Raritan fresh water conversion

[a64pilot]

Anybody done this? My head needs the whole pump body replaced really, but I can convert ot fresh water flush for less money, I figure I can leave one as salt water capable if for some reason I need to save water
Raritan Fresh Head Retrofit Kit

[ctsunsailor]

I put in a new one and plumbed it to fresh water. Was told that is would smell less that way. If you ran out of fresh water, could always dump a bucket of salt water in it and it would work.


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[IdoraKeeper]

How about a header tank mounted above the head. No lines to your potable. Don't want you to get Ebola.

[a64pilot]

See I can do the conversion for less money than replacing the pump and keeping what I have,
The conversion has a vacuum break and surely if cross contamination were possible the lawsuits would bankrupt Raritan, so I doubt they would build something not well though out. I like it as it's freshwater without having to be electric.
Yes I could do a water closet, but this is cheaper, factory made and less work to say nothing of not taking up any room, which a water closet would.

ctsunsailor, when you say you put in a new one, what does that mean, a PHII fresh water unit?

[ctsunsailor]

Just a regular Raritan macerating head that I plumbed to a fresh water line with a check valve to prevent any back flow. Cost about $300.

Cherry pits have to be manually removed.......



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[Ukeluthier]

Originally Posted by ctsunsailor

Just a regular Raritan macerating head that I plumbed to a fresh water line with a check valve to prevent any back flow. Cost about $300.

I really don't think bacteria are too impressed by check valves.

[a64pilot]

Well I went ahead and ordered the thing, price was $179 as opposed to $224 to replace my mechanicals, as we use strictly fresh water to flush with from a milk jug as long as it works as advertised I doubt we will miss the jug.

The possible ramifications of the check valve allowing something into the drinking water, and both of us getting horribly sick, especially if on a passage just isn't worth the risk to me.

[ben373]

I have had one for 2 years and I am very impressed
It never smells and I have had no problem with contamination. Some idiot put a paper towel down and blocked. I pulled it apart and found that the bolts were corroded. I would assemble with extra grease. I also have the electronic controller which is fantastic also. Hope this helps.

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[Les Crawford]

Why not put a "Y" valve in switch from sea water to fresh water with a single turn?

[a64pilot]

It requires I believe pressurized water, so it doesn't have a pump to suck water like a regular head so unless you had pressurized salt water I don't think a Y valve would work.
If it works like I think it does, you open a valve to let water in the bowl, but still manually pump out the bowl, so no electricity involved and you get to determine the amount of water used. Truthfully I have started being extremely wasteful with water, using far more than needed and pumping out regularly, since I started that there is no detectable odor in the boat after being closed up for five days.
I need to replace the whole pump assy anyway as mine is 27 yrs old, plastic has turned a little yellow and las weekend the plastic part of the pump handle broke

[Ukeluthier]

Originally Posted by Les Crawford

Why not put a "Y" valve in switch from sea water to fresh water with a single turn?

You guys are just beggin' for dysentery aren't you?

Bacteria don't respect valves of any sort -- be they Y-valves or check valves.

I have fresh-water flush and it's great, but with an independent tank. No way am I going to make any physical connection between my head or sea water and my potable water supply.

[thinwater]

Did anyone follow the OP's link? The Raritan unit is an engineered unit, like that found in public rest rooms, with break and double block. I don't think backflow is possible.

Nope don't know about the unit, but it sure seems plausible. I've never heard of a reason why contentional restroom gear would not work, though many suggest it is either overkill or a simpler method. Me, I'm just listening.

[a64pilot]

Read the link guys, this isn't some mod I'm doing on my own, Raritan has a kit that converts their PHII head as well as others to pressurized fresh water flush
http://www.defender.com/pdf/503404.pdf
What I think this gives me is I get to keep my nearly bullet proof PHII, but get fresh water flush with no chance of it making us sick.

Weird thing is, I can't find it on Raritan's web site?

[a64pilot]

Sorry, I'm so slow in posting I miss things, like thinwaters post

[Ukeluthier]

Originally Posted by thinwater

Did anyone follow the OP's link? The Raritan unit is an engineered unit, like that found in public rest rooms, with break and double block. I don't think backflow is possible.

Nope don't know about the unit, but it sure seems plausible. I've never heard of a reason why contentional restroom gear would not work, though many suggest it is either overkill or a simpler method. Me, I'm just listening.

I wasn't referring to whether Raritan's engineered system was a risk; I was referring to all the posts I've seen here and in other similar threads where it is suggested that a simple Y-valve between sea and potable water supplies or a check valve between the potable water supply and a head not engineered for potable-water flush will suffice to prevent bacterial contamination.

In the very act of operation, a valve will carry bacteria from one side to the other on its seats, ball or gate.

I'm not a germophobe... far from it. But I am speaking as a former liveaboard who once got hepatitis A from accidentally ingesting seawater in a marina. Not an experience I'd like to repeat...