Galley Maid headpump question

[oceanjake]

Occasionally after a day of running around I get an airlock on my heads. A quick burp of the pump using the hex head bleeder bolt and all is well again. Yesterday I noticed that on one of three pumps there is a clear 1/4” hose that connects the two halves of the pump. What is the purpose of this? It looks fishy to me. Can’t this also allow black water to recirculate into the head? It would be a simple fix. I just want to understand the purpose.

[doc g]

It is to eliminate the problem you describe. It primes the flushwater side with pressure from effluent side . If you are having that problem it is probably blocked .....Pat

[oceanjake]

So by doing this, a small amount of black water is always recirculating into the toilet bowl?

[SEVEN]

I’d like to ask a question about this clear hose. If I change mine out will the pump re-prime itself or do I have to do something special?

[PeterK]

My understanding is the "priming" line is unique to Hatteras and I do not know why. I have heard about this being done at the pump but is usually (mine is) done at the back of the commode.

I recently remove and serviced all 3 of my Galley Maids (stators, seals and acid wash/wire brushed housings) and replaced the fittings and tubing. Fittings were in pretty bad shape after 28 years!

Should also mention we went through the pain of replacing all discharge hoses... Hope they last for the duration of our ownership... I'll be way too old to be slithering into all the small places to do it again!

[MVCaprice]

I suspect your stators are old. I had this issue on the master toilet last season and stators fixed it. Stators are a rubber wear part so they get loose after time and don't prime very well.

[MVCaprice]

My understanding is the "priming" line is unique to Hatteras and I do not know why. I have heard about this being done at the pump but is usually (mine is) done at the back of the commode.

Interesting. I have had these lines both plugged(capped) and replaced on a few occasions with negligible difference. I am starting to wonder if they do anything.

[oceanjake]

On my boat, one of three pumps has the clear priming line. Two of three have lost prime in the last year after planing and introducing air in the system. One was freshly rebuilt by Raz. I question if the priming tube does much, but I’m concerned that it does allow waste back into the bowl.

[PeterK]

Interesting. I have had these lines both plugged(capped) and replaced on a few occasions with negligible difference. I am starting to wonder if they do anything.

When I rebuilt my master pump, I did not have the right fittings and put plugs in mine. It would not evacuate on a regular basis. Not fun bringing the wet vac in to clear it!


Installed the priming tube and we see an issue maybe every 40-50 flushes. When that happens, we let it sit for 5-10 minutes and it works fine.

Regarding the stators, an easy fix. Raz has very good instructions on how to pull the pump and do the replacement. I took my frst one down to Raz and watched them do it. did 2 & 3 myself. I also wire brushed, Osphoed, painted and changed on the seals on all 3. I did need one new relay too.