Head replacement

[J.R.]

I am considering replacing my standard raw water pump heads on my Hunter 450 with Raritan Crown IIs (possible with a switch between raw and fresh water) to enable fresh(shipboard) water and electric flushes. I would have preferred Vacu-Flush with which I have had good experience in the past, but am told (and read on previous postings) that it is virtually impossible to satisfactorily retofit a H450 with Vacu-Flush. I am also told that upon installation of the Raritan, a vented loop will no longer be necessary due to the pressurized water system (which may not apply in the event of a raw/fresh water switch).Any postings of relevant experience would be appreciated.

 

[Peggie Hall/Head Mistress]

If you ONLY have the fresh water option,

a vented loop on the intake isn't necessary. If you opt to add the Sea Fresh system that allows you to choose between pressurized water and sea water, you'll need one.Whether it makes sense to add the Sea Fresh option depends upon how you use your boat. If you're a passagemaking cruiser who needs to conserve fresh water, I would certainly recommend it...but if you spend 90% of your time in coastal waters, it makes no sense--for two reasons: 1. you have no shortage of fresh water to replace what you use...and 2. you have to be miles offshore for sea water to be signficantly cleaner than coastal water, so what's the point?

 

[J.R.]

Raritan Crown II was criticized ...

by a competitive installer alleging the Crown II (i) was not built for use with on-board fresh water (implying that waste water could back up into the fresh water tank) and (ii) was not dry bowl capable as he said is required or preferable on sailboats. He suggested a Jabsco quiet flush of which I have seen complimentary postings here. I like some of the features of the Crown II such as adjustable water flow, but don't know the validity of the criticisms. By the way, the Crown installer suggested I not get the Sea Fresh option nor the Raritan Atlantes Head due to high incidence of repair. Since I hope to be blue water sailing, I am changing the forward head to a PHE II electric head that is convertible to manual and uses just raw water. It is my hope that guests will be more comfortable with an electric head but it gives me an option if the macerator motor does not work.

 

[Peggie Hall/Head Mistress]

The "competitive installer" either lied, or

doesn't know what he's talking about. If you go to http://www.raritaneng.com/Products/Heads/Crown_II/crown_ii.htmlyou can see for yourself that the Crown II is available with a fresh water (pressurized water) solenoid option, and--while it's not on the website--a flush touch pad is available for it that includes a "dry" bowl option. You can confirm that calling Raritan at 800-352-5630.The Crown installer's comments about the Sea Fresh system and the Atlantes are also nonsense. If that's his own experience with them, I'd find another installer. Fwiw, I've had boat owners tell me that "experts" in FL and south TX have claimed that the Lectra/San has a high failure rate because the electrodes become encrusted with sea water minerals and fail. These "experts" obviously don't ever bother to read the manuals, or they'd know that all that's needed is a good cleaning with a solution of muriatic according to the directions in the manual...and that it's not even necessary to take the unit apart to do it...just pour it down the toilet. So don't believe everything you hear!I do NOT recommend the PHE II. The PH II is an outstanding manual toilet...but the motor does nothing more than replace the pump handle. The motor also pumps much faster and has a shorter stroke than pumping manually...as a result, seals and o-rings wear out much faster--because the toilet has to pump more times against a dry cylinder before the pump primes, and the toilet is more prone to clogging if fed even a little more TP or solids than it can EASILY swallow--because a rapid pump stroke is much less efficient than a slow deliberate pumping. I'm a great fan of most Raritan products...but IMO, putting a motor on a PH II only turns one of the best manual toilets on the planet into the poorest excuse for an electric toilet on the planet.Yes, it can convert back to manual...but anything that can stop a macerator from working will also clog up a manual toilet. Unless you have a total 12v power failure aboard your boat it's a feature you'll never need...although I've known quite a few people who've gotten fed up with the problems caused by the electric pump and converted back to manual permanently. Buy the Crown II or the Atlantes (or one of each)...if/when you ever cut the dock lines and head out to sea, make sure you've done all the preventive maintenance it's likely to need for at least another year--even if you do it early...carry at least one rebuild kit for it--just in case (Murphy WAS an optimist, after all)...and relax and enjoy the convenience of GOOD quality, HIGHLY reliable electric toilets.