VacuFlush head conversion

[Landshark]

Has anyone taken out a VacuFlush system and replaced it with a Dometic 8100?

 

[Moonfish]

No, but I removed a VacuFlush and replaced it with a Raritan Marine Elegance. Couldn't be happier.

 

[Iggy]

I had vacuflush on my last boat. Worked great, but way too complicated.

 

[Comodave]

I have taken them out of 4 boats and replaced them with Raritan Marine Elegance. Could not be happier with the ME heads. Way way better than VF. I think the ME is the best head on the market, at least as good as any other.

 

[sealandsky]

from responses I'm seeing - vacu-flush is not the "gold standard'?

 

[tiltrider1]

Vacuflush was the gold standard in the 70’ & 80’s. It certainly has competition now. Unfortunately, due to its reputation many Vacuflush systems were installed poorly just so a boat could claim it was vacuflush. This has led to some issues. Back before the improvement in sanitation horses, no one wanted macerated toilets as the hose stank so bad. This is no longer the case.

 

[Comodave]

Yes, way back in the day macerating heads drew so much power that the VF was a reasonable alternative since it didn’t draw so much power. But they are a very complicated system with lots of points of failure. Theye are many places that you can get a vacuum leak it can be difficult to track the leaks down. And the parts are quite expensive. The VF system has parts scattered around the boat. The ME head has everything contained in the head itself except the control board. I have removed 4 VF systems and put MEs in their place and never had any issues with the MEs. All 4 boats with the VF heads were leaking when I bought the boats. I didn’t even try to troubleshoot them but just ripped them out and installed the ME. I only use Raritan SaniFlex hose since it doesn’t permeate like some other sanitation hoses.

 

[w8n4sun]

Has anyone taken out a VacuFlush system and replaced it with a Dometic 8100?

Just did this exact conversion, could not be happier with the results. Go for it!

 

[Bmarler]

I just removed the vacuflush on my boat too. I actually like the way they work, but it was too difficult to get to the vacuum generator for service.
I installed a marine elegance after hearing how great they were. I wish I would have done more research before buying one as it’s quite a bit smaller in size than the vacuflush I removed. It works great, but I’d rather have the household bowl size.

 

[kchace]

I just removed the vacuflush on my boat too. I actually like the way they work, but it was too difficult to get to the vacuum generator for service.
I installed a marine elegance after hearing how great they were. I wish I would have done more research before buying one as it’s quite a bit smaller in size than the vacuflush I removed. It works great, but I’d rather have the household bowl size.

Interesting because I just did the same conversion and my ME head is definitely household size. I know there are a number of ME versions in height and slant but didn’t know they also have a compact size. Good for anyone else doing the conversion to make sure you select the type and size you really want.

Ken

 

[Comodave]

I just removed the vacuflush on my boat too. I actually like the way they work, but it was too difficult to get to the vacuum generator for service.
I installed a marine elegance after hearing how great they were. I wish I would have done more research before buying one as it’s quite a bit smaller in size than the vacuflush I removed. It works great, but I’d rather have the household bowl size.

Ours is household size with an elongated bowl.

 

[sealandsky]

Last year we replaced our "chainsaw" ME units for the full-size elongated Jabsco Quiet Flush units. While I like the elongated bowl, they aren't exactly "quiet". More like going from a gas chainsaw to an electric one.

 

[DDW]

My ME is noisy. But the Vacuflush it replaced was noisier still. Count me as another vote for deep sixing the Vacuflush.

 

[Comodave]

Yes, I guess our ME is noisy. We actually don’t really notice the noise. And I am willing to live with the noise since the head just works. And it doesn’t have any vacuum leaks…

 

[bkcorwin]

I pulled out a vacuflush system with 4 heads, 4 accumulators, m pump and replaced them all with 8100s.

Toilets have worked great.

 

[Southern Boater]

A comment for those living outside continental USA and thinking about a change in toilets, Tecma offer a very good option through global suppliers.

 

[TStiles]

'Had an Ocean Alexander a number of years back that had VF heads. After a couple rounds of repairs, I vowed to go macerator. Tecma was my choice at the time, and other than being a bit noisy, they proved to be bullet proof.
I recently purchased a Camano (built in British Columbia in the late 2000's) that had a pretty sanitary VF installation. Well, history repeated itself and I'm now in the process of installing a ME hoping I'll be as satisfied as everyone else who has adopted ME.

 

[rwaldrop13]

Has anyone taken out a VacuFlush system and replaced it with a Dometic 8100?

We didn't replace a vacuflush but we replaced a GalleyMaid saltwater with a Dometic 8100 using freshwater in our midships/day head. While it seemed a little noisy, compared to the GalleyMaid in the aft (master) head, it was a whisper-flush. Worked great.

 

[FoxtrotCharlie]

I replaced two GalleyMaid's with Raritan Marine Elegance - best move I made on that boat - no issues for the following five years we owned the boat. Fresh water flush only, so fairly quiet - we carried 370 gal of fresh water.

 

[Sleeping Bear]

For all you folks with a noisy ME head, I changed to a system which uses ship's water thereby removing the water pump from Raritan, realised most of the noise was the raritan pump, much quieter now.

 

[Quicksilver55]

Has anyone taken out a VacuFlush system and replaced it with a Dometic 8100?

We did this on our 48 californian and could not b be happier. The new one is in the aft head and we are now having issues with the forward head vacuflush. I'll do basic repairs and replace that on when I get home but I'm in the gulf right now and home is Chicago.