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Flushing the toilet

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Paul
1st Mate

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57 Posts

Initially Posted - 05/18/2006 : 23:01:11

I have a new to me '83 with marine head and holding tank. Is there a secret to priming the pump? It does a fine job of sucking water out of the bowl (I poored a cup in), but it isn't drawing any flush water. With the through-hull valve open, I've pumped repeatedly with the little metal lever on the side in vertical and horizontal position.

Am I missing a step or does something need replacing?

Edited by - on

dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 05/18/2006 : 23:44:13

Paul...Do you have a vanity sink?

Edited by - on

Lightnup
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1016 Posts

Response Posted - 05/19/2006 : 06:19:23

Don -

I hope you're not going to tell Paul to use the sink instead of the head.

Edited by - on

Ben
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1234 Posts

Response Posted - 05/19/2006 : 06:26:20

When I bought my boat we had the same problem. Ended up there was some rubber gasket type thing with a flap in the pump housing that was disfunctional. The flap part of the gasket had separated, thereby causing the malfunction. A really easy fix, and presumably cheap. My head is a Groco brand, and the folks there to me were very friendly and informative on another repair I had to make. For the problem above tho, the head was pretty disgusting, so I just bought a whole new unit, had it installed in an hour.

Good luck. Having a head that works is a beautiful thing.

Edited by - on

aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 05/19/2006 : 07:45:36

Sometimes the flapper valve that Ben mentions sticks inside the housing. When this occurs, I dab on some vaseline. It keeps the valve moving freely.

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Paul
1st Mate

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57 Posts

Response Posted - 05/19/2006 : 09:04:26

Don, I do have a vanity sink.

Where is the flapper valve and what's the easiest way to get at it?

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Paul
1st Mate

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57 Posts

Response Posted - 05/19/2006 : 09:14:11

I thought of a way to ask my previous question that might make answering it easier. This is a link to a numbered diagram of the Groco HE. Many thanks to anyone who can suggest which part # I should investigate first.

http://groco.net/Service-Manual/Sec1-Sanitation-SM/HE-SER-PAM.jpg

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ClamBeach
Master Marine Consultant

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3072 Posts

Response Posted - 05/19/2006 : 09:18:20

>"I do have a vanity sink."

If you don't have a vanity sink, just use the kitchen sink... that's why they put it next to the companionway steps.

Note: A gentleman will remove the dishes first.

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 05/19/2006 : 09:54:17

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Paul
 Don, I do have a vanity sink.<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Before tearing apart the head, make sure the lack of flush water is not caused by the vanity sink drain breaking the suction for the head. Next time you're down at the boat, plug the vanity sink drain then try the head.

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dlucier
Master Marine Consultant

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Virgin Islands (United Kingdom)
7583 Posts

Response Posted - 05/19/2006 : 10:00:44

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by Lightnup
 Don -

I hope you're not going to tell Paul to use the sink instead of the head.

<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by ClamBeach
 >"I do have a vanity sink."

If you don't have a vanity sink, just use the kitchen sink... that's why they put it next to the companionway steps.

Note: A gentleman will remove the dishes first.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

You guys are too funny!

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aeckhart
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1709 Posts

Response Posted - 05/20/2006 : 12:35:22

Paul,

If the sink drain is not the problem, the flapper valve is in the pump handle housing. It looks like #10 in your diagram. The valve on mine is rubber with a metal disc. The disc will often get cruddy, stick to the housing, and won't allow the valve to move when you activate the "flush/fill" lever. Yours is probably stuck in the "flush" position.

I have a different brand toilet but the principle should be the same. Be careful when replacing any self-tapping screws on the pump housing. If it is plastic - and most are, and the screws are over-tightened, the flange will either crack or the screws will strip, causing a leak.

Edited by - aeckhart on 05/20/2006 12:38:22

PZell
Admiral

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USA
548 Posts

Response Posted - 05/21/2006 : 11:58:58

I had a similar problem and discovered that it had merely lost its prime. That sometimes happens when the boat has been sailing hard heeled over. You can pump the heck out of it and sometimes it will come back, but the quick fix is to remove hose (not sure which without looking at my unit) but it's the top one on mine...put your hand over the hole into the pump and give it a couple of pumps and it sucks the water right in.

Edited by - on

cclark
Navigator

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USA
104 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2006 : 17:48:10

This may seem simplistic, But if this boat is new to you, have you made sure that the seacock under the v-berth is opened to let in water?
If so, I have no other advise except that Home Depot does sell some great big orange bucket that work well.

Edited by - on

crcalhoon
Captain

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USA
303 Posts

Response Posted - 05/22/2006 : 20:59:57

The admiral used to say that she liked her little red bucket a lot better than the head, because she didn't have to pump the bucket. Our rule was pump till you are absolutely, positively, 100 per cent certain that everything is gone, then pump twenty more strokes.

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Paul
1st Mate

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57 Posts

Response Posted - 05/30/2006 : 22:41:22

SUCCESS!!

It just needed a little priming. About a quart of water in the bowel is all it took. With the stopper in the vanity sink, it started to draw lake water on the 4th or 5th pump.

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PZell
Admiral

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USA
548 Posts

Response Posted - 05/31/2006 : 14:02:37

A quart of water in the bowel makes me lose my prime.....heh heh

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stampeder
Master Marine Consultant

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1608 Posts

Response Posted - 05/31/2006 : 18:36:06

With a quart of water in the bowel, that sink stopper will be necessary, until you can get to the head.

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Paul
1st Mate

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57 Posts

Response Posted - 05/31/2006 : 20:19:01

It's amazing, the impact of one little vowel, not to be confused with a vowl.

Shouldn't you guys be sailing?!

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Champipple
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
6855 Posts

Response Posted - 05/31/2006 : 21:48:35

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Originally posted by crcalhoon
 The admiral used to say that she liked her little red bucket a lot better than the head, because she didn't have to pump the bucket. Our rule was pump till you are absolutely, positively, 100 per cent certain that everything is gone, then pump twenty more strokes.
<hr height="1" noshade id="quote"></blockquote id="quote">

Whoa, that's a lot of head tank water your bringing in...that's a bunch of weight to a racer.

Edited by - on

DanM
Captain

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USA
256 Posts

Response Posted - 06/09/2006 : 22:10:51

You Guys crack me up!
Just back from ten days (away from our boat)visiting our children in Albuquerque. Never did figure out where Swanson's (4875), and Petracca's (4795) could sail in the Rio Grande. My son suggested a reservor? Clear skies and mild breezes, but at 100 degrees, 20% humidity, sweat doesn't form.
What does that have to do with the head? "You know what" isn't much of a problem, either.

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