Installing vacuflush in place of a electric head

[newbie-]

Is anyone here familiar with vacuflush toilets?

I have an old electric head with a bad pump. 37010-0000 is on the pump. I'm not sure if I can get a new pump easily... and it may be more cost effective to just get a new electric head from west marine?

I'm also looking at a vacuflush system for sale. It seems to be older.. but it comes with everything including pump and accumulator. I'm guessing this is a fairly simple installation but I am reading that they require more maintenance.. if the unit works OK for a while I'll be happy.

Here's another thing I'm trying to figure out... If I purchase the vacuflush I want it to work with raw water. Not fresh water. 2 reasons:

1- My water tank">fresh water tank currently has a leak and that's a long term repair project. So I don't have a pressurized fresh water supply.

2- A fresh water system is just more complicated and has more failure modes. See above. No water, no flush. Raw water is simple. I understand there can be odor but strangely, that's not an issue in my boat.

Will the vacuflush head work if I connect it straight to the raw water through hull? Or does it require water pressure to fill?

[LakeSuperior]

I have 2 vacuflush systems in fresh water. One is 40 years old.

IMHO, almost zero maintenance.

Raw water needs a small pressure pump.

[BillKny]

Vacuflush systems are great. I had one on my old boat in full time live aboard service for 15 years, and it was flawless. Change the jocker valves every few months, and it will be a great investment.

Using it with raw water… not so much. One of the big advantages of a vacuflush is that it uses a bare minimum of water to flush which minimizes the volume added to holding tanks. It also means that waste is not heavily diluted by flush water, and flushed waste sits in the vacuum chamber between flushes. This means that you WILL accumulate a heavy coating of “calcium scale” inside the vacuum chamber, the vacuum pump, and downstream hoses. Mush MORE so that a traditional head because waste mixed with raw water will just sit there for long periods of time.

If your boat has pressure water already, the addition one tee and a hose to the vacuflush is NOT a big complication. There is only one valve. You will need pressurized raw water, which is a much bigger complication with more serious consequences if things go wrong. Like sink your boat problems.

If your boat does NOT have pressure fresh water, the Vacuflush is not the right choice for you.

[peghall]

Because VacuFlush toilets are designed to use pressurized fresh water, they do not have an intake pump so you'd have to install one along with some modifications to the plumbing. That would cost you at least as much as a new pump motor assembly for your Jabsco, which is all you'd really need and readily available from a bunch of sources, even Walmart who has it for $219, which is the best price I could find. It's an easy swap out and gives you a new toilet except for the bowl, seat and lid.

Part # for the replacement is 37041-0010.



--Peggie

[Jetx]

Our current boat has two Vacuflush heads. They’re fine, but definitely require more maintenance than an electric macerating head (which we we had on our last boat). Besides changing duckbill/joker valves on the vacuum generator, which is more involved than changing joker valves on a manual or electric head, I’ve had to rebuild both vacuum pumps in the past two years, and have two finicky pressure switches that probably need to be replaced. The electric can also use smaller diameter discharge hoses, which simplifies installation and reduces effluent “dwell time” and/or reduces the amount of water needed to rinse water out of the hose.

If I were replacing or installing new, I’d go electric without hesitation. And if I were you, I’d stick with the electric you already have!

[sail sfbay]

Originally Posted by newbie-

...........I have an old electric head with a bad pump. 37010-0000 is on the pump. I'm not sure if I can get a new pump easily... and it may be more cost effective to just get a new electric head from west marine? I'm also looking at a vacuflush system........Here's another thing I'm trying to figure out..... If I purchase the vacuflush I want it to work with raw water. Not fresh water. 2 reasons: 1- My fresh water tank currently has a leak and that's a long term repair project......2- A fresh water system is just more complicated and has more failure modes. See above. No water, no flush. Raw water is simple. I understand there can be odor but strangely, that's not an issue in my boat. Will the vacuflush head work if I connect it straight to the raw water through hull? Or does it require water pressure to fill?

Your toilet is a Jabsco electric toilet and can replace the pump. I did so on my Hunter 46 and 386. https://www.pumpagents.com/pdf/Jabsc...37010-0000.pdf

If it was my boat I would replace the toilet pump and freshwater tank. Just replaced 2 raw water toilets with pressurized freshwater toilets (Raritan Elegance) with water supplied from the head vanity sink supply to eliminate the system odors. I have had vacuflash toilets, which worked on freshwater and work fine until the system gets plugged, which is easy to do and a big repair job.

[Dougtiff]

Having installed a couple of V.F. unit's, i would say it's much more involved than a regular electric toilet, there can be NO leak's, or it will cycle endlessly, the system is pulling a vacuum, not so easy to obtain a perfect seal, it used to be, and maybe still is that you must be a certified V.F. installer to purchase the system, of coarse if obtain second hand not a problem, but still not easy to install, as already stated, it's designed for fresh water.

[Cpt Mark]

Vacu flush needs a specific hose as well. When they work, they work great but I've had to service quite a few to find the air leak and that can take some time. I went with an electric head .

Peggy is the head expert btw. She literally wrote the book on this.

https://www.amazon.com/New-Get-Rid-B...s%2C255&sr=8-1

[mickand]

I ripped out a Vacuflush system because it was a pain in the a__.
Installed a Raritan Elegance and couldn't be happier.

[Kd9truck]

I just spent 22 days on a boat with 2 vacuflush systems, we helped a friend move his vessel out of the black box and up to the Chesapeake.The pump to pressurize the system was under my bunk in the bow. Every time someone used the toilet the pump would activate, IT WAS VERY LOUD at all times, everyone herd it cycling, the only time it had noise competition was when the motor or generator was running. The owner had maintenance issues with both. There were times I had to get out of my bunk to play with the toilet seal to stop the pump from engaging off watch and exhausted from the dam pump noise.
I have a fresh water electric jabsco and a manual fresh water head that I run the day to day use, and a salt water manual (yes I have 3 heads) I have plans to convert to fresh electric when I add a water maker.
We were running watches for 10 days, the owner who knows the system very well worked on it 3 times in 10 days we were off shore
So if it was me I would be passing on this type of system, my water pressure pump is sound insulated by me and is actually to quite, may be I spoiled myself.
If you do go with it, put the pump away from any births and in an easy access area and do some quality sound proofing. Cheers