I just put my newly-purchased 1987 Hunter 28.5 in the water and am having trouble with the head. The holding tank hadn't been pumped out and I know I must get to it. But I do not completely understand how the head and plumbing work (this is my first boat). There is a valve down on the floor next to the toilet and another valve in the lazarette. There also appears to be a manual pump in the lazarette, which I guess is also for pumping the head/holding tank. I really know nothing about how these devices should be used and which valves should be opened or closed. The most serious issue I have is that the toilet bowl keeps refilling with what appears to be dark water from the holding tank. I keep switching from 'Flush' to 'Dry' and pumping the toilet empty, but the bowl just slowly fills up again, till the muddy water is right at the rim! Please someone help. The Hunter 28.5 manual is very sparse on details - even the details of operating the head are barely explained. Thanks, John
Need help with head / plumbing
- Thread starter Merchantprince
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Why refilling?
Grizz, thanks for your reply. Do you know why my bowl is always refilling right to the rim, regardless of whether I pump flush or dry? Is there something I'm supposed to do to keep the bowl from refilling (evidently with holding tank contents)? Both of my vales are open, the one you pictured and also my valve for the thruhull/external pumpout. I believe when I test-flush that I am in fact sending bowl contents outside the boat (I'm going to try dishwasher soap to be certain). But why is that thing refilling the way it is..? Thanks
Grizz, thanks for your reply. Do you know why my bowl is always refilling right to the rim, regardless of whether I pump flush or dry? Is there something I'm supposed to do to keep the bowl from refilling (evidently with holding tank contents)? Both of my vales are open, the one you pictured and also my valve for the thruhull/external pumpout. I believe when I test-flush that I am in fact sending bowl contents outside the boat (I'm going to try dishwasher soap to be certain). But why is that thing refilling the way it is..? Thanks
First and most important:
Before even attempting to use the toilet again, pump out the holding tank and rinse it out pretty thoroughly. As Grizz said, make sure the tank vent isn't blocked. You should be able to get the installation/operation instructions for the toilet off the web. Those instructions include drawings showing the plumbing--what's connected to what. If you know the toilet make/model, I can give you the link to the instructions for yours. In a nutshell, your toilet uses sea water to flush it, so there's a 3/4" flush water intake hose from a below waterline thru-hull somewhere to the back of the toilet pump...the seacock on that thru-hull must be open to pull in any flush water. Keep it--and ALL thru-hulls--closed when no one is aboard...thru-hulls left open are the #1 cause of boats sinking in their slips. There's a lever or knob on the pump marked "dry" and either "wet" or "flush"...when the toilet is in the wet mode, pumping brings in flush water and pushes bowl contents out. When it's in the dry mode, pumpig moves bowl contents out but doesn't bring in any flush water. Leave it in the "dry" position except when using the toilet. As for why your bowl is refilling...could be one or more of several reasons: 1. The tank is overflowing and running back into the toilet...2. The run from the toilet to the tank is uphill and you aren't pumping long enough in the dry mode to move the bowl contents all the way to the tank...it's running back down into the bowl...3. It's not backflow, it's flush water rising in the bowl to the waterline because a) you're leaving the toilet in the "wet" mode, and b) the previous owner failed to install a loop in the intake to prevent it. There are a couple of other possibilities, but those are the most likely...and could be any one, two or all three of 'em. The valve in the floor may be the seaock/thru-hull that allows you to flush directly overboard when at sea beyond the "3 mile limit," or it may be a y-valve that goes to a thru-hull somewhere else...I need to know what it looks like to know which. The manual pump in the lazarette has to be the pump that's used to dump the tank at sea. It has nothing to do with the operation of the toilet. That's enough to get you started. I suggest you check out the link below to learn how operate and maintain the system. And I'm always glad to answer questions.
Before even attempting to use the toilet again, pump out the holding tank and rinse it out pretty thoroughly. As Grizz said, make sure the tank vent isn't blocked. You should be able to get the installation/operation instructions for the toilet off the web. Those instructions include drawings showing the plumbing--what's connected to what. If you know the toilet make/model, I can give you the link to the instructions for yours. In a nutshell, your toilet uses sea water to flush it, so there's a 3/4" flush water intake hose from a below waterline thru-hull somewhere to the back of the toilet pump...the seacock on that thru-hull must be open to pull in any flush water. Keep it--and ALL thru-hulls--closed when no one is aboard...thru-hulls left open are the #1 cause of boats sinking in their slips. There's a lever or knob on the pump marked "dry" and either "wet" or "flush"...when the toilet is in the wet mode, pumping brings in flush water and pushes bowl contents out. When it's in the dry mode, pumpig moves bowl contents out but doesn't bring in any flush water. Leave it in the "dry" position except when using the toilet. As for why your bowl is refilling...could be one or more of several reasons: 1. The tank is overflowing and running back into the toilet...2. The run from the toilet to the tank is uphill and you aren't pumping long enough in the dry mode to move the bowl contents all the way to the tank...it's running back down into the bowl...3. It's not backflow, it's flush water rising in the bowl to the waterline because a) you're leaving the toilet in the "wet" mode, and b) the previous owner failed to install a loop in the intake to prevent it. There are a couple of other possibilities, but those are the most likely...and could be any one, two or all three of 'em. The valve in the floor may be the seaock/thru-hull that allows you to flush directly overboard when at sea beyond the "3 mile limit," or it may be a y-valve that goes to a thru-hull somewhere else...I need to know what it looks like to know which. The manual pump in the lazarette has to be the pump that's used to dump the tank at sea. It has nothing to do with the operation of the toilet. That's enough to get you started. I suggest you check out the link below to learn how operate and maintain the system. And I'm always glad to answer questions.
BEFORE DOING ANYTHING ELSE PUMP THE TANK!
BEFORE DOING ANYTHING ELSE PUMP AND FLUSH THE HOLDING TANK OUT. ON MY HUNTER WHEN THE TANK IS FULL IT WILL DRAIN BACK TO THE TOILET. THATS WHEN I KNOW THE TANK IS FULL IT WILL NOT COME OUT THE VENT.
BEFORE DOING ANYTHING ELSE PUMP AND FLUSH THE HOLDING TANK OUT. ON MY HUNTER WHEN THE TANK IS FULL IT WILL DRAIN BACK TO THE TOILET. THATS WHEN I KNOW THE TANK IS FULL IT WILL NOT COME OUT THE VENT.
No need to shout...
Please turn off your caps lock...'cuz typing in all caps is the online equivilant of shouting. It's also hard to read.
Please turn off your caps lock...'cuz typing in all caps is the online equivilant of shouting. It's also hard to read.
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