Peggie I have read through the most recent posts and have the following issue and questions.. My Groco HF head continues to fill the bowl.. I recently rebuilt the pump unit but to no avail.. The tank vent is clear.. The only item that is suspect is the vented loop.. My holding tank is approximately 2 feet above the toilet. The discharge hose attaches to the upper fitting of the tank and the lower fitting is for the deck pump out. The vented loop was removed from the system when the overboard discharge line was eliminated. Is the vented loop needed to help eliminate this problem?? and if so, how high above the tank should it be mounted. I would like to minimize the column of waste water that the joker valve will have to hold back.. Thanks.. Murph
Groco Technical Question
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Is the water clean or dirty?
If it's clean, what's filling your bowl is flush water via the intake, not waste backup via the discharge. If it's filling up regardless of whether the wet/dry valve is in the wet or dry position, the cam (little "gate" that the lever swings to block or unblock the flow of flush water) has failed and needs to be replaced. To be sure, close the intake seacock..pump till you've cleared all the water in the intake line out of it. Then pour some water in the bowl and flush. If it all goes out and doesn't come back into the bowl, you've confirmed the problem. If water still fills the bowl again after you stop pumping, then it is backing up. I suspect you just aren't pumping long enough in the dry mode to move it all the way to the tank--which, if the tank more than about 4' from the toilet, may be impossible with a rise of 2'. In that case, a vented loop in the head discharge line immediately after the toilet is the solution. It should be at least 6-8" above the top of the top of the tank, so that you'll only have to pump long enough in the dry mode to move the bowl contents over the top of it...gravity will get it the rest of the way to the tank. And you also need a second vented loop in the intake--between the pump and the bowl (replace the short piece of hose between the top of the pump and the back of the bowl to install it)--to prevent water from filling the bowl if the pump is left in the wet mode. This one should be at least 6-8" above the waterline at any angle of heel.
If it's clean, what's filling your bowl is flush water via the intake, not waste backup via the discharge. If it's filling up regardless of whether the wet/dry valve is in the wet or dry position, the cam (little "gate" that the lever swings to block or unblock the flow of flush water) has failed and needs to be replaced. To be sure, close the intake seacock..pump till you've cleared all the water in the intake line out of it. Then pour some water in the bowl and flush. If it all goes out and doesn't come back into the bowl, you've confirmed the problem. If water still fills the bowl again after you stop pumping, then it is backing up. I suspect you just aren't pumping long enough in the dry mode to move it all the way to the tank--which, if the tank more than about 4' from the toilet, may be impossible with a rise of 2'. In that case, a vented loop in the head discharge line immediately after the toilet is the solution. It should be at least 6-8" above the top of the top of the tank, so that you'll only have to pump long enough in the dry mode to move the bowl contents over the top of it...gravity will get it the rest of the way to the tank. And you also need a second vented loop in the intake--between the pump and the bowl (replace the short piece of hose between the top of the pump and the back of the bowl to install it)--to prevent water from filling the bowl if the pump is left in the wet mode. This one should be at least 6-8" above the waterline at any angle of heel.
Holding Tank Distance from Head
Peggie Thanks for the info.. The water is coming from the holding tank.. The holding tank is essentially next to the head but as mentioned earlier about two feet above it. The tank is mounted under the wash basin. Even though the tank is close, I think it will be a good idea to add the vented loop. Thanks for the tip on the rinse line.. I always worry about the integrity of the valve capability to seal well... Any tips on an easier way to disconnect and connect the 3 1/2 inch discharge lines to their fittings?? Heat/Soap?? Thanks
Murph
Peggie Thanks for the info.. The water is coming from the holding tank.. The holding tank is essentially next to the head but as mentioned earlier about two feet above it. The tank is mounted under the wash basin. Even though the tank is close, I think it will be a good idea to add the vented loop. Thanks for the tip on the rinse line.. I always worry about the integrity of the valve capability to seal well... Any tips on an easier way to disconnect and connect the 3 1/2 inch discharge lines to their fittings?? Heat/Soap?? Thanks
Murph
Warming hoses make 'em easier to remove
Just be careful not to overheat 'em. I've always used a blow dryer...kept a little 1000W "travel" model in my tool box. Warming 'em makes it easier to put hoses on too...a little dishwashing liquid--better yet, K-Y surrgical jelly--to lubricate. No vasaline or grease...and NO sealant! As long as you're doing all this replumbing, why not also tee your head intake line into your head sink drain line too? Then, all you have to do to rinse all the sea water out of the system before it can sit, stagnate and stink is close the intake seacock, fill the sink with clean fresh water and flush the toilet. Because the seacock is closed, the toilet will pull the water out of the sink....rinsing out the intake, pump, channel in the rim of the bowl AND the discharge line.
Just be careful not to overheat 'em. I've always used a blow dryer...kept a little 1000W "travel" model in my tool box. Warming 'em makes it easier to put hoses on too...a little dishwashing liquid--better yet, K-Y surrgical jelly--to lubricate. No vasaline or grease...and NO sealant! As long as you're doing all this replumbing, why not also tee your head intake line into your head sink drain line too? Then, all you have to do to rinse all the sea water out of the system before it can sit, stagnate and stink is close the intake seacock, fill the sink with clean fresh water and flush the toilet. Because the seacock is closed, the toilet will pull the water out of the sink....rinsing out the intake, pump, channel in the rim of the bowl AND the discharge line.
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