How to use the head?!

[emergpa1]

I feel really stupid for asking this but here goes anyway: How do I use this head?

Do I fill with water, do my deed, turn to dry and pump till deed disappears down the hole? Do I fill with water, do deed, , pump more water, turn to dry, pump out, fill with more water, turn to dry, pump out again to clean pipes? Do I do deed in bucket and sneak it over the side when no one is looking(wink)?, or what!

Efficiency counts because I have to go to pump out.

Please give step by step instructions as I obviously am not too bright.

This is our first day as a live aboard and we are overwhelmed! Can't even use the toilet correctly.

 

[emergpa1]

I feel really stupid for asking this but here goes anyway: How do I use this head?

Do I fill with water, do my deed, turn to dry and pump till deed disappears down the hole? Do I fill with water, do deed, , pump more water, turn to dry, pump out, fill with more water, turn to dry, pump out again to clean pipes? Do I do deed in bucket and sneak it over the side when no one is looking(wink)?, or what!

Efficiency counts because I have to go to pump out.

Please give step by step instructions as I obviously am not too bright.

This is our first day as a live aboard and we are overwhelmed! Can't even use the toilet correctly.

Here is the head.

 

[py26129]

Here is the head.

On our boat, the dill is": Pump enough to wet the bowl, do the deed, pump until the deed disapears, turn to dry and pump dry. At the end of the weekend or when pumping out, pump enough water through it to clear the pipes.

What hull number is your IP31? I got rid of my puny 13 gal. holdingtank and installed a 49gal tank. We usualy have 4 on board (wife 2 daughters and I) Life is good now.

Matt

 

[Sailm8]

Just to add, we use fresh water to wet and flush. Some people have connected their fresh water supply to the head. We just use gallon jugs. Seems to cut down on the smell.

 

[Brian D]

I use the same procedures - wet the bowl (pour water or pump in water), then 'flush' the contents. However, we use the old bottles of water that are in the boat. Half a liter works great.

 

[kloudie1]

For draining coffee/beers that you temporarily rented, stay on dry bowl, pump that out then to wet to flush out the hose. For serious business, Matt's advice is right on. The idea is to minimize the volume to the holding tank while keeping the head clear.

 

[LuzSD]

You mentioned that you'll be using a pump out...... and unless it is a long way away, they're usually pretty simple to use. If it is close, and in good working order, just get in the habit of using the pump out regularly. There is something very nice about having just cleaned out the tank and starting fresh!!

 

[Gunni]

Take a look at your plumbing and hose lengths. On mine the hose length from bowl to tank is on the order of 7 feet. If you leave that loaded with solids you increase your risk of clogs and odor permeation. Operating a marine head is a skill.

 

[Stu Jackson]

Looks like a Raritan PHII. That's a VERY good unit, probably the best one made. You can download the manual from the Raritan website.

We pump on flush a couple of times before #2, then dry to clear all the lines. For #1, do it, on flush a couple of times, then dry. Pump enough on dry to get all the stuff to the holding tank, maybe 6-10 times, you're just moving it along, not adding (much if any) water on dry.

These may help:

Head Odors 101 http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5755.0.html

Head Odors 101.1 - "T" into sink drain: http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5755.msg38216.html#msg38216

Head Odors 101.2 The Difference between KO & Odorlos (scroll up to Reply #2) http://forums.catalina.sailboatowners.com/showthread.php?p=890493&highlight=odorlos

Head Hoses 101 http://c34.org/bbs/index.php/topic,5738.0.html

 

[caguy]

What do you guys do for training guest? Has anyone made a sign with instructions on it? Seems like one on the inside of the door would give them something to read while sitting there.
I have a 6 gallon porta potty with electric flush. It's fairly simple and I usually give an explanation before they use it, but invariably they forget. I have had some who were too shy to ask an leave there number one in the bowl and flush a half dozen times, half filling the bowl and leaving it. Fortunately we hadn't heeled yet before I needed it, it would have surely poured out the top.
Boy do I miss our Head Mistress, has anyone heard from her?

 

[Stu Jackson]

Frank, she retired.

Instructions at beginning of the day rarely last. Tell them how to use it right before they need to. You might need to repeat yourself, beats a sloppy sole.

 

[caguy]

Frank, she retired.

Instructions at beginning of the day rarely last. Tell them how to use it right before they need to. You might need to repeat yourself, beats a sloppy sole.

I know she retired but I always sensed that this was more than just a job and she would stay in touch.

I do tell them just before they go in and they still forget. That's what happens when you hang with an older group. Perhaps and demonstration is in order.

 

[firehoser75]

Emergpa,
I suggest that you buy Peggy Hall's book available from Sailboatowners.com, it is very informative regarding all aspects of your boat's plumbing systems.
For using a well maintained head:
For the "big job":
Add enough water to cover the bottom of the bowl.
Do your business
Use only easily dissolved toilet tissue ( very important to avoid clogs) and small amounts at a time.
Flush on wet bowl until products disappear and a couple more pumps.
Switch to dry bowl and continue to pump until all product is evacuated out of the hoses and has made it to your tank. The number of pumps needed for this varies boat to boat.
For urine only:
Pump out bowl in dry bowl mode, followed by a light rinse in wet bowl (1 maybe 2 pumps), then completely evacuate the hoses using dry bowl ( as above). If you want to conserve tank capacity a bit, ask female crew to put toilet tissue used for urine only in a special garbage can instead of flushing. For obvious reasons, empty this garbage regularly and use an air freshener as needed.
Rinse your whole sanitation system completely with fresh water (and flush the tank) at each pump out to keep the system working and smelling it's best.
Hope that helps
Tom

 

[Stu Jackson]

I know she retired but I always sensed that this was more than just a job and she would stay in touch.

Frank, when she announced her retirement, she said she'd be in touch by email ONLY, no pms, and she wasn't going to keep up with the board. Her stuff is still on here, I asked Phil a while ago. Look under the forums tab, shared forums.

 

[captcoho]

Take the faucet head ( shower ) and use that to provide a complete rinse, weather in the slip or at sea........
Adding a little extra fresh water to the holding tank is worth it to prevent a clog....

 

[emergpa1]

On our boat, the dill is": Pump enough to wet the bowl, do the deed, pump until the deed disapears, turn to dry and pump dry. At the end of the weekend or when pumping out, pump enough water through it to clear the pipes.

What hull number is your IP31? I got rid of my puny 13 gal. holdingtank and installed a 49gal tank. We usualy have 4 on board (wife 2 daughters and I) Life is good now.

Matt

Hi matt, it seems that no matter how much i pump the deed stays in. that was what was confusing us was the idea that if we pumped long enough, the contents would flush. but it never would. So, today i just decided to just pump a bit of water in, then turn to dry and pump everything out. that seems to be working pretty good so far. As you guys have said, with urine, we just pump dry.

Hull number31146I687

All the info is great! I like the idea of using the shower/sink faucet to give the final rinse. Good idea. teaching people the right way is a challenge, and you can never repeat things too often.

I will take all these instructions and put them to good use.

We are riding thunderstorms out in Brunswick right now. So stu, it is a good time for me to check out those links. And Ill check out the book mentioned.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Stu Jackson]

On your PHII head, wet bowl (flush) keeps pumping water IN a lot more than the little it pumps OUT. That's why there's the dry setting. If you don't have the manual, get one, it explains it all, 'cept it's wrong! It says in flush it will pump in and out. That has NOT been my experience.

 

[woodster]

Some people have connected their fresh water supply to the head..

this not a good idea at all ...by having the fresh water connected to the head you run a risk of contaminating your fresh water supply ...not good at all....even if you used a valve to isolate it would not be good

regards

woody

 

[Johnnie Walker Black]

FYI.

Everybody uses fresh water connected to their toilette.
When is the last time you pumped raw water to flush your business at home, or at a restaurant?
There are many perfectly safe ways to plumb your toilette with your fresh water.
T

 

[higgs]

I have good results with no smell:
1. Pee
2. Pump
3. Use sink to fill 6 oz into a cup and pump that through
5. One blast from a 409 or similar into the bowl.