Connecting Head Pickup and Vanity Drain Discharge near thru-hulls

[jveatch]

In order to eliminate smell in the toilet after no use for extended periods in the salt water environment, I understand the solution is to fill the Head Pickup line with fresh water. Other posts have used the Vanity Water Basin. I want to install a T in the Head Pickup line next to the thru-hull and another T adjacent to it in the Vanity Drain Discharge next to the thru-hull, and join the two T's with a valve gate. I'm hesitant to disassemble the factory lines until I am certain what parts to use. Has anyone ever tried this? The outside diameter of the Vanity Drain line (coiled) is 1.5 inches, while the outside diameter of the solid white Head Pickup line is 1 inch.

If I can make the installation successfully, then filling the Head Pickup line with fresh water will be easy ... close the hull-thru gate valves for each, then pour fresh water in to the Vanity sink, and then operate the toilet on "flush" in order to suck fresh water from the sink down thru the new valve and over to the Head Pickup line and up to the head.

Any thoughts?

 

[Al Miller]

I just performed this modification to my 2004 h36. If you want a list of parts that it took just email me, all came from West Marine. The fix involved removing the plastic NPT to barbed fitting that the sink drain hose attaches to. Then I added a 1" close nipple and a 1" tee. Put reducer in one leg of the tee and used plastic NPT to barbed from original head intake through hull. Then put back the original NPT to barbed for the sink hose. Also needed to put plug into old head intake through hull as I am not ready to use it yet. All this took place right at the head sink through hull.

Al Miller

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

You're overcomplicating it...

You don't need two thru-hulls or any gate valves...you just need one tee and a reducing adapter. You should be able to find everything you need in the plumbing department of any decent hardware store for less than half the price WM charges.

And btw, hose sizes always use the INSIDE diameter...so your head intake line is 3/4" and your head sink drain line is 1.25" .

Reroute your head intake line to tee into the head sink drain line. That's all there is to it. In fact, several boat builders plumb this way to eliimate one hole in the boat.

To rinse the sea water out of the system, simply close the thru-hull and fill the sink with clean fresh water...flush the toilet. Because the thru-hull is closed, the toilet will pull the water out of the sink.

 

[Shawn93]

Re: You're overcomplicating it...

I'm getting ready to make the same modification, and have two questions for clarification:

First, given that I current have separate thru-hulls for the head pick up and vanity drain, I assume this modification means using a single thru-hull, and shutting and plugging the other thru-hull. Is that correct?

Also, I'm planning on upgrading to an electric head that will have the remote sea water pump. Does the strainer need to be on the pump side of the tee, to avoid interference with the vanity drain function, I assume?

Thanks - Shawn

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Answer to both your questions is yes

two questions for clarification:
First, given that I current have separate thru-hulls for the head pick up and vanity drain, I assume this modification means using a single thru-hull, and shutting and plugging the other thru-hull. Is that correct?

Also, I'm planning on upgrading to an electric head that will have the remote sea water pump. Does the strainer need to be on the pump side of the tee, to avoid interference with the vanity drain function, I assume?

However, unless it's already been shown that you need a strainer in the head intake line and therefore you already have one, I wouldn't install a strainer at all. They're only needed if your boat is in waters that are shallow with a lot of bottom vegetation and sea life that are likely to be pulled in by the toilet.

You'll plug the head intake thru-hull and use the sink drain thru-hull...or you'll now have an available thru-hull for a washdown or heat/ac pump if you need one.

Btw...what electric toilet do you plan to install?

 

[Shawn93]

Re: Answer to both your questions is yes

I was hoping to install the Raritan Elegance. However, I'm not certain it will fit. I'm hoping to make a template of the available space and take it up to the Annapolis Boat show to "test fit" first hand. If the Elegance doesn't fit, I'm thinking I'll go with the SeaEra. With frequent guests and kids on board, I think an electric toilet is a good call.

Any other advice?