I'm surprised at the need to rebuild two or three times per year. The head ate in my 38 has just been rebuilt for the second time in the 11 years I've owned her.
This rebuild was because the piston seal was worn, and the pump would loose prime and operate slowly. When I installed the new service kit ( which was close to $85) I found out that the pump housing was leaking because of a couple of cracks in the lands where the screws go to hold the pump pieces together - so there was not sufficient force to make a good seal. I installed a new complete pump assembly from the boat spares ( I had picked one up from some former cruisers at a nautical yard sail ), but when I went to order a new pump housing for spares I found it to be NLA, and the complete valve is almost $200. That's more that a new Raritan head. So I guess I'll get another 4 or 5 years out of the current valve and one rebuild kit I have on the boat. And the I will plan on installing a new head. Rick Brass Sent from my iPad > On Jul 31, 2014, at 11:35, Tim Goodyear via CnC-List <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> > wrote: > > Rebuilding heads seems to be a popular activity at this time of year; I > replaced all valves in my Headmate head last weekend. It's not a bad job, > but I always remember why I bought the stubby Phillips #2 screwdriver when I > do it. The previous weekend I dumped four gallons of vinegar into the system > to clear scale off. It worked for the joker valve, but I was still having > issues with the pump losing prime and not drying easily without holding the > valve leaver down. Once apart, it was pretty obvious why - the metal backing > washer from one of the inlet valve had corroded off the rubber piece, and > while I was there I just changed all the parts that were in the service kit. > > Joker valves seem to be common across head designs, and a necessary evil, but > I am fed up with having to rebuild the pump on the Headmate once or twice a > year, so am planning to replace it this winter. Can anyone share experiences > with their heads (ours gets very light use, strictly no solids)? I am > considering the Jabsco Twist n Lock or the Raritan PHC. > > Thanks, > > Tim > > >> On Wed, Jul 30, 2014 at 10:23 PM, Dennis C. via CnC-List >> <cnc-list@cnc-list.com> wrote: >> I finally swapped out the joker valve in Touche's head because it was >> leaking back. Didn't leak much. Just some of the water between the bowl >> and the anti-siphon loop. >> >> As usual, it had become scaled up. I threw the old one in some vinegar and >> most of the scale dissolved but the rubber was so distorted it was dumpster >> material. >> >> I coated the new joker valve with TefGel hoping to get more life out of it. >> I think Peggy Hall, the head mistress recommends Super Lube for heads. >> >> Also, I read that throwing some vinegar in the head routinely minimizes >> scale build up. >> >> This really isn't a big thing for me. I get the valves wholesale for under >> $10 and changing one is only a 10 minute job. But I'd sure like to skip it >> altogether. >> >> Any other tricks? >> >> Dennis C. >> Touche' 35-1 #83 >> Mandeville, LA >> >> _______________________________________________ >> This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album >> >> Email address: >> CnC-List@cnc-list.com >> To change your list preferences, including unsubscribing -- go bottom of >> page at: >> http://cnc-list.com/mailman/listinfo/cnc-list_cnc-list.com > > _______________________________________________ > This List is provided by the C&C Photo Album > > Email address: > CnC-List@cnc-list.com > To change your list preferences, including unsubscribing -- go bottom of page > at: > http://cnc-list.com/mailman/listinfo/cnc-list_cnc-list.com >
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