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Lois Anne Montecalvo

Lois Anne Montecalvo

New Member
Oct 26, 2020
8
Boat Info
2018 350 Coupe, Simrad go-12
Engines
Twin 8.2 Mercruiser W/ Bravo III Drives
I am on our 2018 350 Coupe and the vacuum pump seems to not be working. I have water coming into head but nothing is being pumped out. Trying to locate the DC panel to see if a fuse popped and I cannot find it. Any suggestions????
 
What you've described could also be a plugged head. The pump won't run if you've got a plug upstream of the pump.

Turn off the water, hold the flush pedal down and inspect for a blockage. Or give her a few pushes with a plunger...
 
I find these plungers work well and better than the standard ones for home toilets. But don't suck the crap up into it. Just use the down plunge:
plungers-00300-64_400.jpg
 
I've been told not to use a plunger on a vacuflush because it inverts the duckbill valves. When I've experienced a clog I just let it sit for a day and it so far has always remedied itself. I've also read that a little dawn dish soap in the bowl will help unclog it but have never tried it.
 
Google how to unclog a vacuflush toilet. There is a video from the manufacturer rep on how to use a short piece of water line (they used blue pex) to push through an obstruction at the base of the toilet. We have done this a couple times. Super easy and shared with dock neighbors. Fixes a lot of clogs...
 
I know I mentioned this, but get yourself fully pumped out before exploring further. I have one kid that can't seem to understand my, "Poop before you step off the dock." request. He also loves to try for world records right when the tank is nearly full. The symptom is always the same. The head won't flush down and appears to be a clog but in fact is just overflowing from the tank.
 
UNDADC said:
I know I mentioned this, but get yourself fully pumped out before exploring further. I have one kid that can't seem to understand my, "Poop before you step off the dock." request. He also loves to try for world records right when the tank is nearly full. The symptom is always the same. The head won't flush down and appears to be a clog but in fact is just overflowing from the tank.
Click to expand...

I always start thinking about pumping out when I hit 1/2. That way by the time I get to 3/4, I have the hose hooked up. Overflowing the poop tank is not good.....

Bennett
 
Love how we get the New Member panic post, then crickets from them...

I was concerned when I read "Trying to locate the DC panel..."
 
Based on the book I read about how a holding tank works, don't you want to keep some poop in there for a while?
 
I wouldn't. For a holding tank where you will always have effluent in the tank it would be good to have the right balance of bacteria to keep the tank "healthy" and the smell down. Think septic tank. But on a boat I wouldn't want that tank to create its own ecosystem. ;P I pump at least every week and pretty much shame the crap out of anyone that dares to poop in the head.
 
We have had Vacuflush heads in three boats, and our one rule has always been that nothing goes in the head unless it came out of the human body. That includes toilet paper. We use diaper bags to deposit used toilet paper. We never let the holding tank get above 3/4 full, and every time we do a pump out we flush the head system with lots of fresh water and add Noflex. So far, we have never had a clog with any of the Vacuflush systems on our boats.
 
I thought this guy had a great video on a happy head:

 
To the original poster I ask....is the red light staying lit in the head? Do you hear your vacuum pump chugging in the engine room?
 
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