Raritan Toilets

[rondegroot]

Over the past 5 years or so I have obtained a lot of information from this forum - a very useful resource. After five years of use the original Headmate toilet is requiring an upgrade. Previous discussions on this forum have strongly recommended a replacement toilet rather than replacing the seals etc on the headmate. (I have to import these from USA as the distributor no longer services this toilet in Australia). Previous contributors have recommended a Raritan PHII - either electric or manual. However this model does not have a inbuilt macerator.

I am wanting to install an electric toilet with a inbuilt macerator - the Raritan SeaEra marine sized toilet with a integral water pump. I have checked all the measurements and believe it will fit. However before importing the unit I would appreciate comment from anyone who has fitted this or another electric toilet on a Catalina 34 (2005).

I appreciate there is a macerator on board, however local regulations are moving towards requiring a macerator to be installed between the toilet and the holding tank. Having a macerating toilet installed is a preferable option for me than re routing the existing macerator and outlet hoses.
Any comments appreciated.
thanks
Ron
Mundora 1726 (2005)

[Peggie Hall]

The Raritan SeaEra http://www.raritaneng.com/products/toilets/electric/sea_era.html is a very good choice...however, I'd go with the pressurized flush water version for several reasons:  amperage draw is lower--10a vs 16 for the integral sea water version...needs about 30% less flush water...eliminates odors from stagnant sea water in the intake...and MUCH quieter than the sea water version. Oh...also costs a little less.  You can save even more if you go with the "conversion," which is everything but the bowl, seat and lid. Your existing Headmate bowl will fit the Sea Era.

As for whether it'll fit your space, you'll have to measure it. It should be helpful to know that the base can be oriented to put the discharge on either side or the rear of the bowl.

Raritan has changed distributors in Australia... A.M.I. Sales.  They
have (4) locations in the country; with their head office in O'Connor,
Western Australia.  They cover most of the major populated areas of
Australia: Queensland (Gold Coast/Brisbane), New South Wales (Sydney area)
and South Australia (Adelaide), as well as O'Connor (Perth/Fremantle area)
in Western Australia. I have contact info for all their offices...just tell me which is nearest to you.

As for new laws in OZ, Queensland began requiring waste going overboard to be macerated about 10 years ago...however, a macerating toilet is only required if it flushes directly overboard (in waters where the discharge of waste is legal). If all waste goes into a tank first, it's only necessary to install a macerator pump to dump the tank...it's not necessary to replace the toilet.  If you think about it, it makes no sense to require that waste going INTO a tank be macerated...it won't matter if the tank is pumped out, not dumped...and besides, it's gonna dissolve in the tank very quickly anyway. It's only what goes overboard that matters...lumps, chunks and wads of paper aren't particularly pleasing when they wash up on a beach. 

So while I agree that it's time to replace the Headmate--which was discontinued two years ago, btw--you CAN stick with a manual toilet.  Your best choice is the Raritan PH II or PHC.  You do NOT want the electric version...putting a motor on it turns the best manual toilet in its class into the poorest excuse for an electric toilet on the planet.  Again, you can save on both price and shipping cost if you go with the "conversion" and recycle your existing bowl, seat and lid. The part # to order from AMI is PHIILBA (they'll show it as a repair part, not as a conversion).  If space is too tight for the PH II, the PHC is the "compact" version...you get the same pump, but on a compact base and with a shorter pump handle. That part # is PHCLBA.  You can read more about the "conversion" here: http://shop.sailboatowners.com/detail.htm?group=1357&cat=1002

If you still have questions, I'll be glad to answer 'em, here or via email. Don't forget to let me know which AMI location is in your part of OZ so I can send you that info .

[rondegroot]

Peggie,
Many thanks for your detailed response. You have challenged me to re think my needs. Let me respond to the various points you raise.
1. I have been in contact with AMI Sales on the Gold Coast, however as they sell very few Raritan toilets (according to them) their technical knowledge of the Raritan models appears to be limited. They 'push' the Tecma brand
2. Local legislation - you are correct in your summary. However in many of the areas where I cruise it is legal to discharge overboard once the waste is macerated. Hence my thought to install a toilet with an inbuilt macerator. Thus direct discharge is possible without going via the holding tank.
3. The manual pump on the headmate has given me no end of trouble particularly when operated by people who are not familiar with marine toilets. The pump clogs up very easily, the handle jams in one position, and the bowl fills with water ...and generally causing embarrassment to the user. Thus again my thinking that an inbuilt macerator would solve this problem, as it would break up the chunky bits and not clog.
4. I have no experience with the PHII but maybe this pump is so good that clogging does not occur.   
5. If I am interpreting your notes correctly, you are suggesting that I should stick with the manual toilet and go for the PHII pump. Your suggestion has appeal as it is simpler and cheaper - I will discuss with my family and let you know what we decide to do.
6. You mention that I can contact you by email - do I use the PM facility on this forum to do this?


Again many thanks for you response - much appreciated.

Ron

[Peggie Hall]

You aren't quite interpreting my notes entirely correctly...so we need to talk  Click on my name at the left of any of my posts...that'll bring up my profile, which includes my email address. Even better, if you have Skype, we could accomplish more in 20 minutes of voice conversation than by swapping 10 emails apiece. Email me...we'll go from there.

[rondegroot]

Thanks Peggie, I have sent you an email with my skype and contact details.

cheers

Ron

[Peggie Hall]

I dunno where your email went, but I haven't receive it.  Give it one more try, using the address in my profile.  If that still doesn't work, we'll try Plan B...as soon as I figure out what Plan B is.

[rondegroot]

Peggie,
Your email address in your profile is hidden (at least to me)
I used a bellsouth  email address that is contained in another thread on this forum. The tracer on the email informs me that the email has been delivered but not read.
My contact details are as follows
email - ron@degroottech.com.au
skype name - pestcert
profile name - Ron DeGroot

I suggest plan B is for you to send me an email at ron@degroottech.com.au or send an invitation via skype for me to add you to my contact list. I have done a search for you in skype but am unable to come up with a Little Rock location.

I do apologise for the messing about.

Hope this plan B does the trick.

Many thanks

Ron

[Peggie Hall]

I haven't had a bellsouth email address for 1 years...someone here must have quoted something I posted elsewhere!

But...where there's a will there's a way.I've just sent you an email...

[Wayne]

I installed a sea era on my 34 and it is great!  I went with the fresh water version; the only downside is that it is using up fresh water supplies, which isn't an issue to me.  Someone doing longer cruises would prefer the salt water option.  One of the reasons I went with the electric is what you mentioned about guests being intimidated and confused by a marine head.  The sea era fits just fine; the outlet hose needs to be installed to the front (no room to discharge behind the unit).  The electric pump I believe is a macerating unit, so the goodies are all ground up on their way to the holding tank.
While you are doing this upgrade, might I suggest you think about changing out your hoses?  It's not that expensive to get new, top grade odor proof hoses.  And at the same time as I upgraded to the electric head I also added a tank monitor.  Since I almost always use a pumpout to dispose of my waste water, knowing how much holding tank capacity I have left has been an important part of the upgrade.

[rondegroot]

Wayne, Many thanks for the information. I have had to put this project aside for a moment because of the floods in Brisbane. You probably have seen the media reports. I will get back to this hopefully next week as I have also had some excellent feedback from Peggie Hall. In the meantime a lot of cleaning up to do. cheers Ron

[Ted Pounds]

Ron,
How you holding up down there?  The news I read in the papers doesn't look good.    At least the boat should be OK...  Good luck.

Ted

[Joe Kern]

Sad mooring failure:

http://www.wesh.com/video/26492705/detail.html?treets=orl&tid=2654987615813&tml=orl_12pm&tmi=orl_12pm_1_10550101142011&ts=H

[Lance Jones]

So very sad. He's lucky to get away!