customer complains that "sea water" is fill the bowl,dont have info on what position the y valve should be in.installed a new jabsco head last year,all line run to where they came from,can I get a diagram of this set up to check it? also there is a smell of waste emminating from the head,this boat DOES have a through hull discharge in addition to a waste bladder,its french made so that would explain THAT part! please help!!
late 80's 32 beneteau plumbing problem
- Thread starter mnydvr
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The long answer is the toilet and holding tank system could be designed better. Beneteau has a habit of installing the toilet and tank so any waste in the discharge hose can backflow into the toilet. You need to pump until you're sure you've got it into the tank. The short answer is you most likely have an old joker valve. Replace it and see if that helps.
My guess
If it's clean sea water, it means that water is coming in via the head intake line. Replacing the joker valve in the discharge fitting won't solve that problem.
And since any y-valve would be in the discharge line, it wouldn't have anything to do with it either.
I'm guessing that the vented loop that should be in the head intake in ALL manual toilets that are below waterline (see Figure 1 on page 3 of the installation instructions here http://www.jabsco.com/files/29090_-_29120_-_3000_datasheet.pdf ) was never installed. Without it there's nothing to prevent water OUTside the boat from seeking its own level INside the boat via the toilet bowl if the wet/dry cam fails or the lever is left in the wet position.
(Btw, although instructions at the link I just gave you are for Jabsco's newest version of their manual toilet, the only difference between it and their previous toilets is the addition of the conical "plug" at the bottom of the steel piiston rod and the "lock" at the top of it...everything else in the pump is the same as the toilet on your customer's boat.)
Or, if the toilet is plumbed to discharge directly overboard and there's no vented loop in the dscharge line either, sea water can also fill the bowl via the discharge thru-hull.
In eiither case, I'd bet real money tha your customer isn't bothering to close the seacocks when he leaves the boat. Leaving 'em open has sunk many a boat in its slip!
As for the odor, it's most likely stagnant sea water trapped in the head intake line...the first flush after the boat has been sitting can knock you off your feet. If it doesn't go away after the first flush, there could be some dead decaying animal or vegetable sea life trapped in the head intake line. To clean it out, remove the head intake line from the thru-hull (it would prob'ly be a good idea to close the seacock first) and stick it into a bucketful of clean fresh water to which you've added a quart of distilled white vinegar. Pump the whole bucketful through the head. The vinegar will also clean out the head discharge line.
The odor MIGHT be coming back into the toilet from the tank...in which case, replacing the joker valve should take care of it. Although replacing the joker valve is NOT the cure for EVERY toilet problem, it should be replaced at least every two years--annually is better--as PREVENTIVE maintenance.
I suggest you check out the link in my signature...and I'm always available for "one on one" help if you need it.
If it's clean sea water, it means that water is coming in via the head intake line. Replacing the joker valve in the discharge fitting won't solve that problem.
And since any y-valve would be in the discharge line, it wouldn't have anything to do with it either.
I'm guessing that the vented loop that should be in the head intake in ALL manual toilets that are below waterline (see Figure 1 on page 3 of the installation instructions here http://www.jabsco.com/files/29090_-_29120_-_3000_datasheet.pdf ) was never installed. Without it there's nothing to prevent water OUTside the boat from seeking its own level INside the boat via the toilet bowl if the wet/dry cam fails or the lever is left in the wet position.
(Btw, although instructions at the link I just gave you are for Jabsco's newest version of their manual toilet, the only difference between it and their previous toilets is the addition of the conical "plug" at the bottom of the steel piiston rod and the "lock" at the top of it...everything else in the pump is the same as the toilet on your customer's boat.)
Or, if the toilet is plumbed to discharge directly overboard and there's no vented loop in the dscharge line either, sea water can also fill the bowl via the discharge thru-hull.
In eiither case, I'd bet real money tha your customer isn't bothering to close the seacocks when he leaves the boat. Leaving 'em open has sunk many a boat in its slip!
As for the odor, it's most likely stagnant sea water trapped in the head intake line...the first flush after the boat has been sitting can knock you off your feet. If it doesn't go away after the first flush, there could be some dead decaying animal or vegetable sea life trapped in the head intake line. To clean it out, remove the head intake line from the thru-hull (it would prob'ly be a good idea to close the seacock first) and stick it into a bucketful of clean fresh water to which you've added a quart of distilled white vinegar. Pump the whole bucketful through the head. The vinegar will also clean out the head discharge line.
The odor MIGHT be coming back into the toilet from the tank...in which case, replacing the joker valve should take care of it. Although replacing the joker valve is NOT the cure for EVERY toilet problem, it should be replaced at least every two years--annually is better--as PREVENTIVE maintenance.
I suggest you check out the link in my signature...and I'm always available for "one on one" help if you need it.
Jabsco is your first problem.
The second problem "may" be that the tanks on many Beneteaus are way above the toilet so all the sewage goes uphill (sometimes a long way).
The third problem is the bladders are the worst for containing odor .
The fourth problem may be the hose.
Like Peggy mentions, be sure that all lines are flushed completely with "fresh" water.
The second problem "may" be that the tanks on many Beneteaus are way above the toilet so all the sewage goes uphill (sometimes a long way).
The third problem is the bladders are the worst for containing odor .
The fourth problem may be the hose.
Like Peggy mentions, be sure that all lines are flushed completely with "fresh" water.
Thank you for the link,as it turns out ,there is a return valve in the discharge line that was not in the original design and of course it is an "optional "part that does not come with the new head,so that should solve the intake water issue,so just for my aggrevation,I'm going to INSIST that we install ALL new hoses AND a new bladder!whats the old saying?,"you can't polish a turd"! oh,that was bad was'nt it ?
Why not INSIST they junk the Jabsco Junk also and buy a decent head while they are at it since your recommendation is to replace the entire system except the toilet; or are you trying to save some future work for yourself
?
We talked about that on the phone. The toilet is only a year old...a vented loop in the intake, new hoses and a new rigid tank will solve the immediate problems...he'll replace the toilet when it needs work. No reason to spend the money to fix something that ain't broke yet.
Just spent several hours on my plumbing system with much the same problem, mine was caused by a blocked vent tube from the holding tank. Originally I thought it was the Y valve since this was too stiff to turn, I fixed that with dismantling and lubrication, but the problem was still there, as I said, it was a blocked breather tube. Everything works great now.
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