Thanks Peggie...

The boat's 5+ years old and the system's been working flawlessly
(including two summer-long trips to Alaska) until last time out - so
pretty sure it's wired correctly :-) Something's definitely wrong.
The washdown pump is a pressure system. Used to be that when you were
running the washdown hose - the toilet bowl didn't fill (and when you
weren't running the hose or the toilet, the pump shut off
automatically). Now, I gotta believe that the toilet fill valve
(controlled by the solenoid?) is open - causing the pressure pump to run
continuously. I'm headed to the boat this afternoon and will do some
more checking.

Yup, it would be nice to have fresh water filling the bowl - but we
don't carry enough water to use it that way.

Thanks again.
Ken

Peggie Hall wrote:

Ken Hughes wrote:

Jabsco toilet (model 37045-0012)...
problem is: water fills bowl whenever washdown pump (sal****er
supply to toilet) breaker is turned on (and therefore the pump runs
all the time). Sounds to me like the solenoid valve has gone bad.
Before I dig in to it and buy a new one, can anyone confirm or
suggest another reason for the problem?


It sounds like the problem is in the pump or the wiring. 'Cuz a
solenoid valve is just an electrically operated "vented loop"--siphon
breaker--that has an air valve in it that stays open except when the
toilet is flushed, then closes when the flush button is pushed to
allow the pump the prime. It doesn't start the pump, nor it should
prevent the pump from running even if it does fail...the worst it can
do is either fail to close, preventing the pump from priming, or
remain open, allowing the siphon started by flushing to continue,
flooding the bowl.

So my guess is, somethin' ain't right in the way your toilet is wired,
or a short has developed that's starting the pump when the breaker is
turned on. Before you start throwing parts at it, I suggest you talk
to Jabsco and maybe a qualified electrician too.

Btw...that toilet is actually designed to use pressurized flush water
from the onboard fresh water supply. It can use a washdown pump to
supply sea water instead, but that's really a work-around. Why did
you opt to go that way instead of quiet, low volume, odorless fresh
water?