My head has a two position lever. One says "dry bowl" the other position says "flush". I've tried to fill the bowl with thru-hull open, lever at dry; then lever at flush. Nothing. Then for kicks, I tried again with thru-hull closed, lever in both positions. Still nothing. Then I assumed maybe I didn't pump enough, so I pumped in all four combinations 40 times each(wanted a consistent test). No matter which position, I could not get water in the bowl, although the "liquid matter" in the bowl did flush. Can't remember in which position, but I did hear a hissing sound at one point. One more tid-bit, the white hose going into the top of the bowl (fill hose?)is slightly loose fitting and doesn't have a hose clamp on it. As far as I can tell it never did. The head worked last week, but wouldn't this past weekend. Any ideas?
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What make/model? How old?
However, I'm not sure the problem is in the toilet...you could have a blockage in the thru-hull or the intake hose. There's one way to find out: remove the intake hose from the thru-hull, stick it in a bucket of water and flush the head in the wet mode. If it pumps water you have a plugged up thru-hull....could be some sea life has taken up residence on it, or it could be that the seacock handle doesn't open/close it any more. If it doesn't, remove other end of the hose--at the toilet--to check for a blockage in the hose...pour water into it...blow through it. If it's not a blockage in the intake, we'll trouble shoot the toilet. Yes, the hose coming off the top of the pump to the back of the toilet should have a clamp on it. The hissing sound worries me a bit...that could indicate another totally unrelated problem--a blocked holding tank vent. If so, all that pumping you did pressurized the tank...the hissing was air trying escape back up through the toilet.
However, I'm not sure the problem is in the toilet...you could have a blockage in the thru-hull or the intake hose. There's one way to find out: remove the intake hose from the thru-hull, stick it in a bucket of water and flush the head in the wet mode. If it pumps water you have a plugged up thru-hull....could be some sea life has taken up residence on it, or it could be that the seacock handle doesn't open/close it any more. If it doesn't, remove other end of the hose--at the toilet--to check for a blockage in the hose...pour water into it...blow through it. If it's not a blockage in the intake, we'll trouble shoot the toilet. Yes, the hose coming off the top of the pump to the back of the toilet should have a clamp on it. The hissing sound worries me a bit...that could indicate another totally unrelated problem--a blocked holding tank vent. If so, all that pumping you did pressurized the tank...the hissing was air trying escape back up through the toilet.
Peggy,I don't know the make
or model. It's in a 1987 C&C 30. The boat is out of the water now, due to the storm and I can't get to it till the weekend. I'll try your ideas and let you know. I'm assuming the "wet mode" is the lever position marked "dry bowl". Thanks.
or model. It's in a 1987 C&C 30. The boat is out of the water now, due to the storm and I can't get to it till the weekend. I'll try your ideas and let you know. I'm assuming the "wet mode" is the lever position marked "dry bowl". Thanks.
Why would you assume that dry is wet? 
Wet = bring in flush water--"wet the bowl." Dry = evacuate bowl only...no flush water. If your toilet is original, I suspect it may be time for a new toilet...but let's rule out a blocked intake before we go there.
Wet = bring in flush water--"wet the bowl." Dry = evacuate bowl only...no flush water. If your toilet is original, I suspect it may be time for a new toilet...but let's rule out a blocked intake before we go there.
Unintended benefit
As long as the raw water intake doesn't work, quit trying and resort to keeping a jug of freshwater in the sink for flushing. If you draw the water from either sink, you'll do the right thing by running the pipes of the system. More importantly, you'll be putting a better form of water into the holding tank, minimizing smell and bacteria.
As long as the raw water intake doesn't work, quit trying and resort to keeping a jug of freshwater in the sink for flushing. If you draw the water from either sink, you'll do the right thing by running the pipes of the system. More importantly, you'll be putting a better form of water into the holding tank, minimizing smell and bacteria.
Fresh water has -0- impact on holding tank odor
Flushing with fresh water prevents odor in the toilet that's caused by sea water left to stagnate in the head intake, but in the holding tank, it makes no difference whatever whether the toilet waste is mixed with sea water or fresh--the bacteria won't be any less, or behave any differently.
Flushing with fresh water prevents odor in the toilet that's caused by sea water left to stagnate in the head intake, but in the holding tank, it makes no difference whatever whether the toilet waste is mixed with sea water or fresh--the bacteria won't be any less, or behave any differently.
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