Best Course?

[WJA302]

I purchased a '88 Cat 27 in August. It has a Jabsco manual head. The former owner had some health issues and I think the maintenance schedule was a little behind. I was getting some wash back into the head and I read about the joker valve on this site. (In addition to pumping longer after the bowl cleared) I replaced the joker and the parts guy said the old one was shot.
Now I have an issue with a slight leak from the housing seam where the joker valve was located. I'm sure I used the right valve during replacement and the housing can't get any tighter where the two screws are. Should I use sometype of "gasket in a tube"? get a rebuild kit? replace the head? I'm going to the Annapolis show next week and I want to know my options. I'm a first time owner so not a lot of experience here. Thanks

 

[timvg]

The easiest method would just to replace the pump. With that, you'll get all of the new parts you need. Of course it will cost you about 90% of what a new head costs. Just depends how much time you wish to spend. We always keep an extra pump on the boat, just in case something happens. We only had to replace the pump once when we were on a cruise, but it was nice to solve the "problem" with a 10 minute fix.

 

[kenny]

wja302 had the very same head trouble today.remove the hose to the discharge elbow,take off the elbow reinstall without pressure from the hose. now slide the hose back on and tighten back up. you should find no leaks. ken

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Replace the toilet...

Putting money into a Jabsco toilet is just throwing good money after bad. See this: Sbo.com PHC PH II

The Raritan PH II Raritan PH II and PHE II has been rated the best toilet under $500 for several decades...It'll last at least 20 years with minimal maintenance (keep it lubricated, rebuild every 5=6 years). The PHC uses the same pump as the PH II, but it's on a compact base and has a shorter pump handle to fit in a smaller space.

The cost to upgrade using the "conversion" is only about 50% more than a new Jabsco.

Tim, you and Rick Dinon need to get together, 'cuz the two of you have a lot in common: he's closing in on $1,000 spent for new pumps to keep his $100 Jabsco toilet working. How much have YOU spent so far for those spare pumps you keep onboard "just in case?"

 

[seadaddler]

Trash Can

I agree throw the thing into the trash and get a PHII so much better and will last so much longer with out problems.
I changed to a PHII and wish I had done it sooner,I saw how well it worked other boats and asked around with no complaints and than changed to a PHII.
Nick:dance:

 

[timvg]

Peggy's probably right, but the unfortunate truth is that most boats (mine included) have dozens of things that could be improved by just spending $500. I replace my pump about every 18 months, so it would take me over 6 years to reach the $500 milestone. Changing the pump is easy to do, doesn't require me to take a day off of work, and makes me sound knowledgeable when discussing heads at the yacht club. I realize that I could probably rebuild it, but I choose to not become that intimate with "those" parts.

The up side is that we have lived on our boat for about 75% of the nine years we have had it, and we never have head odor. I would imagine that since we "exercise" the head system on a regular basis, odors don't get a chance to hang around. The holding tank is pumped out once a week.

 

[WJA302]

Thanks

Thanks to all. I think I'm going to go Peggy's route because the only thing my better half cares about is a head that works, every time, and we guys know that, "When Mom's happy....."

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

I replace my pump about every 18 months...of the nine years we have had it.

A new Jabsco pump is about $100...iif you've bought one every 18 months, in 9 years you've bought 6 of 'em. A PHC "conversion" (everything but the bowl, seat and lid) that wouldn't have to replace for at least 20 years is $219 from the sbo.com store http://shop.sailboatowners.com/detail.htm?group=1357&cat=1002

Don't think of all the things you COULD have bought with the extra $400 you didn't have to spend for toilet pumps ...focus on what you can buy with the NEXT $1000 you won't have to spend on any more of 'em!

 

[WJA302]

One last question

Wiill the base holes on a new Raritan line up the same with the Jabsco mount? I'm stilll too much of a newbie to be drilling the bottom of my boat!

 

[seadaddler]

Maybe

I don't think the holes will line up but not to worry about drilling holes,I did the change over and did have to drill a few holes in my new 2007 H-36.
If you change to the PHII and use your old bowl like I did they give you a plastic cover.
I am not sure how your toilet mounts but mine was easy to drill new holes,you will love how so much better the PHII.
I have had other marine toilets and the PHII is sooooo much better and have seen them in many other boats all over and they just must be a very well built unit,you being new to boating will learn all good and bad about boating soon but save the the time working on the old one and just change over it will be worth the $$$$.
Nick

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Nope

Wiill the base holes on a new Raritan line up the same with the Jabsco mount? I'm stilll too much of a newbie to be drilling the bottom of my boat!

One, maybe two, will line up...but as seadaddler said, it's no big deal. If you'renot comfortable with doing it yourself, recruit a more "seasoned" dockmate to help you.

 

[Ron20324]

Wiill the base holes on a new Raritan line up the same with the Jabsco mount? I'm stilll too much of a newbie to be drilling the bottom of my boat!

If the holes dont line up, get one of those ceiling canopies- like on ceiling fans- to hide the holes. Not seeing your installation, but I would think you are not "drilling the bottom of your boat", but a raised platform. Just use a short bit, or don't push one too far in.:naughty:

 

[WJA302]

Thanks folks! This site & the people on it are the greatest! Peggie I looked for you at Annapolis to thank you but didn't see you. I was there Friday and connected with the Raritan folks.

 

[Schomer]

I just went through this last weekend and I too am new to maintaining a boat, so I was nervous about doing this... I bought a PH II at West Marine. They matched the price I found online, after I printed up the page that said the website had it in stock (did a quick search on Google to find it). I also had to print what it would cost me, including shipping. I saved about $150 off what they were asking - making it about $300. So, it's not $500.

I unscrewed the bolts holding the existing toilet to the deck, loosened the clamps on all the hoses, and took the old toilet out.

The bolts looked okay, so I saved them for use with the new toilet, which doesn't come with any mounting hardware.

After that, I hooked up all the hoses to the PH II toilet to test it out. Everything seemed great. I marked, with a pencil, where I would need to drill some holes in the deck, then drilled some holes slightly smaller than the bolts from the previous toilet.

Oh, I put the toilet seat on, and tested to make sure it would open and stay open, before marking the hole locations for the base.

None of the holes line up with the other toilet - at least for me. But it doesn't seem like an issue. The PH II comes with a big cover for the bottom of the toilet and it covers the previous holes in the deck, which don't even seem like they need to be filled.

I had one other issue... the drain hose was too stiff to bend into the connection to the toilet. I had to make another run to West Marine to pickup a new hose, which is much more flexible. ($5)

All of it was pretty straightforward. So go for it! Probably even easier than trying to figure out how to rebuild parts of a toilet.