This spring I'm interested in plumbing the head in my 387 to use fresh water vs. lake water... (the lake water in the inlet hose gets pretty rank during the week, so the first flushes every weekend are NASTY) I've heard there are two ways; dedicate my rear water tank to the head.. plumb it in directly. Or tap into the water line that goes to the sink. My questions are two: which way is preferred? Can you run pressurized water to the head? If not, that means redirecting one (rear) water tank to the head is the way to go. Do I need an antisyphon value or checkvalve? Assuming a dedicated tank.. how does a person gain access to run the flex line from the tank to the bathroom? Under the floorboards I found solid white panels of fiberglass... can I cut through? Hopefully someone has done this before me and can give me some steering.... thanks in advance.
fresh water supply for my marine head
- Thread starter Thane22692
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Don't use your onboard tanks
only consider a separate tank. You risk cross contamination of your fresh water. Buy Peggie's book and read it.
only consider a separate tank. You risk cross contamination of your fresh water. Buy Peggie's book and read it.
Nasty Flushes
I have no idea where Lewis is, but your lake water must be real bad. We are in salt water, and IT can really create some smells after a week in the hose. What I do is close the through hull and pump on wet bowl until I get most of the water out, switch to dry, empty the bowl, pour in a pint of fresh water and leave. The next time I just LIVE WITH IT, its only natural, and it is just one flush. JADED
I have no idea where Lewis is, but your lake water must be real bad. We are in salt water, and IT can really create some smells after a week in the hose. What I do is close the through hull and pump on wet bowl until I get most of the water out, switch to dry, empty the bowl, pour in a pint of fresh water and leave. The next time I just LIVE WITH IT, its only natural, and it is just one flush. JADED
Use an electric solenoid valve
I can understand the worry about contamination of the water supply from the head, but my C350 came with a pretty slick arrangement that works well and would be much simpler to install than dedicating a tank-provided you have an electric head. Water is tapped directly from the line supplying the head sink, but the line contains an electric solenoid valve that is wired directly to the head switch. The valve is normally closed and pops open only when the head is pumped. I have reasonable confidence that this is secure. Sorry I don't have a picture, but it would be a simple and cheap set up. Even Keel II
I can understand the worry about contamination of the water supply from the head, but my C350 came with a pretty slick arrangement that works well and would be much simpler to install than dedicating a tank-provided you have an electric head. Water is tapped directly from the line supplying the head sink, but the line contains an electric solenoid valve that is wired directly to the head switch. The valve is normally closed and pops open only when the head is pumped. I have reasonable confidence that this is secure. Sorry I don't have a picture, but it would be a simple and cheap set up. Even Keel II
Interesting.....
That's a great idea, assuming contamination really is not an issue. I can do some research on this... (I do have an electric head) Do you have to have your water pressure turned on to make this work? Assuming your solution was not factory installed, do you know by chance the name of the dealer who may have installed it?
That's a great idea, assuming contamination really is not an issue. I can do some research on this... (I do have an electric head) Do you have to have your water pressure turned on to make this work? Assuming your solution was not factory installed, do you know by chance the name of the dealer who may have installed it?
Yes, water pressure is needed
The particular head that I have is made for this arrangement and does not have an intake pump built into it, though I don't think it would hurt an intake pump if it was present. I forgot the make-- probably a Raritan. In any event, you do need water pressure to make it work. I was skeptical about this whole deal but now that I've used it for a whole season, I'm pleased with it. One minor caveat-- The outflow pump (which is also a macerator) pumps the water out a bit faster than the supply line can supply it, so it is sometimes difficult to completely clear the bowl. I think it would be excellent to install a second switch so that you could run extra water into the bowl before flushing (or before using it, for that matter!). This would be very easy to do. I don't think the factory installed this, in which case I'd be fairly certain that it was done by Winter's Sailing in Riverside N.J. The solenoid valve is an easily available type (sorry I don't have the mfg). I used to use the same type for lines that handled highly corrosive insecticides on sprayers and they held up well.
The particular head that I have is made for this arrangement and does not have an intake pump built into it, though I don't think it would hurt an intake pump if it was present. I forgot the make-- probably a Raritan. In any event, you do need water pressure to make it work. I was skeptical about this whole deal but now that I've used it for a whole season, I'm pleased with it. One minor caveat-- The outflow pump (which is also a macerator) pumps the water out a bit faster than the supply line can supply it, so it is sometimes difficult to completely clear the bowl. I think it would be excellent to install a second switch so that you could run extra water into the bowl before flushing (or before using it, for that matter!). This would be very easy to do. I don't think the factory installed this, in which case I'd be fairly certain that it was done by Winter's Sailing in Riverside N.J. The solenoid valve is an easily available type (sorry I don't have the mfg). I used to use the same type for lines that handled highly corrosive insecticides on sprayers and they held up well.
Definitely use a back-flow preventer..
if you're even considering the idea of using your main water supply rather than a separate tank. All it takes is one incident of someone operating the head when there's no pressure in the system to create the chance of sucking water back out of the toilet and into the fresh water supply. Yuk! Even if the chance of that happening is pretty low, I'd try to avoid it all cost.
if you're even considering the idea of using your main water supply rather than a separate tank. All it takes is one incident of someone operating the head when there's no pressure in the system to create the chance of sucking water back out of the toilet and into the fresh water supply. Yuk! Even if the chance of that happening is pretty low, I'd try to avoid it all cost.
Head sink drain
I don't know the plumbing arrangement on the 387, not sure if this will work. I put a Tee in my head sink drain at the thru hull. Attached the head intake to the new open barb on the Tee. To fresh water flush, close the sink drain thru hull, fill head sink with water and pump it empty a couple times in the wet bowl postion. When using the "sea" water (thru hull open) to flush, it helps to put a stopper in the sink.
I don't know the plumbing arrangement on the 387, not sure if this will work. I put a Tee in my head sink drain at the thru hull. Attached the head intake to the new open barb on the Tee. To fresh water flush, close the sink drain thru hull, fill head sink with water and pump it empty a couple times in the wet bowl postion. When using the "sea" water (thru hull open) to flush, it helps to put a stopper in the sink.
Even Keel...Does your head have a two way switch--
on our we press the foot switch to evacuate the bowl as new water is coming in, and press up on the foot switch to evacuate the bowl with no water coming in. Is your's the same. Seems like I could wire the soleniod to operate only in one of the two positions. I didn't see any soloniods for water use in WestMarine. So your sprayer application may be the ticket. I assume you also have a check value as a saftey measure in case someone forgets to turn the water pressure on.... T
on our we press the foot switch to evacuate the bowl as new water is coming in, and press up on the foot switch to evacuate the bowl with no water coming in. Is your's the same. Seems like I could wire the soleniod to operate only in one of the two positions. I didn't see any soloniods for water use in WestMarine. So your sprayer application may be the ticket. I assume you also have a check value as a saftey measure in case someone forgets to turn the water pressure on.... T
Switch & check valve
No, my toilet has only a momentary switch on the vanity that runs the pump/macerator (which evacuates the bowl) and opens the solenoid at the same time to allow water in. There is no check valve. The solenoid has quite a bit of spring tension against it that holds it closed except when energized. This valve is higher than the toilet, and the fresh water enters the bowl around the rim, then after the switch is closed, much of the water in the hose runs into the bowl. Because of that, if there is no water pressure I don't think there would be back siphoning. However, a backflow preventer would be cheap insurance and would not hurt! I did a search on the valve and found the make and general type, but I don't have the exact model number. It's an Asco Red Hat 12v solenoid valve. Here's a link to a PDF that gives details: http://www.ascovalve.com/Common/PDFFiles/Product/8262_8263R1.pdf Again, the one I have may not be in the 8262/8263 series, but it's close. As I mentioned before, it would be nice to be able to activate this valve without activating the toilet so that some extra water could be run into the bowl. Adding a second switch would be a cinch. Even Keel II
No, my toilet has only a momentary switch on the vanity that runs the pump/macerator (which evacuates the bowl) and opens the solenoid at the same time to allow water in. There is no check valve. The solenoid has quite a bit of spring tension against it that holds it closed except when energized. This valve is higher than the toilet, and the fresh water enters the bowl around the rim, then after the switch is closed, much of the water in the hose runs into the bowl. Because of that, if there is no water pressure I don't think there would be back siphoning. However, a backflow preventer would be cheap insurance and would not hurt! I did a search on the valve and found the make and general type, but I don't have the exact model number. It's an Asco Red Hat 12v solenoid valve. Here's a link to a PDF that gives details: http://www.ascovalve.com/Common/PDFFiles/Product/8262_8263R1.pdf Again, the one I have may not be in the 8262/8263 series, but it's close. As I mentioned before, it would be nice to be able to activate this valve without activating the toilet so that some extra water could be run into the bowl. Adding a second switch would be a cinch. Even Keel II
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