Wash down pump plumbed to head water intake?

[MattObjects]

I have a 12v sea water wash down pump I am planning to install to rinse off anchor rode and chain before stowing them. The pump will be mounted in a stowage under the v-berth with the outlet line passing through a bulkhead fitting into the anchor locker where it will connect to a hose and spray nozzle accessible from on deck when the anchor locker hatch is open on the bow.

I am averse to having any more holes in my boat than are necessary so I would like to avoid installing a new through-hull/seacock for the wash down pump. My boat has a Raritan manual toilet that flushes with water pumped up from a through-hull that happens to be just a few feet from where I plan to mount the wash down pump. The inlet hose for the wash down pump and the head are even the same size. So adding a T-fitting to the hose between the through-hull and the head to tie in the wash down pump seems like a simple solution, right?

I am wondering if there is some reason not to do this that I am missing. I don't want the wash-down pump to be pulling water from the toilet bowl (even if the bowl has been flushed, that is still gross). I definitely don't want the wash down pump to somehow end up pumping out my holding tank all over my bow. Finally, I don't want the suction created by the wash down pump to mess up the valves/seals/manual pump on the toilet. I don't see why any of those things should happen but would appreciate the good folks here letting me know if I am wrong about that. Thanks!

 

[Benny17441]

This is one for Peggie. I follow and agree with your trend of thought but hopefully Peggie will chime in.

 

[Ron20324]

Teeing off, okay, but I'd put a wye selector, maybe just a shutoff valve in the head intake line. I went through this, and just could not stand the thought of pumping the guts out of the head/pump.

 

[Jerry Clark H356 SV Persi]

Mine is plumbed with a T off the head intake and works great. I have an electric Raritan Sea Era. I suggest you put in a stern hose bib too. I use one in the anchor well and one at the stern. Wouldn't be without either.

 

[Mulf]

Here is a link to what I did. Has worked great for over 5 years now.

http://hunter.sailboatowners.com/mods.php?task=article&mid=44&aid=7996&mn=410

 

[Capt jgw]

I did mine that way with just a tee, and it works just fine. With the wash down pump running there might not be enough water to pump the head at the same time, but how often is that going to happen?

 

[seadaddler]

I did same thing tee into the sea water thru hull for the head and no problems
for many years,I have the Sea Era and as Jerry said have sprayer in anchor locker and also
at the stern and has come in handy many times.
I do have a off and on switch under the main panel,it only draws water from the thru hull
and have a off and on value off the tee just in case have a leaky hose.
Nick

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

I don't want the wash-down pump to be pulling water from the toilet bowl (even if the bowl has been flushed, that is still gross). I definitely don't want the wash down pump to somehow end up pumping out my holding tank all over my bow. Finally, I don't want the suction created by the wash down pump to mess up the valves/seals/manual pump on the toilet.

You definitely have a vivid imagination, but not much real understanding of how your toilet works. None of that is even possible.

Use a y-valve to tee the pump intake line into the head intake line close to the seacock. Keep it set to supply the toilet except when you want to use the wasdown pump. If you have an electric toilet, NEVER use it while using the washdown pump--NOT because any of your worst fears could be realized, but because it won't be able to pull in any flush water...dry friction heat will "fry" the intake impeller.

 

[MattObjects]

Thank you to everyone for the thoughtful responses.

You definitely have a vivid imagination, but not much real understanding of how your toilet works.

Fair enough. My prior boat had a "suitcase" toilet, so this is new to me. Not knowing how the pump on this toilet is set up, I was concerned that if I tied into the toilet intake (I was imagining using a tee connector without a valve), strong suction from the wash down pump (especially if there were a clog at the through-hull from seaweed or something such that all of the suction was directed to the toilet inlet) might overcome some diaphragm in the toilet pump and create a very messy siphon . . .

Use a y-valve to tee the pump intake line into the head intake line close to the seacock. Keep it set to supply the toilet except when you want to use the wasdown pump.

Of course, if using a y-valve to isolate the wash down pump from the toilet, there would be no way for the wash down pump to draw from the toilet. Was your comment regarding my imagined scenarios being impossible based on an assumption that a y-valve would be used or based on the toilet itself making those scenarios impossible? If my imagined scenarios would be impossible even in the absence of a y-valve, is there some other problem using the y-valve is meant to prevent?

I ask because using a valveless tee connector would save me from needing to switch the y-valve before and after operating the wash down pump, which would be nice since the y-valve would be in the forward cabin while the pump hose will be on deck at the bow. My own laziness aside, the easier it is for crew to use the wash down pump, the more likely it is they will use it instead of leaving mud on the foredeck.

Thanks!

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Was your comment regarding my imagined scenarios being impossible based on an assumption that a y-valve would be used or based on the toilet itself making those scenarios impossible? If

A bit of both. It'll prob'ly work just fine with just a tee...but a y-valve would be a fail-safe that contributes to your comfort level.

And btw...you might want to check out the link in my signature...it's comprehensive "marine toilets and holding tanks 101" manual that should help you understand how the system works and prevent problems instead of having to fix 'em.
Peggie
"If you can't explain it to a six year old, you don't completely understand it yourself." --Albert Einstein

 

[JamesG161]

Dont forget the sea water pump inlet strainer.
Jim...

 

[Capt jgw]

Had a boat plumbed that way with just a tee and it worked fine. Don't believe I ever tried to use the wash down and head at the same time (why would you?). I imagine there wouldn't be enough water flow to feed both.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Dont forget the sea water pump inlet strainer. Jim...

A strainer may or may not be needed. If you're almost always in deep water that doesn't have much if any bottom growth--and therefore little if any animal sea life either--you prob'ly don't need one. But if your waters are shallow with lot of animal and vegetable sea life, you definitely DO need one. It should be installed ahead of the washdown pump so it can protect it as well as the toilet.

 

[JamesG161]

It should be installed ahead of the washdown pump so it can protect it as well as the toilet.

Even better idea.

Put it this way, every rotating sea water pump on my OEM Hunter model (including the sea wash down) has a strainer, but my OEM sea water Jabsco hand pump heads, don't.
Jim...

 

[Gunni]

Just tee the wash down pump into the head raw water supply, that way you can pull the toilet water supply hose off the back of the toilet and let the wash down pump draw winterizing anti-freeze through it's plumbing. An easy solution to the winter plumbing chores.

 

[Peggie Hall HeadMistress]

Just tee the wash down pump into the head raw water supply, that way you can pull the toilet water supply hose off the back of the toilet and let the wash down pump draw winterizing anti-freeze through it's plumbing. An easy solution to the winter plumbing chores.

If you disconnect the inlet line from the toilet, how will any antifreeze be able to go through the toilet?

But you've just reminded me that there's actually a much better solution to adding the washdown pump than teeing it into the head inlet line: re-route the toilet intake lin to tee it into the head sink drain line (there's been lots of discussion about that on this site...search for it) and re-purpose the head intake thru-hull to be the dedicated washdown pump thru-hull. That not only provides a safe source of fresh water to rinse the sea water out of the whole system--inlet line, pump channel in the rim of the bowl AND the discharge line, but all you have to do to add antifreeze is pour it down the sink.

 

[Gunni]

You dump antifreeze into the bowl and pump it dry through the waste hoses and valves to the holding tank. Then you disconnect the waste hoses from the pump, and open the bowl bottom drain. NO antifreeze is used in a Jabsco manual toilet pump - that is the manufacturer's instruction. Instead you drain it down and open it up at the bottom waste connection.

I'm not a big fan of exclusively using precious potable fresh water to flush my heads. If I am on a short cruise or day-sail I will sometimes pull the shower head to the bowl and use fresh water. But I want the option.

 

[Capt jgw]

AF can swell the rubber parts in the pump. I've had them not work in the spring after adding AF in the fall. That was the pink RV kind, I think the automotive kind would be even worse.

 

[JamesG161]

AF can swell the rubber parts in the pump. I've had them not work in the spring after adding AF in the fall. That was the pink RV kind, I think the automotive kind would be even worse.

Plus using POISONOUS Antifreeze around any thing that people can use (sink, galley, heads) is not recommended.
Jim...

 

[Capt jgw]

Right. But some people might do it. Not likely to get poisoned from the toilet. The pink stuff is cheaper anyway.