Manual to electric Conversion

[Tom]

Has anyone ever converted their manual pump "head" to an electic system? If so what system "Jabsco" ...etc. did you go with. By the way I'm mostly interested in finding one that will fit the accomodations in the Catalina 30.ThanksTom C30"Adagio" Marina Del Rey

 

[Tom Lueck]

elec. head conversion

I went to west marine and they had an electric unit that replaced the pump part on ours... the toilot stayed in place and i just replaced the manual pump part with the electric pump part...as i remember it wasn't to expensive...since then i removed the electric and put the manual back on as the electric was noisy.

 

[Bryan C.]

Did mine

I had a cheapo Jabsco manual and about a year ago installed the cheapo (well, it was about $250) electric pump conversion. If you have a manual Jabsco head, the electric pump conversion should fit easily as it simply bolts in to the existing pump base and replaces the manual pump with two electric pumps and a discharge macerator. The pump body itself is thicker than the slender manual pump cylinder. I wired it in thru my panel (had to upgrade to a 30amp breaker). Running electrical wiring was by far the most difficult part. R-replacing the pump was pretty easy, just unscrew the old one at the base and the new pump fits right in the same housing. I kept the old manual pump in case the electric fritzes while on the road.Peggy Hall is very critical of these units, so I expect it to break down any minute. I don't use it that often (maybe couple times a week) and try to keep the filter clean and add some head lube now and then. Whenever I go to the boat I run it to keep the seals working. So far so good. The unit seems to work well. It's noisy, I wouldn't get it for myself, but its one of those compromises to keep the wife and kids happy and on board.

 

[Peggie Hall/Head Mistress]

Any elctric toilet that uses raw water...

..is gonna be noisy...'cuz it's the intake pump, not the macerator and discharge pump that makes all the noise. Only those equipped with the optional solenoid that draws flush water from the onboard pressurized supply are quiet.As has been previously noted, I'm not a big fan of Par/Jabsco products... they cost less than any others, but you also get what you pay for. However, when it comes to manual-to-electric conversion kits, they're the only ones who offer a complete pump replacement with a pump that was designed from the ground up to BE an electric pump, not just an add-on motor that replaces the pump handle and nothing else--something that only turns a fair-to-excellent (depending upon brand) manual toilet into a poor excuse for an electric toilet. Since the Jabsco conversion, is about the same price as an add-on motor, it's prob'ly the best bang for the buck.However, for not a whole lot more money, I think the new Raritan Sea Era electric macerating toilet is the BEST buy...unlike the Jabsco conversion, you can get it with the fresh water solenoid option--which in addition to being quiet uses far less flush water and far less power..