Raritan PHii pump rebuild

May 6, 2010
472
1984 Oday 39 79 Milwaukee
Greg - the hex nut is the correct identifier. The flat gaskets are probably fine - they behave that way when brand new.
 
May 6, 2010
472
1984 Oday 39 79 Milwaukee
My 3 year old PHII is leaking from the square valve on the front of the pump...
Assuming you mean the square bolt on the front of the dry/flush valve, I disassembled this part on mine but there were not parts in the rebuild kit for it. Not sure exactly what it does - I keep meaning to call Raritan and ask.
 
Dec 2, 1997
9,011
- - LIttle Rock
My 3 year old PHII is leaking from the square valve on the front of the pump. I removed it and and cleaned with vinegar but no change. Slow leak. That isn't a part of the rebuild kit. Any way to fix that little valve in there?
3 years is a very short lifespan for the air valve (the name of that little square valve). ...they're usually good for at least 10 years and it's a somewhat pricy little part. So I'd give Raritan call to discuss.

Btw...vinegar is not a good choice for cleaning the rubber diaphragm in that li'l valve...'cuz vinegar will cause soft rubber to swell up and distort when left to sit and soak in it...the reason why you should never leave vinegar sitting in a toilet bowl (it'll destroy the joker valve) and why flushing vinegar through the hoses to prevent mineral buildup should always be followed after 45-60 minutes with a clean water rinse.
 
Nov 26, 2008
1,970
Endeavour 42 Cruisin
3 years is a very short lifespan for the air valve (the name of that little square valve). ...they're usually good for at least 10 years and it's a somewhat pricy little part. So I'd give Raritan call to discuss.

Btw...vinegar is not a good choice for cleaning the rubber diaphragm in that li'l valve...'cuz vinegar will cause soft rubber to swell up and distort when left to sit and soak in it...the reason why you should never leave vinegar sitting in a toilet bowl (it'll destroy the joker valve) and why flushing vinegar through the hoses to prevent mineral buildup should always be followed after 45-60 minutes with a clean water rinse.
Thanks
I didn't soak it too long, maybe 5 minutes to clean anything that might have been stuck in there. A dab of silicone grease?
 
Dec 2, 1997
9,011
- - LIttle Rock
Assuming you mean the square bolt on the front of the dry/flush valve.... Not sure exactly what it does - I keep meaning to call Raritan and ask.
The rubber diaphragm is a check valve that opens on the downstroke of the piston to allow a little air to come into the (unused) top half of the pump cylinder to stop the "vacuum kick." If this check valve doesn't open to allow air into the top half of the pump cylinder, the handle becomes very difficult to pump in the dry mode and wants to jump back and smack you in the face. This ONLY happens in the "dry" mode.

However, the joker valve has be able to close completely to create the vacuum needed to push waste through the system in either mode. If you thought the joker valve only blocks backflow, you'd be wrong...that's its least important function. The article "joker valve 101" explains what its real function is...you can search for it in the archives, or if you have my book, it's on page 38.
 
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Dec 2, 1997
9,011
- - LIttle Rock
A dab of silicone grease?
Nope. If you used the tube of SuperLube grease that was in the rebuild kit (last thing you should have done was stick the tube nozzle into the bottom of the pump and squeezed it all into the pump), it has all the lubrication it needs. Give Mac McCoy at Raritan a call on Monday...he's in their FL plant: 954-525-0378