Manual vs electric head?

[s/v michaela]

if you have the choice,,, always keep a manual one and a the others electric. Pretty foolproof way to avoid the bucket.....

[Roshni]

Live aboard - Just replaced electric toilet with manual so now two manuals. Had a cheaper electric model so appreciate a better quality one works well. Need to also make sure you can flush enough water through to stop build up in pipes. If you are in holding tank area then electric fill up very quickly.. General rule KISS but appreciate a good electric toilet!

[Jdeuel]

Question regarding the Jabsco conversion base kit...

So my boat came with a non-functioning Wilcox HeadMate. I just ordered two rebuild kits for it, one to install and one to keep on hand for a little over $200 total. It appears that the Jabsco conversion kit will bolt up with the headmate. Would it make sense to return the unopened Headmate rebuild kits and pick up the conversion base for twice the money?

Loud doesn't really matter-it's a 28' boat, so there's no privacy anyway.

Cheers, Jeff

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Jdeuel

Question regarding the Jabsco conversion base kit...

So my boat came with a non-functioning Wilcox HeadMate. I just ordered two rebuild kits for it, one to install and one to keep on hand for a little over $200 total. It appears that the Jabsco conversion kit will bolt up with the headmate. Would it make sense to return the unopened Headmate rebuild kits and pick up the conversion base for twice the money?

Loud doesn't really matter-it's a 28' boat, so there's no privacy anyway.

Cheers, Jeff

I certainly would!

[Jdeuel]

Okay, good stuff. I just wanted to make sure that's the 'right' 12v conversion kit to be looking at.

Any preference between the one that replaces the base and the one that replaces the pump housing?

Jeff

[tarian]

Fitted 2 Jabesco 24 v electrics straight swap, with old ones, electrics easy if you follow to guidelines in regards to separate circuit, gauge wire to the run x2 there and back , fit appropriate fuse
2 years in no problems , noise is higher , but I would rather have that than pump 20 times, and children , land lubbers its a wee push of a button, why have solid butter when you can squeeze it out easy

[ranger58sb]

Originally Posted by Huskybeer

Chris, which brand do you have?
Teunis

Jabsco Quiet Flush #37045, freshwater electric. Three-way flush control.

Not Peggie's favorite but it's the one that came with the boat and it works fine... and it's reasonably quiet (WAY quieter than the POP! that comes with a Vecu-Flush).

I don't have experience with the Raritan Marine Elegance she often mentions.

-Chris

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Jdeuel

Okay, good stuff. I just wanted to make sure that's the 'right' 12v conversion kit to be looking at.

Any preference between the one that replaces the base and the one that replaces the pump housing?

Jeff

If you want to keep a manual pump as a spare, then you want the conversion.

[peghall]

Would it make sense to return the unopened Headmate rebuild kits and pick up the conversion base for twice the money?

If it's the Jabsco conversion that only replaces the pump (this one Jabsco 29200_Electric_Conversion ), I wouldn't have one as a gift! My contacts at Jabsco don't even like it. It's noisy, draws 24 amps (vs 15 for "real" macerating electric toilets), will choke on flushes real toilets pass easily...and costs as much or more than real one.


If you can return the Headmate kits, use the money to buy the conversion for the top rated macerating toilet in its class...Defender has it for $100 less than the Jabsco 29200 "converson" : Raritan SeaEra "conversion" at Defender

--Peggie

[Auspicious]

Originally Posted by peghall

Electric toilets aren't complicated, power consumption is minimal and they require a lot LESS maintenance than manual toilets..plus they're are a no-brainer for landlubber guests to flush.

Hi Peggie!

My experience lines up directly with Peggie's. Hers is of course much more extensive than mine. I'll add that when you do have to do some maintenance it is easier, faster, and cleaner than a manual toilet. You have the benefits of--given installation--choosing between fresh water (inshore, lots of water) and raw water (offshore, water conservation) flush.

Originally Posted by donradcliffe

I find the holding tanks fill up faster with electric. I have also spent many unhappy hours unclogging electric heads--they are more susceptible to the dreaded long hair problem. Not too mention they cost a lot more.

The only clog I've suffered with an electric toilet was from a female crew who tried to flush enough toilet paper to make a small bunny rabbit. That was a fast and easy fix. Four machine screws and perhaps five minutes. She wasn't very good crew either.

Originally Posted by Roshni

Need to also make sure you can flush enough water through to stop build up in pipes. If you are in holding tank area then electric fill up very quickly.

Having trouble wrapping my head around this. If you aren't flushing enough water the holding tanks won't fill up faster than a manual. If the holdings are filling up quickly you're flushing enough water.

[peghall]

The only clog I've suffered with an electric toilet was from a female crew who tried to flush enough toilet paper to make a small bunny rabbit. That was a fast and easy fix. Four machine screws and perhaps five minutes.


Quick-dissolve TP (the only TP that belongs on a boat unless the toilet is one of the high end all china "thrones") dissolves very quickly...so Unless you're using premium TP, the fix could have been even easier: just wait 30-40 minutes for the TP to dissolve and flush again.


As for electric toilets using more water than manual, flush water can be drastically reduced by swapping out the flush button for a rocker switch that offers 3 choices--water in (absolutely essential ahead of solids), "dry" flush and simultaneous water in-flush out...and learn to use dry flush for urine only, followed by a rinse water...or just one bowl of rinse water/day.



And btw...most manual toilet owners can increase the number flushes a tank can hold by doing pretty much the same thing, except it's necessary use a cup from the sink to add water ahead of solids.


--Peggie

[Jdeuel]

Originally Posted by peghall

[I]


If you can return the Headmate kits, use the money to buy the conversion for the top rated macerating toilet in its class...Defender has it for $100 less than the Jabsco 29200 "converson" : Raritan SeaEra "conversion" at Defender

--Peggie

Awesome. Will my existing bowl mount up to it? I don't know if these things are standardized...

[peghall]

Yes...any bowl that mounts using a 4-bolt pattern will fit.



--Peggie

[Huskybeer]

Nobody talks about an incinerator, which produces only ashes, no smell and does not use precious water. You could suppress the holders by tanks for extra space????

[Dockhead]

Originally Posted by Auspicious

. . . Having trouble wrapping my head around this. If you aren't flushing enough water the holding tanks won't fill up faster than a manual. If the holdings are filling up quickly you're flushing enough water.

Exactly! Logic!


On my boat it is impossible to use the holding tank AND flush enough to clear the lines. The tank is full in no time. I have fairly long anti-syphon loops. I measured and the lines from toilet to the diverter valve hold 7 liters. Not counting the line from there to the black water tank! I think fresh water is the only solution to this. I wonder if anyone bypasses their anti-syphon loops, to reduce this problem?