Hunter 36 Toilet replacement

[Broke sailor SV Marcell]

Has anyone replaced a Groco Toilet with a Raritan PH II? Is it a matter of unplug one and plug it into the new one? Also how do you deal with a plugged toilet? My wife took a power dump this morning and plugged my Groco up. I thought I would have to disconnect hoses to free it up but I finally got it to clear by pumping it in the dry mode for a couple of strokes.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

To prevent solid waste clogs...

Prevention is always easier than cure. Your problem was caused by too little water in the bowl. Since marine toilets aren't designed to hold water in the bowl, use a cup to add at least 1/3-1/2 bowlful of water with a cup before use. Use limited amounts of TP per flush--no more than 4-5 sheets. If possible, don't wait till you're done to flush...flush more often. When you're finally done, make sure to flush long enough to move all the bowl contents ALL the way to the tank...followed by enough water to rinse out the hose. The PH II is not quite a direct "plug and play" swapout for your Groco. You'll prob'ly be able to use at least one of the same mounting bolt holes, but you'll have fill the ones you don't use and drill some new ones. The intake hose connects to the front of the PH II pump, so you'll prob'ly need a new intake hose...might be a good excuse to reroute it to tee into the head sink drain instead the intake thru-hull.

 

[Broke sailor SV Marcell]

Peggie: Why?

Why would you want to re-route the flushing water to the sink drain vs the thru hull intake?

 

[KorculaChris]

So that you flush with fresh water

not salt, which gets stinky. Salt's OK for direct overboard flushing, but fresh is better in the holding tank.

 

[Jim Seamans]

Hey Broke Sailor

Glad to see you are getting out. We got back Sunday afternoon after doing 200nm. Great trip. I've got to figure out how to get the pictures of your boat over to you. They are large format and your email might not like it.The fresh water tee is only for laying up for the week. Stop by and I'll show you how to do this. When closing up for the week, I fill the head sink up with fresh water switch the tee over so the head draws from the sink (close the head thru-hull) and flush head. This pumps fresh water thru the lines so you don't get that wonderful oder from the next first flush.JimS/V Java

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Sea water or fresh makes no difference in the tank

There's so much bacteria in waste that the tank doesn't even notice a little more in sea water. Where it does matter is in the hoses and the toilet pump. Fresh water poured into the bowl only rinses out the head discharge line...it never gets into the pump or the head intake line. Teeing the head intake line into the sink drain provides a safe source of fresh water to rinse out the whole system. When closing up the boat, after you've closed the sink drain seacock, fill the sink with water...flush the toilet. Because the seacock is closed, the toilet will pull the water from the sink, rinsing the seawater out of the intake line, pump, channel in the rim of the bowl AND the discharge line.You can use the sink to flush the toilet all the time, but unless your boat is in especially foul water, that's more trouble than it's worth...'cuz you accomplish just as much if you only flush all the sea water out before the boat sits so it can't sit and stagnate...and stink.

 

[Terry Cox]

We've been using raw sea water for flushing since.

we purchased Belle-Vie in 2002. In these years the only time the intake water became a stink was when some critter decided to crawl into the through hull and plug up the aft head intake. It was a simple matter of disconnecting the intake hose from the toilet and connecting a city water hose, which cleared the line returning everything to operating condition. Maybe it is because of our cooler waters, but even after a long winter spell of no head use we never get a smell when first flushing in the new season. I estimate the aft head intake line distance from the through hull is about eight to ten feet. Terry

 

[Broke sailor SV Marcell]

Hey Java

Hi Java!We are probably going out on Thursday for a several day cruise. Might stop at Cobb Island. BTW I am planning on moving the boat there next year.