Bad joker valve keeps head from flushing

[BobH]

Friends of ours are out cruising and their Raritan Elegance head stopped flushing, discharge pump runs but bowl doesn't empty. Head mechanic who admitted never having worked on an electric head, told them one of the joker valves is bad.

I'm no expert, but I assumed that joker valve failure was that it didn't close and there was stuff flowing back into the bowl after it was flushed. I honestly can't see how a joker valve would keep the head from flushing. Their unit is less than two years old, we have the same unit, somewhat older, but since we are not living aboard ours has had less use.

Any thoughts?

Bob

 

[HopCar]

"I assumed that joker valve failure was that it didn't close and there was stuff flowing back into the bowl after it was flushed" Exactly right.

Bob, It sounds like a blockage in the discharge hose. Could be other things but that is the first place to look. The blockage may be in the Joker valve or further down line.

Is it going into a holding tank? The vent line on the holding tank might be blocked.

If the discharge line is clear and he's sure it's a mechanical problem with the toilet, he should contact Mac at Raritan in Fort Lauderdale. Mac knows these toilets very well.

This will not be fun.

 

[BobH]

A blockage was my first thought. I assume the 'head mechanic' removed and looked at the joker valves to determine they were not plugged. It won't flush to either holding tank or overboard. Unfortunately the captain is not into DIY. I've been trying to help via long distance but can't really get him to do anything himself. I would break the connection at the second joker valve and hit the flush button. That would isolate the problem to the head or the plumbing.

He ordered a new joker valve so we'll have to wait and see.

Bob

 

[RT Firefly]

Greetings,
No sh*t! Bad Joker, bad...

 

[Larry M]

Page 17 of the owners manual has the trouble shooting guide.

http://www.raritaneng.com/pdf_files/Marine%20Elegance/L460v0610%20Marine%20Elegance%20Manual.pdf

 

[BobH]

They have the manual on the boat. Had to show the 'head mechanic' how the head worked. Like I said, the captain is not a DIYer.

Bob

 

[BobH]

Do you suppose they poured something down the head that caused the rubber flaps on the joker valve to stick together, or glue themselfs together? How else could a joker valve fail in the forward direction?

Bob

 

[HopCar]

RTF - Good One!

 

[jleonard]

Make the vent is not blocked. I had similar symptoms and clearing the vent was the solution.

 

[BobH]

It won't flush to the holding tank or overboard.

Bob

 

[HopCar]

There is no magic solution to this. Someone is going to have to take things apart and look for a blockage. You say it won't flush either to the holding tank or overboard. Sounds like there is a Y-valve. That should narrow the search to the section between the toilet and Y-valve.

 

[MYTraveler]

We experienced the exact same symptoms twice. The first time required disassembly and removal of the blockage (too much tp). Then I bought a "modern" plunger on amazon, and used it on my second blockage. It is sort of a gun looking thing that you manually pump to create pressure then pull the trigger to release it all at once. Good to wear haz mat gear in case the pressure doesn't go down the head (it has to go somewhere). Problem solved.