Ordered our new head!

[Woodsong]

Well, we ordered our new Raritan Marine Elegance this morning- went with the tall model, freshwater flush, smart flush controls. *Exciting, eh??*

**We opted to just order one for the aft head to see how we like it and how the install goes. *If we like it we will get another one for the forward head but for now the kids will just have to fend for themselves with the old jabsco.

It will be interesting to see how the install goes! *Anyone else recently installed one? *Current head is raw water flush. *I guess I will just close that sea cock and cap it? We hold 200 gallons of water so we don't need raw water flush and even though we are in freshwater on the TN River right now, one day we may take her to the coast to play around so freshwater flush will be nice. *I'll just be hooking up to the existing discharge like that goes to the holding tank (will probably add a 2nd holding tank just for the aft stateroom head at some point but no need to do that right now- one step at a time!!!) *The biggest change will be plumbing in the freshwater flush system.

All in all though won't this look great in my trawler??? *

*

Stay tuned.....

 

[FlyWright]

Tony,

Are you truly prepared for this gargantuan task? Here is the proven 12-Step Program to Toilet Installation Success

1. Installation manual read and re-read. (http://www.raritaneng.com/pdf_files/Marine Elegance/L460v0210.pdf)
2. Plan of attack memorized after giving careful consideration to all going wrong that CAN go wrong. (I forgot this step)
3. All parts ordered, present and accounted for
4. All assistants (Caleb) briefed, well-rested and well-fed
5. Plastic gloves donned and all tools at the ready, including those you never throught you'd need for a job like this.
6. Plenty of throw-away towels at the ready for the inevitable errant 'flow'.
7. Extra hose and appropriately sized hose clamps at the ready (I just found some stainless steel hose clamps at Home Depot in bags of 10 for under $5 each!)
8. All appropriate wiring (quality, guage and length) on hand
9. Multi-function tool ready for cutting hole for control panel (http://www.harborfreight.com/power-...ble-speed-multifunction-power-tool-67537.html)
10. Clear out ALL of the Admiral's pretty things from the destruction zone. (This zone is typically 3 times larger than most men assume.)
and last, but not least...
11. An ice cold beer to enjoy with your feet elevated on that aft rail when the job is done. Caleb can flush while you rest and take note of the new quiet, whisper-like flush of your new head.
12. Then when you're sure there are no leaks, invite the Admiral to your side to admire your handywork and praise your mechanical prowess.

Ahhhhh...life is good!!

(Actually, it's not nearly as messy as it seems when you approach the job. Just get a good fresh flush in the system before starting so you're sure there are no "loiterers". )

 

[markpierce]

I'm still attempting to figure out the four-button control of my new fresh-water, vacuum-sucking, head!* Good thing the builder installed it.

 

[Tom.B]

Tony, you need to get your head examined!

 

[Pineapple Girl]

we just replaced to raw water electric with fresh water sea eras.* It was SUPER easy and really considering what you are dealing with, not bad at all.* Flush the old one well to get anything interesting out of the line.* just don't make any dumb moves like cutting into the hot water line.* Oops.

 

[Woodsong]

Let me clarify- I ORDERED the head, my wife is responsible for INSTALLING it! haha Yeah right!

Flywright, after the BE insanity (and I mean INSANE!!!) related to the docking, I will have to make sure Caleb is of sufficient age to assist on this project. lol

I am hoping to install sometime next week- marina has a good ships store and parts department with any last minute things.

 

[jleonard]

Pineapple Girl wrote:
* just don't make any dumb moves like cutting into the hot water line.* Oops.

*I am also a graduate of the school of hard knox and I'm going for my masters.

 

[FlyWright]

Woodsong wrote:


Flywright, after the BE insanity (and I mean INSANE!!!) related to the docking, I will have to make sure Caleb is of sufficient age to assist on this project. lol

*Good point.* You'd probably be breaking some obscure labor law and some folks would be only too pleased to point that out. OTOH, you could take a pic of him working and post that he did it by himself.* Then grab the popcorn, sit back and watch the show.* Have some fun with it!


-- Edited by FlyWright on Thursday 23rd of June 2011 07:38:38 AM

 

[Woodsong]

LOL Flywright! I like that idea- just may have to steal it and use it and post it there. lol.

 

[Woodsong]

Look what arrived this week! *

*

Who wants to come install it for me? *Free beer is provided!! *

 

[scarletbison]

Woodsong wrote:
Look what arrived this week! *

*

Who wants to come install it for me? *Free beer is provided!! *

*Free airfare from Newark NJ and you got a deal*

 

[JohnP]

Woodsong wrote:
Look what arrived this week! *

*

Who wants to come install it for me? *Free beer is provided!! *

********* Nice!* We love ours!** Bet you will be getting one for the forward head too.

********* JohnP

 

[FlyWright]

Free beer??? Oh sure...we've seen that Bud Light you drink. No thanks. You need to up the ante a bit, Sheriff.

I think JohnP's right. Once you get this one installed, you'll love it so much and realize you need one for the fwd head, too. Might as well just order it now and get it over with. Otherwise the kids will be knocking at your door to use your aft head.

Does anyone remember the brand of tank monitor Peggie recommended in a previous head thread? After enjoying a 4-day weekend at Angel Island with 4 of us on board and no tank monitor, I found myself sweating the holding tank capacity. It's time for a dual monitor to track the holding and fresh water tank levels. I need one that will allow an external sensor to be attached to a non-metallic tank. Both my tanks are fiberglass.

EDIT:* I just found it...* http://www.scadtech.com/tank_monitors

(I'll post my Angel Island pics and cruise report tonight on another thread.)


-- Edited by FlyWright on Tuesday 28th of June 2011 07:13:46 PM

 

[HeadMistress]

Does anyone remember the brand of tank monitor Peggie recommended in a previous head thread?* I just found it...* http://www.scadtech.com/tank_monitors

Scad is only a private label marketer of the Profile gauges (note that they even use the Profile name on 'em). Buy direct and save. Profile Tank Monitors* Dennis Ferriello provides the best customer service and support on the planet....in fact, the Scad customer service phone number is his!

 

[FlyWright]

Thanks for the link, Peggie. I ordered last night, got an email from Dennis this AM and will have it in my home by Friday with a freebie repair kit and free shipping! You're right...great service.

 

[Woodsong]

Can I tell you how much I'd LOVE a holding tank monitor???!!! It looks like from the links above the panel is $100 and then the sensor is like another $35-40. How does it work? I assume it has to be tied into 12V?

 

[Pineapple Girl]

seriously it is so easy you will wish you had gone ahead and ordered two!* once we had the first one in there was no using the other one until it was swapped out as well.* The stink was gone IMMEDIATELY.* Wonderful.* and they are much quieter than the raw water ones were.

 

[Codger2]

Woodsong wrote:
Can I tell you how much I'd LOVE a holding tank monitor???!!!

*Tony:*

I checked out this product that HeadMistress recommends and found it to be bullet proof. I haven't installed one in my boat yet but I fully intend to do so. A guy on my dock (live aboard) put one in his boat 9 months ago and swears by it.

Profile head sonsors

 

[FlyWright]

Woodsong wrote:
Can I tell you how much I'd LOVE a holding tank monitor???!!! It looks like from the links above the panel is $100 and then the sensor is like another $35-40. How does it work? I assume it has to be tied into 12V?

This will tell you what you need to know.

http://ferriellosales.info/uploads/Solo_Manual.pdf

I ordered a full alert solo and an empty alert solo monitor with sensors.* I want one in the head with the full alert and one in the galley with the empty alert.* I considered the multi-tank monitor, but know that simple display/interface wins over complexity with the admiral any day.* Besides, I only have two tanks to monitor and like the idea of having the monitor where the info is needed.

Does Living Light have a freshwater tank monitor?

 

[Woodsong]

FlyWright wrote:

Does Living Light have a freshwater tank monitor?

*

Yes, the freshwater tank monitor is the same model as the holding tank monitor right now....i.e. I grab a flashlight and hold it up to the respective tank to see how full it is. *

We hold 200 gallons water though I rarely (actually never thus far) run out. *We have filled up the holding tank though as it is only 40 gallons. * Gonna go read that manual right now.

 

[Woodsong]

Well- it's all DONE! LONG day...worked til around 2 and then tore into the new head installation. Just now finished so took me about 5 hours all said and done but that included one trip to the hardware store and one to the marina ship's store and also taking the boat around to the fuel dock to pump out the holding tank.

it really wasn't too bad. New head is very nice and seems to work very good. NOTE: go pump out your holding tank BEFORE you start putting in a new head so that you don't have to deal with some, um, full discharge lines at the point of connection. Yuck!

Pics of the before, during, and after are attached (first pic is the original head, 2nd is the "during", third are the mounting brackets for the new head, 4th is the Marine Elegance fully installed, 5th is the new Smart Controls). Bigger bowl and looks pretty darn good if I do say so myself and as if it was always there. It was a rather odorous job due to me failing to pump out prior to tearing into things but other than that it was not bad. *I wish I could replace my entire discharge line all the way to the holding tank as it is very old but to get to it I would literally have to disassemble the muffler assembly for the main engine! *

Gonna see if my sister and her husband want my old jabsco head for their 42' sailboat they are restoring- works fine, just not as fancy as the marine elegance!

BUT the big test will occur soon...wife and kids are on the way here now so we shall see if they and my wife approve. *I have a feeling the kids are going to want me to redo their head as the biggest issue with the jabscos is they sat too tall on the their platforms by a few inches, as well as being generally noisy, etc.

All in all though it looks pretty good and hopefully the wife is happy. *

P.S. She is bringing our new bimini top with her too that arrived today so hopefully that fits and we'll be back in business.

 

[Peter B]

Looks good. I see you also moved it a tad towards the bench and gave a bit more elbow room against the wall - good move.

 

[Pineapple Girl]

Woodsong wrote:
... NOTE: go pump out your holding tank BEFORE you start putting in a new head so that you don't have to deal with some, um, full discharge lines at the point of connection. Yuck!

...

We actually did not pump out first.* Matt pointed out that our flushes go up hill to the Y valve then downhill all the way to the holding tank so as long as we flushed a bit first we'd be fine.* He was right.* Guess it depends on your set up. Now I will say the forward head was a lot nastier as the discharge lines on the aft head were new.* The one on the*foreward head was old and very much filled with the crystals that form from the the urine and salt water.* And that stuff smells.* We replaced that segment of hose.*

I am so happy for you!* Glad it went well and enjoy the new throne!