I had my 1992 Hunter 30 surveyed (pre-purchase) back in mid-July. It has a Jabsco head (original???) plus the Jabsco electric flush conversion. The surveyor noted that the pump was a bit sluggish and indicated that it is time to replace the impellers. He advised that I needed to do that soon, because continuing to use it could damage the pump. I've owned the boat for about three weeks now, and I haven't used the head at all. Friday I had someone on the boat doing some other work. He was looking at some of the wiring and was trying to trace down the wiring for the electric head. He asked me to turn the head on. I turned the knob, but nothing happened. We played with it for a while longer, and it appears that the pump is not working at all now. This guy recommended a new electric conversion kit. So, I've been looking. The new electric kit is $299. I know the Raritan PHII that Peggy recommends is only about $275. So I'm wondering if I would be better off with an all new manual head or if I should have an older head with a new electric conversion kit. BUT, I measured today to see if the Raritan head would fit, and the height is a problem. The book says the Raritan is 14 1/2" tall. I only have 13 1/8 inches between the floor and the bottom of the fold down shower seat. So I need other options . . . Any words of advice?
time for a new head?
- Thread starter Sherry
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I don't think it is...
Did the motor even hum when you tried to flush it? 'Cuz from your description, it doesn't sound like it was getting any power...and wasn't getting enough when your surveyor tried it. 'Cuz sluggish operation wouldn't have anything to do with impellers...that would indicate low voltage to it. If it's getting enough power, the only problem would be water flow, both into the toilet and discharge...the motor would run just fine. So my guess is, you have two problems, neither of which have anything to do with the toilet: 1. A weak--or even dead--battery. 2. Whoever installed the conversion didn't run a new separate circuit for it, which he should have done (this applies to ALL electric toilets, btw), 'cuz if it's on a circuit that's shared by anything else--even lights--that's on at the same time, whatever else is running will reduce the voltage to the toilet. That CAN damage the motor...worn impellers won't. That is, unless the motor is allowed to keep running totally dry so long it burns out the motor. That Jabsco conversion draws a whopping 24 amps, btw. So you need to get someone who knows more about how to find out whether the toilet is getting any power--and why--than either your surveyor OR whoever was aboard this weekend to check the condition of your battery and also whether the toilet is on its own separate circuit or not. It may indeed need new impellers too...but that's not your problem. Let's find out what is before you spend money for a new toilet.
Did the motor even hum when you tried to flush it? 'Cuz from your description, it doesn't sound like it was getting any power...and wasn't getting enough when your surveyor tried it. 'Cuz sluggish operation wouldn't have anything to do with impellers...that would indicate low voltage to it. If it's getting enough power, the only problem would be water flow, both into the toilet and discharge...the motor would run just fine. So my guess is, you have two problems, neither of which have anything to do with the toilet: 1. A weak--or even dead--battery. 2. Whoever installed the conversion didn't run a new separate circuit for it, which he should have done (this applies to ALL electric toilets, btw), 'cuz if it's on a circuit that's shared by anything else--even lights--that's on at the same time, whatever else is running will reduce the voltage to the toilet. That CAN damage the motor...worn impellers won't. That is, unless the motor is allowed to keep running totally dry so long it burns out the motor. That Jabsco conversion draws a whopping 24 amps, btw. So you need to get someone who knows more about how to find out whether the toilet is getting any power--and why--than either your surveyor OR whoever was aboard this weekend to check the condition of your battery and also whether the toilet is on its own separate circuit or not. It may indeed need new impellers too...but that's not your problem. Let's find out what is before you spend money for a new toilet.
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