Replacing Head and Holding Tank

spearson · **Joined:** 09 Jun 2007 20:56 **Posts:** 15

All,

Does anyone have a strong recommendation on a type of replacement head to install. The original is on its last legs and I'd like one that fits in without extensive surgery. I also may replace the holding tank. Any ideas for the tank or do I have to go custom?

Thanks.

Scott
Tranquility #279

DAEDALUSCAN · **Joined:** 09 Dec 2007 21:03 **Posts:** 114

I have tried all the heads from the Baby Blake to the cheapos and honestly think the jabsco at $140 is the best deal. I have wing nuts on mine and if it fails I will just junk it. I hate taking those things apart. I have a flat holding tank under the port v berth. looks likea standard tank.

Velera · **Joined:** 29 Dec 2006 09:38 **Posts:** 656

You can get the original equipment Wilcox Crittenden Headmate for about the same price as the Jabsco if you shop (I got a replacement for $150 last year from Hamilton Marine). I agree that junking the heads may eventually be preferable to rebuilding them, but the WC Headmate is easy to rebuild with a kit (until the insides of the pump is scored) and, I think, better built than the Jabsco, but if you are just going to junk it, who cares? Not sure why you would replace the holding tank unless it is cracked. If it is, I understand it is possible to "weld" polyethelene. If it is smell you are trying to reduce, it is most likely the hoses, not the tank. Joe Palmer used to sell replacement tanks and I would bet Tartan parts would sell you an overpriced replacement.

Incidentally, on smell reduction--the previous owner who lived aboard taught me that filling the sink with fresh water and flushing the head with fresh occasionally (and leaving the hoses filled with fresh) kills the smelly stuff and in the ensuing 17 years of ownership, I have found him to be correct. This is an advantage of the peculiar original plumbing of the sink and head on the T37 where the sink drain functions as the head intake. BTW--if you leave a plug in the sink with all the hoses full, you also can create a siphon through your head and flood the boat--don't ask how I know this. The sink drain is a siphon break in the OE plumbing system.

sord · **Posted:** 15 Aug 2009 11:54

We replaced our original system last spring with a Sealand Domestic VacuFlush with a 45 gallon V holding tank and couldn't be happier. Yes it is expensive ($2000) but we have no smell, my wife is happy (even shows friends our feature toilet) and we have been living abord for the last 3 weeks without needing a pumpout yet (60% full as of this morning). We do follow the rule 'If it is yellow let it mellow but brown we flush down". When we pumpout the system leaves only a cup or so of fluid in the tank not like the original tnk that never pumped bellow about 20%. All the tank fittings are on the top of the tank so no possibility of leaky fittings.
I have documented the install and will post it later this week. Very Happy

Tortuga's Lie · **Joined:** 27 Oct 2006 10:32 **Posts:** 827

I use to rebuild my W-C skipper head every few years or so and found that it isn't all that hard, but the rebuild kit was costing me at least $75 every time!!! So I finally heeded the advice of a friend and went the way of "disposable" heads....This one is EXACLTY like the Jabsco, but a little cheaper....$125+/- delivered:
http://www.wholesalemarine.com/pc/JON-8 ... ilet.html#

rhfetc · **Joined:** 24 Jun 2007 20:30 **Posts:** 19

Has anyone installed one of the composting heads in a T37 yet? I just cut a cruise short because of a smell my crew didn't like in the v-berth and I suspect the toilet out-take hose needs replacing. But the composting toilet idea is intriguing. I am experimenting this summer with a homemade 5 gallon bucket version in the shop and on one camping trip and the results are encouraging. Check out http://www.jenkinspublishing.com/humanure.html.

Here is the $850 commercial version I would try if there were room:

http://www.belowthedeck.com/natures%20head.htm

Ciao for now ...

NewDay#16 · **Joined:** 12 Oct 2007 11:01 **Posts:** 35

I had (have) an Airhead composting toilet (http://www.airheadtoilet.com/) on my T34. Although a bit pricey (=sum of entire traditional head+holding tank and hoses) it works swell. The one big advantage it has over other composting toilets is it separates the liquid from the solids at input time (umm..) and the solids decompose in peat moss so there is no soupy slurry to attract anything else. You'll end up dumping out the liquid every 3-4 days, assuming a couple is using it, and burying the solids at the end of the season. No smell and NO PUMPOUTS!

John Harvey
New Day T37 #16

spearson · **Joined:** 09 Jun 2007 20:56 **Posts:** 15

Report after the fact: I found that I could buy the original holding tank from Kracor - ask for the T37 version and all fittings will be in the right spots. It fits like a glove in the existing mounts. I then bought a new Jabsco compact manual head which was surprisingly cheap. Plumbed them all together with new sanitary hose and works like a charm just make sure you double clamp everywhere and tighten well and several times as they settle over time. Hint: you don't need a Y valve - simply a "t" fitting between the outbound tank fitting, the exit seacock under the sink and the deck pumpout. Good luck.

Tartan37.com

Replacing Head and Holding Tank

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