Grandkids & Vacuflush

P

PursuitCapt

Member
Joined
Feb 18, 2006
RO Number
20267
Messages
15
Well, had the grandkids on the boat last weekend. Now the VF won't flush. Suspect the 5yo who has a knack for making large wads of TP.
It's been setting since Sunday hoping the TP will break down. What's my next move?
 
see if the clog is at the bottom of the bowl under the ball valve. if so, use a wire to fish out the TP.

if not, then it's at the duckbills at the pump inlet. open the inlet (catch whatever drips) and clear the DB.

if the pump keeps running, the clog is at the pump inlet.
if the pump cycled off, then it's under the ball valve.
 
Went there last eve. Sucked out contents of head with an old shopvac. No sign of a blockage up top. Vacuum pump never ran.
Oh $&!%
I never checked the nighttime shutoff switch!
Will check again tonite.
 
Once upon a time, a much wiser manager looked me in the eye and stated, "You can think with your mind, or you can think with your feet." :)

Let us know...
 
quote:
Originally posted by PursuitCapt

Went there last eve. Sucked out contents of head with an old shopvac. No sign of a blockage up top. Vacuum pump never ran.
Oh $&!%
I never checked the nighttime shutoff switch!
Will check again tonite.

Click to expand...


What is a "nighttime shutoff switch?"

G
 
G -

I have one as well. It is just a cutoff of power to the vacuflush system. Perhaps they were not as efficient in 1990 when they built my boat and it cycled a bit. I don't know why but it's part of a switch panel in the head.
 
quote:
Originally posted by PursuitCapt

Well, had the grandkids on the boat last weekend. Now the VF won't flush. Suspect the 5yo who has a knack for making large wads of TP.
It's been setting since Sunday hoping the TP will break down. What's my next move?

Click to expand...

I can't tell you how to fix the head but I can tell you this - Marine heads are not the same as heads in homes or commerciall buildings. The lesson here is - non boating people have to be given specific instructions for using marine heads or you will be spending the next few days repairing the head. Every time.

A five year old child needs direct supervision using a marine head.
 
Or upgrade to the Raritan Marine Elegance. If it can't flush it to the holding tank, it won't take it out of the bowl (I learned this when I found the entire bowl filled with wet paper - paper towel too!) Luckily it wouldn't flush it down so i just had to bag it and all was well!

We've had teenage girls onboard that 'forget' not to flush their stuff. The Elegance and my older Atlantes just flush them away without problem (but I still get nervous overhearing my wife ask them if they flushed them and they say yes).

I'm upgrading my remaining Atlantes to an Elegance this weekend.
 
quote:
Originally posted by mintregila

G -

I have one as well. It is just a cutoff of power to the vacuflush system. Perhaps they were not as efficient in 1990 when they built my boat and it cycled a bit. I don't know why but it's part of a switch panel in the head.

Click to expand...


I just finished rebuilding my 1983 Mansfield system (name before Dometic or even Sealand).

It now holds it's vacuum all week while I'm away. Get back to the boat on Friday, turn the head breaker back on and it doesn't pump. Vac's still ready to flush!
 
Several years back, the Vacu-Flush people were getting a lot of complaints about problems where the vacuum pump would run, off and on, all night long - keeping the occupants awake. They came up with a switch to shut off the vacuum pump when going to bed... (They've since improved their duckbill valves and vacuum switches, to stop that from happening. They also now have a much quieter vacuum pump. So the night switch, for the most part, is no longer necessary).

It was kind of like the old Henny Youngman joke about the guy going to the doctor. "Hey Doc, it hurts when I go like this!" Doc replies, "Well then, don't go like that! That'll be 50 dollars, please..."

If the pump runs all night long, here's a switch to shut it off at night...

They sold quite a few of them back in the '80's and '90's.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top