Head not emptying.....

[Jane]

I know my problem is not unique, but I could not find anything already written (at least any I could understand) that applies to my situation. I have a 1996 29.5 with an electric pump installed on the head. It has worked perfectly for the last three years. This past weekend the bowl would not empty. The first two flushes worked fine but then on the third flush the bowl would not empty. Everything "sounds" normal. The holding tank is not full. I do not have a manual for the pump. Where do I start ? Is there an impeller in the pump? Could the hose be clogged further up?Thanks for any direction.........

 

[Peggie Hall/Head Mistress]

It may not be the toilet

I suspect your tank vent is blocked. By the third flush the tank is pressurized, creating backpressure. The blockage prob'ly has a "slow leak" which relieves the pressure somewhat between the times the head is used.If that's not it, check the trouble-shooting guide in the owners manual. If you don't have an owners manual, get one from the manufacturer. Sluggish discharge can be anything from low voltage to the toilet (which fits your symptoms) to a failed part in the discharge pump, depending upon the make/model of your toilet.

 

[Bill Coxe]

Pressurized Head

Similar experience three weeks ago. Not only did the head (manual pump) not flush, the pump was hard to operate and the flush water backed up into the head. Having read many similar threads, I knew what to look for. As soon as I started loosening up the vent fitting at the tank, it started to DEpressurize. Fortuantely, I was dockside, the forward hatch was open and the 110v fan was operating. I unclogged EVERYTHING utilizing hydraulics and tweakers for the hull fitting and everything worked. This past Thursday I thought it would be a good thing to have the tank pumped down, since the level was near the vent fitting and ended having to replace the deck fitting because the plug had seized. Motored across the river to the pump-out station, they hooked up, and nothing happened. That's when I realized that the 3-way was in the wrong position. I had thought it was stuck. Fortunately, the hull valve has been shut from the day I replaced it (Another story). Threw the valve into the correct position and now the honey tank is empty, ready for another month-and-a-half. This is MUCH harder than the porta-potti on my 22'. Hope your problem is as simple. Happy Sailing,Bill, O22 Closure, O28 Aroundtuit