Air Lock?

[J.D.]

The front head on my 1985 Hatteras is not clearing.
Used regularly with no problems.then went out of town for a few weeks, pump outs were done so tanks are empty.
Came back to the boat and bowl water will fill but not go down.
No problems before, no use for two weeks, holding tanks empty, come back to boat head doesn’t empty in just the front head only.
Could there be some type of air lock in the head or holding tank lines created during pump outs that may be blocking water flow?

 

[Captain Ralph]

I assume GM pump below deck.
Old stator.

 

[J.D.]

Yes, pump and holding tank are directly below forward head under floor. Pump will fill bowl, but no water exits down.

 

[Captain Ralph]

You can try to push the water down with a plunger to help get it pumping, but a temp fix.
The rubber stator and maybe rotor need replacement.

 

[MadHatter53]

Unscrew the small pipe plug on the stator/ big hose side of pump to purge the air. You might need to fill/prime that side with fresh water. I had the same issue with my mid which worked flawlessly for ever until one day it didn’t. I had to run a bypass hose from sea water side to black side to prime the stator side.

 

[Captain Ralph]

There is a GM kit that connects the pump water out to the head in hose. It would keep the head-in side wet and help priming. A lil 1/8" tube out/in the lil plugs in the hose connects.
This will not fix your problem completely, just may help reduced any future rotor dry wear.
If water is in your bowl , sea-cock open, then you have a stator issue.

BTW; You want a fresh, flexable rubber stator, not one that has been sitting around for years. Later synthetic rotors seem to be working better also.

 

[MadHatter53]

That’s what I did Capt Ralph. It helps but now the bowl gets less flush. I might replace it with an elegance head running fresh water from my city water connection if I can convince myself to spend over $1k for a toilet.

 

[Captain Ralph]

That’s what I did Capt Ralph. It helps but now the bowl gets less flush. I might replace it with an elegance head running fresh water from my city water connection if I can convince myself to spend over $1k for a toilet.

Brother, it is so hard to justify a new head these day. I have installed/upgraded many new heads on somebody else's ticket. The new Elegance is a fine product. Just not in our budget (but on the bottom of our wish list).
I still enjoy our ole & reliable 32v Raritan Crown grinders.

 

[jmooney]

I have heard the these kits will slowly fill the holding tank if you are using one .

 

[Captain Ralph]

I have heard the these kits will slowly fill the holding tank if you are using one .

If the tank is below the water line and stator is worn, yes.

 

[Briankinley2004]

That’s what I did Capt Ralph. It helps but now the bowl gets less flush. I might replace it with an elegance head running fresh water from my city water connection if I can convince myself to spend over $1k for a toilet.

I have a Tecma/Thetford 24volt Silence Plus High Bowl toilet new in the box I am getting ready to list. It is from a West Marine closeout. I put one in my boat but the second one wouldn't fit. The control panel is sold seperately but I can let this one go for a price that would put you well under $1000 for the entire set up. PM me if interested

https://defender.com/en_us/thetford-tecma-silence-plus-2g-toilet

 

[HahnR]

I just replaced the raw water and black water stators in the GM head pump for our master cabin. We had the same issue you are describing. Not only did it fix that problem, but replacing the raw water stator also eliminated the issue with the bowl filling up level to the water line. Works very well now.