Raritan Head Install Job - Questions

[65Hatntx]

I just bought a couple of Raritan heads to replace the GM systems. I have completed the install on the master head and am having some issues.

Problem:

When all hooked up, the head has extremely low flush rate. Water in bowl hardly goes down. If i disconnect the discharge line 8-10 feet away (where the GM pump used to be) then it works great.


Thoughts:

1. GM discharge lines are 1 inch while the Raritan line is 1.5 inch so ran 1.5 inch only form the new head to the location where the GM pump used to be and stepped the line down. Could the step down in size be causing my problem?

2. Head is at or slightly below water level..... Do Raritan heads have the ability to flush against below waterline pressure?

3. My boat is a 65MY. Could the long run be my problem?


Looking for any and all suggestions, especially if you have installed Raritan heads.

Heads are model: A824 Atlantes Freedom with Seawater Intake, 24V - 10 amps

 

[MikeP]

The fact that the head works OK when you disconnect the 1.5" line from the 1" line indicates that either the 1" line is too small/long for the Atlantes head pump or that it's partially clogged somewhere either from waste or scale buildup. The GM head pumps are quite powerful; one of mine shattered a Lectrasan when I operated the head but forgot to open the output valve downstream from the 'san. So they use the 1" hose without any problem.

I seem to recall that some folks here have installed Atlantes heads on 53's and said they worked OK with the 1" oem hose but your run is probably considerably longer. Also, there can be a difference of opinion on how well something works; two people can observe the same thing and one say, "it's OK" while the other says it's not.

Is the length of oem hose in question accessible - are there any fittings along its length? If so you could open it at the fittings and recheck the flushing to see if the volume suddenly changes as you disconnect/reconnect sections of the hose. This could show if there are obstructed sections. You could also lay out a new piece of hose the length of the section in question and see if the flow is OK but that would cost a lot of money that could end up a total waste if it doesn't work any better. And if you are going to replace the hose, you would want to replace it with 1.5" anyway. Some people replace the hose with plastic pipe which would be a lot cheaper than good hose. I have been considering this for a section of hose in our 53 though I haven't done it yet.

 

[sandspur1966]

Ive got 4 of the 32 volt raritans we installed over the past year or so. We re-plumbed the discarge side to manufacturer spec and they work fine. I have a run from the aft head in a 58my all the pay forward to a holding tank in the forward bilge.

Bruce Morrison did my install an i'm very happy with them for the most part. He had a neet trick whereby he used a length of pvc pipe as conduit to channel the sanitation hose under decks etc. One difference is i went with the fresh water models so I can remove or repurpose the through hulls for stand alone cruisaire units.

Also, raritan has terrific phone support.

The only issue ive had since install is when a certain person who shall remain nameless... Flushed several blue paper shop towels. A cool feature with these heads is you switch polarity of the toilet's macerator pump leads and it back flushes the blockage... Easy peasy.

I mention that because it may be helpfull when you are planning the install, to locate the terminal blocks in an accessible spot.

Good luck

 

[Bill Allen]

I put fresh water sea era heads in my 43, aft head runs all the way to the holding tank in the bow, flush's like crazy. Ran 1.5 inch hose goes up and down through the nilge no problem in 5 years. Bill

 

[MikeP]

"... he used a length of pvc pipe as conduit to channel the sanitation hose under decks etc. "

So the sanitation hose is actually inside the PVC pipe? That's a neat idea and makes "attaching" the hose to the stringers much easier. Interesting that he didn't consider using pipe for the actual carrying of the waste. Any idea why he chose not to do that?

 

[sandspur1966]

Yes, we thought about it but there were so many twists and turns that an all pvc run would not have been easy and would likely have required sectioning between pvc and hose. i wanted a single run of hose with no connections between th Y valve and the holding tank.

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I would think that the head being below waterline may be the real issue here. It takes quite a bit of pressure to overcome static head.

 

[SeaEric]

AFAIK, You need a vented loop in the discharge for a below the waterline install. That aside: The new Raritan Atlantes heads are not the same as the old ones. All of their products are now based on the same pump technology as the Sea Era heads, which IMO are the best working. I have just recently (had professionally) installed a fresh water flush Sea Era in my fwd head which works great and a fresh water flush "Marine Elegance" in my aft head which works poorly. The flush action on the ME is anemic. The Sea Era fwd wants to suck the towels off the towel racks. Raritan pretends to care but they don't respond. According to Raritan, the use of 1" discahrge or 1 1/2" will make no difference as the discharge on the head is restricted to the 1" anyway. Good luck sorting it out.

 

[h20diver]

65 Hat, would you like to get rid of your Galley Maid heads ? Thanks

 

[65Hatntx]

Sure,

One is already gone.... once I figure out the issue im having I will get the other three in there. Let me know if you are interested. Also will have 5 GM macerator/pumps. All work.

 

[h20diver]

I am interested. I am talking about the head pumps not the china bowl itself. Send me a PM and I am happy to pay via Paypal if that works. Thank you.