Mildew in head system

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littlebookworm

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We have a Jabsco hand pump head with a thru-hull feed/ holding tank set-up. The boat is winterized at the moment. I'm planning ahead. There has been a problem with odor and black mildew coming into the bowl when the pump is activated. I'm assuming this is from mildew in the flush systemm and under-rim of the bowl. How can I clean this out? Do I need to dismantle the pump and rebuild it, or is there a profuct I can draw in through the thru-hull hose? I know I can't use beach or drain cleaner, so what can I use? All advice appreciated. Thanks. Hy
 
I would Vinegar before bleach. However I don't see how your going to get around replacing all the sanitation hoses. Even the best hoses properly treated are disposable components.
Bill
 
quote:
Originally posted by littlebookwormWe have a Jabsco hand pump head with a thru-hull feed/ holding tank set-up. The boat is winterized at the moment. I'm planning ahead. There has been a problem with odor and black mildew coming into the bowl when the pump is activated. I'm assuming this is from mildew in the flush systemm and under-rim of the bowl. How can I clean this out? Do I need to dismantle the pump and rebuild it, or is there a profuct I can draw in through the thru-hull hose? I know I can't use beach or drain cleaner, so what can I use?

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More likely what you are seeing and smelling is the decayed remains of animal and vegetable matter sucked up through the raw water intake for the head. This dries and dies in the head passages under the rim and is flushed into the bowl with the next flush. One sign of this is that the first flush after a few days smells really bad and subsequent flushes get less smelly.

The best solution is a fresh water flush head, but that's not practical in all circumstances. Something that may help (and something that I have done) is to install a filter on the incomming water line to trap what would otherwise get caught in the head's water passages. When you clean the filter screen you will see what I'm talking about.
 
More likely it is raw water going off in the inlet hose while sitting between trips. If so a filter wont help
 
As I see it, the problem is whatever is layered, dumped, caked, or stuck in the inlet system and in the bowl itself. If this were a household setup, I'm disconnect the inlet hose from the seacock, put it into a bucket with a bleach/water mixture and suck it into the system with the handpump. I'd let it sit an hour and then flush it out with fresh water. That would clean out all the hoses, the pump, and the bowl. But I can't do wthat because bleach would kill the rubber and the seals on the pump. So, Is there another product or liquid that I can use to do the same thing? Hy
 
As I see it, the problem is whatever is layered, dumped, caked, or stuck in the inlet system and in the bowl itself. If this were a household setup, I'm disconnect the inlet hose from the seacock, put it into a bucket with a bleach/water mixture and suck it into the system with the handpump. I'd let it sit an hour and then flush it out with fresh water. That would clean out all the hoses, the pump, and the bowl. But I can't do wthat because bleach would kill the rubber and the seals on the pump. So, Is there another product or liquid that I can use to do the same thing? Hy
 
A manual pump Jabsco head isn't exactly the Rolls/Royce of marine toilets. With your boat being 10 years old, if the Jabsco head is orginal to the boat, it's already reached the end of its useful life. You may want to consider replacing the toilet along with the hoses. That way, you'd be killing two birds with one stone - and getting rid of all the old caked-up parts - which are causing the odor you mentioned. If you do it yourself, and replace it with the same model head, the cost would be less than $200.00. Plus, then you can add a fine-mesh strainer in the supply water line, to filter out a lot of the detritus that's being drawn in and collecting in the hollow rim at the top of the toilet bowl. (Adding the strainer might run the total tab a bit over the $200.00 mark, however.)

Just my $0.02...

If you don't wish to go that route, Raritan has recently come out with a product called "CH - Cleans Hoses" that should also help in solving your problem. BoatFix carries it:

http://www.boatfix.com/shop3/store/listItems.asp?strSearch=1PCHGAL

Don't let the cost scare you; when being used, it's diluted with 5 parts of water, so the gallon will last you a good long time, most likely a couple years. You'd pour a little less than a quart of the CH into a gallon milk jug and fill it the rest of the way with water. Then remove the supply water hose to the head, at the seacock. Stick the end of the hose in the jug of solution, and have someone else pump the toilet until you see it circulating around the bowl and being discharged. Then stop and let it sit in the lines for a few hours. Finally, re-attach the hose to the through-hull fitting, and use the toilet normally. If you do that once or twice a year, it should dramatically reduce the problem you're having.
 
Vic: Normally, I'd have to agree with you on the age of the head,but the situation here is a little different. It was only used once this season and, according to the salesman, rarely in the years before that. It works perfectly, with no leakage of any kind. I'm strongly leaning towards your recommendation of CH. It's worth a try in the spring when I recommision. Right now the head is winterized, with the pink stuff in the system and the tank. Sometime in March, I think I'll replace the hoses and clean out the whole system. The holding tank is readily accessible and easily removable as well. It's a messy job, but I think I may pull the tank and clean it out as well. That, hopefully, will give me a clean system to begin the season. Thanks for the advice. Hy
 
Actually not using a head is worse than normal use. The rubber seals dry up, hoses crud up from lack of moisture to help luricate them in your case the top of the water bowl outlet holes are probably encrusted. Here is an example try purchasing a 10 year old car that has sat in one spot or rarely moved and the air conditioning was never used. In all probability the AC has no freon in it from cracked dry rotted seals and O rings and the tires would dry rot or have flat spots. Salesman = a well dressed liar in many cases.
Bill
 
You're probably right. My previous boats which had heads all had Porta-potty type heads so this is a learning curve for me. I'm going to try your cleanout suggestions in the spring. If they fail, I'll throw the head out and buy a new one. I thank you for your concrete advice. That's one of the reasons I joined this forum, to get advice from people who've been there and know. I give advice when I can, based on my experience and training, but am not shy about asking for help when I don't know. Hy
 
quote:
Originally posted by littlebookworm

You're probably right. My previous boats which had heads all had Porta-potty type heads so this is a learning curve for me. I'm going to try your cleanout suggestions in the spring. If they fail, I'll throw the head out and buy a new one. I thank you for your concrete advice. That's one of the reasons I joined this forum, to get advice from people who've been there and know. I give advice when I can, based on my experience and training, but am not shy about asking for help when I don't know. Hy

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You can buy a rebuild kit for your head, but it's about one third the price of a replacement head. Replacing the head is simple if it's the same model. Two hoses and four bolts.

Mine was probably eight years old when I bought my boat and the PO had been flushing baby oil to make the pump work smoothly so I elected to replace rather than rebuild. If you elect to replace, you will end up with a spare (used) seat. Ever price a replacement seat for one of these?
 
Ron: Can't say I've ever priced a replacement seat or any other part for a head! You mean I can't buy one at Home Depot? I think I better close the topic now before some, shall we say, toilet humor starts to appear. Think spring, all. Hy
 
I also have a manual pump head that gets its "flush" water when I pump it in to the bowl from the bay.
The last season or so I stopped pumping bay water in to it all the time. What I do mostly now is use the shower hose to spray fresh water in to the bowl when I need it, and then pump the fresh water and waste from the bowl in to the tank.
I find that it really cuts down on the smell.
Not real sophisticated, but it seems to work.
 
littlebookworm

fwiw: The fastest way to destroy a boat, and/or anything on a boat ( other than a "high speed docking maneuver" ), is to not use it. Everything on a boat needs to "get exercise". Use it -all- frequently. And I mean everything. Periodically unpack then re-pack everything aboard. Use all electronics ( turn on and leave warmed up for at least several minutes ), run the fresh water, use the head, cycle seacocks open/closed. Everything.

Just letting you know...
 
quote:
Originally posted by littlebookworm

Ron: Can't say I've ever priced a replacement seat or any other part for a head! You mean I can't buy one at Home Depot? I think I better close the topic now before some, shall we say, toilet humor starts to appear. Think spring, all. Hy

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You won't find the "compact" seats at Home Depot.

You might find a seat for a larger head, I have never had one or looked for one.
 
I was just joking about Home Depot. I know you can't get a seat there. I'm already put "replacing the hoses and rebuilding the pump" on my winter list. I'm probably going to unbolt the entire head and bring it home to work on it. The inside of the boat gets rather cold over the winter, While I've got it home, I'll be able to give everything a good cleaning, especially once I've got the seals and such apart. The first thing I've got to fo is get the model number off the head so I can get the correct manual and parts kit. I'll also measure the lengths and sizes of hose I need to replace what's there. The seacock was rebuilt this past season. Its gasket sprung a leak a month after the boat was launched. It had to be hauled and the gasket replaced. So, I know the valve is perfect. My winter list keeps growing, but that's OK. It will keep me busy until the spring. Hy
 
quote:
Originally posted by littlebookworm

I was just joking about Home Depot. I know you can't get a seat there. I'm already put "replacing the hoses and rebuilding the pump" on my winter list. I'm probably going to unbolt the entire head and bring it home to work on it. The inside of the boat gets rather cold over the winter, While I've got it home, I'll be able to give everything a good cleaning, especially once I've got the seals and such apart. The first thing I've got to fo is get the model number off the head so I can get the correct manual and parts kit. I'll also measure the lengths and sizes of hose I need to replace what's there. The seacock was rebuilt this past season. Its gasket sprung a leak a month after the boat was launched. It had to be hauled and the gasket replaced. So, I know the valve is perfect. My winter list keeps growing, but that's OK. It will keep me busy until the spring. Hy

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It's far easier to rebuild the head when it's out of the boat.
 
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