Head Rebuild

The head works so why change it? The old Jabsco manual head worked pretty good...had to change the pump gasket a couple of times..of course the hoses smelled, the lime deposits caused some issues. Those big stiffies needed some coaxing alrighty. The holding tank was too small...the manual gusher overboard pump developed an airlock?? Needing remediation while enroute. The boat always has a kind of odour? The seacocks were all original and had to be replaced. The hoses needed upgrading to the expensive kind right, seacocks also not cheap. Need to buy another pump assembly again. So let's try an electric macerator...noisy pig but it does the job...pretty much although...because of the lateral feed some material just bounces around and don't go through so WTF.

I have been looking at various solutions including better electric, Lavac, Electrasan and vacuflush. All these could work however the best are just too big for this boat and are also in the 3 to 5000$ range which is pretty steep. I looked at the composting models as well and read as much literature as I could find from other users. After the last year with the electric macerator head we decided to go with the Airhead composting/dessicating model. As it will fit easily into the existing spot and the only potential problem will be whether to use the hull or deck for the exhaust. 

Pulled the old bowl off the macerator and pulled out the switch and cabling, all the hose. Ended up with 30 odd hose clamps one diverter, two anti siphon valves, one manual gusher pump, of course the lovely holding tank, vent line, pump out line,

 overboard hose, intake hose, three seacocks. I am going to attempt diverting the head sink discharge to one of them as the present discharge line is quite long and backs up while underway. The difference in ambient odour once all that shit dispersing equipment was removed is quite apparent and from what others have experienced once the Airhead is activated we can expect even more improved air quality as the interior air is continuously moved out.

The easiest route for the exhaust is out the existing holding tank vent which exits the side hull just below the toe rail immediately adjacent to the head. There is an existing hidden route that also accommodates the pump out line to the deck so this will serve nicely without making any new holes. The worry is that water ingress through the side will compromise the fan. This may occur so I have a couple of spare fans in that event.  

I ran the wiring from the spare fused switch at the gang that I had installed for the watermaker. This gang is powered directly from the battery so will be 

 more than made up from the solar panels while in use.

In considering this style of shitter we had to think about the implications of handling the waste correctly...as we have no intention of going off around the world and really just plan to spend two or three months at a time a couple of times a year cruising the B C coastline this seems like it may only require a couple of solid waste maneuvers annually, and emptying the urine daily. As it is the totality of waste mixed that is the problem in overboard discharge this looks to me to be an environmentally sound method of dealing with the human waste issue. 

This picture above shows the exhaust fan housing exiting just starboard of the original pump out access. This is all hidden behind the alcove wall in the head space above the sink. Easy access for any problems with the exhaust fan. I left the deck access plate in case there was a need to put in a mushroom cap style exhaust vent.

I received the Airhead Dec 23 from the US direct from the manufacturer. It came by air duty free for just $25 USD shipping. There was a couple of months backlog due to covid but the unit arrived with all the necessary installation parts needed. The spare fans I got from Amazon for $20 cdn.

I bought ten bricks of coconut coir from Lee Valley for $40 cdn. Theoretically that is five years supply. I will likely get some bacterial enzyme and bug spray in case it is needed but that is readily available at the hardware store. 

The holes in the bulkhead for the old hoses were best fixed by adding a panel of 1/4 inch birch veneer and refinishing. The exhaust required that a new hole be made in the cabinet but that allows for a direct access to the existing deck pump out hose channel which is now available. This allows for the inline filter to be easily accessed along with the exhaust fan for any maintenance requirements.

The backing, now stained, and the base painted with a couple of coats of  enamel. 

The support braces and a rubber shim at the back to eliminate a bit of wobble and maintain the few degrees of slope that is necessary to keep the urine from sitting in a puddle in the basin. The unit is held very stable by those braces and is very easy to take out with just finger loosening the wing nuts and lifting out.

All those former hoses and pumps and anti siphon valves and thru hulls. Now just one exhaust hose.
A different operating method to be sure and I imagine there will be a learning curve to master.
I will update next year as to how that goes.

After finally getting away from the docks, we stayed out cruising for a month. Had some good sails in 20 knot breeze a couple of days with a few gusts in the Johnstone straight heeling well over to the starboard rail with no water ingress. Overall the unit performed very well with no issues. Very easy to adapt to using. No smell! The boats' head is a different space.

I guess not everybody would go for it but should you decide to try it just know that it is far easier to deal with than a plugged joker ....

Update 2023...

Using now through two seasons and still no issues with this install. Exhaust fan still working fine after months of 24/7 use. I mothball over the winter after allowing 60 days for the composting to carry on. When I empty it there is only the odor of fresh soil or like humous in the forest. Grow your medicinal herb in it.