I want to install the head above the holding tank.

D

DLL

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Just thought I would ask. Do any boats have their head's mounted directly above the holding tanks?

I have two Vacuflush units and they are wearing down fast. My 44 Tolly could have an RV type head mounted right over the front holding tank. Hmmm, I would need to figure out how to add a large tank to the current small one.

The reason I ask is for medical reasons. I am on morphine and that has less than wonderful side effects.

I wonder about houseboats? My medical condition is the driving force here. It is not getting any better and will get worse until science finds a way to fix my lower back and several other problems. But for now, do you know of ANY boat that configures their system this way? Thanks.
 
Sorry to hear about your medical condition and you are lucky to have a compassionate doctor. I am no doctor but you should eventualy adjust to the medication and it's side effects. I would definately work on keeping the Vacuflush systems. They use the smallest amount of water per flush bar non. I would install the largest holding tank in unison with the Vacuflush heads. I am pretty sure you can with the proper plumbing have the head almost on top of a holding tank. I believe Sealand makes a unit like that where the head sits on top of a smallish 9 gallon holding tank. You should be able to pump that tank to a larger holding tank.
Good luck with all. Regards Bill
 
Thanks BillyIII, I have already been on the morphine, demerol, oxycodone, Fentanyl, etc. for almost 2 years. My body adjusted, then goes out of whack. When I am not functioning normally, being on the boat is out of the question unless I find another way to do it.

The Vacuflush is a good system, but without going into details, it was not designed for people with severe medical problems.

The ideal system would be like motorhomes have. Low volume water, simple to fix, heck, get a new manual toilet for around $100..Aquamagic 5 or something like that.

If we wanted to, we could put the same toilet as in our house, get one with a power boost and no tank needed.
 
Also sorry to hear of your medical problems. When I was in my 30's, I had a whole bunch of back problems and remained pretty well medicated for a number of years. Fortunately for me, things seem to have mended themselves and now, in my '60's, I have no back problems at all other than persistent arthrtitis in my neck that gives my fits at times (like today!).

There are a few pontoon houseboats that use a direct-drop RV-type toilet (Thetford brand). But most of the lake-type houseboats with aluminum hulls all use marine toilets with remotely installed holding tanks.
 
Thanks Vic, I will look around.

I was thinking I might buy a houseboat and have a tank put under it. The side effects of morphine aren't pretty or fun. I would like to put an American Standard ADA compliant head right above the holding take. Or close enough I could run 3" PVC pipe directly to the head.

There are several houseboats I might like.

I can't find the VF kit at BoatFix, do you know where they are? I guess I can call Boatfix this afternoon. Thanks for taking the time to answer Vic....Dave

EDIT: I have a model 512 forward and a model 848 aft. I need duck bills for two heads...
8 altogether...I think. The 848 model needs the kit. Do you know where I can find the
kit at BoatFix?? I looked and found a reference to page 0, meaning it is real new to BF.
 
Vic, I called BoatFix and they said VF has several maint. kits.

I want the Std Maintenance kit with a bowl seal; Ball, Shaft, Spring Cartridge, 2 sets of Duck Bill Valves; Water Valve, Vacuum Breaker and Owner's Manual.

That is around $140-$175...not sure what Boat Fix charges for it.

And 4 duckbills.

Man, this sucks. I called BoatFix and they send me to VacuFlush to get the right part number. Vacuflush for Northern Calif. says they can't help me, I should call a Sacramento
something or other..a rep I guess. But wait, Sacramento does not have one, call San Francisco...only this sounds like a one man shop and he is out in the field making a living.

I CALLED VF AT CORP HQ, I TOLD SHIRLEY I WANTED TO BUY FROM THE PEOPLE WHO SUPPORT THIS FORUM AND SHE SAID I CAN ONLY BUY FROM THEIR PEOPLE, NOT BOATFIX. IF BOATFIX WANTS TO SELL THE PARTS, THEY WILL HAVE TO HELP ME INSTEAD OF TELLING ME TO GET THE INFO FROM VACUFLUSH...BECAUSE SHIRLEY FLAT TOLD ME THE PEOPLE IN COSTA MESA WILL SELL ME THE PARTS I NEED. GOOD &$#&rb2rb2@gr5tgr5t# LUCK GETTING ANYTHING FROM VACUFLUSH'S PEOPLE. AND YES, I AM YELLING.

I don't like their noisy crappers on a good day and wish I didn't have them, all I want is to do is to buy the kit and try to fix it. Since BF says they cannot sell me a kit by name, I have to have serial numbers...but Vacuflush will sell to me...period.

Very frustrating...I can buy them off the internet, but I am trying to give BF my business. Instead I feel like VF is giving me the business.
 
Dave, call Northeast Sanitation and talk to Mike Starito (he's the boss) 800-352-4323 (Toll Free) or (Local) 631-752-7606. Northeast Sanitation is SeaLand's (SeaLand is parent company of VacuFlush) regional distributor for the entire northeastern United States, from Maine to Virginia. Tell him that the SeaLand distributors in your area are a bunch of d*cks, and sadly, you have to come to him for help. He'll probably laugh (it won't be the first time he's heard that complaint). He's a nice guy to speak with on the phone and can get you the information and part numbers that you need. However, he's currently in Annapolis, MD at the Sail Show, and will be there through next weekend, for the Annapolis Power Boat Show. I'd expect he'll be back in the office around the 17th of October.

For general info, Boatfix doesn't normally carry VacuFlush parts. They can get them for you on special order, but they don't have the SeaLand catalogs and parts lists for them. BoatFix does carry other SeaLand items, but not VacuFlush toilets or parts for them. SeaLand has some oddball requirements for dealers and distributors of the VacuFlush head - if you sell them, you also have to install them. BoatFix being an internet company, doesn't meet those requirements, and thus cannot be a dealer or distributor for the VacuFlush - so don't beat up BoatFix over it - beat up SeaLand.
 
Thanks Vic, BoatFix has been good to me, I am not mad at them, but I am frustrated with the
SeaLand reps out here.

Seeing my RO number in the 1700s lets you know how long I have been coming here. I will wait until next week before I call on the VF parts. I admit I am surprised that when I give someone the VF part number, that doesn't explain what I need. I will call Mike, thanks Vic.
 
If you cant get the p/n from their web site or the partlist that comes with yout head I'll check mine in the am. I gave the old numbers to bf hewpdesk and they translated. Parts arrived quickly.
 
Already installed on my Carver when I bought it is a Raritan model with and 8 gallon holding tank attached at the bottom. This is a factory configuration, but I'm guessing the unit is about 15 yeas old. Works with a fresh-water pedal flush and I've equipted it to pump over to a 20 gallon holding tank through a manual transfer pump. I believe that Raritan still makes a similar model.
 
I called Ardemco in Costa Mesa, but he said he had not heard of a model 512 s/n 112152. So I guess I will have to make a trip to the boat to check it again. I will try to catch Clyde on the dock, have him look. My back doesn't bend like that anymore. So I will call them back, thanks for the info....Dave

PS--I usually take photos of things I can't see, then try to get the info from a digital image. I will look thru my recent shots to see if I took any. There was more RAM in an XT than my brain.

EDIT- I thought I might take the vacuflush loose from the floor, then turn the water off & take the hoses off...then put them in a couple of plastic bags and take them up on the sun deck or something...I wonder if these units come apart as easy as the pictures make it look? Awkward sentence...The pictures make it look easy, I hope it is. Guess I had better see what tools I will need.
 
I was right, it IS a model 512. Meanwhile the front toilet healed itself, but the rear toilet is leaking fresh water from somewhere. Up under the back of the toilet I think, I can't see it.
 
Check your hose connection if it's leaking from under the back. Also the vacuum breaker, it may be leaking or just looose.
 
Yes check your vacuum breaker. I was going to replace mine when I did the ball and shaft but Ardemco told me unless it's leaking water it is still good and I didn't need to replace it. Imagine that they told me NOT to buy a part.

Good Luck,
 
Propeller55, that isn't a Raritan toilet that you are describing; it's a SeaLand, made by the same people who make the VacuFlush toilets, called the Marine Traveler. Raritan has never made a toilet like that. Check the ARDEMCO site from the link supplied by TopandKandi - you'll see a picture of it there.
 
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