Flush Duration?

We are getting ready to make the jump from a manual head to a Raritan SeaEra QC with a Raritan Smart Toilet Control w/Multifunction Panel, as well. It comes programmed with an 8 second flush, but I can find no information as to how much water that involves. Is 8 seconds long enough, too long, not long enough? I know it can be re-programmed for different times, but wondering what others who have this particular control panel experienced in setting it up. We will have about 4’ of discharge head due to the vented loop in our sailboat.

Ours has a short flush, normal flush, add water and just evacuate the bowl. The manual describes how to modify the duration of the flushes. It depends on how far your holding tank is as to how long a flush you need. Also on what you are flushing.

My thoughts are pretty basic.
You want to flush long enough with enough water to ensure that NO solids remain anywhere in the hoses, otherwise you may suffer premature permeation as well as "other" problems. As Dave stated: "It depends on how far your holding tank is as to how long a flush you need. Also on what you are flushing." You may also need a longer flush if your hose run has any "low" spots along the route. I know you want to balance this with trying to extend the number of days between pump outs.

Experimentation may be in order?

This really depends upon how much hose you have. In my old boat, one head was basically right on top of the holding tank. A short flush would do, the limiting factor was approximately the bowl. The other head was dozens of feet away -- if there were any solids that needed to be pushed through, it could fill the holding tank fast just to get it done. My new boat also has a long, needy run.it really does reduce effective holding tank capacity.

With the Marine Elegance you can use either 1” or 1 1/2” discharge hose. I use 1” so it doesn’t take as much water to flush the hose empty. I use Raritan Sani Flex hose. It is very flexible and doesn’t permeate. Defender has the best price that I have found and they will sell it by the foot.

And that is precisely why I prefer the manual momentary switch. The head in our cabin has a 20-foot run to the holding tank. We almost never use this head to take a dump as it would take a very long flush to push everything through to the tank. Our forward head has just a four-foot run. So, both require just a few seconds of flush time. After a sit on the throne we flush just a bit more than long enough for the poop to disappear from the bowl which varies from poop to poop.

firehoser75 said:

My thoughts are pretty basic.
You want to flush long enough with enough water to ensure that NO solids remain anywhere in the hoses, otherwise you may suffer premature permeation as well as "other" problems. As Dave stated: "It depends on how far your holding tank is as to how long a flush you need. Also on what you are flushing." You may also need a longer flush if your hose run has any "low" spots along the route. I know you want to balance this with trying to extend the number of days between pump outs.

Experimentation may be in order?

Click to expand...

Thanks to all. Does anyone actually have the data to correlate SeaEra QC flush duration to a specific length of 1” and/or 1 1/2” hose. For example, how many seconds does it take to completely flush through 10’ of 1” hose. Looking at the Raritan literature, recommended discharge hose length is about 6’ with default flush duration of 8 seconds. Does this imply that it actually takes 8 seconds to flush through 6’ of hose? I understand back pressure from vented loop would effect result.

Jc180 said:

It comes programmed with an 8 second flush, but I can find no information as to how much water that involves. Is 8 seconds long enough, too long, not long enough?

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4 seconds is long enough for a flush with no solids. Should use 1-2 quarts. We are frequently in NDZ and have a small holding tank so less is best.

Only on a boating forum would there be an active discussion about flush duration. Non-boaters must think we've lost our minds.

But then again........non-boaters don’t understand most of what is important to us.��

It's important to remember to always add water to the bowl ahead of solids. (If your toilet isn't one that allows you to bring water into the bowl and hold it ahead of use, use a cup from the sink. If the added water drains out of the bowl as fast as you add it, it's WAAAY past time to replace the joker valve).
Adding water to the bowl before use leaves it a lot cleaner and requires a LOT less flush water to leave it clean.

There are a few toilets--Raritan Marine Elegance, Atlantes, Headhunter, Tecma--that can move bowl contents 20+feet without a LOT of help from gravity, but most manual and electric toilets can move bowl contents only about 6' in the amount of time anyone is likely to keep pumping and/or leave their finger on a flush button. This is guaranteed to leave flushes sitting in the toilet discharge line in most installations. On most boats it's usually possible to add some help from gravity by modifying the toilet discharge line. I'll be glad to help anyone figure out what to do and whether it's can be done on your boat if you want to give me shout.

--Peggie

kthoennes said:

Only on a boating forum would there be an active discussion about flush duration. Non-boaters must think we've lost our minds.

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Not only on boating forums... You can put 100 homeowners together for a month and it's highly unlikely that there'll be any mention of their toilets. But you only have to put at least 3 boat owners together for it to be almost a certainty that the subject will come up sooner or later...in about 15 minutes max if I show up!

--Peggie

Thanks again to all who replied. It Will be a few weeks til we get all installed, but we’ll try to do a few experiments when installing system to record flush volumes, flow rates, etc and report back to forum.

Prefer a button
More simple
More control

On my 1989 N46, the head discharge (manual/electric) went under the shower floor. There was a removable panel in the shower floor, lightly fiberglass and screwed down. It had a 90degree fitting. After the 2nd time it plugged up, I told 'the man', 2 45degree fittings would make the flow better, easier. Well, after the 3rd or maybe 4th time he suggested 2 45degree fittings I didn't say a thing, he replaced the 90 with 2 45s a couple of inches apart and I never had another problem LOL

Another thing that helps alleviate skid marks in the head, so to speak, is to put some TP in the target area so it doesn’t stick to the bowl but slides down on the TP. Saves some cleaning.

A saying from Calif during one of their many water crises, 'If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown flush it down. Then after everyone conserved, the water commission determined, due to a decrease in revenue they needed to raise the water rates. Screwed again.
<flush> until you count to 5, as a minimum.
My holding tank is 45 gal. I have my tank pumped every 7 days. I had 4 people filling it up and never had a problem. Yea, I was surprised too.

Comodave said:

Another thing that helps alleviate skid marks in the head, so to speak, is to put some TP in the target area so it doesn’t stick to the bowl but slides down on the TP. Saves some cleaning.

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Why would you do that instead of just adding about a quart of water to the bowl--about the same amount that sits in most household toilet bowls--ahead of use? How often have you seen skid marks in a toilet on land after use? Have you EVER seen anyone line a bowl on land with TP ahead of use to prevent 'em?

TP in a dry bowl ahead of use plus MORE TP after use just moves any skid marks to the toilet discharge line. Water in the bowl prevents 'em altogether.

And btw, "if it's brown flush it down, if it's yellow let it mellow" originated on sailboats at least 50 years ago.
<sigh>....

-Peggie

HeadMistress said:

And btw, "if it's brown flush it down, if it's yellow let it mellow" originated on sailboats at least 50 years ago.
<sigh>....

-Peggie

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LOL Peggie, 50s years ago.... that wasn't too long ago, right? That would put it about the late 60s, early 70s. I know Calf was having a water crises at the time too.
You do remember the 60s sort of? Way way back when war was dangerous and sex was safe?

HeadMistress said:

Why would you do that instead of just adding about a quart of water to the bowl Peggie

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We do same as Comodave, adding both TP and water. Works like a Charmin on our two Vacuflushes. Never a plugged line since boat was new and skid marks few.

Simi 60 said:

Prefer a button
More simple
More control

Click to expand...

A button would be great if every user knew how long to flush. But if you have guests they don't. Having a programmable auto flush with separate buttond/cycles for #1 vs #2 is my preference. I love the Maine elegance heads I installed.

READY said:

A button would be great if every user knew how long to flush. But if you have guests they don't. Having a programmable auto flush with separate buttond/cycles for #1 vs #2 is my preference. I love the Maine elegance heads I installed.

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like, enjoy but, love? That's a bit strong isn't it?

READY said:

A button would be great if every user knew how long to flush. But if you have guests they don't. Having a programmable auto flush with separate buttond/cycles for #1 vs #2 is my preference. I love the Maine elegance heads I installed.

Click to expand...

I dont hang around with people that thick.
If its still in the bowl its not long enough
If its gone, it is long enough.

Simi 60 said:

If its gone, it is long enough.

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The challenge is that for #2, that isn't [necessarily] true. Depends upon the length and diameter of the hose actual ID, tight angles, etc. .

Nope. Marine Elegance owners are highly satisfied customers, especially those who are former Vacuflush owners.

OldDan1943 said:

like, enjoy but, love? That's a bit strong isn't it?

Click to expand...

catalinajack said:

Nope. Marine Elegance owners are highly satisfied customers, especially those who are former Vacuflush owners.

Click to expand...

What he said

OldDan1943 said:

like, enjoy but, love? That's a bit strong isn't it?

Click to expand...

I love mine.

READY said:

A button would be great if every user knew how long to flush. But if you have guests they don't.

Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure that any guest over the age of 10 is capable of understanding "press this button and count to 5" if you put that in writing above the middle button, especially if you make it part of your "get acquainted with the boat" tour (which you DO conduct for all 1st time guests?)


--Peggie

Jc180 said:

We are getting ready to make the jump from a manual head to a Raritan SeaEra QC with a Raritan Smart Toilet Control w/Multifunction Panel, as well. It comes programmed with an 8 second flush, but I can find no information as to how much water that involves. Is 8 seconds long enough, too long, not long enough? I know it can be re-programmed for different times, but wondering what others who have this particular control panel experienced in setting it up. We will have about 4’ of discharge head due to the vented loop in our sailboat.

Click to expand...

We've had the Marine elegance toilet a few years and it's been great. The Smart Control panel was difficult and irritating to use, you have to find the exact spot to push which got old. I replaced that panel with a Dometic/Sealand panel that has two rocker switches and it's great, easy to use. One push flushes and adds water at the same time which the Smart panel will not do. Another adds just water and the other is flush only. This is just simple, easy to use, and an excellent upgrade.

https://www.fisheriessupply.com/sealand-flush-switch-assembly-kit/385311702

I went from two manual sea water flush toilets to VacuFlush using water from the tanks. We have had our vessel 13 years with this system. The longest run is about 20 feet of 1 1/2 hose for the bends and 1 1/2inch PVC for the straight runs, and never had a problem. We do need to replace the duck bills once in a while but that has been it. I can't even relate to some 'solids' being stuck half way to the vacuum pump. But as Peggie mentioned, filling the bowl with additional water before 'you know what' has been our practice as well.