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 Peggie 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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Replace what you've got
That way the screws will line up correctly. You can replace the parts a la carte. Check the base carefully. Mine was cracked and unbeknownst leaked for years into the aft cabin.
That way the screws will line up correctly. You can replace the parts a la carte. Check the base carefully. Mine was cracked and unbeknownst leaked for years into the aft cabin.
I took out the shower seat
since it just got in the way. It came unlatched a couple times while underway - not a lot of fun in some circumstances. We never used it anyway - rigged a long hose and we shower on deck, especially after diving. That works great for rinsing dive gear, too. I don't have a clue what the electric conversion kit does to the usability/reliability of the Jabsco toilet, but if I HAD to spend $300 on my toilet, I'd go for the brand new, shiny, Raritan model, sure to last for many years, etc. Having said that, I must confess that I just replaced my (manual) Jabsco with another Jabsco. In my case, the head needed a service kit, which cost $60, and the new head was on sale for $88. So the holes lining up was icing on the cake, and made the installation a snap. The downside is that I won't let anyone use my nice shiny new toilet!!! Cheers, Bob s/v X SAIL R 8
since it just got in the way. It came unlatched a couple times while underway - not a lot of fun in some circumstances. We never used it anyway - rigged a long hose and we shower on deck, especially after diving. That works great for rinsing dive gear, too. I don't have a clue what the electric conversion kit does to the usability/reliability of the Jabsco toilet, but if I HAD to spend $300 on my toilet, I'd go for the brand new, shiny, Raritan model, sure to last for many years, etc. Having said that, I must confess that I just replaced my (manual) Jabsco with another Jabsco. In my case, the head needed a service kit, which cost $60, and the new head was on sale for $88. So the holes lining up was icing on the cake, and made the installation a snap. The downside is that I won't let anyone use my nice shiny new toilet!!! Cheers, Bob s/v X SAIL R 8
Manual
I have a manual driven pump for my head - I find that it is one less thing to go wrong as I have seen so many friends "stranded" at sea when they lose their "head"!
I have a manual driven pump for my head - I find that it is one less thing to go wrong as I have seen so many friends "stranded" at sea when they lose their "head"!
Bob - which head and shower details?
Bob, I'm not sure what your boat is. Mine is a 1992 Hunter 30. Wondering if we have the same Jabsco head. Also, when you say you extended a hose to the cockpit, I assume you extended the shower hose? I have considered doing this, too. I prefer the spaciousness of the cockpit/transom to the confined quarters of the head for my shower. Any details you can offer will be appreciated. Sherry
Bob, I'm not sure what your boat is. Mine is a 1992 Hunter 30. Wondering if we have the same Jabsco head. Also, when you say you extended a hose to the cockpit, I assume you extended the shower hose? I have considered doing this, too. I prefer the spaciousness of the cockpit/transom to the confined quarters of the head for my shower. Any details you can offer will be appreciated. Sherry
I don't think anything is wrong with the toilet
From what you've said, it sounds like an electrical problem TO the toilet, not the toilet. If the motor was running slugglishly for the surveyor, that would indicate low voltage to the toilet, not failing impellers. You may indeed need new impellers...but that's not what causes the motor to run sluggishly...'cuz impellers have nothing to do with how the motor runs, only with the water flow and discharge flow. That it's now not running at all indicates a dead or weak battery...corroded or loose connections...or some other electrical problem. I'd also bet that the PO who installed the conversion did not run a new separate dedicated circuit for it as he should have (this applies to ALL electric toilets, btw). That means that anything else on the same circuit as the toilet that's running or on--lights, for instance--reduces the voltage to the toilet..and running it with low voltage will damage the toilet motor. Not only that, but the reduced power to anything else on same circuit from flushing the toilet can damage it as well. So before you go rushing out to spend money for an new toilet, get someone who knows what they're doing to put a volt meter on the toilet electrical connections. The voltage to the toilet should be a full 12v when you're not flushing AND when the toilet is flushed. I'd bet real money that it's not. Btw...that Jabsco conversion is a real power hog...it draws a whopping 24 amps. So it doesn't take much else on the same circuit running at the same time to pull enough power away from it to keep from getting all the power it needs.
From what you've said, it sounds like an electrical problem TO the toilet, not the toilet. If the motor was running slugglishly for the surveyor, that would indicate low voltage to the toilet, not failing impellers. You may indeed need new impellers...but that's not what causes the motor to run sluggishly...'cuz impellers have nothing to do with how the motor runs, only with the water flow and discharge flow. That it's now not running at all indicates a dead or weak battery...corroded or loose connections...or some other electrical problem. I'd also bet that the PO who installed the conversion did not run a new separate dedicated circuit for it as he should have (this applies to ALL electric toilets, btw). That means that anything else on the same circuit as the toilet that's running or on--lights, for instance--reduces the voltage to the toilet..and running it with low voltage will damage the toilet motor. Not only that, but the reduced power to anything else on same circuit from flushing the toilet can damage it as well. So before you go rushing out to spend money for an new toilet, get someone who knows what they're doing to put a volt meter on the toilet electrical connections. The voltage to the toilet should be a full 12v when you're not flushing AND when the toilet is flushed. I'd bet real money that it's not. Btw...that Jabsco conversion is a real power hog...it draws a whopping 24 amps. So it doesn't take much else on the same circuit running at the same time to pull enough power away from it to keep from getting all the power it needs.
I call it THE Jabsco Head....
Here's a picture of it. The mounting flanges are the same, so I suspect it is. We have an '87 H31 - you'd think the boats would be similar, but the pics show that a lot of differences, even with the tight view. We didn't do anything fancy, just bought a long shower hose (at Home Depot) and we run it through the porthole in the head up onto the deck, but not to the cockpit. We have netting on the lifelines, so we take all our dive gear up, rinse it off, then let it dry on the foredeck while we are anchored. That isn't a great solution - there isn't much water pressure when the hose is raised above the deck. My to-do list includes looking into plumbing a shower in the cockpit. Shouldn't be too hard, the water pump is in the starboard cockpit locker, so a couple of fittings and some hose and a valve and I should be able to hook up a garden hose.... latch it onto the split backstay and walah! shower in comfort! And if I get industrious, I can hook it up to the hot water! Of course, just being on the to-do list doesn't mean it will get done soon. Cheers, Bob s/v X SAIL R 8
Here's a picture of it. The mounting flanges are the same, so I suspect it is. We have an '87 H31 - you'd think the boats would be similar, but the pics show that a lot of differences, even with the tight view. We didn't do anything fancy, just bought a long shower hose (at Home Depot) and we run it through the porthole in the head up onto the deck, but not to the cockpit. We have netting on the lifelines, so we take all our dive gear up, rinse it off, then let it dry on the foredeck while we are anchored. That isn't a great solution - there isn't much water pressure when the hose is raised above the deck. My to-do list includes looking into plumbing a shower in the cockpit. Shouldn't be too hard, the water pump is in the starboard cockpit locker, so a couple of fittings and some hose and a valve and I should be able to hook up a garden hose.... latch it onto the split backstay and walah! shower in comfort! And if I get industrious, I can hook it up to the hot water! Of course, just being on the to-do list doesn't mean it will get done soon. Cheers, Bob s/v X SAIL R 8
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