That is the head in my 74 Ericson 29' by the way! I have not used it since I bought the boat 3 years ago. I had used the boat for very limited cruising,and that is changing. I do not understand the plumbing system. The toilet dial says flush and dry. When I pump it, a green fluid appears to go down the toilet into a holding tank. There are two seacocks, both closed. I think one is for sink drainage and the other is for ? Specifically, I ask the following questions. Is the green fluid a cleaner that one must replenish? Is there a devoted tank? Where should the dial be set (flush/dry)? How do you expel the sewage at sea and in port at the pumpout facility. I did see a whale gusher pump under the bed in the V berth along with the holding tank. How to use those 2 throughulls? Thanks, would appreciate input from fellow Ericson owners. steve
head problems
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If the 29 is the same
The green fluid is an anti freeze solution or a holding tank deodorizer. Open both seacocks. One is for fresh water to the bowl.The other for sink drain. Pumping in flush mode should bring water into the bowl. Dry mode evacuates whatever is in the bowl. If you are doing #1, some fresh water after you have finished before switching to dry will help move everything to the holding tank and reduce the chances of stinking up your hoses. Doing #1, you need fresh water beforehand and during evacuation. The go to dry. If you are not getting water when the seacock valve is open, check your hoses and seacock valve. You should have a 3 way valve, probably in starboard lazerette. One setting routes everything to the holding tank, one overboard and one closes. There is a way to hand pump your holding tank. Most likely it is in the head or ???
The green fluid is an anti freeze solution or a holding tank deodorizer. Open both seacocks. One is for fresh water to the bowl.The other for sink drain. Pumping in flush mode should bring water into the bowl. Dry mode evacuates whatever is in the bowl. If you are doing #1, some fresh water after you have finished before switching to dry will help move everything to the holding tank and reduce the chances of stinking up your hoses. Doing #1, you need fresh water beforehand and during evacuation. The go to dry. If you are not getting water when the seacock valve is open, check your hoses and seacock valve. You should have a 3 way valve, probably in starboard lazerette. One setting routes everything to the holding tank, one overboard and one closes. There is a way to hand pump your holding tank. Most likely it is in the head or ???
Arthur gave you good advice...
Your description of the knob on your toilet that switches from "flush" to "dry" tells me your toilet is either a Raritan PH II--the best manual toilet in its class--or its predecessor, the PH II (if the knob is metal it's a PH...if it's plastic, it's a PH II). You can get the manual for the PH II here: http://www.raritaneng.com/products/toilets/manual/ph_2.html And this should be helpful to you too: http://www.raritaneng.com/information/faq_topics/faq_ph_II.html#a6 After sitting unused for 3 years, and prob'ly no service for years before that, I strongly recommend you "rebuild" it (put a service kit--all the rubber parts, valves and gaskets--in it)....contact Raritan to get the right kit for it. But first you need to flush all the antifreeze out of the system. That's fairly easy: open the intake seacock--that'll be the one that's connected to the smaller line going into front of the pump (see the owners manual)--and pump a LOT of water through the toilet in the "wet" mode. Then you'll want to flush it all out of the tank. The Whale Gusher dumps your tank at sea through another thru-hull. You've only found one other one...if it's the same size as your head intake, it's your sink drain. If it's 1.5" ID (inner diameter) and connected to the pump--which is connected to hose coming out of your holding tank at the bottom--it's the one that dumps your tank. That's only legal at sea at least 3 miles from the nearest point on the whole US coastline In short, you need to explore your plumbing and figure out where it all goes. And check all the hose connections while you're doing it...'cuz you don't want a hose to part company with an open thru-hull. As for how to empty your tank in a harbor...there should a deck fitting marked "waste" that looks like your fuel and water fills. There MAY be a y-valve in the tank discharge line, or it may be only a tee or wye fitting. To pump out the tank, connect the deck pumpout to deck fitting. (Get someone in your marina to show you what to do). You'll find the link below useful in maintaining your toilet and tank properly. And I'll be glad to answer your questions.
Your description of the knob on your toilet that switches from "flush" to "dry" tells me your toilet is either a Raritan PH II--the best manual toilet in its class--or its predecessor, the PH II (if the knob is metal it's a PH...if it's plastic, it's a PH II). You can get the manual for the PH II here: http://www.raritaneng.com/products/toilets/manual/ph_2.html And this should be helpful to you too: http://www.raritaneng.com/information/faq_topics/faq_ph_II.html#a6 After sitting unused for 3 years, and prob'ly no service for years before that, I strongly recommend you "rebuild" it (put a service kit--all the rubber parts, valves and gaskets--in it)....contact Raritan to get the right kit for it. But first you need to flush all the antifreeze out of the system. That's fairly easy: open the intake seacock--that'll be the one that's connected to the smaller line going into front of the pump (see the owners manual)--and pump a LOT of water through the toilet in the "wet" mode. Then you'll want to flush it all out of the tank. The Whale Gusher dumps your tank at sea through another thru-hull. You've only found one other one...if it's the same size as your head intake, it's your sink drain. If it's 1.5" ID (inner diameter) and connected to the pump--which is connected to hose coming out of your holding tank at the bottom--it's the one that dumps your tank. That's only legal at sea at least 3 miles from the nearest point on the whole US coastline In short, you need to explore your plumbing and figure out where it all goes. And check all the hose connections while you're doing it...'cuz you don't want a hose to part company with an open thru-hull. As for how to empty your tank in a harbor...there should a deck fitting marked "waste" that looks like your fuel and water fills. There MAY be a y-valve in the tank discharge line, or it may be only a tee or wye fitting. To pump out the tank, connect the deck pumpout to deck fitting. (Get someone in your marina to show you what to do). You'll find the link below useful in maintaining your toilet and tank properly. And I'll be glad to answer your questions.
responses appreciated
Thanks for the info. I just moved my boat from Dana Point to the south end of San Diego Bay. steve
Thanks for the info. I just moved my boat from Dana Point to the south end of San Diego Bay. steve
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