repairing a PHII head

[gettinthere]

I have a repair kit for my PHII. Planning a rebuild.

The discharge hose runs up about 5' to the syphon break. That 5' of hose if full of 'stuff', at least water, and when I disassemble the PHII, that 'stuff' will flow back down and out all over the place. How do I deal with that?

Raritan's suggestion is to have a bucket ready. The fitting is low, behind the toilet. Impossible to get a bucket anywhere near the hose end.

 

[woodster]

try hooking up a shop vac to the high end of the hose and suck it out in to the shop vac ...and make sure you remove the filter from the shop vac.

regards

woody

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

The first thing I'd do is...

1. Disconnect the head intake line from the thru-hull (prob'ly be a good idea to close the seacock first) and stick it into a bucket of clean fresh water to which you've added a quart of white vinegar. Flush the whole bucketful through the toilet to rinse out the pump, channel in the rim of the bowl and the head discharge line. Now you have a clean toilet pump to work on.

2. Then I'd pump the toilet about 20x in the dry mode to move as much of the water left in the line between the toilet and the top of the loop over the top of the loop.

3. And finally, if a disposable aluminum pan (check all the ones at your local supermarket) won't fit under the discharge fitting, I'd stick a plastic garbage bag under it to catch the spill...which shouldn't be much more than a pint. In fact, you might even get away with using doubled or tripled plastic grocery bags if you follow steps 1 and 2.

But before you do any of the above, make sure you have the right kit...'cuz there are two versions of the PH II and each one needs a different kit.

If your toilet was built before 06/1992, you need repair kit PHRKII

If it was built after 06/1992, you need PHRKIIC

 

[gettinthere]

Thanks Peggy

I'm in luck! The duckbill is bad. I found the bowl full of antifreeze and mindlessly pumped it all out of the toilet. But the bad duckbill let it all back into the toilet! I used a turkey baster to suck it all up and into a bucket. I hope I remember which baster I used!

It would have been VERY difficult to channel the fluids due to the cramped situation the toilet is in and the fact that the discharge hose is in the back.

Could I install a PVC shutoff valve in the discharge line right after the pump for future repairs?

I double checked with Raritan before I ordered the kit. They asked certain questions describing the pump and determined I needed the PHRKIIC.

What do you suggest I use to clean the pump parts? I have them soaking in vinegar right now.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

I'm in luck! The duckbill is bad.

Welllll...that's one of the parts in the rebuild kit you already know you need to replace...in fact, it should be replaced every spring.

It would have been VERY difficult to channel the fluids due to the cramped situation the toilet is in and the fact that the discharge hose is in the back.

That makes it difficult to flush the toilet???? 'Cuz that's all you'd have to do to follow the instructions I gave you above. Then you remove the pump from the base and put it on a table...take it home...wherever you can be comfortable rebuilding it.

Could I install a PVC shutoff valve in the discharge line right after the pump for future repairs?

No...very bad idea.

What do you suggest I use to clean the pump parts? I have them soaking in vinegar right now.

Toss 'em..and use the ones in the kit instead. The only thing that should be left is the stainless piston rod.

 

[gettinthere]

That makes it difficult to flush the toilet???? 'Cuz that's all you'd have to do to follow the instructions I gave you above. Then you remove the pump from the base and put it on a table...take it home...wherever you can be comfortable rebuilding it.

No...very bad idea.

Toss 'em..and use the ones in the kit instead. The only thing that should be left is the stainless piston rod.

Flushing the toilet moves the goods UP the discharge hose to the Y valve and further UP to the syphon loop but not clear of the first 5' from the toilet. When I disconnect the hose at the base/bottom, all the stuff will come flowing out. That would be the purpose of the PVC valve, to stop the 'stuff' from flowing back down the discharge hose when replacing the duckbill valve.


I am going to replace all the parts that the kit includes. But I'm talking about of the cylinder, the knob, etc.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

QUOTE=gettinthere;791831]Flushing the toilet moves the goods UP the discharge hose to the Y valve and further UP to the syphon loop but not clear of the first 5' from the toilet. When I disconnect the hose at the base/bottom, all the stuff will come flowing out.[/QUOTE]

Apparently you missed "dry mode" in this part of my first reply: "Then I'd pump the toilet about 20x IN THE DRY MODE to move as much of the water left in the line between the toilet and the top of the loop over the top of the loop." Trust me, "All the stuff" will be reduced to no more than about a pint left to catch if you'll follow ALL the instructions I gave you!

You can't catch a pint or two once a year? A shutoff valve will create more problems than it'll solve...but it's your boat. So install one if you want to...

I dunno what condition they're in, but unless they're encrusted in sea water minerals, I suspect detergent and a scrub brush will do more good than vinegar.