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Marine Heads: Awkward question about going

8K views 27 replies 14 participants last post by  StarTracker 
#1 ·
Hi,

We are moving on to our little boat this weekend. We have a few jobs left to do, but I have an awkward concern. We have a standard Jabsco from the 90s and a brand new pump assembly, but it's not nearly as forceful as something from a house.

If sometimes my home toilet clogs up from going, what hope do I have with a Jabsco? How do others make the solid stuff go down? The jabsco goes directly out or to a tank for pumpout. We don't have any electrical stuff or macerator pump.
 
#2 ·
Firstly, congratulations on your digestive system's robustness. Like Shrek said so long ago, "Better out than in, eh?"

Secondly, don't be so shy. If you find blockage to be a frequent problem (the head's not yours), get some cheap plastic spatulas and be your own macerator. It'll go down sooner or later.

Rinse 'em off best you can and store 'em in a ziploc until proper cleaning can be arranged.

Be creative!
 
#3 ·
In 9 years, 3 of these full time on boat, of having a basic manual Jansco head it never clogged. If it does fill with water till it softens enough to pump it clear.

This of course only applies it is is waste and non clumping tp
 
#5 ·
Hi,

We are moving on to our little boat this weekend. We have a few jobs left to do, but I have an awkward concern. We have a standard Jabsco from the 90s and a brand new pump assembly, but it's not nearly as forceful as something from a house.

If sometimes my home toilet clogs up from going, what hope do I have with a Jabsco? How do others make the solid stuff go down? The jabsco goes directly out or to a tank for pumpout. We don't have any electrical stuff or macerator pump.
Maybe you just need more Fibre in your diet!

Seriously though, there is a reason the Jabsco has been around and unchanged for so many years...it just works! A residential toilet relies purely on gravity and water volume to flush, the Jabsco is a positive displacement pump. It will flush just fine, some loads just take a bit more water. It helps if you make sure there is some water in the bowl before you start, then it doesn't stick as much.

Sent from my SM-G981W using Tapatalk
 
#6 ·
I'm only guessing the home toilet clogs, due to the amount of paper used. That must be used sparingly on a boat head. Less so, if you have a mascerating electric head. Some even bag their toilet paper, rather than flush, but I just can't get my head around it.

Another serious issue with marine heads is flushing enough water. With fairly small holding tanks, many try to conserve space. However, if you don't pump enough clear water to chase the waste all the way to the tank, it will settle back down the piping, at the base of your head, where the joker valve lives. Once it gets all caked around the valve, it won't open for the next flush.

Buy Peggy Halls book, How to get rid of Boat odors. Lots of good advice on the proper design and usage of marine heads.

 
#7 ·
I'm only guessing the home toilet clogs, due to the amount of paper used.
My thoughts also. Some people like to use a giant clump of toiled paper. On a boat, you need to use only what you need to use. That doesn't mean that you try to get by with just one square every time, but you should think about how much you really need to keep your hands out of it, and get the job done.

My wife and I go through a roll in 7-8 days. We never want for toilet paper. We use as much as we need, but no more. We've never had a clogging problem, either at home or on the boat. We do use 2-ply paper, about 250 squares per roll.

Maybe that's too much information, but on a boat, it does become an important issue. Nobody -- and I mean NOBODY! -- considers unclogging a head as time pleasantly spent!
 
#8 ·
I wish too much TP was the issue. We ha e discussed how much and what kind to use, so I think we will be ok on that front. I just need to get our engine online before we will up the tank so we can pump out. Luckily the pump is very close.

Anyone try to move a 29ft boat with a tiny minikota trolling motor to get to a pump out ? :->
 
#10 ·
My advise to guests, who are sometimes concerned about making a clog, is that they can always flush at the mid point, before using the TP. I won't complain.

Also, unless someone flushed a forbiden item (flushable wipes, facial tissue, personal products), it will alsmost always soften up and then pass in a few minutes. Fresh TP can cause a blockage, but with the addition of some water and time, if it is dissolving tissue, it dissolves. Use only TP that falls apart in water.
 
#14 ·
Not often for me either (only extreme non-flashables).

One more thing. I added an inline intake strain after clogging on seagrass. Some marinas here have a lot of it, and it can clog the intake side head, as well as get smelly from rotting grass in the rim of the bowl. Rare problem, but this fixed it.
 
#17 ·
Further to this scintillating conversation ,I thought I should mention that most bidets have a gender designated control with a weak detent for the off position. Unlike a house toilet a marine head can fill to overflow if drippt at overnight. Trust no-one. So it's 3 in the morning and that damm jabsco pump is on again sort of thing.
 
#25 ·
Hi,

We are moving on to our little boat this weekend. We have a few jobs left to do, but I have an awkward concern. We have a standard Jabsco from the 90s and a brand new pump assembly, but it's not nearly as forceful as something from a house.

If sometimes my home toilet clogs up from going, what hope do I have with a Jabsco? How do others make the solid stuff go down? The jabsco goes directly out or to a tank for pumpout. We don't have any electrical stuff or macerator pump.
There is a key difference between marine and home toilets. Home toilet is relying on the speed/impact of the water form the tank dropping on what's in the bowl to push it through. A manual head is a mechanical system that is pulling it in and then pushing it out. Also the hole in the bottom is smaller, if it'll fit down the hole you're usually good to go. Eat more fiber, lol.
The one exception is toilet paper. Cheap RV grade is best, and no making big pads out of it. If you can't break the habit, the paper doesn't go in the toilet.

Other options are of course the composting toilet, you can poop to your hearts content in both size and durability, same goes for bucket and chuck it. Or if money is no object, a vacuflush toilet does a good job.
Electric toilets jam less but when they do jam it's less pleasant.
Instead of a poop knife, learn to poop civilly. It isn't a race, nor is there a prize for the biggest poop. A pinch of well, pinching, goes a long way ;-)

Moving a boat to a pump out dock on a trolling motor was mentioned somewhere in this thread. I strongly do not recommend this idea. a 9.9 on a RIB, you betcha. Trolling motors not so much. They rarely have enough at the top of the throttle range when things go wrong.
 
#27 ·
Well, I do hate to be au contrare 😂😂😂 but....

I had to do the pipe bashing once in a remote area without replacement tubing available but a nice contrete dock.
Worked wonderfully well! Just a gentle bashing or the pipe might split.

If in doubt try it out. If parked next to a West Marine you might do otherwise 😊😏😁😊


Mark
 
#28 ·
Well, I do hate to be au contrare 😂😂😂 but....

I had to do the pipe bashing once in a remote area without replacement tubing available but a nice contrete dock.
Worked wonderfully well! Just a gentle bashing or the pipe might split.

If in doubt try it out. If parked next to a West Marine you might do otherwise 😊😏😁😊


Mark
Needs must in that case, lol. How long since they were replaced though?
 
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