For those of you who have converted to the Raritan PHII or PHEII, how is it working? Did you need to change the size of the discharge hoses or configuration (1 1/2" ID reduces to 1" ID for old Newport 1600 head). Raritan tells me the lift capacity is tested to 7' but I'm concerned about the toilet's ability to force fecal matter through the hose reduction necessary to connect to inlet on top of the holding tank. Any suggestions, descriprions, photos, or diagrams would be appreciate. Thanks in advance!
Jim McBrayer
s/v Escape
C350 Hull #40
Raritan PHII and PHEII conversion
Moderator: KenKrawford
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jmcbraye@hotmail.com
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- Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2013 11:22 am
- Location: Fort Lauderdale
Re: Raritan PHII and PHEII conversion
We converted to the manual PHII soon after we got the boat.
We didn't alter the existing hose arrangement, just basically attached the existing waste hose to the new toilet. The toilet-to-tank waste hose reducer fitting was in-line, about half way up the hose running up the side of the tank. We've had no problems whatsoever with pumping normal un-macerated waste into the tank.
I was initially concerned with having non-macerated waste in the tank as far as the tank emptying process goes, thinking it might clog at the bottom but both gravity and pump out operations have been fine. We are pretty good about keeping the holding tank treated with the liquid stuff that deodorizes and breaks down the waste.
Don Jones, Onatop C350 #13
Oak Island / Southport, NC
We didn't alter the existing hose arrangement, just basically attached the existing waste hose to the new toilet. The toilet-to-tank waste hose reducer fitting was in-line, about half way up the hose running up the side of the tank. We've had no problems whatsoever with pumping normal un-macerated waste into the tank.
I was initially concerned with having non-macerated waste in the tank as far as the tank emptying process goes, thinking it might clog at the bottom but both gravity and pump out operations have been fine. We are pretty good about keeping the holding tank treated with the liquid stuff that deodorizes and breaks down the waste.
Don Jones, Onatop C350 #13
Oak Island / Southport, NC
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jmcbraye@hotmail.com
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2013 11:22 am
- Location: Fort Lauderdale
Re: Raritan PHII and PHEII conversion
Don -
Many thanks for your reply. I bit the bullet and installed the Raritan PHE II along with Raritan Saniflex Odorshield holding tank hoses. Cost was close to one BOAT buck but i hope worth it in the long run. I now have a manual or electric toilet just by changing just one bolt!
I also added a Raw water hose shut off valve next to the toilet to avoid the regular need to turn off the thru hull in the V-birth cabin (still a good idea to close this when leaving the boat or underway). I dont usually use raw water in any case preferring fresh water from the shower hose to minimize odor.
Photo attached (i hope)...
Jim
Many thanks for your reply. I bit the bullet and installed the Raritan PHE II along with Raritan Saniflex Odorshield holding tank hoses. Cost was close to one BOAT buck but i hope worth it in the long run. I now have a manual or electric toilet just by changing just one bolt!
I also added a Raw water hose shut off valve next to the toilet to avoid the regular need to turn off the thru hull in the V-birth cabin (still a good idea to close this when leaving the boat or underway). I dont usually use raw water in any case preferring fresh water from the shower hose to minimize odor.
Photo attached (i hope)...
Jim
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Re: Raritan PHII and PHEII conversion
Two part reply:
Jim: what is the device that you have that "T"s between the Overboard drain valve and the front of the Raritan pump system? The direction of the penned in arrow suggests that it's being used to draw water IN from the overboard drain to the pump. I see a 90 degree shutoff valve in line, which I am interpreting to be your in the head shut off. If you have a moment, please explain.
Don: what is your choice in chemicals to keep the waste "dissolved"? We've had so much trouble with using a pumpout system to empty the tank that for the last two years we've used "Wag Bags" for solids and only used the head for liquid waste. Five years ago, I developed a spray wand that allowed me to blast the nearly concreted mass at the bottom of the tank apart , so that I could leave the boat for winter. No chemical that we used had the desired effect of keeping the stuff mushy enough for the pumpout system to take.
Thanks to both for your participation.
Al
Jim: what is the device that you have that "T"s between the Overboard drain valve and the front of the Raritan pump system? The direction of the penned in arrow suggests that it's being used to draw water IN from the overboard drain to the pump. I see a 90 degree shutoff valve in line, which I am interpreting to be your in the head shut off. If you have a moment, please explain.
Don: what is your choice in chemicals to keep the waste "dissolved"? We've had so much trouble with using a pumpout system to empty the tank that for the last two years we've used "Wag Bags" for solids and only used the head for liquid waste. Five years ago, I developed a spray wand that allowed me to blast the nearly concreted mass at the bottom of the tank apart , so that I could leave the boat for winter. No chemical that we used had the desired effect of keeping the stuff mushy enough for the pumpout system to take.
Thanks to both for your participation.
Al
Re: Raritan PHII and PHEII conversion
We've never been very particular about the liquid deodorant type, usually just the generic camper-stuff on the shelf at walmart.
When we first got the boat, it had been on the hard for a few years, and the bottom of the holding tank was rock-solid as you describe. I remember after an initial drain, I filled it up with water multiple times, blasting from above with a hose and finally got everything hard to come out the bottom drain.
We don't store the boat down here in the south for long periods, so the "stuff" doesn't really get a chance to get that hard, and we've never had a difficult pump out. I do try on every pump out, to have my wife inside the boat, and when I finish with the first "load" of pumping, she puts more water down the bowl and into the tank as a sort of rinse to slosh around in the bottom of the tank. (Then a final shot with the pump-out hose.) We also make sure never to use anything other than thin 1-ply tissue. Never had an issue with the pump out this way. We also do an occasional overboard dump when way offshore as it truly empties out the full contents of the tank. The pump out tube inside the tank doesn't go quite to the bottom, and will always leave some residual stuff in there. I suppose the gap between the lower end of the "suck-out" and the inside bottom of the tank might vary a bit between boats.
If you're leaving the boat for an extended time, suggest adding some water via the deck pump out fitting for some time before the next pump out. This will cause a reverse flow inside the tank down near the bottom of the tube and might help loosen things in that area. Since there will always be some residual stuff, never let that area of the tank go dry after a deck pump out, it will certainly harden as you describe. Try to do a final drain via the thru-hull, and that will do a better job of emptying the tank as that hole is on the tank's bottom.
Good Luck!
Don J.
When we first got the boat, it had been on the hard for a few years, and the bottom of the holding tank was rock-solid as you describe. I remember after an initial drain, I filled it up with water multiple times, blasting from above with a hose and finally got everything hard to come out the bottom drain.
We don't store the boat down here in the south for long periods, so the "stuff" doesn't really get a chance to get that hard, and we've never had a difficult pump out. I do try on every pump out, to have my wife inside the boat, and when I finish with the first "load" of pumping, she puts more water down the bowl and into the tank as a sort of rinse to slosh around in the bottom of the tank. (Then a final shot with the pump-out hose.) We also make sure never to use anything other than thin 1-ply tissue. Never had an issue with the pump out this way. We also do an occasional overboard dump when way offshore as it truly empties out the full contents of the tank. The pump out tube inside the tank doesn't go quite to the bottom, and will always leave some residual stuff in there. I suppose the gap between the lower end of the "suck-out" and the inside bottom of the tank might vary a bit between boats.
If you're leaving the boat for an extended time, suggest adding some water via the deck pump out fitting for some time before the next pump out. This will cause a reverse flow inside the tank down near the bottom of the tube and might help loosen things in that area. Since there will always be some residual stuff, never let that area of the tank go dry after a deck pump out, it will certainly harden as you describe. Try to do a final drain via the thru-hull, and that will do a better job of emptying the tank as that hole is on the tank's bottom.
Good Luck!
Don J.
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jmcbraye@hotmail.com
- Posts: 14
- Joined: Wed Feb 20, 2013 11:22 am
- Location: Fort Lauderdale
Re: Raritan PHII and PHEII conversion
Hi Al - The device with the arrow on it in the photo is a raw water strainer with a removable bowl. Not required but just an additional measure of insurance for the system. You are correct about the blue handled T-valve being the more accessible raw water intake shut off that I added.
Jim McBrayer
S/V Escape
C350 #40
Jim McBrayer
S/V Escape
C350 #40
Re: Raritan PHII and PHEII conversion
Hi there,
New PHE11 works well. No problem with discharge hose reduction. We use a little fresh water to aid the slow Sea Water intake and it works easily. Much less ejected into the holding tank to which I add a little West Marine Holding Tank fluid in lieu of having a macerator unit. Why Catalina ever used the electric only Sea Era model is beyond me. Cost about $750 for the unit and $500 for the boatyard to install. Only difficulty was the existing hose to the tank was found to be heavily caked on the inside with accumulated scale and whatever and it was very difficult to detach from the top of the tank. We did not remove the panel in front of the holding tank.
Cheers all, Geoff.
c350-392, Taeko 1V Semiahmoo Marina, Blaine WA
Postscript: I have the original unit for sale - see Forum section "For Sale". All cleaned up and new base seal and joker valve installed. Price negotiable. Photos available.
New PHE11 works well. No problem with discharge hose reduction. We use a little fresh water to aid the slow Sea Water intake and it works easily. Much less ejected into the holding tank to which I add a little West Marine Holding Tank fluid in lieu of having a macerator unit. Why Catalina ever used the electric only Sea Era model is beyond me. Cost about $750 for the unit and $500 for the boatyard to install. Only difficulty was the existing hose to the tank was found to be heavily caked on the inside with accumulated scale and whatever and it was very difficult to detach from the top of the tank. We did not remove the panel in front of the holding tank.
Cheers all, Geoff.
c350-392, Taeko 1V Semiahmoo Marina, Blaine WA
Postscript: I have the original unit for sale - see Forum section "For Sale". All cleaned up and new base seal and joker valve installed. Price negotiable. Photos available.
Geoff.S., Semiahmoo, WA.