I am in the process of installing a new Raritan PHC head in my boat to replace an old recirculating toilet. It will be plumbed to a holding tank and at some point I will probably buy a Lectra/San. My first question is, is there any way to make the heavy walled sanitation hose, both the intake and discharge, easier to install. This stuff is stiff! Can the hose be heated to soften it for installation and routing? I'm not looking to make sharp bends but the hose's natural curvature is too big in a few places. It's also real tough getting it completely over some of the fittings that are in tight spots. My second question is, do you see any problems sharing a through hull with the engine raw water intake? Each leg will have it's own strainer but will share the thru hull ball valve. Adding a raritan check valve in each leg is an option to isolate them from each other but I'm not sure it's necessary. I'm leary about adding the valve(s) because I'm concerned about trapping 6+ feet of raw water in the intake line to the toilet. Water in the the engine line hasn't been a problem in the past but that leg is onlt 3 feet long. Any help is greatly appreciated, hopefully the installation will be completed this coming weekend but the boat won't go in until the end of the month.
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Nothing is ever as easy as it should be
"Can the hose be heated to soften it for installation and routing?" Yes...but within limits...you don't want to overheat it, just warm it a bit. "I'm not looking to make sharp bends but the hose's natural curvature is too big in a few places." Hose should NOT be heated to make it bend tighter than it wants to bend...that can result in a collapse/kink. Instead, break it and insert an inline radius fitting. "It's also real tough getting it completely over some of the fittings that are in tight spots" You may find that the SeaLand fittings are the best solution. They're components that are PVC cemented together, allowing you to put the hose on that piece first, then connect the parts. Check 'em out here (scroll down to get to the fittings): http://www.sealandservices.com/hose_fittings.htm " do you see any problems sharing a through hull with the engine raw water intake?" Yes!! If someone flushes the toilet while your engine is running, it will divert water from the engine water pump and damage the impeller in it (don't say it won't happen...people do have to go while you're motoring!) Nothing else should ever share an engine cooling water intake thru-hull. Check valves aren't a good idea either...not only for the reason you mentioned, but because check valves can fail. If you don't want to put another hole in your boat, the toilet can share the sink drain thru-hull--which is the best plan anyway, 'cuz it gives you means of flushing the sea water out of the whole system before the boat sits. Btw...most toilets come "standard" with a straight discharge fitting, which can make it hard to aim the hose in the direction it needs to go in many installations. Raritan will swap it out for a 90 if that's what you need....give Vic Willman a call: 800-352-5630 x 6.
"Can the hose be heated to soften it for installation and routing?" Yes...but within limits...you don't want to overheat it, just warm it a bit. "I'm not looking to make sharp bends but the hose's natural curvature is too big in a few places." Hose should NOT be heated to make it bend tighter than it wants to bend...that can result in a collapse/kink. Instead, break it and insert an inline radius fitting. "It's also real tough getting it completely over some of the fittings that are in tight spots" You may find that the SeaLand fittings are the best solution. They're components that are PVC cemented together, allowing you to put the hose on that piece first, then connect the parts. Check 'em out here (scroll down to get to the fittings): http://www.sealandservices.com/hose_fittings.htm " do you see any problems sharing a through hull with the engine raw water intake?" Yes!! If someone flushes the toilet while your engine is running, it will divert water from the engine water pump and damage the impeller in it (don't say it won't happen...people do have to go while you're motoring!) Nothing else should ever share an engine cooling water intake thru-hull. Check valves aren't a good idea either...not only for the reason you mentioned, but because check valves can fail. If you don't want to put another hole in your boat, the toilet can share the sink drain thru-hull--which is the best plan anyway, 'cuz it gives you means of flushing the sea water out of the whole system before the boat sits. Btw...most toilets come "standard" with a straight discharge fitting, which can make it hard to aim the hose in the direction it needs to go in many installations. Raritan will swap it out for a 90 if that's what you need....give Vic Willman a call: 800-352-5630 x 6.
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