- Joined
- Mar 5, 2001
- RO Number
- 3655
- Messages
- 1,800
I've been getting this question for years, from people that have holding tanks and are worried about the tanks filling up too quickly.
The most direct answer I can give, is, "How the h*ll do I know?"
The water usage on all marine toilets is operator-driven. It's like asking, "How high is up?"
With a manual flush toilet, it depends on how many times you pump it, and how your plumbing is laid out.
With an electric toilet, it depends on how long you hold the button, as well as how your plumbing is laid out.
With a Vacu-Flush, it depends on how long you press down the pedal, as well as how much water you added to the bowl before stepping on the pedal, plus how the plumbing is laid out.
So please, don't ask me how much water a particular toilet uses when flushing, because I honestly don't know. There are simply too many variables that have to be considered, and how zealous the operator might be. A rule of thumb is that with a manual toilet, flush until the bowl has been cleared then pump it two additional strokes for each foot of connecting hose to the tank. With an electric toilet, flush until the bowl has cleared, plus an additonal second for each foot of connecting hose to the tank.
With a Vacu-Flush, hold the pedal down for NO LESS than 3 seconds, and preferably 5 seconds, then let the pedal "snap" back up. Don't ease it back up with your foot. It is spring-loaded for a reason, and it is supposed to spring back up.
Generally speaking, a marine toilet uses about 1/2 gallon per flush, sometimes more - and that includes the Vacu-Flush too, despite their claims that it will flush with as little as a pint of water. Yes it will, but you'll wind up with a stinky boat as a result of doing it with that small amount of water. Think about it, how does the sewage get from the toilet to the tank? By the water that is carrying it. So it would stand to reason that the longer the run, the more water will be required. But there is no set formula, it is all operator-driven. With a manual toilet that has a piston or diaphragm pump, after clearing the bowl, you can switch it to the "dry" position and continue pumping. If the pump on the head is in good condition, the pressure from the pump will usually be able to push the water and sewage as much as six feet down the line.
The most direct answer I can give, is, "How the h*ll do I know?"
The water usage on all marine toilets is operator-driven. It's like asking, "How high is up?"
With a manual flush toilet, it depends on how many times you pump it, and how your plumbing is laid out.
With an electric toilet, it depends on how long you hold the button, as well as how your plumbing is laid out.
With a Vacu-Flush, it depends on how long you press down the pedal, as well as how much water you added to the bowl before stepping on the pedal, plus how the plumbing is laid out.
So please, don't ask me how much water a particular toilet uses when flushing, because I honestly don't know. There are simply too many variables that have to be considered, and how zealous the operator might be. A rule of thumb is that with a manual toilet, flush until the bowl has been cleared then pump it two additional strokes for each foot of connecting hose to the tank. With an electric toilet, flush until the bowl has cleared, plus an additonal second for each foot of connecting hose to the tank.
With a Vacu-Flush, hold the pedal down for NO LESS than 3 seconds, and preferably 5 seconds, then let the pedal "snap" back up. Don't ease it back up with your foot. It is spring-loaded for a reason, and it is supposed to spring back up.
Generally speaking, a marine toilet uses about 1/2 gallon per flush, sometimes more - and that includes the Vacu-Flush too, despite their claims that it will flush with as little as a pint of water. Yes it will, but you'll wind up with a stinky boat as a result of doing it with that small amount of water. Think about it, how does the sewage get from the toilet to the tank? By the water that is carrying it. So it would stand to reason that the longer the run, the more water will be required. But there is no set formula, it is all operator-driven. With a manual toilet that has a piston or diaphragm pump, after clearing the bowl, you can switch it to the "dry" position and continue pumping. If the pump on the head is in good condition, the pressure from the pump will usually be able to push the water and sewage as much as six feet down the line.
