Backflow

[jEFF]

Peggy,While sailing in some very stiff winds, extreme heel, last week I noticed that the Groco head on my 28.5 was backflowing from the holding tank back into the bowl. Thankfully the tank had been pumped out the week before and only the water from adding the blue deoderant was coming backthrough. Not knowing much about head design I was wondering if the backcheck valve, (Joker valve?) could be the problem? I intend to rebuild the head over the winter but am I on right track?Thanks

 

[Peggie Hall/Head Mistress]

I doubt if it was actually coming from the tank

For chemicals at the bottom of an empty tank to flow back down a hose that goes into the top of the tank you'd have to heel over so far you could consider it a knockdown. What I think you saw was chemcial still left in the hose after you flushed it through through the toilet. And yes, your joker valve was prob'ly the culprit. Not only is this a good example of why heads should be rebuilt more often, but also should tell you that you aren't flushing your toilet completely enough. This time it was your blue stuff that stopped moving through the system when you stopped pumping. However, any time you use the head, whatever was in the bowl also stops wherever it is whn you stop pumping...and sewage sitting in hoses is the reason hoses permeate. So in addition to rebuilding your toilet, you might also want to read the article in this forum titled "Flush With Success."