Vacuum Marine Toilet

[mjohnh]

O.k.......I'm the newbie having just taken delivery of a 2006 Albin 28 TE. There is a vacuum marine head by Jabsco.

Does the discharge pump on the d.c. circuit have to be on or off or is it not related?
Are there "seacocks" that have to be open? If so, where are they?

There is a manual control under the vanity that, I think, directs the waste to either the holding tank or the macerator. If that is what it is, what position sends it to the holding tank? The arrow pointing to the right; or, the arrow pointing up?

There is a pump under the floor right in front of the head. Is it the fresh water pump?

My problem is that the hand pump does not pump much water in or out. Therefore, I think that there must be a valve to open to get the fresh water or sea water into the bowl and that valve may not be open.

Finally, if there are valve or sea cocks to be opened, should they ever be closed for any reason.

I am on Lake Michigan so the macerator has to be disabled.

Appreciate all responses.

[whwells]

These thoughts may or may not work for your jabsco vac flush. Nibbles had a Jabsco hand pump series. This summer we converted to a Vacu flush but non jabsco.
The boat has a valve near the black water tank "Y" valve that a will direct the stuff to the macerator or tank storage. Wondering if you could just have some watch for a moment while you decide where the black water goes.
There is a water shut off valve just before the head which we installed. That water source is from a connection under the sink.
Unless one of the members has your particular brand trial and error seems like a way to go.
The 28 Series no doubt is a bit different than the 35te but should be similar. I would start by trying to locate the factory "Y" valve.
whwells "Howard'

[mjohnh]

Thanks WHWELLS. I was at a cocktail party this evening and we discussed this problem....the consensus seems to be that there must be a valve that opens to allow "seawater" (lake michigan water) in .....and I need to find that.

[Jack]

The pump you mentioned is probably the shower pump for gray water which empties out of the hull.
You get water in the bowl on my vacuflush by stepping lightly on the pedal and plenty of water flows in. If the macerator valves are not shut off, the pump out can actually pull water into you holding tank from outside after it has pulled out what was in the holding tank.

[mjohnh]

Thanks, Jack. In Lake Michigan....and I guess waters other than the ocean or gulf, the macerator is supposed to be disabled. But, the water to the toilet is not coming in. I think that it is supposed to be fresh water and not sea water, but I am not certain. The toilet has a hand operated pump and it works hard and water does not come it....so....the water is cut off for some reason or the pump is defective. I want to locate all applicable valves and check them, first, before I conclude that the pump is bad. Just can't find valves or macerator.........any help on where these are located on a 28 will be appreciated.....

[Nancy]

Do you have the owner's manual? That's where I'd start. If you don't have it, have you tried googling for it?

[mjohnh]

O.K....good suggestion.

[mjohnh]

Still having problems and have researched this to a fair the well.........by the way, JABSCO has a web site with many videos that help.
First, my head is a "manual pump" and not a "vacuum" style....I used the wrong term from the beginning of this thread.
Second, I removed the tope of the hand pump cylinder and tried to prime the pump. Water flowed into the bowl and did pump out of the bowl, but no water was pumped into the bowl. Jabsco explains in a video that the pump is a 2 stage pump and in one stroke the waste is pumped out while water is sucked into the cylinder; the next stroke the water goes into the bowl; the next stroke waster goes out and water enters the cylinder...etc....etc...etc............When I "primed" the pump water flowed into the bowl which was the water that I poured into the top of the pump cylinder and then that water pumped out, but the hand pump did not draw any water into the cylinder. The only explanation that I can come to is that the replacement water is blocked from getting into the pump cylinder; or, the pump does not form a vacuum to draw the water in.....one or the other........not sure what to do about this....but, I am going to try anything that seems reasonable. I looked at the manual and it is very sketchy on any helpful suggestions.

[Nancy]

OK, good to have that mystery cleared up.

Stop torturing yourself and just buy a new pump assembly.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B001794BS0/ref ... 25410_item

Very simple to install- 4 bolts, 2 hose clamps, and you're done. I did it myself. Much easier and not much more expensive than a rebuild kit.

[mjohnh]

Thanks...will do it............one thing more..................that I have not mentioned and you may have an idea......there is the "Y" valve that is in the cabinet of the head compartment just to the left of the toilet..........it looking into the bilge area next to the helm where the through hull seacocks and some pumps for the A/C and the like........I see what appears to be another Jamsco "Y" valve in the same compartment near the starboard side of the hull and just under the deck. Not sure why there would be two "Y" valves. I cannot read the "arrows" on it as it's position is flat to the deck and not flat to the hull as is the one in the head compartment........cannot fathom why there would be 2 "y" valves. Also, both through hull connections for the toilet are labeled "in" to the head. I think the larger one has to be for the waste to out from the macerator as it is not "open".....

[Pitou]

The Y valve in the head cabinet sends the waste to the holding tank when in one position and the other to send waste directly overboard through the hull discharge. On my 28 when the handle was pulled inboard it went to the tank and when pushed ouboard it went overboard. If set to overboard discharge be sure that the overboard discharge thru-hull is open.

The Y valve near your holding tank is to control the emptying of your holding tank. You have two choices: overboard discharge or deck pumpout. With the Y valve pushed one direction is for use at a pumpout facility and the other is to discharge your tank overboard. In my 28 when the handle was pulled inboard the waste went through the overboard discharge thru hull with the macerator switched on at the 12 Volt Panel and when pushed outboard to starboard it allowed for pumping out the tank through the "Waste" deck plate / do not turn on the macerator as the suction from the pumpout boat or facility will vacuum out the waste.

This info should help to get you started and remember overboard discharge is limited to beyond the 3 mile line.

[mjohnh]

Very clear and very helpful...thank you, Pitou..!!!

[Russell]

It sounds to me like your intake thru hull is closed. Look in the bilge for a closed thru hull attached to a hose running forward towards the head area. There might be a larger one next to it for discharge that you should leave closed.

[RobS]

There may be some safety features you need to learn too, like a microswitch on the thruhull or a "full" tank flush shutoff sensor.