Converting to electric head

[Letterkenny]

For some reason, the new boat I am looking to get doesn’t have an electric head option so it’s something I need to add per my wife’s requirement. The dealer really seems to be adding a lot of margin on this. I would like to just do this myself but the only item I wasn’t sure about is the wiring. How does this work with the existing electrical panel? Any videos out there that you could point me to?

[hlev00]

It "should" be a pretty easy upgrade. I'm planning on doing it for my boat this spring. On the other hand, if I was buying a new boat I personally would hope to wait until further down the road to start pulling things out.

It will be easy if there is a spare breaker in the DC panel. If not it will be more complicated. Hopefully a new boat will have a few spares but check first. Electric heads are really nice and often save water (this only is significant if you flush with fresh) and clogged pipe hassles down the way. What type of head is the dealer proposing?



harry

[Letterkenny]

Originally Posted by hlev00

It "should" be a pretty easy upgrade. I'm planning on doing it for my boat this spring. On the other hand, if I was buying a new boat I personally would hope to wait until further down the road to start pulling things out.

It will be easy if there is a spare breaker in the DC panel. If not it will be more complicated. Hopefully a new boat will have a few spares but check first. Electric heads are really nice and often save water (this only is significant if you flush with fresh) and clogged pipe hassles down the way. What type of head is the dealer proposing?



harry

A Jabsco to replace the current Jabsco. I think the non quiet flush version. Not really sure the real difference here but I have used the supposed quiet flush and they don’t seem all that quiet. Not worried at all about the physical installation but just the electrical. There’s a couple other things I want to wire in from the head, mainly sensors for the black water tank, so hopefully can do them in the same go.

[bstreep]

Not a tough project, at all. While you are in there running plumbing, put in one of these:



https://biobidet.com/collections/bid...ucts/bb270_duo

[peghall]

If you're opting for the "non quiet flush" model,, I'm guessing it's the 37010 sea water toilet. You'll find the wiring specs in the installation instructions for it Jabsco 37010 owners manual (If that's not the model you're after, which one is?)

What those instructions fail to mention is that any electric toilet needs to be on its own dedicated circuit with its own separate breaker, shared by nothing else--not even cabin lights--that can reduce power to the motor.

Which tank level monitor are you planning to install?

--Peggie

[flightlead404]

Originally Posted by bstreep

Not a tough project, at all. While you are in there running plumbing, put in one of these:



https://biobidet.com/collections/bid...ucts/bb270_duo

Nice!

Have a BB-2000 at home and a handheld on the "backup toilet" was wondering how to configure something on the soon-to-be-mine boat.

Thanks for the link.

[Letterkenny]

Originally Posted by peghall

If you're opting for the "non quiet flush" model,, I'm guessing it's the 37010 sea water toilet. You'll find the wiring specs in the installation instructions for it Jabsco 37010 owners manual (If that's not the model you're after, which one is?)

What those instructions fail to mention is that any electric toilet needs to be on its own dedicated circuit with its own separate breaker, shared by nothing else--not even cabin lights--that can reduce power to the motor.

Which tank level monitor are you planning to install?

--Peggie

I take it the quiet flush is the same way? I think the concern is that I am not sure if there is anything open on the circuit board. Was planning on the Gobius sensors.

[OS2Dude]

I replaced the old manual head with an electric macerating one when we bought our current boat. Not a big deal at all, largest issue was getting the macerator to fit. (Defaulted to rear, had to rotate 90 degrees CC.) I did not use a breaker, but a fuse. (Panel has exposed ATC fuse bus) Make sure the marine wire is heavy enough for the amp draw and distance,

NOTE: Our macerating toilet is loud, so it will likely wake people when used at night.

[Captain Anthony]

Listen to Peg Hall, you cannot go wrong.

[Letterkenny]

Originally Posted by Captain Anthony

Listen to Peg Hall, you cannot go wrong.

Good to hear!

Peg - does the fuse method work? Any recommendations on tank monitoring? I don’t think the Jeanneau 349 has any level monitoring for the water level either so will want to add that.

[peghall]

Yep, ALL electric toilets should be on their own dedicated circuit. Other equipment in use on the same circuit reduces the voltage to everything on that circuit and low voltage is damaging to electric motors. It might be a good idea to hire a certified marine electrician to install the wiring...that won't cost you anywhere near as much as your dealer would soak you to do the entire installation.

SCAD tank level monitors are top rated, reasonably priced and easy to install. They offer a single tank system and a two tank system that can monitor your waste tank and your water tank. Scad Tank Monitors


--Peggie

[Letterkenny]

Originally Posted by peghall

Yep, ALL electric toilets should be on their own dedicated circuit. Other equipment in use on the same circuit reduces the voltage to everything on that circuit and low voltage is damaging to electric motors. It might be a good idea to hire a certified marine electrician to install the wiring...that won't cost you anywhere near as much as your dealer would soak you to do the entire installation.

SCAD tank level monitors are top rated, reasonably priced and easy to install. They offer a single tank system and a two tank system that can monitor your waste tank and your water tank. Scad Tank Monitors


--Peggie

Thanks Peggie! I’ll go with this.

[sailorboy1]

I had to wire my head directly to the batteries. When it was powered from a breaker on the electrical panel everytime I flushed the TV would shut off on voltage drop.

[mitiempo]

Originally Posted by sailorboy1

I had to wire my head directly to the batteries. When it was powered from a breaker on the electrical panel everytime I flushed the TV would shut off on voltage drop.

That is likely because the positive and/or negative feed wires for your panel are too small.

[Letterkenny]

Any recommendations for marine electricians in San Diego? I can do some of this myself but want to make sure wiring runs aren’t showing.