Head not pulling raw water

Bad Obsession · May 4, 2010

THe first thing to check is to see if the through hull is clogged. Try shutting the through Hull that is the intake (it is also the sink drain). Fill the sink with water and see if the toilet will pump water from the sink. This is a good way to do antifreeze in the winter too...btw.

If the toilet is taking water from the sink but not picking it up from outside the boat then you may have a fowled through hull. Swim overboard and run something into the through hull with it open and see if you feel an obstruction. If you do gently try to clean it out.

If you can't pump the water from the sink into the toilet then the head may need a re-build. You can get the kit at most marine stores for what ever toilet you have.

If you get really Froggy in this then change out what you have for the Raritan PHII. I have one and changed form the Jabsco (a piece of crap not fit to crap in). It was a good change!

jerryf609 · May 10, 2010

(BTW, great idea, BadObsession on using the sink for winterizing the head. I hadn't thought of that. Will do that next season instead of disconnecting the intake hose.)

Fly Away, I had the same problem and thought maybe the thru-hull was clogged, but then I realized the sink in the head drained quite well (through the same thru-hull).

I had an old CW Headmate with a ceramic bowl. I purchase the Raritan PHC LBA (LBA for lower something assembly). It was a complete new head except re-used the CW Headmate bowl to save some money. It fit perfectly. It was the best dollars I spent on the boat.

Here's my thread. I received great advice from Peggy the Head-mistress.

http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?t=109729

Bob4203 · May 11, 2010

Fly Away............
If indeed the thru-hull and drains are okay, its obviously the rubber flapper/gasket within the handle unit. I replaced my old original Jabsco with a new Jabsco and already I had to do a rebuild. The problem is, the lack of use will warp or dry out the gasket that retains intake water for flushing. Its a very easy rebuild and if its a Jabsco, kits are usually stocked at most marine stores. If your going to rebuild the flush unit, you'll need a good detergent, small brush and do not forget the gloves! Take a good look at the rubber pieces and you can see they are the weak link in the unit. I did not use the head for several months over the winter and failed to occassionally flush or lubricate the gaskets..........that obviously cost me with a failed mechanism. On the thrift side though, you can rebuild a Jabsco unit a whole bunch of times for the fraction of the cost of a newer high tech head. Perhaps thats why folks hang onto this lesser expensive head. Again, lack of use or flushing over time will impact the gaskets...........

Good luck

Bob

Bad Obsession · May 12, 2010

The jabsco is a piece of crap and only will last a season before you need to rebuild it. The Raritan PHii is well worth the money to put in.

sean0965 · May 12, 2010

Hey Fly,

I think I had the same problem as you. The issue is not with the pump or the through hull. The sink drain ties into the same through hull correct? If the sink drain is not shut off (or a plug in the drain of the basin) then every time you pump, you are actually drawing air in from your sink rather than water from the through hull. It's silly that they share the same through hull...but just plug the sink to get around it!

jerryf609 · May 13, 2010

sean0965 said:
Hey Fly,

I think I had the same problem as you. The issue is not with the pump or the through hull. The sink drain ties into the same through hull correct? If the sink drain is not shut off (or a plug in the drain of the basin) then every time you pump, you are actually drawing air in from your sink rather than water from the through hull. It's silly that they share the same through hull...but just plug the sink to get around it!

No, you do not have to plug the sink drain to draw water in from the thru-hull to flush the head ... at least not if everything is working properly.

sean0965 · May 17, 2010

jerryf609 said:
No, you do not have to plug the sink drain to draw water in from the thru-hull to flush the head ... at least not if everything is working properly.

Jerry, if Fly's head is plumbed the same way as mine, he would have to plug the sink. The sink drain would act just like a plumbing vent (or should I say vacuum breaker).

jerryf609 · May 20, 2010

sean0965 said:
Jerry, if Fly's head is plumbed the same way as mine, he would have to plug the sink. The sink drain would act just like a plumbing vent (or should I say vacuum breaker).

OK, sorry Sean. I guess it would depend on how it is plumbed. The way mine is plumbed, I can pump the head without plugging the sink. The sink uses the same thru-hull as the head intake. I should have said, not on mine.