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head problems

3K views 15 replies 11 participants last post by  Brent Swain 
#1 ·
has this happened to someone else? i have a jabsco hand pump head that has worked ok for the last year. 5 months ago put in a new rebuild kit and it was fine. last week someone used it to and took a big 'dump' and it wouldn't flush out. it would pump sea water in but flip the switch and it would not flush into the holding tank. holding tank is empty. i'm thinking the joker valve is being held open by crap and now it just sits there. is the only solution to take it apart, making a big mess and clean it out? dirty deal
i'm looking into an electric push button head for christmas, got the masicator an all
 
#2 ·
Unfortunately, I think you are correct in your assumption about the solution for your problem. Likely it comes down to a wad of toilet paper. We have a rule that NO toilet paper gets flushed. It goes into a small bag under the galley sink. Surprisingly, there is no smell from it.

You will need to disassemble and clear the joker valve and check all of the other valves in the pump assembly while you're at it. We replaced ours with a Lavac and been happy ever since. There are no small parts or flaps to fail, just a husky bilge pump.
 
#6 ·
I have both Lavac and the Thetford Tecma EasyFit Premium Plus (electric). I really like both although the Lavac I had to use a few times before I began to like it. The Lavac tends to use a lot of water and would fill the holding tank quick.
Everyone that come on the boat loves the Thetford Tecma EasyFit Premium Plus. Was not hard to install. If you are going with an electric head check out the Thetford products.
 
#7 ·
Have a spare jocker valve handy before you begin the inevitable. It could be torn.

It's just a matter of time before everyone does what you're about to do. Clorox bathroom cleaner is your friend!

As far as electric macerating heads, they make a huge difference in clog potential. Its still possible, but much less likely. On the other hand, they take extraordinary power. Something like 30+amps. You have to run an intake pump and a separate macerating pump. They also take substantially more water to flush than a hand pump. You can clear the bowl just as easily, but you have to send a couple of FULL bowls of clean water behind the waste to clear the macerator and lines or the effluent will destroy the macerator. Many fail to do this later part and get both smell and pump failure. You will want a spare pump as well, or you are not flushing at all, should one "crap out".
 
#11 ·
Have a spare jocker valve handy before you begin the inevitable. It could be torn.

It's just a matter of time before everyone does what you're about to do. Clorox bathroom cleaner is your friend!
For any of us with a Jabsco, a spare Jocker is a necessity.
 
#9 ·
If it is the joker the pump handle should be jamming at the top of its stroke.. If you're able to 'pump' but nothing goes anywhere that's a different scenario.....
 
#12 ·
the sanitation gods helped me out today. put the plunger to her (the head) an something must have gave because now it works . After 10 days of bothering me , it now works again. watch, now i'm not going to spend the 500 bucks on the electric masacator head that i wish for Xmas:)
 
#14 ·
gladrags has a good point. We don't flush toilet paper either. We keep a small, COVERED wastebasket under the sink in the head, and all paper goes in that. Gets emptied regularly with the other trash. No odor and no clogs. If you have ever traveled to Greece, you will find this same set-up in just about every bathroom on every island... they don't want to clog their plumbing either. Same deal on some Caribbean islands too.
 
#15 ·
We did the same in our Caribbean cruising.. Once you get past the 'EEEWWWW' it's not that big a deal..
 
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