any head/toilet recommendations?

[Kyle Lobisser]

I have had it with my Lavac. Even my 3 year old is capable of clogging this thing. We end up using so much water clearing the pump/joker valve, that our holding tank fills within a couple days. Does anyone here absolutely love their head or have any recommendations for an upgrade? I'm seriously considering electric and a bucket as backup. I've already got 8AWG wire running up to the windlass, so can add a bus bar and easily get necessary power. We have a pullman layout.

[psherwood]

After much heartache and frustration with other, lesser marine toilets,
I installed a Groco K (now called the K-H, I think) some 14 years ago.
It has been a champ, by far the most robust and reliable marine toilet
I've ever encountered. It's needed only one or two rebuild kits in that
time. True, it is more expensive than the usual Raritan/Jabsco/other
brands, but it's _much_ better and will last a very long time.

The rebuild kits are also expensive -- the last one I bought,
pre-pandemic, was $80 -- but you don't need them all that often. (As
part of putting the boat away at the end of a cruising season, I would
flush a couple gallons of warm fresh water through the toilet; it
pleases me to imagine that doing so prolonged the life of the little
springs and so forth that eventually need replacing and helped clear out
at least some of the salts that accumulate.)

I had the hand-operated model, but an electric version is also
available. I got mine from Defender, IIRC.

https://www.groco.net/products/toilets-and-sanitation/marine-toilets/k-series

https://www.defender.com/search.html?q=grocomarinehead

I also had the pullman layout; Groco K installation in the forward head
was straightforward.

HTH,

Phil
ex Cynosure

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[Marty McOmber]

I’m no help. We love our Lavac and have little if any issues with it. It has clogged only twice in the past 10 years. We have an electric pump on a timer for the flush. I’m probably going to add a manual pump inline this winter so we have a backup flush should we lose power.

The duck valves are on the Jabsco pump and I just clean or replace those every year or so. Scale build up will happen to those no matter what the system is.

Cheers,

Marty

On Jun 4, 2022, at 10:59 AM, psherwood <p...@witanco.com> wrote:

After much heartache and frustration with other, lesser marine toilets, I installed a Groco K (now called the K-H, I think) some 14 years ago. It has been a champ, by far the most robust and reliable marine toilet I've ever encountered. It's needed only one or two rebuild kits in that time. True, it is more expensive than the usual Raritan/Jabsco/other brands, but it's _much_ better and will last a very long time.

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[Kristin Pederson]

Since we’re talking about heads, Anyone considered a composting head? Just curious.

Kristin

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jun 4, 2022, at 14:26, Marty McOmber <mmco...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I’m no help. We love our Lavac and have little if any issues with it. It has clogged only twice in the past 10 years. We have an electric pump on a timer for the flush. I’m probably going to add a manual pump inline this winter so we have a backup flush should we lose power.

> To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/PassportOwners/9EB6CBE9-141C-4419-901F-29893D9FBA32%40gmail.com.

[William Ennis]

Hello,

Our boat is in French Polynesia and various composting heads are not uncommon there. I’ve seen quite a few on visits around various anchorages. Venting seems to require some modifications beyond normal, but they’re odor-free, much to my surprise. I have no experience at all in installation or maintenance, but the proponents seem happy with their choice.

The conditions there must approach ideal. Still, we’ve stuck with more common brands. I don’t rebuild pumps too often, but simply replace the pump units. Little seems to fail otherwise. We’ve got a Raritan PHII head forward and an off-the-shelf West Marine (made by Jabsco) head aft. Both require maintenance, but have served us well.

For what it’s worth.

B

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What if the Hokey Pokey is what it's all about?

[Kyle Lobisser]

Thanks everyone. I do flush with fresh water from our sink (using a 1 gal jug) so odor is not an issue. I am pretty sure we use enough water, but that little "duck bill" valve and the "flapper valve" seem to get stuck on occasion with anything from a piece of lettuce to toilet paper. We don't flush toilet paper anymore, still having issues. I've rebuilt the pump once and both understand how it works and don't think it's a part/wear/install issue. With so much water tankage I'm leaning towards an electric head plumbed into our pressurized freshwater system, such as the Raritan Marine Elegance. Maybe I can repurpose that Lavac for a 1-only day head in the aft cabin... but that is another thread:-o

Thanks for all the responses. Kyle

[Brian Moloney]

I have an Airhead - forward head, Pullman berth setup. Used existing vent aft starboard side of head. Works great, no plumbing, no odor!

Brian

Toloa, 1984 P40

Sent from my iPad

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[Kristin Pederson]

Hi Brian -

Do you have any details about replacing the head? How did you remove the old holding tank? Also, since the airhead is a bit taller, did you lower the floor since you don't need the intake thruhull under the head anymore?

Thanks for any insight! I'm stoked to do this project this winter, well more stoked about the outcome than the project....

-Kristin