electric head questions

J

jeffreytcole

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I'm sure this question has probably been asked but I've never noticed it so here it goes:

I have an electric head and I'm not sure how it works. I know the grinder pump is new. Today is the first time I've tried to use the head. I'm on Shore power with the guest convertor running and the DC power panel on. I turn the valve on the actual head both ways, it clicks like a switch mating but nothing happens. While I'm doing this the Admiral says there is something running but it was feedback through the VHF radio. It may have been the grinder pump running but I'm not sure. The electric head switch is turned on at the DC panel.

Thank you for your patience with this newbie

Jeff
 
What brand head? How does it get its water supply through the hull or from the on board fresh water tank?
 
Like Billy said, we're going to need a little more info on the head - make and model?
 
It's a Jabsco head, the water appears to come from the hull opening in the bottom of the engine compartment. It discharges to a holding tank on the output side of the grinder pumps.
 
Does the motor stick out the rear of the head, horizontally? Or does it stick up in the air, vertically?
 
It sticks out horizontally from the left side as seated. The motor has two positions one to dispose and one to rinse
 
jeffreytcole, I had an issue like you describe with my Jabsco electrics on a previous boat ,after hours of tracing I finally found where the PO owner had placed a fused terminal box, I think it was either a 25 or 30 amp one that blew. Once replaced, worked like new again.
 
Sounds like a Jabsco 37000 series, that's been mounted sideways. Is there a label on the motor that gives you the model number?
 
Sorry it took so long to get the info. I hope someone is still following the thread. The Head is a Jabsco 29200-0120. I just might not know how to operate the durn thing (i.e. valve lineup, breakers electrical interlocks etc.).

I've never had a boat with a head before so it's all new to me. Unless you count being on a submarine where we had manual heads.

Thanks for the help

Jeff
 
Model 29200 is not an actual head, it is a converson kit to electrify a manual head, see following link:

http://www.jabsco.com/products/mari...electric_conversions_29200/iid_1968/index.htm

While they work OK when they work, they're loud enough to wake the dead, and I hate 'em. Most kits that convert a manual toilet to an electric toilet are compromises at best, and don't operate as well as a toilet that was actually designed to work electrically.

If it isn't working anyway, I'd think you'd be best advised to consider replacing it, rather than trying to repair it. Take a look at Raritan's SeaEra, it's the best low-to-medium price electric head on the market.

http://www.raritaneng.com/pdf_files/sea_era/L1039seaerav0203.pdf
 
Interesting re the Seaera head has a macerating pump built into the head. In this case can a Y valve be added right after the Head, one line to holding tank and the other end exiting the boat? I imagine a check valve would be added to thru hull line. I am changing my Head from a porta potty :-( to a head, holding tank and hopefully another option with thru hull discharge.

Ed
 
Sure, you can do it, but you can't legally empty the toilet directly overboard unless you're 3 miles or more out in the ocean. So I don't know why why you'd want to go to the trouble. The "Y" valve would have to be pointed in the direction of the holding tank, and secured in that position, whenever you're inside the 3 mile U.S. territorial limit. It is illegal to discharge untreated toilet waste overboard anywhere in the United States. If you're boarded, and they find the "Y" valve in in the wrong position, you're in trouble...
 
Vic, Once a year we haul our boat to the gulf to fish, my last boat was set up with the macerating pump separate from the head and it could empty the Holding tank. Always kept handle un attached. The boat I have now just has porta potty! grrrr, thinking of ways to set up different. So do I need a check valve after head?

Regards

Ed
 
OK Ed, gotcha. I didn't know about the "Gulf connection" - I was merely looking at your home port location and thinking, "Uh-oh, I'd better warn him before he gets himself in trouble."

The method you've used in the past will be fine, and perfectly legal.

A check valve after the head shouldn't be necessary; just about every marine toilet manufactured has one already built into it, for just that purpose. However, if the head will be located below the waterline of the boat, it is strongly recommended that a vented loop be added in the line that leads to the through-hull (rather than a check valve), to protect the boat from sinking in the event a hose or fitting were to break. The vented loop should be mounted 4-6" above the waterline at the greatest anticipated angle of heel - that will make you (but not your insurance man) a lot happier if something were to go seriously haywire.
 
I have the same conversion head, and it came with many surprises. My first suggestion to the captain is to check the raw water intake to see if it is open. Sounds like pump is working well, just no incoming water, or possible vapor lock at intake area.
Plumbing the intake to my head, I had to install a vented loop to prevent siphon action from filling head after the flush. I can close the vent with my fingertip to get more raw water when needed. You may want to look for this.
As for the "check valve" my kit did not mention one, and sewage would come back into the head when heeling on my sailboat. I installed a check valve that worked temporarily until trash kept if from working, so I installed a manual shut valve, always shut when sailing, opened only when flushing.
 
Mac, when the toilet is mounted below the waterline of the boat, a vented loop shouldn’t be installed between the through-hull and the toilet’s intake pump. When the pump runs, it will suck air through the vented loop fitting and you will get a reduced water flow into the toilet – if you get any at all. In addition, if the pump is electric and has a rubber impeller, you’re risking burning out the impeller from the reduced water flow.

Instead, the vented loop should be installed between the OUTPUT of the intake pump and the fitting at the rear of the toilet bowl, replacing the factory hose that was already there. The top of the loop should be 4-6” above the waterline at any angle of heel. That way, you get the protection of the vented loop without doing any damage to the toilet’s pump, and without any reduction of the incoming rinse water.
 
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