baby wipes in head clogging

[sailingdolphin]

 

We had a guest put baby wipes down the head.  We have an electric head with a macerator.  Its partially clogged. 
Do you think it will eventually unclog or do I have to take apart the head?

Any suggestions?

[Ron Hill]

Doug : You say "partially clogged".  Do you know where the partial clog is in the head to holding tank line?

If the baby wipes have made it to the holding tank, I think you can answer your own question !!

[efhughes3]

That sucks! As a word of note, we always have a head instruction session when we take people out. We've a placard on the wall that says: "If it didn't go in your mouth, it doesn't go in the bowl". I also tell the males: "real men don't stand up".

I'd let it sit a couple of days and see if the material doesn't dissolve.

[Peggie Hall]

Baby wipes and wet wipes won't dissolve this year, and macerators can't chew 'em up...So you're gonna have to clear the clog. The good news is, the wet wipe prob'ly never made it out of the toilet...it's all wrapped up in the macerator blade and the discharge impeller. So the toilet should be the ONLY thing you have to take apart.  If it's been at least 5 years since the toilet was rebuilt, take advantage of the need to take it apart to do it.  The joker valve should be replaced annually, so do that whether you rebuild or not.

When will boat owners learn to instruct their guests about marine toilet use--that the ONLY thing that can go down 'em is the TP supplied (assuming that you're smart enough to only have quick-dissolve TP aboard) and what they've eaten first.  You don't have to make a big deal out of it...You really DO need to explain to guests how to flush the toilet, but a lot of people even seem to be uncomfortable about how to approach that. The easiest way is to make it just another part of your "this is where everything is and how it works" tour of the boat--something you should do for ALL first-time guests, landlubber or not (how many times have we all had to hunt for 10 minutes for the light switch in the head on a strange boat...and finally had to ask?)--when they come aboard. The toilet just becomes part of the "tour," and a LOT less embarrassing for you OR your guests than having to show someone how to flush a full bowl.

And by the way...I've always made safety issues a part of that tour.. "Here are the lifejackets. God willing we won't need them, but just in case, here's how to put one on.  The light switches are located...and they work by....  The water faucets work just like the ones at home, but please don't let the water just run, because what's in the tank is all there is. Please don't try to help unless specifically asked to do something, you could get hurt if I zig when you expected me to zag..." etc. It's been my experience that landlubbers are a lot more comfortable aboard immediately when they know a little bit about the boat, how things work, and what's expected--or not--of them.

You can also post a little plaque on the head wall that says the toilet will choke on anything but the TP supplied and anything they've eaten first.  Anyone who ignores the instructions should never be allowed to set foot on your boat again.

[sailingdolphin]

Thanks for your response.

Here's the worst part.  I did give the safety talk including "Do not put anything in this toilet that didn't come out of your body.  It will clog the toilet"

These guests will not be returning.  Some people have no respect.

[Jack Hutteball]

I don't know if this will help with your problem as it appears to be in the head itself.  I had the same issue but had two stuck in the macerator.  I switched the wiring to the macerator and ran it backwards.  Popped them right out.

Good luck, Jack

[Peggie Hall]

And, as Jack mentions, if the blockage is in the macerator, I have had good luck unbolting the macerator from the motor....Gary

In macerating toilets, the macerator is just a metal "blender blade" in the pump next to the discharge impeller...so how do you unbolt it from the motor without taking the pump apart?

So let's find out what it REALLY is that you're calling the "macerator"...What's the make/model/age of your toilet...and also same info from sailing dolfin AND Jack...'cuz reversing the impeller in some toilets isn't as easy as just reversing the wiring...and neither is taking the pump apart!