Lew Hodgett wrote:
Subject

Can you say Lavac?

Lew
I have an electric Lavac and would not recommend it. The electric
pump is not quite strong enough to always clear the waste. We're
rather careful about what goes in, but at least once a season
(sometimes once a week), I have to open up the pump to clear it. We
started with a manual, which was OK until we moved on board and had to
use it full time - the adults on board developed "lavac elbow" and the
5 year old couldn't begin to work it.

On the plus side, I can pull the pump out and completely strip it
down, clean and replace it in about 30 minutes now. If needed I can
put in the manual pump even quicker. The head itself has never
clogged and with three onboard the holding tank fill at about 4
gallons a day. Although some point to the seal system as a weakness,
it isn't really needed to empty the bowl, only to draw in water.

One more thing - although a Lavac seems like simplicity itself,
explaining it to guests always draws the "maybe I'll wait until we get
back to the marina" look.

"bushman" wrote in message ...
Need to replace the head in my new boat. Practical Sailor has not done a
review that I can find. So I will let this group of practical sailors
review.
1. Wilcox Crittenden Santa Cruz Electric Head
2. Wilcox Crittenden Newport Electric Head
3. Raritan Sea Era Macerating Electric Toilet
4. Jabsco Electric Toilet
Thank you for your opinion. - Allen



The best electric head i ever had was when Peggie inserted a fully-charged
i-Egg in2 her mouth prior 2 the act.

http://www.drugstore.com/products/pr... UY-GFI-0-MWS


Jennifer luv those vibes

bushman wrote:

Need to replace the head in my new boat. Practical Sailor has not
done a review that I can find. So I will let this group of practical
sailors review.
1. Wilcox Crittenden Santa Cruz Electric Head
2. Wilcox Crittenden Newport Electric Head
3. Raritan Sea Era Macerating Electric Toilet
4. Jabsco Electric Toilet
Thank you for your opinion. - Allen

The Raritan is the only one I have extensive experience with, but I've found it
to be amazingly effective and reliable. It's actually better than a land
toilet. I've never had a clog fail to clear by simply shutting off the water
intake. (Not that clogs happen very often though.) Normal toilet paper is no
problem either.

Even in a smaller/cheaper boat this is probably the first upgrade I'd make.
Manual heads are actually *less* reliable than this one.

Matt O.

"Matt O'Toole" wrote in message
...
bushman wrote:

Need to replace the head in my new boat. Practical Sailor has not
done a review that I can find. So I will let this group of practical
sailors review.
1. Wilcox Crittenden Santa Cruz Electric Head
2. Wilcox Crittenden Newport Electric Head
3. Raritan Sea Era Macerating Electric Toilet
4. Jabsco Electric Toilet
Thank you for your opinion. - Allen

The Raritan is the only one I have extensive experience with, but I've
found it
to be amazingly effective and reliable. It's actually better than a land
toilet. I've never had a clog fail to clear by simply shutting off the
water
intake. (Not that clogs happen very often though.) Normal toilet paper
is no
problem either.

Even in a smaller/cheaper boat this is probably the first upgrade I'd
make.
Manual heads are actually *less* reliable than this one.

Matt O.


I installed one of the Raritan conversions in my first boat as I wanted to
avoid the clogged head syndrome. It does work well but is quite noisy. If
you are going to be getting up in the middle of the night to use the head
you may wake everyone else up. By the way, the vendor instructed me to use
heavy gauge wire, at least 12ga., as the unit draws something like 10 amps.

Gordon Wedman wrote:
I installed one of the Raritan conversions in my first boat...

Which one?

It does work well but is quite noisy.

All electric toilets that flush using raw (lake, sea, river) water are
noisy...'cuz contrary to popular belief, it's not the macerator or
discharge pump that makes all the noise (or consumes the most power),
it's the intake pump. A toilet designed to use onboard pressurized fresh
water is so quiet that it's actually quieter than many household
toilets...and also consumes less power--10 amp draw vs. 16-35...and also
uses anywhere from 30-50% less flush water.

However, if swapping a raw water toilet out for one designed to use
pressurized water is more than your budget will stand, mounting the
toilet on at least 1/2" of foam rubber will quiet it down a lot.
--
Peggie
----------
Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"
http://www.seaworthy.com/store/custo...0&cat=6&page=1

Why not install the intake below the water level so the noisy intake
pump could be eliminated? It doesn't have to be a 'throne' ya know . ..

--
"j" ganz @@
www.sailnow.cum



"Peggie Hall" wrote in message ...
Gordon Wedman wrote:
I installed one of the Raritan conversions in my first boat...

Which one?

It does work well but is quite noisy.

All electric toilets that flush using raw (lake, sea, river) water are
noisy...'cuz contrary to popular belief, it's not the macerator or
discharge pump that makes all the noise (or consumes the most power),
it's the intake pump. A toilet designed to use onboard pressurized fresh
water is so quiet that it's actually quieter than many household
toilets...and also consumes less power--10 amp draw vs. 16-35...and also
uses anywhere from 30-50% less flush water.

However, if swapping a raw water toilet out for one designed to use
pressurized water is more than your budget will stand, mounting the
toilet on at least 1/2" of foam rubber will quiet it down a lot.
--
Peggie
----------
Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"
http://www.seaworthy.com/store/custo...0&cat=6&page=1

JG wrote:
Why not install the intake below the water level so the noisy intake
pump could be eliminated?

I'm not sure what you mean...'cuz all toilet intake thru-hulls are below
the waterline...they have to be to pull in any water. But if you mean,
isolate the intake pump so it's near the thru-hull, it's mostly only
"thrones" which make that possible...'cuz 99% of electric toilet don't
have separate remote intake pumps...the intake pump is on the back of
the toilet, powered by the same motor as the discharge pump and
macerator...so it cannot be isolated from the toilet. Nor are they
designed to allow passive flow of flush water intake...the intake pump
is an impeller pump that has to pull it into the toilet far enough to
let the discharge pump--also an impeller pump--to push it out.

--
Peggie
----------
Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987
Author "Get Rid of Boat Odors - A Guide To Marine Sanitation Systems and
Other Sources of Aggravation and Odor"
http://www.seaworthy.com/store/custo...0&cat=6&page=1