Replacing marine toilet

fireman181 · #1 (**permalink**) 11-18-2007

I recently purchased a 1980 C&C 32' in excellent condition, but after working on the head feel it is time to replace it. The head in question is a Wilcox Headmate. While installing a rebuild kit, access was a nightmare, all screws being on the back of the unit, and while tightening to regain the seal, the housing cracked.
Any opions of other manual heads will be appreciated, including ease of operation, and ease of maint. I am interested in the Raritan PH11 -- Opinions??

camaraderie · #2 (**permalink**) 11-18-2007

I have 2 PHII's on my boat and find the reliable and easy to rebuild, with parts widely available and an excellent choice if you are not going to go high end with Vaccuflush or similar.
Note that defender has the PHII and the PHII "household bowl" for 40 and 80 bucks less than West. The no sales tax should offset the shipping.

RandyonR3 · #3 (**permalink**) 11-18-2007

I install two new heads a couple years ago on my 42.. I used the Jabsco unit as the bowl and seat is longer.. We live on the boat (wife and I) so its used a few times a day... havent had a problem with it yet..
A friend has installed a vacu-flush and loves it...

SEMIJim · #4 (**permalink**) 11-18-2007

For every marine toilet out there, you'll find people that love 'em and people that hate 'em. From my reading: The Raritan PHII (I believe it's "II," as in Roman numeral "2," not "11") is generally regarded as being perhaps the best in its price range and for that type of unit. I was planning on replacing our Headmate with one, but I was persuaded our Headmate was worth rebuilding, as it's alleged to be one of the better units, as well. (Haven't done that job, yet.) In our installation, only one screw at the bottom of the pump assembly will be a problem: The left rear one, looking from the front. Those screws look like about a #3 phillips, and it would seem very long #3 philips screwdrivers are (nearly?) non-existent.

Jim

Whitebear · #5 (**permalink**) 11-18-2007

would this be of interest to you ?
check out lavac toilets at lavac.com
I posted their web site so you could check them out.

capttb · #6 (**permalink**) 11-18-2007

I'm anxiously awaiting the UPS guy with my new Raritan PHC from Defender, this is a PHII on a compact base for those of us with heads designed for gnomes. No sales tax but shipping was $40 to California, supposed to be here tomorrow & I wanted it yesterday! Hoses & what-not also cheaper from D, I'm going to add a strainer to the seawater intake as I've heard it helps with odor control to strain the larger animals out of your flush water. Not practical for me to use freshwater to flush.

Faster · #7 (**permalink**) 11-18-2007

Have had Raritan PH on previous boat, and a PHII on our current boat and have found them to be mostly reliable and quite easy (if not pleasant) to work on. Parts are readily available, on-line service and advice is overnight. Parts prices are a bit steep, but I don't think that's unique to Raritan.

Rebuild kits run close to $100 IIRC, so maybe, if you can get 4 or 5 years out of a inexpensive Jabsco (around $160) and just buy a new one when it gives up the ghost, that's another viable option. But the Raritan is a better head all round.

camaraderie · #8 (**permalink**) 11-18-2007

Faster...the complete phII rebuild kit is $52 bucks at Defender. A Complete pump assembly is $162...so as long as you don't break the bowl itself, you can replace the entire mechanism for the same price as the inferior Jasco. I have some experience with both the rebuild kit and the pump assembly and can further verify that in the event of a clog, the PHII can pump a lot of air pressure into your lines!

Vasco · #9 (**permalink**) 11-18-2007

Cam,

I may be weird but I like the "inferior" Jabscos. In nearly twenty years I've had a half a dozen of them. Presently I still have three. Two on one boat (about four years old) that I cruise six months a year and one on my other boat that I sail on Lake Ontario in the summer (when else can you sail on Lake Ontario?). The Lake Ontario one is about six years old, no rebuilds, simply replace for a bit more than 100 bucks when they go. A lot easier than the expensive rebuild kits. I know Peggy and others are fond of bad-mouthing the Jabscos but they do work pretty good.

Faster · #10 (**permalink**) 11-18-2007

Quote:

Originally Posted by camaraderie

Faster...the complete phII rebuild kit is $52 bucks at Defender. A Complete pump assembly is $162...so as long as you don't break the bowl itself, you can replace the entire mechanism for the same price as the inferior Jasco. I have some experience with both the rebuild kit and the pump assembly and can further verify that in the event of a clog, the PHII can pump a lot of air pressure into your lines!

Thanks Cam... my numbers come from a few years back when our dollar was worth less than $.70 US... And I've been there with you re: the pump pressure/clogging issue!