Vacuflush update or...

[brettportzer]

Wondering if anyone has any insight on this situation.

When we bought our 43 two years ago, the vacuflush system needed some work. Since we were buying a boat somewhat long distance, we had a shop in MD handle it, so that we would have it in working order before making the trip back to NY.

We spent about $4,000 on have some hoses changed, and new pumps, etc. Parts were expensive, labor was reasonable. Now that I have lived with it for awhile and gotten a better idea of how many more of the things on this boat work, I am finding that there is lots to be desired about how this system is set up. One thing was, the guy in MD was going to replace any hoses that needed replacing, etc, but once he found the pumps to be bad, the job kind of devolved into simply just changing the bad pumps.

ANYWAY

Current situation is that the aft head had a vacuum leak in the base, and I have decided that I would like to replace the 1979 Mansfield 808 toilets with something new.

These toilets are not readily available to buy, and I am wondering if it is worth continuing to invest in the vacuflush setup, as it seems there are toilets that have everything built into the toilet.

The vacuflush toilets, which don't do anything on their own, look to be about $1,200, the VG4 pump to go with it was $1,200, and the front head has the VG3 setup with the tank and separate pump.

It seems like an expensive system, overall, and I can either plow ahead and spend $2,500 for two new toilets, or possibly it is worth it to go another way with a self contained system, and remove the vacuflush pumps, etc.

One of the issues is space, and while the VG3 is under they galley floor and is a good use of space, the VG4 in the aft replaces a VG3 setup and is somewhat in the way, but there aren't many places to put them.

Any insight is welcome, thanks!!

 

[sgharford]

I too have a 43DC with Vacuflush - Once you get them tweaked I have found system to be very reliable. If your toilet base is leaking, try giving the large hose clamp a turn to tighten. That hose clamp pulls the top section to bottom section around the ball the foot pedal is connected too. You don't want to overtighten, just enough to stop the air leak. If that doesn't work a new bowl seal is fairly inexpensive. You should be able to rebuild the toilet for about $100 in parts.

 

[brettportzer]

Do you have the VG3 or the VG4 vacuum generators?

My boat used to have two VG3s and now it has a VG4 for the aft head, and it is just plopped down in the middle of the engine compartment, well, at the back in front of the Racor filters.

Good for accessing it, but it takes up a lot of room.

Considering the Raritan Marine Elegance self contained units, I guess that is the question, really.

 

[sgharford]

Honestly have no idea if I have VG3 or 4 (or 1 or 2). System definitely not stock from factory. Whoever put it in did a pretty good job of keeping all the components out of the way yet fairly accessible, for a 43DC anyway. If your toilet has a large hose clamp around lower unit, give what I suggested above a try - very good chance it will fix your vacuum leak. Perhaps other can comment on VG3/VG4 conversion.

 

[Pascal]

I went thru this a few months ago. My boat had been converted to VF in the late 90s. Standalone vac pump and vac tanks. One tank per head but the guest and master head shared a single pump.

VFs are pretty reliable and will always work, kind of. You may have to turn the pump off manually but they ll get you home. On the downside they can be sensitive to stuff getting stuck in the bowl seal causing leaks thru the ball
Valve

I think that 20 years they were superior to electric heads but electric heads have become much better

I ended up going with Raritan Elegance. Compact, easy to install, simple to use.

I got a full size elongated bowl for the master which is very nice (and still under $1000 ). I really like it although it uses more water than the standard size model which requires slightly more frequent pump outs.

 

[brettportzer]

Honestly have no idea if I have VG3 or 4 (or 1 or 2). System definitely not stock from factory. Whoever put it in did a pretty good job of keeping all the components out of the way yet fairly accessible, for a 43DC anyway. If your toilet has a large hose clamp around lower unit, give what I suggested above a try - very good chance it will fix your vacuum leak. Perhaps other can comment on VG3/VG4 conversion.

I found the leak and then decided that I wanted to just replace the head, once I saw how simple it was to connect it up.

Preliminary investigation led me to believe that the Dometic 510+ was what I wanted, and since they are about $325, I chucked the toilet in the dumpster and set out to replace it...

 

[brettportzer]

I went thru this a few months ago. My boat had been converted to VF in the late 90s. Standalone vac pump and vac tanks. One tank per head but the guest and master head shared a single pump.

VFs are pretty reliable and will always work, kind of. You may have to turn the pump off manually but they ll get you home. On the downside they can be sensitive to stuff getting stuck in the bowl seal causing leaks thru the ball
Valve

I think that 20 years they were superior to electric heads but electric heads have become much better

I ended up going with Raritan Elegance. Compact, easy to install, simple to use.

I got a full size elongated bowl for the master which is very nice (and still under $1000 ). I really like it although it uses more water than the standard size model which requires slightly more frequent pump outs.

I threw out the old head because I thought it was a straightforward replacement with a $325 item, the Dometic 510+. however, it is not, I need the 508 and they are much more expensive, although I don't believe they are very different.

Anyway, so, the way mine was, the toilet bolts to the floor and the hose goes through the bulkhead to the VG4 combo vac unit. Power is right there, etc...

If I switched the the Raritan Marine Elegance toilet, I would just connect directly to the holding tank, elminate the external vacuum generator, and rewire directly to the head with a new switch panel.

Right?

I mean, what is the downside to that?

 

[Jammin']

No downside that I know of. I put two of them in our 43DC when we bought the boat last year. The only thing I wish is that I had gotten the tall model. It's a long way down there.

 

[Pascal]

Sorry. Been a long day... no make it last few days. I got my heads confused. I installed Raritan Atlantes not Elegance.

In any cases it was just a matter of removing the pump and vac tank, running the wires from the pump to the new head, and using a nipple where the pump and tank used to be.

I m using the basic manual switches with the new Atlantes... no idea why anyone would want a touchscreen to flush!!

 

[Sandiego]

Brett, over the years and across a number of boats I have experience with GalleyMaid (32Volt), vacuflush, Raritan Crown and now Raritan Marine Elegance. I recently replaced then saltwater crown toilets with the marine Elegance. Also ran all new hoses. Very pleased with the marine Elegance due to:1) simple install (I made a simple wooden box to raise them about 4 inches off the floor which is a game changer for me2) at about $800 each they are reasonably priced3) the standard touchpad controller has 4 "buttons" which can save water and help ensure guests don't flush more or less than necessary4) very quiet5) unlike the vacuflush if one toilet fails the other will still work6) no space required for the vac pumpAs you mentioned all you need to do is bolt in place, connect 12v to them and run the hoses out at the back through the bulkhead. Between the new freshwater flush toilets and the new hoses I have 100% eliminated that Boat smell.

 

[carolinacoast]

raritan atlantes, 32v, freshwater. over 10 years. trouble free. family of 5.

 

[Beachcomber]

When we purchased our LRC it had new vacuflush systems for both heads. It seemed as if ther was something that needed repair at least every few months, seals, switch or ball. I really did not have good luck with them. When the aft head starting pumping in the middle of the night again it was the last straw.
I pulled out all of the vacuflush systems and replaced with the Raritan Elegance system with all new hoses. Should have done it when I first bought the boat. I would never put a moment of work or any parts in a vacuflush again.

 

[brettportzer]

No downside that I know of. I put two of them in our 43DC when we bought the boat last year. The only thing I wish is that I had gotten the tall model. It's a long way down there.

Great. Since they are two totally separate systems, I am going to start with the aft head and replace that with the tall Raritan Marine Elegance.

Did you use the straight or angled?

 

[Jammin']

Straight, but I still needed to make a spacer of Starboard on the back to get it to sit tight against the wall.

We put in a Purasan unit at the same time that only feeds from the aft toilet. i just finished reconfiguring the waste hoses and relocating the Y-valve. This is a shot of the engine room side where the waste line comes through the wall.

 

[brettportzer]

Straight, but I still needed to make a spacer of Starboard on the back to get it to sit tight against the wall.

We put in a Purasan unit at the same time that only feeds from the aft toilet. i just finished reconfiguring the waste hoses and relocating the Y-valve. This is a shot of the engine room side where the waste line comes through the wall.

View attachment 46139

The vacuflush head discharge hose went down through the floor, did you put this through the bulkhead?

Any pics of the toilet installed in the aft?

I just placed my order, back ordered, but... I’ll be on land for another 110 days.

 

[SeaEric]

I have a Marine Elegance aft and a Sea Era forward. Both are fresh water, plumbed to Pura San treatment units. As previously stated - no odor at all. Raritan promises me that the mechanism is virtually the same on both heads - the Sea Era is IMHO way better. What I do like about the Marine Elegance is the ability to separately control water in and water out. Mine is mounted on a teak box to elevate the bowl. AFAIK the hoses can exit through the floor or the back wall.

 

[brettportzer]

I have a Marine Elegance aft and a Sea Era forward. Both are fresh water, plumbed to Pura San treatment units. As previously stated - no odor at all. Raritan promises me that the mechanism is virtually the same on both heads - the Sea Era is IMHO way better. What I do like about the Marine Elegance is the ability to separately control water in and water out. Mine is mounted on a teak box to elevate the bowl. AFAIK the hoses can exit through the floor or the back wall.

Very nice looking, as usual.

I like how the Marine Elegance has less visible mechanism, I feel as it would be easier to clean.

Harder to maintain probably though.

Any issues with long hose runs?

Both of our heads are plumbed to the forward holding tank.

 

[SeaEric]

There are some fantastic claims by Raritan as to the length and height that this thing will pump. Check their specs. Mine pumps up hill a bit to get to the Pura San which is mounted behind a panel outboard of the salon sofa starboard side. They also give you the option for 2 discharge hose sizes. YMMV. As I upload these photos it occurs to me how twisted it is that I have all of these photos on hand to share!

 

[brettportzer]

There are some fantastic claims by Raritan as to the length and height that this thing will pump. Check their specs. Mine pumps up hill a bit to get to the Pura San which is mounted behind a panel outboard of the salon sofa starboard side. They also give you the option for 2 discharge hose sizes. YMMV. As I upload these photos it occurs to me how twisted it is that I have all of these photos on hand to share!

Glad you do!

My install doesn't go up hill, but it is 30' or so. The Vacuflush works, so I assume this will.

There really is a lot of room behind those panels in spots, I am surprised that I haven't seen more people use any of that space.

 

[Pascal]

My New Atlantes in the master has no problem pumping all the way to the holding Tank installed all the way forward under the floor. It has to be 35’