Head n drianage

WB3 · #1 (**permalink**) 02-13-2008

My jabsco head won't pump water in to the ehad itself it will pump out if I pour water in(water will come out of the sink)
also water drains veery slowly out of the sinks What to do a beginner at this.

WB3

Boasun · #2 (**permalink**) 02-13-2008

Roto-rooter?
Ensure that the overboard is closed.
Disassemble your drain lines checking for blockage. Replace parts as necessary, for it is murphy's law that there will be breakage.
Check that there isn't any marine growth in your overboard discharge.
Reassemble and test.
Place high pressure hose in drain and activate....................... At low pressure that is.

If you have blow back!! open overboard discharge valve. Then retest

Boasun · #3 (**permalink**) 02-13-2008

With the Jabsco pump; Disassemble and check impeller. May need to be replace. One of those items you should always have a spare onboard for.

Sapperwhite · #4 (**permalink**) 02-13-2008

2 problems here (unless for some ungodly reason your head and sink are plumbed together somehow

)

First problem. Your head is plugged up. Not the bowl, the intake side of the pump. I had the same problem last year. Get a rebuild kit for the head. When you go to rebuild it you will find seagrass, trash, whatever blocking the inner working of the heads pump.

Second problem, check the seacock for the sink and make sure it's full open, if it is, you may have some sealife (barnacles etc etc) growing over the thru hull. Clean em off.

Sapperwhite · #5 (**permalink**) 02-13-2008

Jabsco head doesn't have an impeller, it has a double action pump with a weighted flapper valve. Looks like item #20 in this diagram:

CalebD · #6 (**permalink**) 02-13-2008

A service kit for your model Jabsco head can be had at WM or even at the Sailnet store (I saw at least 1 listed). The kit should include things like the joker valve, flapper valves and a spring or two as well as instructions. Some of these parts routinely wear out which is why they sell the service kit which is a lot cheaper and easier than getting a new head. This should improve the efficiency of your intake water pump and only take about an hours time. Obviously you would want to pump out the holding tank and flush some 'clean' water through the unit before taking it apart for repairs.

As for slow draining sinks it is quite likely that someone let something other than liquid drain into the plumbing. Try and clear the lines using compressed air as suggested. If that does not work then replace drainage hoses.

Be careful with the thru hull seacocks (drainage and raw water input) and make sure they are in the correct position for the work you intend to do. Any seacock below the water line has the potential to cause disaster.

Good luck.

phallo153 · #7 (**permalink**) 02-13-2008

Sapperwhite is spot-on. I rebuilt the whole pump assembly last year because it would not draw water in, then recently developed the same problem again - water would pump out, but not draw in.

I didn't want to buy another whole pump assembly, did some troubleshooting online and narrowed the problem down to the top valve gasket (the part number 20 in the diagram above). Ordered one and it fixed the problem.

I got it here: http://www.reddenmarine.com/site/new...d=JAB290420000

I hardly used the head at all last year, so now make sure to pump it and regularly lube it on weekend trips to marina. If that isn't the problem and you have to go to full-blown pump rebuild kit, at worst you'll have a spare top valve gasket that - chances are - you'll need at some point anway

Sapperwhite · #8 (**permalink**) 02-13-2008

I had problems before with plugged up pump components, so I put a small groco strainer in line before the water inlet gets to the pump. It catches grass, trash, and ass before it ever gets to the working components. The strainer looks like so and cost about $25 to 30, whichever one has 1/2" fittings (my inlet water line size).

I'll take some pics later in the week when I get back home to the boat to show how to put the strainer in pre-head, thus saving a rebuild.

Freesail99 · #9 (**permalink**) 02-13-2008

The backing up into the sink sounds like a faulty trap and possibly no vent.

bushrat · #10 (**permalink**) 02-13-2008

Hey Phallo,
When your pump didn't draw was like it had no prime and no pressure. Mine won't draw now as well. The boat and head are new to me and I haven't been able to get it working. I took the pump apart and lubed the shaft and the inside of the pump with vaseline but still nothing. The flappper looked O.K.????