I Have been told that the OEM head on the '85 Hunter 34 is out of production and that repair kits are not available. Mine is not working well, and, rather than replace w/ another manual head, I am thinking of going electric. (Easier for guests to understand...not a significant cost difference anyway, the bolts for the OEM don't match anything available as a manual either, etc.) Anybody done this recently? Is there a model that is easier to intall, or is there something I haven't thought about? What about buying a piece of laminate lumber and securing the new head to it, and then securing the whole assembly to the existing bolts, rather than "glassing" in a whole new bolt pattern? Given that all boat projects take 3x longer than anticipated, I'm hoping somebody can spare me the agony of a project that takes longer than necessary, and costs me a day on the water with a fresh breeze... Thanks. mdbesq@prodigy.net
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Peggie Hall/Head Mistress
What is the make/model of the head?
I can only think of a couple of manual toilets that are totally obsolete...and I doublt any of them would have been OEM equipment on a 37' boat. However, if the head is still original, it IS 15 years old...the average lifespan of a marine toilet pump is less than 10 (ok, there are some older that are still working...but nowhere close to original specs. The owners just don't know what original specs should "feel like.") So even if parts are still available, I wouldn't recommend putting any money into it....I'd replace it. As for whether the bolt patterns in the sole match anything available now, that should be the least of your concerns...after all, when you remodel a house, you don't worry about whether new kitchen and bathroom fixtures match existing holes. 15 years down the road, you aren't likely to find any piece of equipment that's an identical replacement in every way for the original. The easiest way to cope with it is to put a teak or mahogany board down over the old ones and bolt the new toilet through it.
I can only think of a couple of manual toilets that are totally obsolete...and I doublt any of them would have been OEM equipment on a 37' boat. However, if the head is still original, it IS 15 years old...the average lifespan of a marine toilet pump is less than 10 (ok, there are some older that are still working...but nowhere close to original specs. The owners just don't know what original specs should "feel like.") So even if parts are still available, I wouldn't recommend putting any money into it....I'd replace it. As for whether the bolt patterns in the sole match anything available now, that should be the least of your concerns...after all, when you remodel a house, you don't worry about whether new kitchen and bathroom fixtures match existing holes. 15 years down the road, you aren't likely to find any piece of equipment that's an identical replacement in every way for the original. The easiest way to cope with it is to put a teak or mahogany board down over the old ones and bolt the new toilet through it.
P
Peggie Hall/Head Mistress
Oops...I just realized you said "electric"
Is yours a true electric toilet...or a manual toilet onto which a "conversion kit" has been added? 'Cuz that makes all the difference in whether to repair or replace.
Is yours a true electric toilet...or a manual toilet onto which a "conversion kit" has been added? 'Cuz that makes all the difference in whether to repair or replace.
J
Jay Hill
Just Did It...
...but didn't tell Peggie, I thought she'd probably laugh at me. Same theory, though, the electric requires less time to explain. I had instructions on the bulkhead, but people couldn't seem to understand that either. The electric conversion kit I put on mine also has two macerator blades on the front edge of the pump blades, so everything in the holding tank is REALLY small making it easier to pump out and ensuring (better anyway) that nothing clogs in the hoses. OK, here's the problems with the installation on the H31: 1) I did not think much about the positioning of the electric motor when I bought the kit. The plumbing on the kit is very restrictive in its use; that is, you cannot remount the hose fitting on the pump itself to provide better routing of hoses. The motor should go BEHIND the head bowl for the cleanest looking installation, but there is not room for this behind the bowl on the H31. I could've done the wood-platform-extension thing, but any person sitting on the head would not be able to close the door to the head. Not good. So, the motor is now sitting aft of the head bowl (to the right of the bowl as you're looking at it). The problem is that the Out To Tank is now run from the front of the bowl, aft around the motor, then back forward to the holding tank. If you look at the floorplan for the H31 in The Boats, you will see how this is not the ideal situation. To make this route, I had to put on a hose, then 90 degree turn, then 22" hose curved around to the regular holding tank hose. Also not a great idea, but with the macerator blades, it works fine. If your holding tank is under the v-berth, you will have the same issue. The Point? Make sure you measure the space available behind the head if you buy a conversion KIT. By the way, all the holes fit both the deck and bowl exactly. No new drilling required. 2) The electric uses A LOT more water in the bowl than any manual I've ever seen; it really pumps it into the bowl. This makes it difficult to actually remove all the water FROM the bowl. To resolve this issue, I had to adjust the thru-hull valve for the intake water to where it limited the amount of water pumped into the bowl. The problem with this is the handle is underneath the sink cabinet/basin and very difficult to reach. Although I'd leave it open with a manual head, the electric conversion kit does not provide the same non-flooding properties as the equipment in the manual pump. So, you really need to turn the intake valve OFF when underway. (Yes, I know, you should do this no matter what type of head; we've all had that conversation already and shame on me for not doing it.) To fix this, I've placed a second valve in the intake hose OUTSIDE the cabinet and easily visible and accessible to users. The new instructions read: 1. Turn red valve to full open position. 2. Push button until all waste is removed plus 3 seconds. 3. Turn red valve to full closed position. 3) I'd show you a picture, but I'm too embarrassed at the way it looks currently. 4) Recommendations: Yes, it takes longer than you think. Almost four hours plus a trip to the store to buy more hose, fittings, and clamps. But that also includes running all the wire, drilling the hole for the switch, connecting all terminals and shrink wrap, removing and replacing the house power panel, and zip-tying/securing all the wires. If you do not have room behind the head for the electric motor section on a conversion KIT, then buy a whole new head with premounted motor designed for the bowl and pick one that is as compact as possible. Ensure the intake and Out To Tank fitting are where you want them or can be changed/moved to where they work on YOUR boat. Motor pulls some serious amps and you will have to run 8 or 10 AWG wire all the way to power panel and ground. Do not attempt to tap into any lighting wire as it is not big enough. I connected my wiring to the Water Pressure switch as it gets turned off after every use and seems to make a little more sense when securing the vessel: Anything that pumps water is on the same switch (except bilge of course). Good luck and hope this helps!!
...but didn't tell Peggie, I thought she'd probably laugh at me. Same theory, though, the electric requires less time to explain. I had instructions on the bulkhead, but people couldn't seem to understand that either. The electric conversion kit I put on mine also has two macerator blades on the front edge of the pump blades, so everything in the holding tank is REALLY small making it easier to pump out and ensuring (better anyway) that nothing clogs in the hoses. OK, here's the problems with the installation on the H31: 1) I did not think much about the positioning of the electric motor when I bought the kit. The plumbing on the kit is very restrictive in its use; that is, you cannot remount the hose fitting on the pump itself to provide better routing of hoses. The motor should go BEHIND the head bowl for the cleanest looking installation, but there is not room for this behind the bowl on the H31. I could've done the wood-platform-extension thing, but any person sitting on the head would not be able to close the door to the head. Not good. So, the motor is now sitting aft of the head bowl (to the right of the bowl as you're looking at it). The problem is that the Out To Tank is now run from the front of the bowl, aft around the motor, then back forward to the holding tank. If you look at the floorplan for the H31 in The Boats, you will see how this is not the ideal situation. To make this route, I had to put on a hose, then 90 degree turn, then 22" hose curved around to the regular holding tank hose. Also not a great idea, but with the macerator blades, it works fine. If your holding tank is under the v-berth, you will have the same issue. The Point? Make sure you measure the space available behind the head if you buy a conversion KIT. By the way, all the holes fit both the deck and bowl exactly. No new drilling required. 2) The electric uses A LOT more water in the bowl than any manual I've ever seen; it really pumps it into the bowl. This makes it difficult to actually remove all the water FROM the bowl. To resolve this issue, I had to adjust the thru-hull valve for the intake water to where it limited the amount of water pumped into the bowl. The problem with this is the handle is underneath the sink cabinet/basin and very difficult to reach. Although I'd leave it open with a manual head, the electric conversion kit does not provide the same non-flooding properties as the equipment in the manual pump. So, you really need to turn the intake valve OFF when underway. (Yes, I know, you should do this no matter what type of head; we've all had that conversation already and shame on me for not doing it.) To fix this, I've placed a second valve in the intake hose OUTSIDE the cabinet and easily visible and accessible to users. The new instructions read: 1. Turn red valve to full open position. 2. Push button until all waste is removed plus 3 seconds. 3. Turn red valve to full closed position. 3) I'd show you a picture, but I'm too embarrassed at the way it looks currently. 4) Recommendations: Yes, it takes longer than you think. Almost four hours plus a trip to the store to buy more hose, fittings, and clamps. But that also includes running all the wire, drilling the hole for the switch, connecting all terminals and shrink wrap, removing and replacing the house power panel, and zip-tying/securing all the wires. If you do not have room behind the head for the electric motor section on a conversion KIT, then buy a whole new head with premounted motor designed for the bowl and pick one that is as compact as possible. Ensure the intake and Out To Tank fitting are where you want them or can be changed/moved to where they work on YOUR boat. Motor pulls some serious amps and you will have to run 8 or 10 AWG wire all the way to power panel and ground. Do not attempt to tap into any lighting wire as it is not big enough. I connected my wiring to the Water Pressure switch as it gets turned off after every use and seems to make a little more sense when securing the vessel: Anything that pumps water is on the same switch (except bilge of course). Good luck and hope this helps!!
B
Bill Sheehy
Don't do it
My Passage 42 came with 2 electric heads. I have had nothing but troble with them. The only reason I keep fixing them is the wife likes the push button. I have the fwd head pretty much running ok now. I am going to reroute the intake line for the aft head which may fix that problem.
My Passage 42 came with 2 electric heads. I have had nothing but troble with them. The only reason I keep fixing them is the wife likes the push button. I have the fwd head pretty much running ok now. I am going to reroute the intake line for the aft head which may fix that problem.
J
Jay Hill
Bill, Could You...
...list the problems you've had? Maybe it will help me avoid some of them?????
...list the problems you've had? Maybe it will help me avoid some of them?????
M
Mark D. Bradshaw mdbesq@prodigy.net
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