jabsco manual head

[used2sail]

So i've got another question about my new to me 2006 282 sailfish. The boat was launched 2 weeks ago and no one has used the head since. My wife and I spent yesterday at the boat doing some work and she noticed that the holding tank level indicator was showing nearly full. Is it possible for seawater to work its way through the system and end up in the holding tank if the pump handle isn't in the locked position? the labeling on ours isn illegible and i hadn't really considered the necessity of making sure the pump handle was left in one position or the other. Is it possible for the seals to be worn enough that water can get into the holding tank regardless of the pump handle position? do i need to leave the seacocks for the head closed unless its being used, id hate to have to do this as we have the mid berth full of stuff and the seacocks are in the bilge below it. In short i guess i'd like some guidance on best practice on how manage the head and pump outs and overboard discharge etc. Thanks very much in advance for the information.

 

[DennisG01]

I've never had a manual head (always vacuflushes). BUT... best practice is to ALWAYS close a seacock when you're away from the boat. If a hose should come off or spring a leak, your boat will sink.

FYI... if you don't know this, overboard discharge is illegal unless you're a number of miles offshore. I think it's at least 3 - but it may be more in certain areas.

 

[used2sail]

overboard discharge is 3 miles out or further offfshore. agreed on the seacocks being shut my concern is if this thing is filling the tank while we are underway what needs to be replaced or rebuilt or is this a normal occurence( i cant imagine it is). To clarify, ive never had a boat with a head before so this is all somewhat new to me.

 

[DennisG01]

Yeah, with no experience with that type of head, I can't say with any certainty. I was really only replying in regards to the seacock - which of course would eliminate the issue 100% - although with your last post it seems you're familiar enough with that part.

Is this your manual? https://www.spxflow.com/assets/pdf/johnson-pump-marine-aquat-marine-toilet-manual-ib-412-1-r06.pdf page through to the English section.

 

[used2sail]

that looks similar, mine is a jabsco I'm not sure if the Johnson and the Jabsco are the same. There cant be much difference.

 

[Hookup1]

I have a manual Jabsco. Never had a problem like that. Seacock is always open (I know it shouldn't be) and the fill/empty selector is in random position.

Go to marina and have the tank pumped out. See if it isn't a bad float indicator.

 

[SkunkBoat]

I am doing this now. Just cleaned out the tank and bought a new Jabsco pump
Buy a new one.
Amazon has best price free shipping if you are prime. $114

The kit for repair is $90 and a hassle.

https://www.epa.gov/vessels-marinas-and-ports/vessel-sewage-frequently-asked-questions
The rule is past 3 miles IF you have a macerator that grinds the poop and treats the sewage (type 1 MSD). If you don't it have that its 12 miles and you have to be moving at least 4 knots.

You must have the discharge seacock closed inside of 3 nm. Techincally it should be locked or have handle removed.

 

[used2sail]

when we did the sea trial before purchase (late last October) the level indicator was showing full. It was on the list to be repaired before launching. The tech who worked on the boat told me he pulled and cleaned the level sensor and replaced the macerator pump ( that too was inop at sea trial). My experience with MSD level indicators is on much larger ships and the sensors are rods that go into the tank and when the water rises it changes the capacitance of the probe to ground. is this how the sensors work on small boats like these or is it more like a float that a stray turd could bind up the linkage??

I've found the replacement flush pumps, given the lack of use this boat has gotten in its 17 years of life ( 185 engine hours @ purchase) i can easily see seawater pushing from the clean side of the pump to the effluent side pump and filling the tank while the boat is underway. My question is how common is it for the flush pump at the toilet to need replacement?

 

[Hookup1]

I have a Groco panel on mine and a float for level indicator.
I could not get mine out - I think someone used rubber cement as a thread sealer. I was going to repair it but gave up.
Actually best practice is to empty the tank as soon as possible. It's small anyway.

Do you have a in-tank Groco macerator?

 

[SkunkBoat]

Mine had a Groco in-tank macaerator and float level sensors. The floats were all broken off and floating in the shitank. The macerator pump was siezed.

 

[used2sail]

mine has the macerator on top, the level sensor was allegedly fixed but thats jsut what i was told. it appears that the sensor in the link posted by hook up is the float style which i've always found to be problematic in anything but clean fluid. My concern is that if the level indicator is indeed repaired and working correctly then why do i have a full holding taank if no one has used the head?? Is it possible or known to happen that sea water is workingits way through the flush pump to the holding tank?

 

[Hookup1]

No time for guesswork. Meet us halfway. Pump it out at the marina and see if its empty or full!

You could also disconnect the thru hull pumpout hose. Get a new piece of vinyl hose and pumpout into a 5-gallon bucket. Dump in toilet. If your macerator isn't working go back to marina, pump out and start with a clean tank to repair macerator.

 

[Fishtales]

Never heard of that type of issue. Could the tank monitor be stuck/sticky?

 

[used2sail]

i think the level indicator is still sketchy. I'm a 2 hour drive from the boat right now. I'm planning to head back over there to egt this sorted out early this week

 

[Hookup1]

Never heard of that type of issue. Could the tank monitor be stuck/sticky?

Yes. Broken or stuck. They are floats.

 

[SkunkBoat]

It could be possible that a compromised pumper would let water in. I would think maybe the toilet would overflow first before filling the tank, depending on where the tank is in relation to the toilet. There is probably a vented loop in the hose from the toilet to the tank and the hose from the tank to the discharge thru-hull seacock.
If the vented loop is not venting or not there, it is possible to siphon water in (backwards) from the discharge seacock into the tank.

You need to visually verify the fluid level of the tank. If its not full, the float switches are the likely cause of the Full display. Those floats in the groco tank are CRAP. The wires break.
The Groco macerator in the tank is CRAP. IMO, do NOT spend money replacing them with same Groco crap.

https://www.greatgrady.com/threads/...erator-retrofit-265-express.19049/post-249220

https://www.greatgrady.com/threads/...erator-retrofit-265-express.19049/post-249233

https://www.greatgrady.com/threads/...erator-retrofit-265-express.19049/post-249272

 

[Timbo]

---

I have the same set up as you and my tank has never filled up with inlet seacock open. My indicater on the other hand has a mind of its own and will read whatever it wants to at any giving time.

 

[used2sail]

Thanks Timbo, I found a thread from way back that had a bunch of information about the system Grady used when they changed to the pump from the top of the tank. The level sensor is on the outside too, it is fitted on the side. According to the post that I'll try to link any residue inside the tank can throw the indicator off and apparently theres a way to calibrate the sensor too. I'm heading to Portland to continue pre season chores and getting to the bottom of this is top of the list. I'll move the boat over and pump it out and then see what it takes to make it show high level again. a friend who has a big camper trailer suggested filling the holding tank with ice and going for a ride to knock klingons off the inside of the tank, he says thats what camper folks do to clean their tanks.

link to thread mentioned above : https://www.greatgrady.com/threads/...leshooting-ideas-38110-or-38111-series.32851/

 

[DennisG01]

Thanks Timbo, I found a thread from way back that had a bunch of information about the system Grady used when they changed to the pump from the top of the tank. The level sensor is on the outside too, it is fitted on the side. According to the post that I'll try to link any residue inside the tank can throw the indicator off and apparently theres a way to calibrate the sensor too. I'm heading to Portland to continue pre season chores and getting to the bottom of this is top of the list. I'll move the boat over and pump it out and then see what it takes to make it show high level again. a friend who has a big camper trailer suggested filling the holding tank with ice and going for a ride to knock klingons off the inside of the tank, he says thats what camper folks do to clean their tanks.

link to thread mentioned above : https://www.greatgrady.com/threads/...leshooting-ideas-38110-or-38111-series.32851/

That won't work if the pick-up tube for the pumpout is on top of the tank. That means that the pick-up (dip) tube goes very close to the bottom of the tank... no room for ice to escape the dip tube.

Can you not access the tank? Just take a look. If need be, hold a flashlight against the side of the tank and move it up and down - you'll be able to see where the level is actually at.

 

[SkunkBoat]

I just had the Groco macerator assembly out. There was blue toilet paper mache' glued onto everything. The floats were broken off. They dangle by their wires when they are not broken off. The one I found was covered in blueTP and stuck in the support of the macerator.