Jabsco Quiet Flush Freshwater Head and Water Pump

[clamshack]

We installed a new Jabsco Quiet Flush Freshwater Head. The toilet system seems to add water for 1 second every 4 to 6 hours. I say that because I can hear the freshwater pump run for that time period.

I've checked the freshwater system for any leaks and can't find anything. Does anyone know what the toilet is doing?

[ranger58sb]

It could be the solenoid is opening up periodically...

Or it could, for example, have a piece of sand or something it that prevents it from completely closing after use... which might surface as occasional pressure demand on your freshwater pump.

You can maybe clean the solenoid, or it's easy to replace them -- assuming you have decent access.

-Chris

[ItDepends]

It is possible--but very unlikely--that the solenoid is leaking through. If it was, water would be accumulating in the bowl.

I strongly suspect one of the fresh water connections you made while installing the toilet is the culprit and is dripping slowly. Of course your fresh water system could be leaking ANYWHERE, but the first place to look are the changes you recently made.

[Captain Bill]

The solenoid valve for the fresh water connection requires pressure to seal. When I first got my boat I would turn off my pressure pump when I was away from the boat. Water would gravity feed through the valve and overflow the toilet. Fortunately the floor in my head is fiberglass and the hatch to the bilge is located just in front of the toilet. The bilge pump just pumped the whole tank overboard over time. If the pressure gets low the valve will leak and the pump will eventually kick on. You have a leak somewhere in your system and i suspect that the toilet water is a symptom not a cause.

[clamshack]

OK so I found the leak in the freshwater system. It turned out to be the swim shower. However this discussion has brought up a new question.

Originally Posted by Captain Bill

The solenoid valve for the fresh water connection requires pressure to seal. When I first got my boat I would turn off my pressure pump when I was away from the boat. Water would gravity feed through the valve and overflow the toilet. Fortunately the floor in my head is fiberglass and the hatch to the bilge is located just in front of the toilet. The bilge pump just pumped the whole tank overboard over time. If the pressure gets low the valve will leak and the pump will eventually kick on. You have a leak somewhere in your system and i suspect that the toilet water is a symptom not a cause.

Are you saying that the freshwater pressurization pump has to remain on at all times, otherwise the toilet will overflow?

[Captain Bill]

It somewhat depends on the pump you use for your fresh water. If it can stop in a position where all of the internal valves can be opened just by the pressure of water generated by gravity the answer is yes. It didn't happen on my every time I tuned off the power to the pump, but after about the third time I bought a new valve. The data sheet that came with the valve said that it was only for use in pressurized water systems only and required a certain pressure to prevent leakage. If I was at the boat I could tell you the pressure because I kept the new valve in my spares along with the data sheet. I never did replace the original valve and that was 15 years ago. Option B of course is to shut off the valve coming out of the tank before the pump. If you don't have one, changing the pump when it fails would be a very wet problem. I just recently installed my 4th pump and bought my 5th pump. They have never failed when I was at the dock, so having the ability to change one while underway without loosing your water is important. The pumps don't really use any power unless they're running, unless you have a variable speed pump which still doesn't consume much. You already know the valve leaks when the pressure drops, so the only question now is would it only drain the water in the line to the pump or would it drain your tank? I don't know enough about your system to hazard a guess, but it drained the tank on my boat.

[ItDepends]

[
Are you saying that the freshwater pressurization pump has to remain on at all times, otherwise the toilet will overflow?[/QUOTE]

This can happen ONLY if two things are true.

First the water tank would have to be ABOVE the level of the toilet. This is of course possible, but is very unusual because well designed boats tend to put the weight of water as low as possible.

Second, you have to be buying the cheapest possible crap solenoid valves. The ones where they skip installing a spring to push the piston closed and rely on the water pressure to do so. They save about 2 pennies on the cost of the valve... Do NOT buy this kind of solenoid valve. They are actually not at all commonl, but if you go to the Chinese stuff on amazon, there they be.

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by clamshack

Are you saying that the freshwater pressurization pump has to remain on at all times, otherwise the toilet will overflow?

We never found that to be the case...

-Chris