Skipper II help please

kappykaplan · Aug 27, 2024

My first suspect is the joker valve. Any idea when the head was last serviced?
Welcome to the forum! :beer:

Foswick · Aug 27, 2024

When you talk about the discharge hose, are you talking about the hose to a through-hull below the waterline? In other words, are you dumping directly overboard? Into Lake Michigan?

kappykaplan · Aug 27, 2024

CCC said:
Is water supposed to be coming into the bowl when I have the intake hose closed
and I'm pumping to just trying to empty the bowl?

No. This is why I suspect the joker valve needs to be replaced.

Richard19068 · Aug 27, 2024

CCC said:
When I shut the intake hose and open the discharge hose to empty the tank, water still come into the bowl
thought the interior rim. I can empty it all. close the discharge sea cock and water will slower seep into the bowl. I can't seem
to empty it and keep the bowl dry

Just a thought but are you sure the valve to close the intake is working and fully shutting off the intake?

Do you have a vented loop between the pump and the bowl that is higher than the boat's waterline?

Foswick · Aug 27, 2024

OK, I re-read your post, and I think I understand now. Just to be clear, you are saying that you suspect a leak somewhere along the intake line?

What isn't clear to me is this:

Let's say you completely empty the holding tank and pump the head as dry as you can. Over time, will the holding tank fill up, even if the head is not in use? Over time, will the bowl fill up, even if not in use?

Or, are you saying that, when you get liquid in the holding tank, it will slowly leak into the bowl?

It sounds like you are saying that you empty everything, yet water is coming into the boat and making its way to the bowl. Is this correct? If so, is it going into the holding tank and, from there, into the bowl? Or, just to the bowl?

In any case, if water is coming into the boat that you are not actively pumping in, then that's potentially an emergency. It just isn't clear to me where the water is coming from - from outside the boat, or just from the holding tank.

If the issue is simply that you can't quite pump all liquid out of the bowl, or if you do, that some seeps back from the tank, that isn't necessarily a big problem. Every head I have ever had exhibited a bit of this. There is always a little bit of fluid way down there. The pump never completely pumps the bowl dry. If it fills up with more than a little bit way down at the bottom, I would assume that it would eventually fill to the level equal to the level in the holding tank ... which probably isn't something you want.

This would indicate a leaking joker valve, as suggested. Liquid is flowing from the holding tank into the bowl.

But, that isn't what I am inferring from your description. It sounds more like you are saying that water is ingressing, probably via the intake line, not via the holding tank.

If that is the case, I would expect the bowl to continue to fill until reaching the water level outside the boat ... which might well slowly sink your boat.

dlochner · Aug 27, 2024

How long is the hose between the pump and the bowl? If the that hose is installed properly it will rise above the waterline and then down to the bowl. Water in that hose will drain into the bowl even with the intake valve closed.

It would be prudent to begin thinking about a new toilet. WC has been out of business for years and parts, likes joker valves and seals will be difficult if not impossible to find.