Peggy,

Last spring, we discussed the idea of a connection between the head
sink drain and head flush intake so fresh water and deodorant could
easily be run through the system. I’m finally getting around to the
jobs I put off all summer.

I decided that having a tee and valve in the sink drain wasn’t a good
idea as it was just an invitation to clogging from hair, etc. Two
valves open would also short circuit sea water unseen to the bilge
sump where it would pump overboard until the battery ran down. The
boat would then sink. Here’s what I did.

I put a tee at the seacock threaded into a second ball valve. This
goes to a four foot length of hose with a female garden hose fitting
on the end. I keep one of those garden hose shut off fittings in the
end in case someone ignores the cable tie and turns the valve on by
mistake. I can also always find the hose shut off fitting if I need
one for some other purpose. The hose tucks up the trunk to the vent
loops so it is above the water line anyway.

To flush the head, I hook up the shore hose with the seacock open.
This gives me an unlimited supply of fresh water as well as back
flushing the intake. Hopefully, the critters growing in it don’t like
fresh water either. By slowly closing the seacock, I can pressurize
the head slightly. Seeing some of the stuff coming out around the edge
of the rim makes me think this is a good idea anyway.

If I do want to use the on board fresh water, the hose is long enough
to reach up into the sink. If I want to run something besides fresh
water into the head, I can stick it in a bucket.

Ever wonder where your head is in relationship to the waterline? The
clear hose makes a great indicator. The waterline on our boat is one
half inch above the rim of the head so I am going to be very careful
about always making sure the seacock is shut off before leaving!
--

Roger Long

Roger Long wrote:
I decided that having a tee and valve in the sink drain wasn’t a good
idea as it was just an invitation to clogging from hair, etc.

Not likely. At least I've never heard of it happening...


Two
valves open would also short circuit sea water unseen to the bilge
sump where it would pump overboard until the battery ran down. The
boat would then sink.

Not if you close the seacock!


Here’s what I did.

I think you WAY over-complicated it, Rog. Plus, manual marine toilets
aren't designed to use pressurized flush water--which is what your
garden hose arrangement supplies. Pressurized flush water in a manual
toilet pump knocks the seals and o-rings all askew.

To flush the head, I hook up the shore hose with the seacock open.
This gives me an unlimited supply of fresh water as well as back
flushing the intake. Hopefully, the critters growing in it don’t like
fresh water either. By slowly closing the seacock, I can pressurize
the head slightly. Seeing some of the stuff coming out around the edge
of the rim makes me think this is a good idea anyway.

Not really...the head intake and channel in the rim of the bowl just
need a good flushing out, which could be done just as easily by filling
the sink with fresh water (seacock closed, of course) and flushing the
toilet.

If I do want to use the on board fresh water, the hose is long enough
to reach up into the sink. If I want to run something besides fresh
water into the head, I can stick it in a bucket.

That shouldn't be an issue, 'cuz the only times you should ever need to
use the onboard supply is to rinse the sea water out the system.

Ever wonder where your head is in relationship to the waterline? The
clear hose makes a great indicator.

You used clear hose for the intake plumbing??? Oops... most clear hoses
are not rated for below waterline connections.

Methinks we should have talked a bit again before you did all
this...'cuz methinks you may have created more problems than you solved.

--
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
http://shop.sailboatowners.com/detai...=400&group=327

"Peggie Hall" wrote ...

Roger Long wrote:
I decided that having a tee and valve in the sink drain wasn’t a
good idea as it was just an invitation to clogging from hair, etc.

Not likely. At least I've never heard of it happening...


That's good to know. There wasn't space for a convenient connection
anyway.

I think you WAY over-complicated it, Rog. Plus, manual marine
toilets aren't designed to use pressurized flush water--which is
what your garden hose arrangement supplies. Pressurized flush water
in a manual toilet pump knocks the seals and o-rings all askew.

Good point. I've had the head apart and made sure the valves were set
to let water flow through. I only closed the seacock enough to start
a slight flow. I can see though, and knew before I did this, that you
could screw up a head with too much pressure. Bad of me to suggest
this without proper warnings.

Our old head never rim washed completely around. My son always
managed to throw his paper in the dead spot so there was always a call
for dad afterwards. It now flushes all the way around and works
better in general. I will still withdraw any implication of this
being a recommendation for general consumption.

You used clear hose for the intake plumbing??? Oops... most clear
hoses are not rated for below waterline connections.

Goodness, as a designer of million dollar plus boats, I'd better know
that! The head is plumbed with the proper heavy stuff. The clear
hose is just the flush hose upstream of the shutoff valve. No water
in it except when being used for flushing.

Methinks we should have talked a bit again before you did all
this...'cuz methinks you may have created more problems than you
solved.

Glad we had this exchange but I'd still do it the same way because
there wasn't room for the tee in the drain line anyway. It was also a
lot simpler and cheaper. One valve, one tee, six hose clamps saved. I
shouldn't have suggested this as a general solution to anything but we
have illuminated some good issues.

Always a pleasure,

--

Roger Long



--
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
http://shop.sailboatowners.com/detai...=400&group=327

Roger Long wrote:
You used clear hose for the intake plumbing??? Oops... most clear
hoses are not rated for below waterline connections.


Goodness, as a designer of million dollar plus boats, I'd better know
that!

Hey...even the best of us occasionally have "brain burps." If a major
architectural firm can design a 100 story office building without any
restrooms or elevator shafts--which happened in Chicago about 20 years
ago and wasn't caught till the building was WELL under
construction--it's not impossible that you'd slip up on something as
minor as a toilet intake hose. Besides, you'd be amazed at the number
of production boat builders who use clear water hose to save money.

Always a pleasure,

'Tis for me too!


--
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
http://shop.sailboatowners.com/detai...=400&group=327

Clarification:

All of the intake and normally used plumbing was always the proper
heavy rubber hose. The clear hose referred to was only the auxiliary
line used for occasional fresh water flushing of the system. It has
water and pressure in it only when attended and putting fresh water
into the head.

--

Roger Long

No, this is a "brain burp":

The second key for our companionway lock disappeared so I switched
that lock over to deck locker duty with the key on the ring with the
engine key.

Today, I locked the companionway with the wrong lock and the key
inside. No problem, in through the skylight and out again.

After closing up the boat for the day, I was thinking about this and
how it would be a problem now that all skylights were latched from the
inside. Know what happens when you look at your thumb while hammering
a nail and hitting it? The hammer follows your eye and, Wham!

Guess what?

Every serious sailing boat should have a bolt cutter on board. I guess
this will be a good excuse to buy one.


--

Roger Long

ROFL!!!! Been there...several times!

Hey, btw folks...I'm headed for Seattle in the morning...to the Lake
Union Boats Afloat Show. I'll be giving seminars daily, Thurs-Sun (see
schedule he http://www.boatsafloatshow.com/show_seminars.htm )
....spending a good part of the days the rest of the time in the "authors
corner" (hospitality tent). If any of you are in the area, I'd love to
put some faces with names!

--
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
http://shop.sailboatowners.com/detai...=400&group=327

Peggie Hall wrote:
ROFL!!!! Been there...several times!

Hey, btw folks...I'm headed for Seattle in the morning...to the Lake
Union Boats Afloat Show. I'll be giving seminars daily, Thurs-Sun (see
schedule he http://www.boatsafloatshow.com/show_seminars.htm )
...spending a good part of the days the rest of the time in the "authors
corner" (hospitality tent). If any of you are in the area, I'd love to
put some faces with names!


You might run into Chuck Gould from 'wrecked.boats'.

Don White wrote:

You might run into Chuck Gould from 'wrecked.boats'.

I 'spect I will...I noticed that he's on the list of seminar speakers.

--
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
http://shop.sailboatowners.com/detai...=400&group=327