Toilets, Electric or manual ?

[Rubber Duck]

Electric or Manual, which variety do forumites think is the most advantageous.
I have both, but one needs replacing, electric is noisy but more convenient for the ladies, manual does the job.
what do you think ?

 

[Pau Hana]

We have macerating toilets and couldn't be happier. The noise factor is insignificant, and the thing is only operating for a few moments.

 

[O C Diver]

Electric or Manual, which variety do forumites think is the most advantageous.
I have both, but one needs replacing, electric is noisy but more convenient for the ladies, manual does the job.
what do you think ?

Think you answered your own question. Not a bad idea to make them feel more comfortable.

Ted

 

[N4712]

Electric all the way.

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
Mr. OC. "Not a bad idea to make them feel more comfortable." for what it's worth I always feel more comfortable regardless of the appliance used...I know, TMI but I was corrupted by the toilet paper thread...

 

[Fotoman]

I switched from manual to electric this year and couldn't be happier. At first it was more to please my girlfriend than anything else as I viewed then as noisy and a source of more things that can break. But since I was doing a bathroom makeover, I said what the heck. After one season of using it daily I have to say I couldn't be happier. It worked flawlessly and as someone said already the noise is only for a few seconds once in a while. No big deal. Except maybe in the middle of the night. Lol

 

[Nomad Willy]

We have an electric toilet and it's worked flawlessly for almost ten years till yesterday. It would'nt flush. No amount of button pushing would even make a small noise. What to do? Well I looked at all the wiring I could get at and checked all the fuses. We were headed home w one more leg to go.

I hooked up the start battery when we got underway that I had disconected when we anchored because I'm not 100 % sure of my system (long time on the hard). Well .. on the way out of Fishermans Cove I pressed the button one more time. IT FLUSHED. The start battery seems to need to be hooked up to have the electric toilet functioning! That seems very strange to me but we were happy to get our little toilet back.

How could that be? We're going back to the boat today to finish things re unpacking ect (it was low tide when we got home (think steep ramp)) and I have intentions of playing around a bit w the head.

 

[HeadMistress]

Obviously your toilet is wired to the start battery...which isn't that bad a plan, actually, because electric toilets need to be on their own separate dedicated circuit, shared by nothing else that can reduce power to it...low voltage will destroy any electric motor and is the most common cause of electric toilet failures..Since it's unlikely that anyone will be flushing the toilet while the engine(s) are being started, I wouldn't change a thing...UNLESS the possibility exists that the toilet could get enough use during an extended period on a hook to deplete the battery. In that case, best to run a new circuit to a house battery.

While I have the floor... IMO, the toilet that landlubber guests will use should be a no-brainer to flush 'cuz guests cause at least 90% of toilet problems. "Push the button, count to 3" is something even great aunt Martha can grasp...the most common landlubber reaction to "move the lever to the "wet" side, pump 6 times, move it back to wet and ..." is glazed eyes and a wet wipes clog you have to surgically remove after they leave.

As for noise, today's electric macerating toilets are a LOT quieter than they used to be, especially those designed to use pressurized fresh water. The Raritan Marine Elegance is the quietest marine toilet on the planet. Their SeaEra QC is a close second.

 

[FlyWright]

When I bought the boat, it had an old electric head that sounded like a buzz saw! It was replaced years ago with a Jabsco Quiet Flush that has been flawless. It's a little louder than the Raritan but is MUCH quieter than my old model. It also operates similarly and is more affordable than the Raritan Marine Elegance.

I wanted a system that operated as closely to the home version as possible. I liked the idea that I could add a little water to the bowl in advance, if needed. Single button flush was the goal. We are very pleased with the system.

 

[Baker]

Is vacuflusha choice???? That would be mine over electric or manual. If I am reduced to only those two choices, I would take electric for all of the reasons above.

 

[FF]

Really depends on the Quality of your guests.

If its mostly Lubbers the push button electric unit will be worth the extra installation , trouble shooting , repair, expen$e and occasional dead batts.

If its mostly boat folks a QUALITY (not the $99 Jabsco),, a Groco K or Skipper would be my first choice.

If its a split decision a Lavac with a better (edson) pump for waste would be just fine.

Usually it can't be plugged (with edson pump) so a pail of water and it will be back in action with zero effort.

Tossing cat waste , hard cigars,may require the water.

OF course if the vessel configuration would allow the waste tank directly below the head , a good RV unit would be best of all.

No guest,hassles almost no water use and almost no repairs decade after decade..

Lavac Marine Toilets

www.[B]lavac[/B].com/

 

[Nomad Willy]

Peggie thank you very much.

I concluded it was wired to the start batt but just thought it was crazy weird. My Repower was done by a shade tree mechanic from Oaklahoma doing his first repower. He caused lots of problems but did lots of nice things one would'nt expect too. With your blessing Peggie I'm quite sure I'll leave it the way it is.

We do however need to do numerous experiments to get things right and to get intamate w our boat re how things work, how they are wired ect. Supprises are frequently not a plus on a boat.

Al, Baker .. I think ours is a Rairtan and very quiet. Can't remember what model. It has full flush, half flush and "empty bowl". I remember shopping for it and Chris wouldn't have anything to do w the Vacuflush .. the big noise. I was leaning that way.

 

[ranger58sb]

Electric or Manual, which variety do forumites think is the most advantageous.
I have both, but one needs replacing, electric is noisy but more convenient for the ladies, manual does the job.
what do you think ?

We have a Jabsco electric freshwater Quiet Flush, and it's reliable, "convenient" for everybody (i.e., not just ladies), and seems relatively quiet to us.


I suspect electric raw water toilets are less quiet?

We've had a Vacuflush in the past, and it worked well enough, too.... although the loud POP when flushing at 3 in the morning was a bit difficult to warm up to.

-Chris

 

[Hawgwash]

What's with all you people needing the can in the middle of the night?

 

[ranger58sb]

Ummm...


Old age? (Certainly in my case...)


-Chris

 

[Hawgwash]

Ummm...
Old age? (Certainly in my case...)
-Chris

Hawgwash!

 

[ranger58sb]

 

[dhays]

Maybe being a Luddite comes with being a sailor? I like the manual heads. Well, I like my Raritan manual head (I hate my WC manual head). The Manual head is just about bullet proof and simple to use. One dial, and a pump handle. I just tell new guests how many pumps to use to flush to clear the line to the holding tank.

I am sure that I am being overly concerned about reliability on those new-fangled electric toilets, but still.....

Dave

 

[HopCar]

If you decide to replace your manual toilet with an electric, you can probably save a few bucks by buying a conversion kit and reusing the bowl. This depends on the type of manual toilet you have but the majority of them can be converted.
Both Jabsco and Raritan make conversion kits. The Raritan Sea Era conversion kit would be my choice and I see Peggie likes it also.

Going to a toilet that has a remotely mounted supply pump, wether it is your fresh water pump or a remote raw water pump will make things much quieter.

 

[Bay Pelican]

Same Groco K manual for 16 years. Never repaired (disposable items replaced of course). Never plugged. But then we have few landlubbers on board.

We give this toilet a lot of use as we live aboard at anchor more than four months a year and it is our sole toilet.

 

[Bradenvlp]

1 st year on the new boat cruised with a groco manual. 2 girls under 12. 2 week trip needed rubber glove correction three times.

Jabsco quiet flush install and no gloves since.

 

[Marin]

Our 1973 boat has its original toilets, a pair of salt water Jabsco EBs, Jurassic Edition. They are electric in that a very noisy motor and gearbox operate the manual mechanism through a connecting rod.

For some reason a month or so after acquiring the boat in 1998 we disconnected the connecting rod and operated one manually and what a difference. Not only is it almost noiseless but one can feel the resistance of the "material" going through the diaphragm pump in the action of the handle and so can vary the speed and pressure accordingly which is probably a little easier on the toilet pumping components than the motor and gearbox slamming the thing back and forth.

With solid bronze construction and rebuild kits still available, we've elected to keep the EBs despite there being far more sophisticated toilets on the market today. Guests have no problems with them and operationally they are damn near bulletproof. They are simple and intuitive to work on when necessary, but for the most part they just keep going only wanting a rebuild kit put in every seven or eight years, a job that takes less than an hour.

I'm not saying I'd recommend a manual toilet over an electric-- it boils down to personal preferences--- but if we had to replace our EBs we'd try to find an equally reliable, easy-to-maintain manual toilet if there is one on the market today.

 

[HopCar]

Hi Marin, the EB was made by Groco. I always thought it was a fine toilet but Groco quit making them. They still make the K toilet which is just as good or better but very expensive.

A lot of the early electric toilets were just manual toilets with gears and motors hung on them. I never saw the point. I have a Groco K toilet that will accept the same gear box and motor as your EB but, like you, I'd never do it.
In fact I think I've got a couple of those conversion kits in my store. I think one of them is 32 volt. I doubt I'll ever sell any of them!

 

[Marin]

Hi Marin, the EB was made by Groco.

You're correct. Don't know why I said Jabsco. Maybe I was thinking of our macerator pumps.

 

[BruceK]

Just today I put a new set of seals etc through a current version Mk3 manual Jabsco. Easy.
I have plans to replace it with a Jabsco electric, we have the wiring for the OEM electric someone removed. Conversion kits here cost more than a new Jabsco electric. When I raised the Jabsco conversion kit on a previous thread it got shat upon from a great height, on the grounds of noise and effectiveness.

 

[roguewave]

As for noise, today's electric macerating toilets are a LOT quieter than they used to be, especially those designed to use pressurized fresh water. The Raritan Marine Elegance is the quietest marine toilet on the planet. Their SeaEra QC is a close second.

We had an old jabsco electric that was quite loud (and small) but more importantly a big water user and just did not work well. I changed it out a month ago for a Rariton marine elegance with the optional smart toilet control and I have to say, one of the best improvements I've made to the boat. Plus being a "full size" head with a porcelain bowl (no plastic) is hard to beat. Pricey? Yes but well worth the cost IMHO.

....and how did I know about this? Peggy educated me on the whole process and I made my decision based on her extensive knowledge and research. Couldn't be happier and thank you again Peggy. ( and my wife thanks you even more)

 

[HopCar]

BruceK, There are four Jabsco conversion kits commonly available.
This one is the easiest to install. It is also the noisiest and least reliable.

29200 Series Electric Toilet Conversion Kit > Conversion Kits > Xylem Flow Control - Let's Solve Water.

This one is still pretty noisy but more reliable. Most of the noise comes from the rubber impeller intake pump.

37010-Series Electric Toilet Base Kit > Conversion Kits > Xylem Flow Control - Let's Solve Water.

The other two look similar but use either water from your pressure water system or a remote seawater pump to supply the flush water. They are much quieter.

Conversion Kits > Xylem Flow Control - Let's Solve Water.


Raritan also makes similar conversion kits in their Sea Era line.

The Sea Era kit with the intake pump mounted on the motor is somewhat quieter than the equivalent Jabsco kit. Raritan uses a diaphragm intake pump rather than a rubber impeller pump.

Raritan also makes remote pump and fresh water conversion kits.
http://www.raritaneng.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/L1040seaeraconversionv1012.pdf

Peggie prefers the Raritan.

You may actually save money ordering it from the US. I've shipped a couple of the Sea Era kits to Oz and even with shipping they were cheaper than the folks could buy them over there.

It doesn't work when you try to ship complete toilets. The bowl makes it too big and heavy. I can mail the conversion kits.

 

[Hawgwash]

The other two look similar but use either water from your pressure water system or a remote seawater pump to supply the flush water.

What are the pros and cons of using seawater?

 

[HopCar]

Hawgwash, Sea water can cause bad smells when the little critters and weeds in sea water get trapped in the rim of the bowl and die. I think it also causes build up in the discharge hose faster than a fresh water flush would.

The down side to a fresh water flush is, of course, you are using up your limited fresh water supply.

A plus for the fresh water flush is that they are usually cheaper than a salt water flush toilet. You don't need to buy an intake pump.

 

[Hawgwash]

Hawgwash, Sea water can cause bad smells when the little critters and weeds in sea water get trapped in the rim of the bowl and die. I think it also causes build up in the discharge hose faster than a fresh water flush would.

The down side to a fresh water flush is, of course, you are using up your limited fresh water supply.

A plus for the fresh water flush is that they are usually cheaper than a salt water flush toilet. You don't need to buy an intake pump.

Thanks.
I think I recall Peggy talking about the critters and smells.
Never found that with any of the manual seawater systems I've had and I wonder water temperature makes a difference.