Raritan PHC: Intake from fresh water (not thru-hull)?

[niku]

I recently purchased a Raritan PHC toilet for my 26' sailboat, and I have an installation question.

I plan to connect the toilet inlet to my fresh water system, rather than get raw water from a thru-hull (I'd prefer to not drill yet another hole in the bottom of the boat, my fresh water tank has plenty of capacity, and I don't like what I hear about seawater being the source of a lot of odor). To minimize the risk of contamination, I plan to install a one-way check-valve. The fresh water system is not pressurized, and I would run a new line to the fresh water tank.

Does this sounds like a good plan; or would you definitely advise against connecting the toilet intake to my fresh water system? The Raritan web site FAQ says it is fine to hook up to an unpressurized fresh water system, but says to use a separate fresh water tank. That seems like overkill if I have a good check-value. Do you have a specific one-way check-valve you recommend?

thanks in advance for any advice/suggestions you can provide

 

[Stu Jackson]

NO don't do it.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Nope...bad idea.

No toilet designed to use sea water should ever be connected to the fresh water system and every toilet mfr specifically warns against doing so in their installation instructions.

What's on your boat now? Do you already have a holding tank? I have an idea, but I need to know the answers to those questions first.

 

[fordo]

Absolutely right! DON"T DO IT. You should not trust any valve with feces on one side and drinking water on the other to keep the drinking water safe. Now, it is possible to use fresh water if your plumbing provides a complete break between the head and the fresh water source. In my boat the thru hull that drains the head sink also provides the salt water for the head. If I close the thru hull and fill the sink with fresh water I can flush with that fresh water without any possibility of contamination, since there is no connection between the head and the fresh water supply.

 

[niku]

thanks everyone for the quick replies.

What's on your boat now? Do you already have a holding tank? I have an idea, but I need to know the answers to those questions first.

nothing -- just a portapotty. i have enough room for a second fresh water tank, expensive but will probably take that route. but ... what's your idea?!

 

[JoeWhite]

About the odor - - I have been using fresh water to flush and I no longer have the odor. I fill the head sink then pump into the toilet. For you - I would suggest using a one gallon plastic milk jug that you can keep frsh water in and pouring some in the toilet when needed. Better yet - do not remove the port-o-potty - use it as it was originally designed. I used mine on my Hunter 25 for 6 years - as long as I owned it.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

My idea:

What you may not realize is that replacing your portapotty with a "real" toilet is only the first step...you also need a holding tank--at least 12-15 gallons to hold enough flushes to last more than a day--and all the related plumbing...which on a 26' boat eats up LOT of your storage space! And then there are those pesky holes in the boat....not to mention all the maintenance required. Total cost: $500-600+ including toilet, tank, hoses, thru-hull and seacock....more if you add an overboard discharge pump.

So here's my idea:

Return the PHC and replace the portapotty with a 5-6 gallon "MSD" version. An MSD portapotty is one that's fitted for pumpout and designed to be permanently installed. It'll fit in the same footprint as your portable..no plumbing needed except a vent line and pumpout hose--so no new holes in the boat...and -0- maintenance needed except for rinsing out the tank--which you can do with a bucket while it's being pumped out.

A 5-6 gal. model holds 50-60 flushes...you'd need at least a 30 gal tank--waaay bigger than you have room for--to hold that many from a manual toilet.

So an MSD portapotty gives you all the advantages of a marine toilet and holding tank with NONE of downsides. And the sbo.com online store has 'em. sbo.com plumbing Check out the Thetford 365 MSD. I personally like the Thetford models better than the SeaLand...not sure why 'cuz they're about equal in quality, durability and price...just do. Total cost for EVERYTHING--the potty, hoses, deck pumpout fitting and vent thru-hull is about what you paid for the PHC.

IMO, if you're gonna go with an "MSD" portapotty, the 5-6 gal models are a better choice than a 2-3 gal model 'cuz pumpouts cost the same and are just as much hassle even if free whether you're pumping out out 2 gal or 5.

Otoh, if you have to go with a portable, stay with the smaller one...'cuz a full 5 gal tank weighs about 50 lbs, which is a LOT to haul off the boat and up the dock.