Need Help With Head Setup!

1970Columbia34 · #1 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007

Here is a Diagram of what we have in our boat, when we bought the boat the head had been take apart for cleaning now i need to get it back together, so i am looking for everyones help on how the picture shows what i have of what it should look like but i have now under the sink pictures to show where the hoses go. i should mention there are 2 thru hulls under the sink a large 1" and a 1/2" one. Let me know what you think and thanks in advance.

PBzeer · #2 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007

The larger thru-hull is for your sink drain, the smaller for water intake to flush the head. Not sure about that Y, is it a valve or just a Y? But there shouldn't be anything running into the bilge. Do you have a shower sump down there?

Your holding tank should have an inlet at the top, outlet (to pumpout) at the bottom and a vent line.

Have no idea what the pump is for.

sailingdog · #3 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007

Ok. For the most basic setup—

The water inlet from the through hull should go to the top 3/4" fitting on the pump. The lower fitting 3/4" fitting on the pump should connect to the 3/4" fitting on the bowl. The 1-1/2" elbow at the base of the pump is the waste output from the toilet and should go to the 1-1/2" fitting on the holding tank.

A few questions for you to answer...and some guesses....

Is the thing under the sink a y-adapter or is it a diverter valve? That would help determine what it was used for. Also, how sure are you that the hose on the left of the Y goes to the bilge? Is it connected to a seacock and thru-hull?? It might be for diverting the waste from the head directly to the ocean or to the holding tank. It might be for the pump, which could be setup to empty the holding tank or as an emergency bilge pump.

The pump under the sink is probably for emptying the holding tank while at sea. Is it a large 1-1/2" input/output diaphragm pump, like a Whale Gusher? This type of pump is the most common for manual holding tank pumpouts.

On the holding tank—is that a view of the top of the tank or the side? I'm going to guess it is the top, and that the 4.5" diameter opening is an inspection hatch of some sort. How deep into the tank do the 1-1/2" and 2-1/4" elbows go. The one for the pumpout should go to the bottom of the tank, and the one used for the waste entry should be relatively shallow. The 3/4" and 1" hoses are probably for venting the tank—which is key to helping keep the system relatively odor-free.

Are the thru-hulls under the sink above or below the waterline on your boat. Do they have seacocks on them? If they are above the waterline, then the smaller is probably a vent for the holding tank and the larger a drain for the sink... if they are below the waterline, then the smaller is probably the water inlet for the head and should have a seacock on it. The larger is probably the output for the sink and should also have a seacock on it.

I hope this helps.

1970Columbia34 · #4 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007

Ok not sure if the Y-fitting is a diverter or a y junction, it looks more like a diverter. then just a fitting. I forgot to mention that there is also a 1.5" white hose that comes down from a deck fitting i assume for waste pump out.

both of the thru hulls are below the water line and have ball valves on them, the 3/4" one comes off the ball valve and has a "T" fitting one end going to the sink drain and then a hose 3/4" hose about 3' long and a plug in the end. the larger thru hull goes from the ball valve to the large pump that you pump by putting in a 1' long metal handle into to pump, the other side of the pump has a garden hose fitting on it, the is a hose with a garden hose connector on it that leads all the way to under the cockpit (i admit i did not look where it goes after that).

i am just a bit lost but i am sure on the y-fitting one goes to the bilge and the other 2 have un attached hose to them.

This is on our 1970 Columbia 34 if that helps at all. Thanks.

sailingdog · #5 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007

The 1-1/2" hose from the deck is for the pump out fitting... and goes to one of the pipes on the holding tank.

I think the hose that is 3/4" with the plug goes to the top fitting on the toilet pump. I think they did this so that you can flush the head with either salt water or from the head sink. If you close the ball valve, any water sitting in the sink will flush into the head. It seems kind of strange to do it this way, but I think it will work.

Is the hose from the pump that goes to the thru-hull on the output or input side of the pump???

Where in the bilge does the Y-fitting hose go... just into the bilge and you can see the end of it... or does it disappear and you don't know what specifically is on the other end of it?

Also, do you have any photos of the setup??? Photos are better than just diagrams...but the diagrams help.

1970Columbia34 · #6 (**permalink**) 03-05-2007

I will get some photos we forgot the camera but it won't be tell this weekend since the boat is 2 hrs away. I was hoping the diagrams might do the trick. The hose from the Y goes down towards where the electric bilge pump i did not look really hard but i know forsure it does not come up on the other side of the boat.