Vaccuflush head cycling

[rgano]

Hopefully, you will find your solution in the very thorough postings up thread, BUT if you don't, I have a recommendation that I have not seen directly addressed above except as flush valve replacement. It took me sneaking up on the toilet on all fours to listen in very quiet conditions to detect the very faint hiss in the vicinity of the brass operating shaft for the foot pedal using a two-foot long piece of 3/4" hose to my one good ear and the other "sniffing" around the suspect areas. I ordered a new shaft which comes with the o-rings for it and gooped it up with silicone grease when I replaced the old one. My system holds for weeks, and I like it.

 

[Bmarler]

I read the thread. I am a bit unsure why a clogged hose post-toilet is somehow attributable to the toilet itself.

A solution was never posted. We don’t know what the actual issue was.

 

[Capt. Rodbone]

OP Update

I am the original poster regarding the vacuum flush. One responder noted I had not updated with the actual issue. So here it is.

Not knowing how recently the duck bills had been replaced we had those replaced given many responses here and other conversations that told me that’s where I should start. That didn’t solve it but at least I now know there are new ones and how long they’ve been in there. The next step was to replace the seal at the bottom of the bowl. That solved it.

 

[Hippocampus]

Good to hear. Any tricks to replacing the seal?

 

[sunchaser]

I see 35 to 40 year old boats with Vacuflush heads. How many millions do you suppose they've sold?

Don't know how long Marine Elegance have been around or how many they've sold.

Are Ford Lehmans bad engines because of the number of threads about fixing them?

Ted

Your post reminds me that every time (monthly??) a VF thread starts that the same responders reply how they solved their problem was by buying a Marine Elegance. The thought crosses my mind that we happy VF owners must be mechanical and plumbing genius's as we can keep these still wildly popular VF units pumping away with little fanfare.

 

[O C Diver]

Your post reminds me that every time (monthly??) a VF thread starts that the same responders reply how they solved their problem was by buying a Marine Elegance. The thought crosses my mind that we happy VF owners must be mechanical and plumbing genius's as we can keep these still wildly popular VF units pumping away with little fanfare.

Ted

 

[Hippocampus]

Got an Uber and went to Wally World. Got a plunger and fixed the master stateroom head. Checked air vent but still can’t pump out. Now convinced that hose (holding tank to deck) is clogged. Pored in some bugs via the deck fitting. Flying home for the holidays and other stuff so have no choice but to defer messing with it further for now.

 

[Comodave]

Your post reminds me that every time (monthly??) a VF thread starts that the same responders reply how they solved their problem was by buying a Marine Elegance. The thought crosses my mind that we happy VF owners must be mechanical and plumbing genius's as we can keep these still wildly popular VF units pumping away with little fanfare.

This quote is generally attributed to Albert Einstein.

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”

Maybe as in working on a Vacuflush head over and over and expecting it to keep working trouble free…

 

[sunchaser]

This quote is generally attributed to Albert Einstein.

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”

Maybe as in working on a Vacuflush head over and over and expecting it to keep working trouble free…

Dave
You couldn't be more right. But we boaters have never been accused of much sanity. Some have even owned +20 vessels and are likely on the hunt for the next one. I by the way plead guilty on all counts.

 

[O C Diver]

This quote is generally attributed to Albert Einstein.

“Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”

Maybe as in working on a Vacuflush head over and over and expecting it to keep working trouble free…

Well based on the rate you change boats, what new head wouldn't be trouble free for your entire ownership?

Ted

 

[ksanders]

well based on the rate you change boats, what new head wouldn't be trouble free for your entire ownership?

Ted

lol!!!!

 

[Comodave]

Well based on the rate you change boats, what new head wouldn't be trouble free for your entire ownership?

Ted

I have kept some boats for a while. Some longer than others and some 2 or 3 at a time.

 

[gordytwo]

I guess some people are talented enough to keep the vacuflush system working without problems and some just don't.

 

[Comodave]

Some don’t want to bother…

 

[O C Diver]

I have kept some boats for a while. Some longer than others and some 2 or 3 at a time.

I believe there's a 12 step program for chronic BAS ( Boat Acquisition Syndrome). Step away from the Yachtworld.com.

Ted

 

[Comodave]

We are probably, maybe, on our last boat now. It is getting more difficult to do all the work when I get a new one. Much more difficult than it used to be…

 

[mvweebles]

We are probably, maybe, on our last boat now. It is getting more difficult to do all the work when I get a new one. Much more difficult than it used to be…

Consider buying an older boat and doing a massive refit. Your mind, eyes, and ears executed by a team of workers - the conductor of an orchestra. Today I managed 4 work streams - a carpenter, a fiberglass guy, an electronics guy, and a welder. Oh, and the upholstered delivered flybridge cushions. It's sort of fun to see the work being done and not doing it myself.

At least as long as everyone shows up.......

Assuming your kids college is funded, doing a refit is sorta fun. Terrible financial expenditure though.

Peter

 

[Comodave]

Been there done that several times. But I don’t know if I have another one in me. My son owns his own software company. My older grandson has accepted a job with a space company and will be graduating in May with an Aeronautical Engineering and Mathematics degrees(an actual rocket scientist). My younger grandson is in his first year at Northwestern. So I don’t need to take care of any of them, just spend my pennies on my last boat…

 

[Hippocampus]

Peter what’s getting me down is I thought I knew a little about boats. Thought my engine and general surveyors did a good job. In spite of that I’m constantly chasing things that don’t work or need attention. Whoever gets this boat after me is going to get an excellent deal as all that stuff will be fixed at a ABYC standard. Also running into the time conflict. Due to family and other obligations I’m off the boat with the boat left in other states. So I’m unable to physically watch any work I hire out and don’t have the time to do it myself all to often. Now in Hilton Head skull creek. The yard is a parking lot for boats. No mechanics or other service people. Just berths and nothing else. Given the absence of local knowledge I don’t know which outside vendor to use. Fortunately other then our head troubles for present don’t have other key things needing attention.
Prior refits were done in a full service yard with whom I had a long relationship with. I could ask for help when needed. Also done with the boat on the hard and with no scheduling issues. This one is being in part while on the run. While our home port is in RI have had most things addressed while in Deltaville VA. When not there it’s on me.

 

[rgano]

What's that old gag definition of cruising? Cruising is defined as fixing your boat in exotic locations.

 

[sunchaser]

Hippo
In a pinch, porta potties work great. Years ago, I had one in a small Sea Ray and it worked with little difficulty. Once you're to a fix it place your big system issues can be addressed.

 

[tozz]

I see 35 to 40 year old boats with Vacuflush heads. How many millions do you suppose they've sold?

Don't know how long Marine Elegance have been around or how many they've sold.

Are Ford Lehmans bad engines because of the number of threads about fixing them?

Ted

Another base rate fallacy for sure! The install base makes a huge difference and that's why, as others have mentioned, normalizing to a defect rate is a better stat.

-tozz

 

[mvweebles]

Peter what’s getting me down is I thought I knew a little about boats. Thought my engine and general surveyors did a good job. In spite of that I’m constantly chasing things that don’t work or need attention. Whoever gets this boat after me is going to get an excellent deal as all that stuff will be fixed at a ABYC standard. Also running into the time conflict. Due to family and other obligations I’m off the boat with the boat left in other states. So I’m unable to physically watch any work I hire out and don’t have the time to do it myself all to often. Now in Hilton Head skull creek. The yard is a parking lot for boats. No mechanics or other service people. Just berths and nothing else. Given the absence of local knowledge I don’t know which outside vendor to use. Fortunately other then our head troubles for present don’t have other key things needing attention.
Prior refits were done in a full service yard with whom I had a long relationship with. I could ask for help when needed. Also done with the boat on the hard and with no scheduling issues. This one is being in part while on the run. While our home port is in RI have had most things addressed while in Deltaville VA. When not there it’s on me.

I feel your pain. I too thought I had decent knowledge of both boats and people. Even before this refit, I have had a lot of work done remotely due to my heavy travel schedule (M-Th every week of the year) during an extensive house remodel. I've lowered my expectations not just because some work is mediocre, but it's hard for people to get really vested in a project with an absent owner. It's even worse with boat related work because it's so much more bespoke than conventional construction.

End is in sight for me, at least the end of this big chapter. I was supposed to launch today but will be two weeks from tomorrow. From there, I expect to discover a LOT of problems, some of which will be on me to finalize. With exception of the venerable Perkins 4.236 and the hull, everything else is new. Every inch of plumbing; every wire, bus bar, breaker, switch. So I expect a fair amount of tinkering will be needed.

Peter

 

[HeadMistress]

Cruising is defined as fixing your boat in exotic locations.


And yachting is defined as cruising your boat to exotic locations to pay someone else to work on it.

 

[Southern Boater]

I noticed a couple of mentions of the Tecma brand of toilet, with little to no responses. For those not living in continental USA, this European built toilet is worth a serious consideration, it appears very similar in concept to ME.
Another issue raised during this thread was sanitation outlet hose.
It appears the butyl rubber lined hose options don’t allow smells to permeate through, unlike standard PVC options after a couple of years. Costing twice as much, but worth the investment IMO.

 

[Comodave]

SaniFlex hose is butyl. It doesn’t let odors out. And it is extremely flexible. Way better than PVC hose. Yes it is more expensive but when working with head discharge hose I want quality so I don’t have to do it again. I also use it for bilge pump hose since it is so flexible.

 

[mvweebles]

I noticed a couple of mentions of the Tecma brand of toilet, with little to no responses. For those not living in continental USA, this European built toilet is worth a serious consideration, it appears very similar in concept to ME.
Another issue raised during this thread was sanitation outlet hose.
It appears the butyl rubber lined hose options don’t allow smells to permeate through, unlike standard PVC options after a couple of years. Costing twice as much, but worth the investment IMO.

Peggie will hopefully chime in with definitive information, but I believe its the other way around - the ME is similar to the Tecma. When I first saw a Tecma circa 2000, the Cadillac of American heads was the Atlantes which came complete with a motherboard. The Tecma was remarkably simple as I recall. For some reasons, they are not well distributed in the US.

Peter

 

[Insequent]

Peggie will hopefully chime in with definitive information, but I believe its the other way around - the ME is similar to the Tecma. When I first saw a Tecma circa 2000, the Cadillac of American heads was the Atlantes which came complete with a motherboard. The Tecma was remarkably simple as I recall. For some reasons, they are not well distributed in the US.

Peter

Tecma's are fairly common here with an excellent reputation. I see at least one in my future. On the other hand ME's are not easy to find and are quite expensive.

 

[klee wyck]

I noticed a couple of mentions of the Tecma brand of toilet, with little to no responses. For those not living in continental USA, this European built toilet is worth a serious consideration, it appears very similar in concept to ME.
Another issue raised during this thread was sanitation outlet hose.
It appears the butyl rubber lined hose options don’t allow smells to permeate through, unlike standard PVC options after a couple of years. Costing twice as much, but worth the investment IMO.

Klee Wyck was endowed with two Tecmas. They were flawless for ten years. I would do it again in a heartbeat.

Domino was equipped with Vacuflush when I bought her. I put up with that for five months. Never again. Now ME.

Libra has household toilets with regular tanks like home. Water hogs, but so reliable.

 

[Comodave]

I don’t know exactly how long MEs have been on the market but I have been installing them in my boats for over 10 years. I am not saying that Vacuflush heads are not good, they are just more maintenance intensive. If, and they never have, my ME head breaks down all of the service points are right there in the head itself except for the circuit board. No chasing vacuum leaks between the head itself, the vacuum tank or the vacuum generator. If I ever have a problem with a ME it will likely be a mechanical issue, not an elusive vacuum leak. I won’t need a vacuum leak tester or the like. Also I won’t have to pay the inflated prices for parts. Vacuflush is excellent at marketing. With the ME I can select how much water is used when flushing dependent on what is being flushed, liquid or solids. I really like that flexibility.