicate full and disable the automatic flush if you don't pay attention to the LED. Manual flush I believe remain enabled

[peghall]

Originally Posted by tkeithlu

Peggie, that was a damned good explanation. I'm going to go back and check my holding tank vent diameter and outlet location.

Thank you! If you'll forgive a moment of shameless self-promotion, there are whole bunch of equally damn good explanations in my newest book (see link below)...you might consider checking it out too.

Peggie
"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein
http://www.amazon.com/New-Get-Rid-Bo...dp/1892399784/