Dry Bowl / Flush Lever

[Kevin O'Neal]

Reference 1983 27'Yes, FULL of questions today.Even with the lever on the head (Mansfield 751) pushed to the "dry bowl" possition, water is flowing in the bowl from the through hull (have since closed that sucker to prevent flood/sinking).Any ideas why?Could it be debris?If so, how to correct?Thanks for any help!Kevin

 

[Peggie Hall/HeadMistress]

Main reason is a 20 yr old obsolete toilet that's

worn out. The wet/dry valve has broken, No parts other than a "universal" rebuild kit from Jabsco that fits several obsolete tolets have been available for it for at least 10 years. Which means that it cannot be repaired. It's time for a new toilet.Wet/dry valves can fail, even in new toilets...which is why the seacock MUST always be closed when no one is aboard...seacocks left open are the #1 cause of boats sinking their slips. But you also need to protect against it while you're aboard...so when you replace the toilet, you should install a vented loop in the head intake--not between the thru-hull and the pump, but between the pump and the bowl. The only question remaining is which toilet is the best choice for a replacement. IMO, that's the Raritan PH II...or the PHC (same pump on a compact base to fit in a smaller space)...rated the best manual toilet under $500 for a couple of decades.

 

[Benny]

same Boat

I was drying the floor last week. Mine just leaks on the wet position but surely is a matter of time. West Marine has a head on sale for $119. Cannot beat that when the repair kits are selling for $80. We better heed what Peggy says.

 

[Peggie Hall/HeadMistress]

Whether $80 rebuild kit is worth it depends on

the head....not all heads are created equal. The Wilcox-Crittenden Skipper and Imperial are $1,000 toilets...the Groco EB and K are also $800-$1000. These toilets, unlike the "entry level" W-C Headmate and and Groco HF toilets, are built to last 100 or more (I've seen a few that were over 50)....opting to replace one of 'em with $100--or even a $200 toilet because the rebuilt kit for it is $80-100 would be the equivilant of replacing a Rolls Royce or a Ferrari with a Geo Metro because scheduled maintenance for the Rolls costs almost as much as the Geo. When deciding whether to repair or replace, compare the cost of the kit with the price of the IDENTICAL or other toilet in the same price range as yours...don't base it only the cost of repair parts for your toilet...you could be throwing away a $500-$1,000 toilet.