Raritan PH Super Flush Water leak

Ralph Johnstone · Jul 5, 2020

It's a reed type check valve that allows air to enter when you dry flush. I had exactly the same leakage when I installed the new Raritan this last winter.

Unscrewed the retainer and removed the check valve. Found nothing keeping it open. Re-assembled and it's never leaked since.

Go figure

.

Peggie Hall HeadMistress · Jul 5, 2020

The little square plug on the front of the pump is the air valve (part # 104W. It has a check valve inside that opens on the downstroke of the piston to allow a little air to come into the (unused) top half of the pump cylinder to stop the "vacuum kick." It sounds like that air valve is stuck. The cure: Straighten a paper clip and poke the wire into the hole in that little plug to push it loose...it's spring-loaded and you should feel it move in and out when he presses the wire in there. If that doesn't fix it, remove the square plug (it threads into the pump) and clean it. Wrap some teflon tape around the threads to seal it when you put it back.

Your toilet is a bit new to have air valve issues...if it happens again, give Raritan tech support a call. 800-352-5630

---Peggie

odaydokay · Jul 6, 2020

I agree with Peggy. This is one heck of a good head. Mine is 7-10 years old and has never needed a part, even. Lube and proper winterization key I guess.

Peggie Hall HeadMistress · Jul 6, 2020

Btw...would y'all remember to select "thumbnail" when you upload photos? Clicking on the thumbnail enlarges it to full size while drastically reducing the amount of real estate needed by photos in forum posts.

Thanks!

--Peggie

Ralph Johnstone · Jul 9, 2020

ontherocks83 said:
I never noticed that was an option.

Same here.

Didn't realize that the file icons adjacent to the "attach files" could be moved up into the body of the text message.

Still sailing and learning after all these years.

walmsleyc · Jul 9, 2020

FYI,

Last year, I had a chronic, but fairly minor leak out of the air valve. At the time, I removed it, cleaned it and reinstalled it with some Teflon tape on the threads. That didn't really solve the problem.

This spring I did the full rebuild kit. All the o-rings, valves, one-way balls, seals, etc. When I removed the spring and ball in the intake (where the air vent is) there was some debris (seaweed, or something similar) in there. The air vent was not replaced, but it got a rinse and re-installed (this time without Teflon tape). Everything got cleaned before re-assembly.

So far this year, nothing leaks. Not really a helpful story, but perhaps it was some of the debris (seaweed) caught in the spring that was occasionally getting stuck in the air vent?

I don't have a strainer on the seawater intake for the head. Me wonders if I should? is that common practice?

Chris

jviss · Jul 9, 2020

walmsleyc said:
I don't have a strainer on the seawater intake for the head. Me wonders if I should? is that common practice?

Me neither, but I think it's probably a good idea. Not sure how common it is.

The rim of my bowl is clogged with sea grass, and I found a piece in the dry/wet mechanism when I was lubing the pump. Keeping it all in one place for easy cleaning makes sense.

Peggie Hall HeadMistress · Jul 9, 2020

If you're mostly in waters that are deep enough to make sucking up bottom growth unlikely, you don't need a strainer. But if you're in shallow waters that have a lot of bottom growth a strainer is good idea (and IMO you NEED one, jviss!) It should be installed close above waterline--to make cleaning it easy without having to close the seacock-- and as close to the thru-hull as possible while still keeping it above waterline and accessible to clean it...which may require both creativity and compromise on some boats. Easy access to remove to clean it trumps close to thru-hull.

And btw, jvss...you gotta get rid of all those veggies in the rim of the bowl...they'll become a major source of toilet intake odor if you don't. It may be necessary to remove the bowl and put it on the dock to pressure wash it to clean it out completely. If so, you'll need a new bowl gasket.

--Peggie

jviss · Jul 9, 2020

It's not so much depth, but what's on and near the surface of the water. A tidal estuary, which can be quite deep, as where I'm moored, can have a lot of vegetative matter on the surface, especially when it ebbs.

Peggie Hall HeadMistress · Jul 9, 2020

All the more reason why you need a strainer!

--Peggie

jviss · Jul 9, 2020

Peggie Hall HeadMistress said:
All the more reason why you need a strainer!

--Peggie

Agreed, but it really hasn't been so bad in 20+ years.

odaydokay · Jul 10, 2020

I second the strainer. Had reeds (I am docked in a river) so bad everything before and including the strainer clogged up and I had to pull hoses to clear. BUT and this is the biggie....my terrific PH head was spared. Net is that strainers are cheap insurance and you never know what is in the water where.

Terry Cox · Jul 17, 2020

No sea water strainer here, but many years ago our aft cabin toilet intake line became clogged. Bits of some creature, likely a small fish that swam into the through hull, managed to stink up what little water came to the bowl. Hooked up a city water hose to clear the line and has been trouble free ever since. Even though we have lots of eel grass and related matter, never been a problem that would require a strainer, unlike engine and heat pump intake lines.