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Catalina/Capri 25/250 Sailor's Forums

General Sailing Forum

More problems with my head

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Ben
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1234 Posts

Initially Posted - 07/01/2005 : 19:23:27

Ugh!!! I went back to the boat today after being on vacation for a couple weeks and the head is not working.

This is a brand new (last year) head.

Has anyone had this problem? First of all, the head is a Groco HF Manual Head. When I attempt to flush the toilet, no water is coming through the thru-hull. I made sure the valve is open. I messed with the stopper in the sink (which had never been a problem before), and still no suction.

One thing that leads me to believe something is broken, although no one has been on the boat since I had been (except my wife), when the head last worked, was the "flush dry" lever next to the flushing pump has a much greater range of motion that before. When the head was working, that lever moved from maybe the 2 o'clock position to maybe the 10 o'clock position. Now it moves from the 5 o'clock position to the 7 o'clock position. I hope I'm making this clear.

Anyway, if I have to replace my gosh darn head again, I'm going with a portapotty. I'm sick of this.

Anyway, thanks for letting me rant. Any insight into this is desperately appreciated.

Ben
Beneteau 361
Viking Kitty
Columbus, Ohio

Edited by - on

Kip C
Navigator

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USA
243 Posts

Response Posted - 07/01/2005 : 21:47:49

Hi Ben,

I don't have your brand head, but I recently replaced all the hoses on mine, something I'd recommend when ever installing a new a head. When you say your not getting water from the thru-hull, how do you know? Did you disconnect the hose that runs from the thru-hull to the head, and slowly lower it to water level to see if there is water coming thru? Are your hoses clear to see water running thru? Also, check your vent(s) to make sure they're not clogged. Hopefully, nothing was suck up thru the thru-hull.

Good Luck

Edited by - on

atgep
Master Marine Consultant

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1009 Posts

Response Posted - 07/01/2005 : 22:25:41

I have a simmilar problem with my jabsco head. If it is not used for several weeks, it will stick and not pump anything. I put a quart of water in the bowl and it seems to get things going again.

Tom.

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Oscar
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
2030 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2005 : 02:58:26

There also should be an anti siphon tube somewhere.....put your finger on the hole to help the vacuum.....I second the priming.

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reuben
Navigator

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USA
202 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2005 : 11:04:33

Once in a while I'm glad to be a low-tech character: my little Thetford porta never malfunctions. No anti-siphon tubes, no thru-hulls, and, thanks to the blue chemical, no smell. (Also, lest I become proud, the Thetford offers built-in humility every time I shamble up the dock with my sloshing "briefcase.")

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At Ease
Admiral

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672 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2005 : 15:15:22

Go to the Catalina Owner's web site and ask Peggie Hall..."The Head Mistress."
http://www.sailboatowners.com/forums/menunew.tpl?fno=31

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Ben
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1234 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2005 : 16:00:48

Thanks all. I just came back from the boat and no amount of priming worked. Kip, you asked how I know I'm not getting any water through my thru-hull; when you flush the head, you can feel the suction of the water coming up through the thru-hull. Now I'm only getting air. I'm going to check all my hoses to make sure they all have good seals, I'll try to find an anti-siphoning area, and I'll post a question for the head mistress.

Thanks again ya'll.

Edited by - on

Don B
Captain

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USA
317 Posts

Response Posted - 07/02/2005 : 21:15:54

A few months ago I had the same problem. Since the boat was new to me and while in the water, I went under (SCUBA)to clean the hull. I found the through hull and used a paper clip to clean out the inlet. It worked fine afterwards. It doesn't take much to plug up an intake, especially in saltwater and down in the tropics.

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atgep
Master Marine Consultant

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1009 Posts

Response Posted - 07/03/2005 : 07:55:06

The head sink and intake share a thru hull on most boats. If the sink drains, the thru hull is not clogged.

You mentioned the selector valve on the pump feels loose. It would be worth it to tear down the pump to investigate that problem. It is likey linked to your other issue.

Tom.

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thaind
Navigator

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Canada
145 Posts

Response Posted - 07/03/2005 : 08:53:14

I had the same problem on my last sail. The pump was dry and the valves stuck. Loosen the pipe to the bowl. Lift the pump handle. Place your finger on the discharge pipe. Push the handle down. You will feel suction on your finger. Repeat a couple of times, and when water runs reconnect. Let me know if it works.

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DanM
Captain

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USA
256 Posts

Response Posted - 07/03/2005 : 16:37:14

Sorry about your head. You can download an info sheet and parts list/diagram from groco.com (or maybe it was www.groco.net). Their phone # is 410-712-4242.

Edited by - on

Ben
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1234 Posts

Response Posted - 07/05/2005 : 07:58:49

Hi all, I hope you all had a wonderful 4th of July celebration. On Sunday we had four fighter jets flying in a diamond formation fly only a few hundred feet in the air go right over our marine. It was soo coool.

Anyway, I tried many of the things suggested, including scrubbing the bottom where the thru hull is. I really hoped it was just some growies getting in the way, but no luck. Now I noticed that the "dry flush" lever actually can spin 360 degrees ( and beyond ). Oh well. I'll keep working on it.

Thanks for all your help!

PS, it was a greeeeaaat day sailing yesterday. Tons of fun!

Edited by - on

ngrinich
1st Mate

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28 Posts

Response Posted - 07/07/2005 : 01:54:18

I bought my Catalina 25 this last Spring and it had a Groco HF head. Since I knew that the head didn't work, I went ahead and bought a rebuild kit from Defenders. Rebuilt the head; it pumped water in but leaked at the joker valve and would not pump dry. I reseated the gaskets and valves but still had the same problems. I read some of the posts about rebuild heads (should have done that first before buying the rebuild kit), and bought a new Jabsco head from WM. Also replaced all the old RV style hoses with marine grade odor safe hoses.Installed the head, it works, no problems. IMHO don't spend money and time trying to rebuild this head unless you really like the challenge. As a point of interest , the WM sales person (from England) said that I should once in a while put some bacon grease down the head. The grease helps seal some of the scorring that grit in the river water causes to develop in the pump cyclinder. Anyone try this bit of head lore from the other side of the Pond?

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DanM
Captain

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USA
256 Posts

Response Posted - 07/07/2005 : 07:41:06

Sounds wierd, Nick. Wouldn't you have to get the grease into the clean water inlet to coat the pump cylinder? I'm thinking "down the head" would only coat the discharge and holding tank.

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Ben
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1234 Posts

Response Posted - 07/07/2005 : 07:50:11

Hi All,

I emailed Peggy the head mistress and she told me I wasn't able to draw water up from the lake to flush my head because the dry/wet flush lever had somehow broken. It broke in the "dry flush" position, otherwise I wouldn't be so keen to get it fixed in a hurry.

anyway, I ordered the part from Groco; only 16 bucks, so no big deal. It shouldn't be hard to fix (knock on wood.)

Thanks so much to ya'll for your advise, insight and opinions.

Edited by - on

DanM
Captain

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USA
256 Posts

Response Posted - 07/07/2005 : 07:50:21

Ben, Hope you will download that parts list/diagram to help your fix-it project along. The lever you refer to is listed as a cam assembly. It looks like it works against a bridge plate. Something has broken or stuck in there. Good luck on your challenge!

Edited by - DanM on 07/07/2005 07:56:18

Ben
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1234 Posts

Response Posted - 07/07/2005 : 13:41:52

Thanks Dan, That cam assembly is what I ordered, based on what Peggy, and later the Groco tech, recommended. It should be here in a day or so. I'll post how the job went.

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coach
Navigator

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USA
231 Posts

Response Posted - 07/07/2005 : 15:44:45

I cleaned out my hoses and mine worked fine after having this same problem.

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Ben
Master Marine Consultant

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USA
1234 Posts

Response Posted - 07/08/2005 : 15:39:21

Coach, did your dry/wet flush lever rotate 360 degrees?

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