Is it ok to use Vaseline to hush that &$^^$%%^ squeaking pump on the Jabsco brand head? I took it apart this weekend just before I was ready to throw the thing overboard and put a dab of Vaseline on the big oring in the pump. Any negative effects? Thanks- Mike
Vaseline ok for pump on head?
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Raritan recommends SuperLube
which I think would be a good choice, and seems like it should last longer than Vaseline.
which I think would be a good choice, and seems like it should last longer than Vaseline.
And just how do you introduce Vaseline
into the pump? w/ a little finger/
Really, I'd like to know.
into the pump? w/ a little finger/
Really, I'd like to know.
It is not white! At least I don't think it is.
But y'all are getting it there! Despite what the Jabsco instructions say, no petroleum products should ever be used in a marine toilet...petroleum is damaging to the rubber parts in the pump and breaks down hose resistance to odor permeation. However, your toilets are yours to put anything you want to in 'em...but anything you have to put down the toilet once a week can't be doing much good. Even a capful of vegetable oil lasts longer than that. And every other toilet on the planet lasts longer than a Jabsco. The Jabsco do recommend using Vaseline, despite the fact that every OTHER toilet mfr warns against using any petroleum product. It's also pretty obvious that they were written by someone for whom English is NOT their first language. In one place, they recommend against using antifreeze at all--also the only toilet mfr who does--but specify only glycol antifreeze...apparently unaware that there are 3 types of glycol antifreeze, two of which should never be used in marine sanitation or fresh water systems...highly toxic ethylene glycol (petroleum based automotive antifreeze)...not quite NON-toxic, but a lot less toxic, propylene glycol automotive antifreeze...and non-toxic potable propylene glycol (the "pink stuff"), which is the only kind that should ever be used in a marine sanitation or fresh water system. But Jabsco's instructions don't rule out any of 'em. A previous version was even better...it specified that only ethylene glycol antifreeze should be used because petroleum based automotive antifreeze is harmful to rubber. (Huh?) Jabsco must have printed a 10 year supply of that version because it remained in their manuals for almost that long. So it's not surprising that the instructions also recommend Vaseline. Doesn't anyone at Jabsco proofread anything before it goes out??? If you only want to lube a toilet pump once a year, buy a tube (A TUBE, not a spray or liquid) of Teflon grease (SuperLube is the best brand, but any is better than Vaseline). Remove the top from the pump. (PH II owners have to take the pump off the base and put the grease in from the bottom, but that only requires removing 4 screws, so it's not that much more effort than removing the top from a Jabsco pump)..put a healthy squirt of the grease into it...pump a couple of times to spread it all over the inside of the pump cylinder...put the top back on (or the pump back onto the base)...you're done till next spring. Ever wondered why a new toilet doesn't seem to need any lubrication for at least a year? That's because Teflon grease is the same thing that's in every toilet when it leaves the factory...except maybe Jabsco toilets. Their instructions say that even a new toilet can need lubrication if it sits unused for a while, so who knows what's in their pumps, if anything. But, as I said, they're your toilets...put whatever you want to in 'em.
But y'all are getting it there! Despite what the Jabsco instructions say, no petroleum products should ever be used in a marine toilet...petroleum is damaging to the rubber parts in the pump and breaks down hose resistance to odor permeation. However, your toilets are yours to put anything you want to in 'em...but anything you have to put down the toilet once a week can't be doing much good. Even a capful of vegetable oil lasts longer than that. And every other toilet on the planet lasts longer than a Jabsco. The Jabsco do recommend using Vaseline, despite the fact that every OTHER toilet mfr warns against using any petroleum product. It's also pretty obvious that they were written by someone for whom English is NOT their first language. In one place, they recommend against using antifreeze at all--also the only toilet mfr who does--but specify only glycol antifreeze...apparently unaware that there are 3 types of glycol antifreeze, two of which should never be used in marine sanitation or fresh water systems...highly toxic ethylene glycol (petroleum based automotive antifreeze)...not quite NON-toxic, but a lot less toxic, propylene glycol automotive antifreeze...and non-toxic potable propylene glycol (the "pink stuff"), which is the only kind that should ever be used in a marine sanitation or fresh water system. But Jabsco's instructions don't rule out any of 'em. A previous version was even better...it specified that only ethylene glycol antifreeze should be used because petroleum based automotive antifreeze is harmful to rubber. (Huh?) Jabsco must have printed a 10 year supply of that version because it remained in their manuals for almost that long. So it's not surprising that the instructions also recommend Vaseline. Doesn't anyone at Jabsco proofread anything before it goes out??? If you only want to lube a toilet pump once a year, buy a tube (A TUBE, not a spray or liquid) of Teflon grease (SuperLube is the best brand, but any is better than Vaseline). Remove the top from the pump. (PH II owners have to take the pump off the base and put the grease in from the bottom, but that only requires removing 4 screws, so it's not that much more effort than removing the top from a Jabsco pump)..put a healthy squirt of the grease into it...pump a couple of times to spread it all over the inside of the pump cylinder...put the top back on (or the pump back onto the base)...you're done till next spring. Ever wondered why a new toilet doesn't seem to need any lubrication for at least a year? That's because Teflon grease is the same thing that's in every toilet when it leaves the factory...except maybe Jabsco toilets. Their instructions say that even a new toilet can need lubrication if it sits unused for a while, so who knows what's in their pumps, if anything. But, as I said, they're your toilets...put whatever you want to in 'em.
What I wind up using
In answering the original question, I referenced the Jabsco website, however... I follow Peggy's advice of using Superlube Teflon grease on my pump innards and it works as expected. And, Peggy... PLEASE don't use the phrase "they're your toilets...put whatever you want to in 'em." My daughters have taken this advice to heart and you wouldn't believe the adventures I've had in clearing the pipes!
In answering the original question, I referenced the Jabsco website, however... I follow Peggy's advice of using Superlube Teflon grease on my pump innards and it works as expected. And, Peggy... PLEASE don't use the phrase "they're your toilets...put whatever you want to in 'em." My daughters have taken this advice to heart and you wouldn't believe the adventures I've had in clearing the pipes!
Veggie works great for me..
I just use about two table spoons full of Vegetable Oil down in the bowl,let it set a few hours then flush away..this about every 60 days keeps all working well.Mine is an older (1978) Jabsco with the 3 screw pump body..think I got the last pump service kit on the planet last year so am expecting to "upgrade" next time it begins to fail..which I hope is'nt too soon. Fair Wnds & Good Ventilation>>> David
I just use about two table spoons full of Vegetable Oil down in the bowl,let it set a few hours then flush away..this about every 60 days keeps all working well.Mine is an older (1978) Jabsco with the 3 screw pump body..think I got the last pump service kit on the planet last year so am expecting to "upgrade" next time it begins to fail..which I hope is'nt too soon. Fair Wnds & Good Ventilation>>> David
Mineral oil is a better choice
It doesn't get rancid on a hot boat the way vegetable oil can. And btw, baby oil is mineral oil and can be a lot easier to find. Plus it smells nice. Mike... Granted, the Headmate isn't quite as easy to lube as Jabsco or PH II, but you don't have to take the pump apart to lube it. Just pull the piston rod up, remove the tee handle, loosen the nut around the piston rod and squirt some grease into the pump. It's a bit of a tight fit, so you might have to use a syringe if you can't get any of the tube nozzle by it, and you might have to put just a little at a time in, then pump to spread it each time...but it's not THAT hard to do! I'll never understand why so many people would rather do something that's a never ending job--ok, so it only takes a couple of minutes each time, but those couple minutes add up--when doing it right only takes 10 minutes ONCE each year, and you never have to deal with running out of veg or mineral oil...or forgetting to put any down the toilet till it starts squeaking and becomes hard to pump, which signals that friction is wearing the rubber seals and o-rings. Nobody seems to get any satisfaction out of actually maintaining anything any more...everyone just wants quick fixes--"bandaids"--instead, even when they cost a lot more, are more time consuming in the long run 'cuz they have to be done over and over, and result in premature equipment failure 'cuz they don't work nearly as well. Ah well...<sigh>...it's your boat, your money and your time.
It doesn't get rancid on a hot boat the way vegetable oil can. And btw, baby oil is mineral oil and can be a lot easier to find. Plus it smells nice. Mike... Granted, the Headmate isn't quite as easy to lube as Jabsco or PH II, but you don't have to take the pump apart to lube it. Just pull the piston rod up, remove the tee handle, loosen the nut around the piston rod and squirt some grease into the pump. It's a bit of a tight fit, so you might have to use a syringe if you can't get any of the tube nozzle by it, and you might have to put just a little at a time in, then pump to spread it each time...but it's not THAT hard to do! I'll never understand why so many people would rather do something that's a never ending job--ok, so it only takes a couple of minutes each time, but those couple minutes add up--when doing it right only takes 10 minutes ONCE each year, and you never have to deal with running out of veg or mineral oil...or forgetting to put any down the toilet till it starts squeaking and becomes hard to pump, which signals that friction is wearing the rubber seals and o-rings. Nobody seems to get any satisfaction out of actually maintaining anything any more...everyone just wants quick fixes--"bandaids"--instead, even when they cost a lot more, are more time consuming in the long run 'cuz they have to be done over and over, and result in premature equipment failure 'cuz they don't work nearly as well. Ah well...<sigh>...it's your boat, your money and your time.
Peggie, Mineral oil and vaseline are in the same
family of petroleum products, both are parafin based. How will animal fats work? As in chicken or pork fat. I was thinking that once a season you could just dump the cooking fat from the chicken that was roasted for dinner into the head.
family of petroleum products, both are parafin based. How will animal fats work? As in chicken or pork fat. I was thinking that once a season you could just dump the cooking fat from the chicken that was roasted for dinner into the head.
Thank Peggie
I'll remove the nut around the piston rod and squirt some mineral oil into the mechanism. As luck would have it I keep a turkey baster in the locker to slurp up those last few drops of water in the bilge when I clean it and that should do the job fine. I agree that there is satisfaction in keeping the boat in top shape with a good maint. program. Knowing that it was done and done right is the best way to head out for a good cruise.
I'll remove the nut around the piston rod and squirt some mineral oil into the mechanism. As luck would have it I keep a turkey baster in the locker to slurp up those last few drops of water in the bilge when I clean it and that should do the job fine. I agree that there is satisfaction in keeping the boat in top shape with a good maint. program. Knowing that it was done and done right is the best way to head out for a good cruise.
If you're gonna use mineral oil...
You might as well just flush it into the pump via bowl...'cuz it's gonna wash out in a couple of weeks, no matter how it gets into the pump. The instructions I gave you were how to put thick Teflon grease into the pump that'll last long enough to be worth the effort.
You might as well just flush it into the pump via bowl...'cuz it's gonna wash out in a couple of weeks, no matter how it gets into the pump. The instructions I gave you were how to put thick Teflon grease into the pump that'll last long enough to be worth the effort.
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