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Old 04-05-2016, 03:08 PM   #41
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At the risk of sounding stupid...what and where is the Joker Valve?
I'm extremely curious after reading this thread, and maybe it'll help another newbie out as well.

This is our head:
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Old 04-05-2016, 03:11 PM   #42
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It will be right under your pump there on the right. You will see it when you take those lower bolts/screws off.

However, given that sign I am not sure you need to concern yourself!
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Old 04-05-2016, 03:15 PM   #43
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However, given that sign I am not sure you need to concern yourself!
We put that on when we have guests on board.
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Old 04-05-2016, 03:46 PM   #44
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Greetings,
Ms. HM. Well, isn't that what the joker valve does in a properly functioning system? Block the door to the bowl? If not, what is it supposed to do then? Vent is free and clear.
In a manual toilet, blocking backflow is the LEAST important joker valve function...In an electric toilet, its real function is only to block a catastrophic eruption in the bowl due to back pressure. A new one will only block slow seepage until enough flushes have passed through it that the "lips" can no longer close tightly. So while replacing the joker is keeping backflow out of the bowl, at least for a while, it hasn't eliminated the backflow..it can't.

That may be due only to a head discharge hose that runs even slightly uphill...not a big deal as long you don't leave anything but clean flush water in the hose TO run back downhill. Or, there could be mineral buildup that's reduced the inner diameter of the toilet hose enough to restrict flow...flushes aren't making it to the tank in amount of time you're leaving your finger on the flush button, so because water runs downhill, that's what it's doing.

So you really should figure out why there's any backflow to block and determine whether it's something that needs to be corrected or just something you need to live with and just just replace the joker valve a lot more often.

Or, if it's just clean water running back downhill, you could consider doing what people who think the bowl on the boat needs to hold water "like the one at home" (mostly houseboat owners on inland lakes): they purposely create an uphill run from the toilet long enough to provide half a bowl of water and remove the joker valve altogether. Since the joker valve in basic electric toilets doesn't have any impact on the toilet's performance, there's nothing wrong with that.
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Old 04-05-2016, 07:05 PM   #45
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Why is it called a joker valve?
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Old 04-05-2016, 07:45 PM   #46
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The red two-lip ones are often called duck bill for obvious reasons. I think the Joker name comes from the three pointed ones resembling a jesters hat.

Then there is always this!

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Old 04-05-2016, 08:42 PM   #47
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Why is it called a joker valve?
You'd be wrong Menzes...Joker valves were called that long before the X shape pattern existed. But in 25 years I've never been able to find anyone who knows where that name originated. The most logical guess is that "joker" is a corruption of "choker"... but like all the other "educated" guesses, it's JUST a guess.

And btw...would y'all please learn how to reduce photos to something smaller than a queen size sheet?
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Old 04-05-2016, 09:28 PM   #48
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NOT the way to do it! We need to talk...I'll be glad to help you do it the right way.
I know its not the right way but I can t reach it from the inside...if I was 22 instead of 62 maybe...It wont clear from the outside (altho I just drained some digester back thru it to the outside recently but have yet to replace my macerator to try it)
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Old 04-05-2016, 09:34 PM   #49
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I know its not the right way but I can t reach it from the inside...if I was 22 instead of 62 maybe...It wont clear from the outside (altho I just drained some digester back thru it to the outside recently but have yet to replace my macerator to try it)
Hey, you're doing it WRONG! You have been told. Don't let it happen again.

I am wrong, my photo size is wrong, I need to learn.

Everyone is wrong.

Buy her book already for cripes sake.
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Old 04-05-2016, 10:14 PM   #50
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I know its not the right way but I can t reach it from the inside...if I was 22 instead of 62 maybe...It wont clear from the outside (altho I just drained some digester back thru it to the outside recently but have yet to replace my macerator to try it)
Surely you can reach the thru-hull from the outside...have you tried attacking it with screwdriver blade or an ice pick/awl? 'Cuz I don't THINK a "digester" is gonna dissolve a mud dauber's nest.

Thanks for the book plug, Menz!
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Old 04-06-2016, 05:32 AM   #51
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Thanks for the book plug, Menz!
Any time bud.
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Old 04-06-2016, 07:23 AM   #52
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You'd be wrong Menzes...Joker valves were called that long before the X shape pattern existed. But in 25 years I've never been able to find anyone who knows where that name originated. The most logical guess is that "joker" is a corruption of "choker"... but like all the other "educated" guesses, it's JUST a guess.

And btw...would y'all please learn how to reduce photos to something smaller than a queen size sheet?
I've never heard them called a joker valve. Always a duck bill or choker valve.
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Old 04-06-2016, 09:06 AM   #53
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You obviously haven't read the manuals and parts lists for very many toilets, Bill...but if remember correctly, all the toilets on your boat are VacuFlush with "duckbill" valves, so you wouldn't have much need to.
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Old 04-06-2016, 04:05 PM   #54
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You obviously haven't read the manuals and parts lists for very many toilets, Bill...but if remember correctly, all the toilets on your boat are VacuFlush with "duckbill" valves, so you wouldn't have much need to.
Really!? Shows how bad my memory is.

They spell it joker?
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Old 04-06-2016, 04:52 PM   #55
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Yup...every mfr does. See page 8 Part # 253 in the Raritan PHII owners manual.
PH II Owner’s Manual

Part #11 on page 3 in the Jabsco 37010 electric toilet "manual"
http://www.xylemflowcontrol.com/file...43000-0612.pdf

Those are just two examples...Any of y'all who want to can look up more toilets.
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Old 04-06-2016, 04:59 PM   #56
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Yup...every mfr does. See page 8 Part # 253 in the Raritan PHII owners manual.
PH II Owner’s Manual

Part #11 on page 3 in the Jabsco 37010 electric toilet "manual"
http://www.xylemflowcontrol.com/file...43000-0612.pdf

Those are just two examples...Any of y'all who want to can look up more toilets.
Dang if you ain't right as usual. I guess in my sun burnt mind I read "joker" and thought "choker" all these years.
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Old 04-06-2016, 05:10 PM   #57
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Dang if you ain't right as usual. I guess in my sun burnt mind I read "joker" and thought "choker" all these years.
Choker was probably in the manual as well. As in:

If you don't properly maintain your head, it will become a choker.

If you don't properly maintain your head, you will become a choker when you eventually have to.
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Old 03-01-2023, 05:30 AM   #58
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Whizzit that the joker valve is the first thing anyone suggests is the culprit for ANY sanitation system problem? I get emails from people whose toilet has decided not to bring IN any flush water, and the first thing they say they did was check the joker valve.

Most likely this problem isn't the joker valve or even in the toilet...the holding tank vent is blocked. All tank vents--water, fuel and waste--have two primary functions: to provide an escape for air in the tank displaced by incoming contents and to provide source of air to replace tank contents as they're drawn out. When a waste tank vent becomes blocked, air can't escape through the vent so the tank becomes pressurized, creating backpressure as the air seeks to escape wherever it can...the toilet discharge line is the line of least resistance. And that's the most likely reason your toilet is "burping." A blocked tank will also make it impossible to pump more than a gallon or two out before the pumpout or macerator pump pulls a vacuum. An especially strong pumpout pulling against a blocked vent can even implode a tank. And you weren't too far off when you wondered if your toilet was getting ready to explode, 'cuz if a tank becomes sufficiently pressurized, it can cause an eruption back through the toilet or even burst the tank.

Tank vent blockages are especially common in the spring 'cuz mud daubers just LOVE to build their nests in vent thru-hulls. So before you do anything else, get out a screwdriver or an ice pick or whatever works and scrape/dig whatever has set up housekeeping in your holding tank vent thru-hull. And you do that from OUTSIDE the boat. Don't use the toilet again or attempt to pump or dump the tank until you're sure the vent is clear. Chances are, if it's been at least several hours since the toilet was flushed, enough air will escape through the toilet to relieve the pressure, but I'd still be verrrrry careful when you open the cap on the decK pumpout fitting. And don't even THINK of removing the vent line from the tank until you're 100% certain the system isn't pressurized.

If your vent thru-hull is the usual cap with a slit or a few tiny holes in it, best thing you can do is replace it with an open bulkhead or "mushroom" thru-hull that you can stick a hose nozzle up against and backflush the vent line to keep it clear. As is true of most things, prevention is easier than cure.

Dave, you said, " I may have to rethink my system as I move to a freshwater flush system."

Why? As far as the holding tank is concerned, flush water is flush water...whether it's fresh or sea water.

Cardude...I'll be glad to help you sort out how your toilet--the whole system--works and how to maintain it. It's not rocket science, just a short learning curve that, once you understand it, will help you prevent problems instead of fixing 'em.
Dear Peggy (or others),

I recently had someone replace all my sanitation hoses (and most of the grey water hoses too) with your favorite saniflex hoses. The boat smells great. Thanks!

But, two out of three heads (Dometic 8700 Masterflushes) started bubbling a lot a few seconds after flush, soon after the hoses were replaced. I'm aware that he changed anything related to vents. The timing could be coincidence. And we don't use a tank. It all gets pumped straight through the seacocks (one for each toilet). One of the bubbling toilets is above sea water, the other is below.

Any idea what the problem is? The hoses are new, as mentioned, but the blackwater also passes through some old PVC pipes in some places. So it's possible the PVC or toilet parts are dirty. Could that cause bubbles? My plumber thought it might be the parts of the toilet are dirty and said we could open it up to check. I can do that but wanted to see if that sounds like an accurate diagnosis or not first.

Thanks in advance
Will
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Old 03-01-2023, 08:21 AM   #59
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I imagine you are flushing with sea water (some use domestic water) .The bubbling is just air in the line working its way out. It generally should only do it shortly after flushing and should not have a sewage smell.

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Old 03-01-2023, 08:35 AM   #60
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Greetings,
I'm surprised no one has mentioned this yet...


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