Folks, I recently completed teeing my head intake to my sink drain. Currently I use a large stopper on the sink when I want to draw sea/bay water to the head. Instead of this, I would like to insert into my 3/4" sink drain line a shut off type valve. Any suggestions of type and where to purchase? Thanks, Steve
Head to sink drain
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Well, I guess that you did that to save a through hull fitting, but if you
use a dap, or Go Jo, or any of the sand soaps to wash oil or grease off your hands, and then use your head, some of pumice or sand, or grease cutting additives, are apt to be sucked through your head pump. Oh well maybe not such a big deal. A 3/4" ball valve should do the trick, and you can get them from any marine supplier. Remember that it may be exposed to salt water and not to just the fresh from your sink, and the flexibility inherent in the drain line might make it necessary to use two hands to close or open it. After all, they fit tight, and that's what you want if you're going to pull a vacuum against it. Good Luck Joe S
use a dap, or Go Jo, or any of the sand soaps to wash oil or grease off your hands, and then use your head, some of pumice or sand, or grease cutting additives, are apt to be sucked through your head pump. Oh well maybe not such a big deal. A 3/4" ball valve should do the trick, and you can get them from any marine supplier. Remember that it may be exposed to salt water and not to just the fresh from your sink, and the flexibility inherent in the drain line might make it necessary to use two hands to close or open it. After all, they fit tight, and that's what you want if you're going to pull a vacuum against it. Good Luck Joe S
Try Ace Hardware
they have an assortment of plastic ball valves. The small amount of salt water that might get to it doesn't warrant paying marine prices. Just install it above the waterline, so what you're really doing is just having the valve stop air. I'm not sure I "get" why having a valve that you have to get to and turn is an improvement over a sink stopper.
they have an assortment of plastic ball valves. The small amount of salt water that might get to it doesn't warrant paying marine prices. Just install it above the waterline, so what you're really doing is just having the valve stop air. I'm not sure I "get" why having a valve that you have to get to and turn is an improvement over a sink stopper.
Not the way it works, Joseph...and Steve...
Any "wash" water from the sink goes out the drain, same as if the head intake line weren't there...that is, unless you make the mistake of trying to conserve your fresh water by re-using the "used" water in your sink. I think you need to read some previous threads on this subject to understand how it works and why it's a great way to prevent odor from stagnant sea water trapped in the head intake. In fact, several sailboat builders, including Tartan, use the same thru-hull for both the head intake and the head sink discharge. Steve, I dunno why you have a problem with just keeping a plug in the sink except when using the sink. Anything else just adds complexity to a very simple system...and the more complex a system, the more problems you're likely to have with it. After all, just how often is anyone likely to be using the sink and the toilet at the same time? How hard can it be to just pull the plug when you want to use the sink drain???
Any "wash" water from the sink goes out the drain, same as if the head intake line weren't there...that is, unless you make the mistake of trying to conserve your fresh water by re-using the "used" water in your sink. I think you need to read some previous threads on this subject to understand how it works and why it's a great way to prevent odor from stagnant sea water trapped in the head intake. In fact, several sailboat builders, including Tartan, use the same thru-hull for both the head intake and the head sink discharge. Steve, I dunno why you have a problem with just keeping a plug in the sink except when using the sink. Anything else just adds complexity to a very simple system...and the more complex a system, the more problems you're likely to have with it. After all, just how often is anyone likely to be using the sink and the toilet at the same time? How hard can it be to just pull the plug when you want to use the sink drain???
Ericson did this also
I found that the sink plug did not stay in place. We really do not use the head sink all that often but this setup makes it easy to flush the head with fresh water when leaving the boat. I used a PVC ball type valve attached directly to the sink drain. I wanted it as high as possible beacuse I was adding an additional point of failure.
I found that the sink plug did not stay in place. We really do not use the head sink all that often but this setup makes it easy to flush the head with fresh water when leaving the boat. I used a PVC ball type valve attached directly to the sink drain. I wanted it as high as possible beacuse I was adding an additional point of failure.
Thanks Peggie & Tim, you have given me something to think about.
I expect that when you want to pump the fresh water into the head intake, that you just close the intake thru hull and fill the sink and drain with fresh water, and then drain the lower part of the intake house with some more fresh water. Is that the procedure? Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? Joe S
I expect that when you want to pump the fresh water into the head intake, that you just close the intake thru hull and fill the sink and drain with fresh water, and then drain the lower part of the intake house with some more fresh water. Is that the procedure? Who says you can't teach an old dog new tricks? Joe S
Yup, Joseph, that's it
you got it. I thought about doing that and even have the parts to do so. The I realized it was MORE work to make the switch. Since the HEAD SINK FAUCET is RIGHT THERE, I just fill one or two glasses with fresh water, dump 'em into the head and flush, with even the head intake valve open or shut it gets fresh water through the pump and hose with the lever in the up position. It's only the first few strokes when the boats been unused for a while that there's any smell anyway, and we don't find that objectionable since we know where it comes from.
you got it. I thought about doing that and even have the parts to do so. The I realized it was MORE work to make the switch. Since the HEAD SINK FAUCET is RIGHT THERE, I just fill one or two glasses with fresh water, dump 'em into the head and flush, with even the head intake valve open or shut it gets fresh water through the pump and hose with the lever in the up position. It's only the first few strokes when the boats been unused for a while that there's any smell anyway, and we don't find that objectionable since we know where it comes from.
Not sure why you need the shut off valve
Not even sure why you need a stopper other than to make the sound coming out of the sink go away when you pump the head. I did what you did and connected (via a "T" connection) my sink drain to the hose for the head intake. Works fine and there is no need for modification beyond that on my boat. When I pump the head I don't have to do anything, just pump the head and I get water from the thru-hull. That might be because this hose (that runs to my head) is below the water line. I get water flow and suction fine for the head even without plugging the sink drain. It might make a little bit of noise (coming out of the sink drain) and if thats a bother I can put a stopper in there. And like Joseph and others said if you want to pump fresh water into the head you just close the intake thru hull and fill the sink and drain with fresh water -- it'll go into the head and clear out the hoses
Not even sure why you need a stopper other than to make the sound coming out of the sink go away when you pump the head. I did what you did and connected (via a "T" connection) my sink drain to the hose for the head intake. Works fine and there is no need for modification beyond that on my boat. When I pump the head I don't have to do anything, just pump the head and I get water from the thru-hull. That might be because this hose (that runs to my head) is below the water line. I get water flow and suction fine for the head even without plugging the sink drain. It might make a little bit of noise (coming out of the sink drain) and if thats a bother I can put a stopper in there. And like Joseph and others said if you want to pump fresh water into the head you just close the intake thru hull and fill the sink and drain with fresh water -- it'll go into the head and clear out the hoses
You've almost got it, Joseph...and Stu...
If you tee the head intake into the sink drain line, you eliminate the head intake thru-hull altogether. To use sea water to flush the toilet, keep a plug in the sink. To flush out the toilet intake line, pump, channel in the rim of the bowl AND the discharge line, close the sink drain thru-hull, fill the sink with fresh water from te faucet. Because the drain seacock is closed, the toilet will pull the water from the sink...rinsing the sea water out of the whole system. Stu, I dunno how many times I need to post that keeping the seacock closed and using a cup or shower head to supply flush water diretly to the bowl all the time is a very bad idea...'cuz bowl contents--including water added to 'em--only go through the bottom of the pump, leaving the upper part of the pump dry. That's not good for the rubber parts in the pump...they dry out, which causes 'em to wear out a lot faster. It's an even worse idea if you have the typical electric macerating toilet that has an integral intake pump which pulls in flush water at the same time the toilet pushes bowl contents out...'cuz if you close the seacock, the intake impeller has to run dry, which fries it very quickly and then destroys the intake pump housing. If you want to use fresh water to flush a sea water toilet all the time, there are only two safe ways to do it...connect the intake to the sink drain or install a separate water tank to supply the flush water.
If you tee the head intake into the sink drain line, you eliminate the head intake thru-hull altogether. To use sea water to flush the toilet, keep a plug in the sink. To flush out the toilet intake line, pump, channel in the rim of the bowl AND the discharge line, close the sink drain thru-hull, fill the sink with fresh water from te faucet. Because the drain seacock is closed, the toilet will pull the water from the sink...rinsing the sea water out of the whole system. Stu, I dunno how many times I need to post that keeping the seacock closed and using a cup or shower head to supply flush water diretly to the bowl all the time is a very bad idea...'cuz bowl contents--including water added to 'em--only go through the bottom of the pump, leaving the upper part of the pump dry. That's not good for the rubber parts in the pump...they dry out, which causes 'em to wear out a lot faster. It's an even worse idea if you have the typical electric macerating toilet that has an integral intake pump which pulls in flush water at the same time the toilet pushes bowl contents out...'cuz if you close the seacock, the intake impeller has to run dry, which fries it very quickly and then destroys the intake pump housing. If you want to use fresh water to flush a sea water toilet all the time, there are only two safe ways to do it...connect the intake to the sink drain or install a separate water tank to supply the flush water.
Thanks, Peggie, for the reminder
I understand the pump (dry on top) issue and the stuff remaining in the china bowl inlets. Maybe I oughta put that darn T in!
I understand the pump (dry on top) issue and the stuff remaining in the china bowl inlets. Maybe I oughta put that darn T in!
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