water level in head

K

kevfra

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Joined
Dec 31, 2005
RO Number
19858
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156
Does this sound right?
I have an electric head, can't recall the brand off hand. Works with a single unit combination water pump and macerator. Press the rocker switch and raw water comes through the sea cock and circulates down from the top of the bowl, while the macerator takes the discharge and pumps it into the holding tank. When done I am left with water sitting about five inches below the rim of the bowl, and I equate this as the actual boat water line. Never had a problem with rough seas causing a high level or anything like that. But I heard that the bowl should pump dry every every time, rather than be filled with water. Any ideas?
 
We had Raritan electric heads on both the Carver and the Silverton and, no, they did not pump dry unless I closed the seacock. I would think you would want some water in the head to reduce odors passing through and up out of the head. On the other hand, when we were going to leave the boat for more than a day or so I would close the seacock, pump it dry and manually fill the bowl with freshwater because the RW would get real stinky after a day or so.
 
The water level remaining in the bowl between flushes is a function of the external plumbing, rather than the toilet itself. On the discharge side, if the toilet must pump upward to a holding tank, then it will likely retain water in the bowl between flushes. If it pumps downward all the way to the holding tank, then it will not usually retain water and the bowl will be dry.

If the toilet is installed below the waterline of the boat, and water is able to get by the toilet's intake pump, then yes, water will rise to the level of the boat's waterline, possibly overflowing the toilet bowl. In this case, it is best to install a vented loop between the output of the toilet's intake pump and the entry to the toilet bowl, with the top of the vented loop fitting at least 4" above the waterline, then run back to the entry at the rear of the toilet bowl. There's usually a short hose running between the output of the toilet's intake pump and the back of the toilet bowl. This would be removed and replaced by additional hosing and the vented loop fitting.

It basically depends on a number of things - how the toilet is plumbed, where it's mounted relative to the waterline, how well it's been maintained, basic design of the toilet itself, and on and on, far off into the night... No real simple answer.
 
I had a similar problem with my electric head. Make sure you only use marine toilet paper. You can also use some "head lube". That stuff works good. I made the mistake of using regular paper at first and after a while the pump ran sluggish. When that happened the bowl would not pump out fast enough and with the combination of the bowl filling and the pump not working properly there was a lot of water left in the bowl.
 
Another way to deal with this issue is to go down to Home Depot and pick up a globe type shutoff valve that is intended to be used with 1/2" copper tubing (about $5.00). Also pick up two hose clamps for 3/4" I.D. hose. Cut the hose that runs between the output of the raw water pump and the elbow at the rear of the toilet bowl. Insert the valve into this hose and clamp it into place. You'll note that the valve will fit inside the 3/4" hose real nicely. Then clamp it on both sides. Now you can regulate how much water comes into the bowl by adjusting the valve. Do it this way, rather than partially closing the seacock at the supply water thru-hull fitting. If you try backing off on the seacock, you'll starve the raw water pump and maybe burn out the impeller.
 
Vic I do the same thing (restrict the flow) right at the thru-hull, have for 18 years.
 
I suspect my water level is maintained by water coming back up through the bottom after being pumped to the tank, rather than from raw water through the top of the bowl, because the level increases after I let go of the button and therefore the pump has stopped. It'll be simple to test - just shut the raw water cock and try it. If it is leaking up from the tank side it'll still do it.
 
Joker valve is what I heard before and what started this string. According to what I heard if this gizmo is doing its job I'll end up with no water in the bowl, and since I do, it is a bad joker valve. Guess I have to pull out the catalog and do some ordering, then have a very unpleasant chore ahead of me...
 
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