Best manual marine head

[svlorelei]

Since we are ready to retire and go cruising, we are replacing our forward Jabsco head.
I have read a lot of the discussions out there and the LaVac sounds great, but a little too pricey. We are looking at the Groco HF compact or the Raritan PCH compact design. I would like to know what you would recommend as the most reliable. We just put a new Jabsco in the aft cabin and already had a little problem, so we want a better head forward for $500 or under. Your advice will be greatly appreciated. Thank you, John & Tarcha Alain

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Raritan PHC is your best choice...

It uses the same pump as the PH II, which has been rated best manual toilet under $500 for more than 20 years. The conversion will allow you to "recycle" your existing bowl, seat and lid. Check it out here: sbo.com PHII PHC LBA

 

[odaydokay]

It uses the same pump as the PH II, which has been rated best manual toilet under $500 for more than 20 years. The conversion will allow you to "recycle" your existing bowl, seat and lid. Check it out here: sbo.com PHII PHC LBA

Peggy is right. This is a very good head, best of 3 I have had. Defender has them on sale at something like 54% off list and you probably can't beat that.

 

[tomlang63]

I asked this same question about two weeks ago, and following some research, I came up with the following:

New PHC from Defender - $199

PHC LBA (use your existing bowl) - $219

For a little more, the PHII is somewhere in the $350 range.

For me, the $20 bucks was worth not having to tear apart a 30 year old bowl assembly from the existing Jabsco that I currently have.

Hope this helps.

 

[dhays]

Found the same thing...

I noticed this last night after coming home from the boat determined that I'm finally going to so something about the WC Headmate toilet in the aft head.

I was going to use the PHC LBA, but since Defender had the entire thing for $20 less, I just ordered a whole new unit. Can't way until it gets here. If my wife likes it as much as I expect and Defender still has the sale going on, I may get another to replace the forward head even though it is still functioning OK for the time being.

Dave

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

I asked this same question about two weeks ago, and following some research, I came up with the following:
New PHC from Defender - $199
PHC LBA (use your existing bowl) - $219
For a little more, the PHII is somewhere in the $350 range.
For me, the $20 bucks was worth not having to tear apart a 30 year old bowl assembly from the existing Jabsco that I currently have.
Hope this helps.

Toilet bowls are HEAVY....the extra shipping cost for the complete toilet from Defender makes the total price just about a wash with sbo.com's price for the "conversion" (everything BUT the bowl). However, Defender had the complete PH II on sale a couple of weeks ago for the same $199...which definitely IS a deal.

But to describe removing 4 bolts and lifting up a bowl as "tearing apart a bowl assembly" is just a wee bit of a stretch, doncha think?

 

[dhays]

Toilet bowls are HEAVY....the extra shipping cost for the complete toilet from Defender makes the total price just about a wash with sbo.com's price for the "conversion" (everything BUT the bowl).

$43 to ship the PHC to me from Defender. ~$22 to ship the PHC LBA to me from sbo.com. However, add in the $23 in WA State sales tax that I pay from sbo.com, and I'm still a bit over $20 ahead with the complete unit.

Now, if the PHII would fit in my forward head, I'd jump at that for $199!

 

[hoges in wa]

In West Marine asking about the "conversion, keep the bowl" thing and they didn't know about it. So they rang a guy at Raritan and HE didn't know what we were talking about??? Started quoting prices for 1 x pump handle, 1 x this and so on. Couldn't be bothered arguing so just bought 2 x complete units from Defender. Work great. Easy to fit. Thought I'd better be a good chappy and bought the smells book, too <g>

 

[dhays]

In West Marine asking about the "conversion, keep the bowl" thing and they didn't know about it. So they rang a guy at Raritan and HE didn't know what we were talking about??? Started quoting prices for 1 x pump handle, 1 x this and so on. Couldn't be bothered arguing so just bought 2 x complete units from Defender. Work great. Easy to fit. Thought I'd better be a good chappy and bought the smells book, too <g>

Great decisions all way round.

BTW, I like to buy as much as possible from the small WM Express near my marina. It is just too convenient to have them there when I need something in a hurry. I'd rather pay a little more and have the local store order it for me (they don't get credit for online sales even if they are shipped to the store for pick-up) and keep them in business.

I bought Peggie's book a while ago. Very good resource.

Dave

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Learn to use mfr's product names/#s...

..when asking for something that isn't on the shelf. If you'd asked for PHIILBA or PHCLBA--which are right there in the sbo.com listing, WM might not have known what you were asking for, but anyone who'd worked at Raritan for more than 15 minutes would have...because those are actually repair parts that had been in the Raritan system for a couple of decades when it dawned on 'em that they could also be marketed as a "conversion."

When you consider that most boat store employees today have rarely worked there much longer than 15 minutes , a little homework before you go shopping can make shopping a lot easier. They still may not have it, but you'll find out a lot faster.

Buying as much as you can at WM 'cuz it's convenient is like buying as much of your groceries etc as possible at the local 7-11 'cuz it's more convenient than the supermarket. Nice that you can afford to do that ...most people can't.

 

[JMM]

Buying as much as you can at WM 'cuz it's convenient is like buying as much of your groceries etc as possible at the local 7-11 'cuz it's more convenient than the supermarket. Nice that you can afford to do that ...most people can't.

The convenience of WM can be great -- and they will price match anything from a "Brick & Mortar" store (they will often not match internet only stores) -- so do your research and print out the web page when you find it and bring it in with you.

 

[dhays]

Buying as much as you can at WM 'cuz it's convenient is like buying as much of your groceries etc as possible at the local 7-11 'cuz it's more convenient than the supermarket. Nice that you can afford to do that ...most people can't.

I don't think you understood my point at all. Online retailers are great and I use them a lot, however... What happens when they put all the brick and mortar places out of business?

Need a stainless screw because you just dropped one overboard? Sure, you can order one online and wait for it to arrive, but you may be tied to the dock until then. I like the fact that WM is there when I need them.

Case in point, two weeks ago when we pumped out our holding tanks, I found that I only had enough KO for one tank. Yeah, I can order it online, but I wanted to have some to put in the tank NOW, not in a weeks time. I ran up to WM Express and took the bottle they had on the shelf.

WM can't stay in business on just that type of "emergency" trade, so I give them as much trade as I can when they are reasonably competitive. I'm willing to pay a little bit more on non-urgent items so that I'll have a source for those urgent items when the situation arises.

Next time you have an urge to buy a book or CD and don't want to wait a week to have it shipped or don't feel like an electronic copy, see how many options you really have?

 

[markhunter]

I am probably the only person to ever break a Lavac head, the gas bottle fell on it, wife not happy as we had a week onboard! that aside in replacing it, even though yes it was more expensive, the fact that for nearly 20 years we never had one issue at all, thus I just replaced with the same, or almost. I too was shocked at the price, yet did notice another model that was a lot cheaper, I think it was called 'popular' anyway my requests the the manufacturer re the difference went unanswered, until I was finally contacted by a local distributer who gave me the answer. The more expensive one was for those with larger behinds, so when I finally ordered one, my wife asked, "so what did you buy"? Luckly I bought the smaller, and yes it is smaller, yet it is fine and still pumping away 5 years later. Lavac for me anyday.

 

[dhays]

Installed the Raritan PHC

Well, due to some other equipment failures, I spent part of my Labor Day weekend replacing my WC Headmate with the Raritan PHC.

On my boat, a C400, it is a very simple change. Simply disconnect the hoses from the Headmate, remove the three screws bolting it to the deck, and carry it to the dumpster. The PHC uses 4 mounting holes. I was able to reuse one hole, so I drilled three more, picked up another SS Lag screw, and mounted the PHC. The hose connections are almost exactly the same. I removed the hose between the pump and the bowl that came with the PHC, and connected the already hoses for a vented loop. I used two inches of that hose and a 90 elbow to connect the raw water intake to the pump and I was done.

The PHC is MUCH better in operation than the WC Headmate. Given how well it worked out, I may just do the same thing with the forward head.

Dave