Jabsco toilet-bowl too full

Stu Jackson · Aug 25, 2013

Our Raritan PHII does a bit of that, too.

Spend that 15 to 30 minutes watching and find out what's happening.

One thought is that after finishing the pumping there's still a little pressure left in the line which leeches out that remaining water. The bottom of the bowl only needs a cup or two to fill up, since it's such a small area.

cymeyer · Aug 26, 2013

When was the last time you replaced the joker valve? We had a similar issue and a new joker valve fixed the problem.

ben solomon · Aug 26, 2013

Head back fills

If you are not getting waste water, then it is not the Joker valve. It is the seal from the bottom of the pump handle. There is a rubber "flap" that is pushed closed when you lock the handle. That can get some crud from the raw water on it, and then it won't seal appropriately no matter what you do. You can by a refurbishing kit from West marine or online that contains all new rubber seals and gaskets. You may have to buy a new pump assembly, which comes with all the gaskets and stuff (that's what I did). If you or the PO used raw water, the sea organsims grow on the inside of the hoses and pipes like plaque on an artery. This causes the joker valve and the pump plunger to deform and not make a seal despite your best efforts. The whole project took me less than an hour.

Claude L.-Auger · Aug 27, 2013

Jimongee said:
Thanks...I will try a new joker tomorrow and report here
Jim

Not a terribly expansive part or hard to do job but you did say that it was clean water filling the bowl, not waste water ! So your joker valve seems to work properly. I would start by simply shutting the water intake valve after a good flush to see if the problem is from the entry side. Not familiar with the Raritan, but on my old Jabsco if the lever from dry to wet is even remotely engaged in the wet position it will let clear water fill the bowl...and the boat since the rim of the bowl is below the waterline.

ben solomon · Aug 28, 2013

Jimongee,

How did it go?

Peggie Hall HeadMistress · Aug 28, 2013

Jimongee said:
Our manual pump toilet works like a charm except for this; after flushing waste (pump) action the bowl will have an appropriate low level of clean water remaining....then within 15 to 30 minutes-the clean water level in the bowl is much higher. The overfill is definitely not waste water. Jimongee

It hasn't seemed to have occurred to anyone that water could be coming in through the intake and rising in the bowl to the boat's waterline. If there's no vented loop installed in the intake (see the drawing on page 3 of the installation instructions here: http://ec1.images-amazon.com/media/i3d/01/A/80/00/00/0/0000001680.pdf ), that can happen even if the wet/dry lever is left in the "dry" position because Jabsco toilets have a very high wet/dry cam assembly failure.

Even if that's not the source of your current problem, an intake vented loop is necessary to protect your boat in the future.

ben solomon · Aug 29, 2013

Peggy,

Good point! I presumed that it would have been installed correctly by the manufacturer.

Ben

Steve Morris · Aug 29, 2013

Vented Loop

Ben: Not necessarily. My 1990 Hunter 27 had a similar problem. When I traced out the plumbing I found that it was installed without a vented loop. I added a vented loop and solved the problem. Apparently Hunter didn't think that was necessary on my boat.

ben solomon · Aug 29, 2013

Steve,

I have a 1990 37.5 legend. I better go trace the plumbing. I have some odor issues in the head. Perhaps that is the problem.

Ben

Claude L.-Auger · Aug 29, 2013

Good point Peggy. Since the bowl rim on my boat is below the waterline I will indeed look at installing a vented loop. FWIW, I had mentioned in my post the possibility of water coming in through the intake: "you did say that it was clean water filling the bowl, not waste water ! So your joker valve seems to work properly. I would start by simply shutting the water intake valve after a good flush to see if the problem is from the entry side." Glad you mentioned the vented loop however and thanks for the tip.