So, I replaced the toilet on my 32’ sailboat with a brand new Jabsco and decided to also replace the intake hose. It was very old & smelly and I didn’t want to contaminate my brand new bowl. I picked up some Shields Series 148 VAC XHD hose from West Marine to replace the old one.
I was able to connect one end of the hose to the Jabsco toilet with great difficulty using a heat gun and brute strength. But I have now spent 2 days trying to connect the other end of that same hose to the seacock. Nothing works. I have already destroyed a few inches of the hose in 2 heroic attempts to no avail. In one case I had to bend the hose back and forth so much to try and get movement that I split it on the seacock.
Now I consider myself a fairly handy guy but I just don’t see how this hose is going to fit on the seacock. I think it’s a Blake seacock and it is a bit oversized. I tried the heat gun while turning the hose against the direction of the metal spirals and can get nowhere. I tried every trick I read online & nothing. It’s literally like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. I have checked 3 times to make sure the hose size is the same as the old one (3/4”) and double checked the seacock size. It’s all the same. I’ve even measured the hose itself just to make sure. It’s 3/4” alright.
Part of the problem is that the seacock is in a tough spot. It’s at a right angle with the sink drain seacock right next to it and it’s close to the cabinet wall. But still, I should be able to get the hose on. I have heard about how hard it is to get extra heavy duty hose on a Blake seacock but this is ridiculous.
So now I have to decide what to do here. My first option is to just start from scratch and disconnect the new hose from the toilet (which I am wary of doing because it was so tough to get on) and try a lower grade hose. After all, I don’t need extra heavy duty hose for the toilet intake. In fact, I think Shields makes a Series 148 multi-purpose hose (not extra heavy duty) but I’m not even sure that’ll be any easier to get on and I have to find it to buy it.
My second option is to somehow clean & deodorize the old hose and just put it back on. But I honestly don’t think there’s anyway to clean & deodorize the old hose at this point. Otherwise it is in fairly good shape but the inside is just filthy. I’m very wary of this option - after all, that’s the whole reason I’m replacing it.
Lastly, the third & preferred option is to somehow figure out a way to get this hose on the seacock without destroying it in the process. The problem is that’s what I’ve been doing for 2 days and I’ve gotten absolutely nowhere after a lot of work & time.
I’m curious to know what you all think and if anyone has any suggestions. As I’ve said, I have tried a heat gun, dawn liquid to grease it, turning the hose against the direction of the spirals to open it, a strap wrench, tried tapering it, etc. all to no avail.
I was able to connect one end of the hose to the Jabsco toilet with great difficulty using a heat gun and brute strength. But I have now spent 2 days trying to connect the other end of that same hose to the seacock. Nothing works. I have already destroyed a few inches of the hose in 2 heroic attempts to no avail. In one case I had to bend the hose back and forth so much to try and get movement that I split it on the seacock.
Now I consider myself a fairly handy guy but I just don’t see how this hose is going to fit on the seacock. I think it’s a Blake seacock and it is a bit oversized. I tried the heat gun while turning the hose against the direction of the metal spirals and can get nowhere. I tried every trick I read online & nothing. It’s literally like trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. I have checked 3 times to make sure the hose size is the same as the old one (3/4”) and double checked the seacock size. It’s all the same. I’ve even measured the hose itself just to make sure. It’s 3/4” alright.
Part of the problem is that the seacock is in a tough spot. It’s at a right angle with the sink drain seacock right next to it and it’s close to the cabinet wall. But still, I should be able to get the hose on. I have heard about how hard it is to get extra heavy duty hose on a Blake seacock but this is ridiculous.
So now I have to decide what to do here. My first option is to just start from scratch and disconnect the new hose from the toilet (which I am wary of doing because it was so tough to get on) and try a lower grade hose. After all, I don’t need extra heavy duty hose for the toilet intake. In fact, I think Shields makes a Series 148 multi-purpose hose (not extra heavy duty) but I’m not even sure that’ll be any easier to get on and I have to find it to buy it.
My second option is to somehow clean & deodorize the old hose and just put it back on. But I honestly don’t think there’s anyway to clean & deodorize the old hose at this point. Otherwise it is in fairly good shape but the inside is just filthy. I’m very wary of this option - after all, that’s the whole reason I’m replacing it.
Lastly, the third & preferred option is to somehow figure out a way to get this hose on the seacock without destroying it in the process. The problem is that’s what I’ve been doing for 2 days and I’ve gotten absolutely nowhere after a lot of work & time.
I’m curious to know what you all think and if anyone has any suggestions. As I’ve said, I have tried a heat gun, dawn liquid to grease it, turning the hose against the direction of the spirals to open it, a strap wrench, tried tapering it, etc. all to no avail.