Dificulty pumping head

[Daddio]

We have a 96 hunter 29.5. The head is hard to pump out and I think the line is blocked. I cleaned out the vent from the top of the tank to the side fitting. It was plugged and may have been the root of the problem. We pumped out the holding tank thinking the suction may dislodge the plug but no luck. Any suggestions or easy solutions before I totally disassemble the system?

 

[thinwater]

We have a 96 hunter 29.5. The head is hard to pump out and I think the line is blocked. I cleaned out the vent from the top of the tank to the side fitting. It was plugged and may have been the root of the problem. We pumped out the holding tank thinking the suction may dislodge the plug but no luck. Any suggestions or easy solutions before I totally disassemble the system?

a. Has this always been difficult, or did it start suddenly? It is possible you are not flushing with enough water.

b. I'm assuming you tried blowing water back into the tank through the pump-out line. This is always a first step.

Other than those 2 things....

Once you do get it going, I'd suggest repeatedly injecting water in the pump-out and pulling it out. You may have some heavy junk that needs water.

 

[Steve Dion]

Can you try to disconnect the vent hose from the tank and try pumping? Remove the hose and be sure that the vent connection is clear.

 

[Daddio]

I removed the vent from the top of the tank and cleaned out the line and fittings. It was plugged at the elbow into the tank. I think this restricted the flow causing the line to plug. I am thinking I need to remove the pump assembly from the head and snake the line from there. There is an elbow where it connects to the top of the holding tank but there is not a lot of room to disconnect it. Because its connected to the top of the tank it's unlikely to be plugged by sludge in the bottom.

I will probably end up with a mess in the head when I take the pump off so I was hoping for an alternative fix if possible. And while we are talking about tanks, how do you check your fresh water level? I can't see the tank from any openings in the v berth.

 

[Steve Dion]

PS: What type of a toilet do you have? If it is a Jabsco, it is a good time to think about replacing it.

 

[Daddio]

It is a Jabsco and initially it worked ok. However by the time the tank was 1/3 full it became difficult to pump and not much was moving. I'm sure the problem is in the line or valve

 

[Daddio]

I'm looking for ideas to unplug the line without dumping sewage on the floor of the head.

 

[dparilla]

Start with a pump out. Flush the holding tank with fresh water (blast some down the vent line if you can while the pump out is running. ) The suction may help evacuate the line from the toilet.

When you use the toilet pump, does it feel rock hard, or kinda springy? If it is spongy/springy, that means that there is a blockage in the line. More stiff, then it is a mechanical issue with the pump.

Unfortunately, if there is still effluent in the line, when you remove the pump it will spill some, have kitty litter ready as an absorbent. And get a gallon jug of Raritan k.o. to use in the cleanup efforts. Plugged toilets are always a pain, and rarely a clean job.

One easy thing to check however is the flush control valve. Make sure it is all the way in either wet or dry. If the valve is stuck half way, it will block the flow and act like a plugged line.

 

[Ed Caldwell]

Simple thing to check

It is a Jabsco and initially it worked ok. However by the time the tank was 1/3 full it became difficult to pump and not much was moving. I'm sure the problem is in the line or valve

Remove the pump handle and plunger and lube the rubber seal on the piston with silicone lube. This should confirm it's downstream somewhere.

 

[Daddio]

Thanks for the tips about the head. Does anyone know how to check the water level of the fresh water tank on a 29.5?

 

[Tally Ho]

Thanks for the tips about the head. Does anyone know how to check the water level of the fresh water tank on a 29.5?

My H280 has a float in the water tank, and a gauge on the electric panel. The float seems to get stuck on the slide, but when sailing it usually settles down to the water level.

On the head issue, can you have someone handle the pump out, and at the same time try pumping the head? Maybe the combination of suction from the tank, and push from the pump is enough to clear the line. I know on my Jabsco, I replaced the pump assembly and that made the thing much more efficient at flushing and it did not cost too much.

Greg

 

[thinwater]

IF you decide that the pump is getting weak (and that has NOTHING to do with how full the tank is, since it is pumping into the top--if it's getting harder as you go you must still have a vent problem, no other possible reason) consider just replacing the pump. It comes as one unit for about $70 from Defender Marine, is a 10 minute replacement, and gives you practically a new head. Much easier than a replacement, and much easier and dependable than an attempted rebuild. Just get the pump complete assembly; it's not much more than all the parts.

 

[Daddio]

I just had the pump off and snaked the line. It turns out to be a problem with the valve at the bottom of the pump and likely the joker valve as well. Looks like I need a new pump assembly. Thank you for all your suggestions.