Over-flowing Head Problem....

[matlos]

I have a '63 b31 SF which has the head in the cabin between the berths. I recently installed a new electric head, and plumbing. While at rest, the water level in the bowl slowly rises and dribbles over the edge of the bowl.... It just drips, so its not necessarily dangerous, and I just open and close the valves every time I want to use it.... not very practical. Ideally, it needs a vent tube on the inlet and outlet pipes, because while the head is not actually below sea level it is very close and creates a siphon. There is however no room for making the required loop. Would a non-return valve work on the outlet pipe? Any other simple fixes that would not include an electric solenoid valve?

Should be a simple fix, but need to get it right.

Thanks,

Mat

[Tony Meola]

I have a very small back flow into mine, I installed a flapper check valve and it solved my problem.

[Pete Fallon]

Matlos,
How about running your discharge line up the back side of the head compartment into the anchor locker area, then add a vented loop, there should be enough room to keep the line from interfering with your anchor chain or line. If not add a check valve in the line like Tony suggested.
Pete Fallon

[matlos]

Tony hi,
I read that the check valves can get clogged and may not be the best option... have you experienced anything similar?

Pete, thanks for you suggestion. May be worth checking.

Mat

[Yannis]

the check valves can get clogged and may not be the best option

...especially with what they have to let go through in your boat. Poor valve !!

[Tony Meola]

It is a flapper type of check valve. The link below is the one I have used. I have not had a clog problem. But then again, we are careful as to what goes in the head. Also, I use the paper that is quick disolving.

http://www.westmarine.com/buy/bosworth- ... 32_003_515

http://www.westmarine.com/buy/west-mari ... --11012663

My valve is right at the bulkhead as it passes through to go to the holding tank. I also have the vented loop. My issue is the holding tank is outside of the starboard engine so it has a slight rise to it. I was getting some back flow from the vented loop to the toilet. Not enough to overflow the toilet but enough to make it a pain.

[Navatech]

"Marine toilet tissue" is a scam... Buy some 4 roll packs (or smaller if you can) at your local super market... Put a couple of sheets of each into a glass jar with water... Remember what you put in each glass... Purchase the one that "dissolved" in 1 hours or less as your "marine toilet tissue"... Cheaper toilet paper seems to be more dissolvable...

[Yannis]

Nav,

This is a delicate issue. I just ONCE threw tp in the head, just to test what would happen. For days, there were still tiny pieces of paper coming out...

I suspect ALL tp has plastic in it, therefore very difficult to dissolve. In the islands, for example, in those remote houses that are not connected to a city sewage system and instead have a septic-absorbing tank, they tell people NOT to throw pt in the toilet, simply because it never dissolves and just clogs the tank's absorbing surface.

If there were a truly marine tp, I would like to know.

[Navatech]

If there were a truly marine tp, I would like to know.

All paper is made out of fibers... Some paper has a binding agent to bind the fibers to each other... Some paper is actually laminated (glossy magazines)... What you want from "marine" TP is that it will dissolve into its constituent fibers... And that it will do so fast... Have you ever noticed the TP airlines use?!... Same thing...

Running a test like I described is easy and definitive... Once you have found a brand that dissolves you shouldn't have any problems...

Many RV and boat people do NOT flush TP... They have a garbage can or something along such lines in their WC... One guy I know doesn't carry ANY TP... He uses baby wipes and deposits them in sandwich bags...

Actually, TP isn't that common world wide... People all over the world wash their private parts with water to clean up... I wouldn't be surprised if they're the majority...

Do what you feel is right for you...

[Yannis]

One guy I know doesn't carry ANY TP

That's me. You cannot block my head, simply because you will never find tp on my boat.

[matlos]

Tony hi again,

Ok, so you have an enclosed head, with loop, going to the holding tank, and check valve from the holding tank back to the head... slightly different. Mine is between the fwd berths. So the only way to form the loop is probably in the chain locker.... I will go for the flap/check valve, it's easier at the moment.

Yianni, thanks for your useful insight.

Thanks,

Mat

[Navatech]

That's me. You cannot block my head, simply because you will never find tp on my boat.

So, sorry for the question but, how do you wipe your ass?!... And, what about those nice ladies you ferry around?!...

[Yannis]

Nav,

We take a shower. Alternatively, the sea is always a good friend!
We very seldom have to use the boat facilities anyway...

[Tony Meola]

Yannis & Nav

Too much information.

[Yannis]

Sorry Tony, I just answered as briefly as possible.
On second thoughts, I edited to the minimum.

[Tony Meola]

Yannis

Actually it is a saying here in the US when the info is getting maybe too personal or maybe the visual is lets say better left unknown.

[JP Dalik]

Is the bowl below the water line with no siphon break above the water line

[matlos]

The top of the bowl is at the waterline... Piping is below waterline. There is no siphon, and there is not much room for one unless I pass it into the chain locker like pete suggested in a previous post, but that's not going to be easy. Let me know if you have any good ideas!

[matlos]

The link should show a pic I think....

[Yannis]

Matt,

if you pass it into the chain locker you have to see what will be happening to the chain drain water and whether the chain weight might squeeze the tube loop.

Alternatively, you may consider passing the siphon loop up at the forward most end of the bed, up against the trapezoidal part in fiberglass, and bring the wooden part of the bulkhead by a few centimeters back and all the way down to cover it. This will inevitably render your bed a little shorter and you will have to also increase the height of the fiberglass trapeze to support the chain weight (which I believe is necessary anyway) as the bulkhead itself cannot support 50 or so meters of 8mm chain weight in rough weather.






Original height of anchor locker; no rear chain support.


New anchor locker, with fiberglass addition in height, so as to support the chain's weight.


New bulkhead. Yours will have to go all the way down to the bed surface to cover the head's loop which will be sandwitched between the two.



Good luck !

[Yannis]

New anchor drain:

[matlos]

Sounds like a solution... Do you reckon both pipes (inlet and outlet) need to have a loop, or just the inlet and a flapper valve on the outlet?