Jabsco replacement.

[rfrye1]

Im looking to possibly replace my 18 yr old Jabsco on my '98 Hunter 376 with a Rariton manual head. If anyone has done this is it fairly simple? Is this a project that requires all new mounting holes and hose fittings? I hate drilling new holes in my boat.
I also wonder if the plumbing hoses would be the same size?
Thanks.. Bob

 

[Calif. Ted]

In the past the holes didn't line up but they do now, hose sizes are same but you'll have to check where they enter. You can "disassemble" and turn around so the pump is on the left and bowl on right.
I usually replace the hoses because they've built up scale inside, absolutely change them if you still have original black rubber.

 

[BigEasy]

In the past the holes didn't line up but they do now

Yes its my understanding that the Raritan PHII superflush does align with the hole pattern on the Jabsco, as Ted mentioned.
There is also a conversion kit that will enable you to use the existing bowl, seat, & cover and convert it to the Raritan plumbing and pump. I would think that if your present set up is 18 years old, you would replace the entire head. Might want to confirm the compatibility by checking with Raritan customer service or their website.

 

[rfrye1]

Thanks Big. I will look into that.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

The mounting bolt pattern on the Raritan PH SuperFlush Raritan PH SuperFlush is indeed a match for those on the Jabsco manual toilet. However, the flush water inlet is on the front of the PH pump, which may require replacing the inlet hose with a slightly longer one, and--depending upon how your Jabsco discharge hose is routed--it may be necessary to replace the straight discharge fitting (Raritan will send you a new one) with a 90 that can be aimed where it needs to go (Never just pull a hose to aim it instead of replacing the discharge fitting...that'll guarantee a leaking discharge fitting.)
The owners manual should help you figure out what you need: Raritan SuperFlush Owners Manual

I usually replace the hoses because they've built up scale inside,

Cleaning the scale out of hoses costs a lot less than new hoses, Ted. Easy to do with a product called Sew Clean Sew Clean However, I do agree that any hoses anywhere close to 10 years old should be replaced...rubber and plastic dry out over time, causing hoses to become hard, brittle and prone to cracking and splitting.

--Peggie

 

[rfrye1]

Success! Total time 4 hrs including trip to buy new hose.

 

[gregclapp]

Hello Peggy:

I'm replacing my Mansfield Model 751 toilet on my 1984 Hunter 34. Will replace as the valves are no longer holding back seawater, and I understand Mansfield is no longer around and there are no replacement parts.

My difficulty is fit. Raritan PHII Superflush (and Jabsco Twist n Lock) don't fit. The new toilets are deeper, and the mounting screws will not hit the surface. As the hull angles outward as it rises, if I raise the base by 4" then a new unit will fit. Have you encountered this problem? Would you have a recommendation as to how to raise the base?

If I may, I have second question. Do you feel that re-plumbing to use fresh water to flush is a good idea? I don't cruise, so water capacity isn't a problem. There is a nearby fresh water supply for the shower in the head.

Thanks.

Greg Clapp
"Long Winded"

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Mansfield Plumbing spun their entire marine toilets division off to SeaLand Technology in 1984...SeaLand discontinued the manual toilets (751 and 752) just a few years later to concentrate all their energies on the VacuFlush (which Mansfield introduced in 1978...so your Mansfield toilet is at least 35 years old. Mfrs only continue supporting equipment for a max of 10 years after they discontinue it. Which explains why you can't find any parts for it.

The Raritan PH SuperFlush is by far your best choice for a replacement. It uses the PHII pump which has been the top rated manual toilet for 30 years and Raritan has no intention of ever discontinuing it. Keep it well lubricated and put a rebuild kit in it about every 5-6 years and it'll easily give you 20+ of reliable trouble-free service. So it's definitely worth figuring out how to make it fit. However, I don't quite understand what you mean by "raise the base"...and until I do, I can't offer any suggestions about how to it.
However, there is a Plan B that just might work: the Raritan PHC "conversion:" And I THINK sbo.com is the only retailer who still offers it. It's the compact version of the original PHII--same pump that Raritan is still using for the SuperFlush, but on a compact base and you'd keep your existing bowl (yes, it WILL fit the Raritan base), seat and lid. Check it out here: Raritan LBA Upgrade for almost any toilet .

As for your second question, the answer is no. NO toilet, manual or electric, that's designed to use sea water should ever be connected to the fresh water plumbing and every toilet mfr specifically warns against it in their installation instructions. However, there is one safe way to supply fresh water to a sea water toilet: reroute the toilet flush water inlet line to tee into the head sink drain line (more on that after we succeed in finding a replacement toilet that'll fit your boat).

--Peggie
"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein