Trojan Boat Forum

I currently have a manual toilet in my F32 and would like to upgrade to an electric model. Does anyone have any suggestions on a good solid model that is relatively easy to install.

I used a sea Raritan era very happy with it . I recc to use freash water to flush . That cut down on the smell of the holding tank . http://www.raritaneng.com/products/toilets/index.html

I've installed a couple of these from Jabsco
http://www.jabsco.com/products/marine/t ... /index.htm
along with a tank from http://www.tankdepot.com

Pretty simple. Measure where it is going to go. Check your space against the models and be certain you have enough room for clearance. I like the Jabsco with the pump mounted to the back vs the type with the side mount pump. If you have the space, buy the bigger bowl, it will seem to "feel" more like home Make sure you have a solid base to mount it to.

Same plan with the tank. Measure your open spaces. The bad thing about electric heads is that they tend to fill up the holding tank faster. They should not have to, but guests can be lazy with a manual pump head and about anyone can push a button, sometimes too long. So, plan on a bigger tank. Spring for a tank guage or remote alarm if you can. You don't want to be overfilling the tank and pumping over-board. Its nasty, and in most places prohibited.

Also, with this type of system, your waste can't be pumped up much higher than the middle of the bowl and its best to send the waste up close to the bowl and then slope down to the tank. Doing this will cause a natural siphon towards the tank vs back towards the bowl.

If you have the cash, spring for a vacuflush system. They take up more room, but you won't have as many concerns about the placement of the tank and lines and suction does all the work.

trepka2001 wrote:I currently have a manual toilet in my F32 and would like to upgrade to an electric model. Does anyone have any suggestions on a good solid model that is relatively easy to install.

I like the Jabsco. Most all of the electric heads have a fairly heavy electric draw. Use heave wire to make the run to the head.

If you boat in fairly clean fresh water, I wouldn't use house water for the flush. The solenoid/valve is expensive, and you probably are using sea water to flush you old head. I am a Great Lakes boater and there no problems using lake water. Salt water, on the other hand, will smell especially if it sits in the bowl for any length of time.

gjrylands wrote:

trepka2001 wrote:I currently have a manual toilet in my F32 and would like to upgrade to an electric model. Does anyone have any suggestions on a good solid model that is relatively easy to install.

I like the Jabsco. Most all of the electric heads have a fairly heavy electric draw. Use heave wire to make the run to the head.

If you boat in fairly clean fresh water, I wouldn't use house water for the flush. The solenoid/valve is expensive, and you probably are using sea water to flush you old head. I am a Great Lakes boater and there no problems using lake water. Salt water, on the other hand, will smell especially if it sits in the bowl for any length of time.

you can buy the head with the valve /sol about the same price as the one with sea water punp. if in salt water I would hook up to the freash water tank . if the boats in fresh water it may not matter

I installed a complete new head system (tank, hoses, stool, level sensor) last year. I installed a Raritan Alantes model and Raritan B101 tank that fits perfectly in my F-32 under the v-berth. Had to remove the v-berth door but it was easy to put back in. I am in Lake Michigan and use the fresh water system in my boat to supply water to the head. The solenoid comes with the toilet. You will need a vacuum breaker installed in line on the water supply side. Everything was pretty straight forward. You can order the tank with the fittings anywhere you want them. I have the inlet to the tank mounted at the top towards the bow and two vent lines in the top on either side and the pump out fitting in the very bottom near the keel. The hardest part was running the sanitation hose as it is very stiff. My wife loves it compared to the the old recirculating monomatic disease spreading thing we had when we first got the boat. Never even used it. My wife said it had to go once I described how it worked.

Rule on our boat. If it didn't go in your mouth and run through your body it won't run through the head.

You can search this forum- many discussions. I too, have replaced mine with a Raritan SeaEra model- fresh water household style. Love it. Easy to install. Runs to the holding tank in the Vbirth.

Once you get rid of that old model you have, you'll wonder why you didn't replace it sooner!

TADTOOMUCH,

I CURRENTLY HAVE A PORTA POTTIE IN MY F32 BUT WOULD LIKE TO PUT BACK A CONVENTIONAL TOILET. MY HOLDING TANK WAS TAKEN OUT AND I AM NOT SURE WHERE TO PUT THE NEW ONE. WHERE IN YOU V BERTH IS YOUR TANK? MIDDLE OR SIDE AND WHAT SIZE TANK DID YOU PUT IN?

THANKS DAN

I have a vacu-flush Mansfield still running from the '70's, the holding tank is under the V berth as is the vacuum tank and macerator/pump. The modern versions have a much smaller vacuum holding tank which would leave more space.
http://www.sealandservices.com/VacuFlush%20Intro.htm

They are simple to maintain, generally trouble free and use very little water. My 17 gallon holding tank handles 4 people for about 5 days.

thanks to all for the excellent information!!! now i must decipher it all and see what works best for me, i am also on the great lakes and will use lake water vs. tap for my new system.

My holding tank is 38 gallons and you can find it on the Raritan web site or order it from Plasti-Mart online. Model B101. It fills the whole area almost under the v-berth. Had to remove the door and frame to the v-berth to get it in place but it only involved removing about 16 screws and went right back in place afterward. Holes were already drilled through the bulkheads to pass the sanitation hoses. I installed a Raritan Alantes-Freedom electric head. I also have a exterior mounted tank level sensor I put on the tank before bracing it in place. You will want to make some wood braces once the tank is in place to hold it from sliding forward and upward in rough seas. I also used some spray foam along the edges where the tank sits against the hull for cushion before I set it in place and then along the perimeter to hold it in place as well as the bracing I installed.