A Beginner's Guide To Boat Toilet Maintenance
Boat toilet maintenance isn't the most exciting topic, but it is an important one. Preventative and proactive maintenance keeps your boat toilet running well. Keep reading for essential boat toilet maintenance tips. If you have questions or want to shop boats for sale, head over to The Harbor (Boat & Yacht Sales). Our dealership is located in Branson, Missouri, and we also serve those in Springfield and Kansas City.
Check The Owner's Manual
Always look up the manufacturer's recommendations. There may be certain tasks you need to tackle or avoid. There also may be given products you should use or avoid. Find out anything that's specific to your boat before moving onto the general boat toilet maintenance advice.
Understand How To Handle Calcium Deposits
What Calcium Deposits Are
If your boat's toilet uses salt water to flush, it will eventually get scale deposits in the hoses and discharge channels. This may seem like nothing, but it will become problematic in time.
The deposits will cause issues such as:
- Making it harder to flush
- Allowing water from the discharge line to go back into the bowl
- Eventually causing total blockage
It's important to prevent calcium deposits as much as possible and address any buildups as quickly as possible.
Preventative Maintenance
Each month, do preventative boat toilet maintenance with white vinegar. This is a useful tool for targeting and dealing with the fresh scale.
You will want to pour the white vinegar into your boat toilet and do a single pump every four or five minutes. Avoid going too fast! Once the white vinegar has gone through the system and removed the deposits, pump a gallon of fresh water through the system. This will help flush the lines.
Dealing With A Scale Buildup
Sometimes a calcium deposit buildup happens even with preventative maintenance. In this case, you will need a 10% solution of muriatic acid. Most hardware stores should carry it. The mixture won't damage porcelain, rubber, or plastic. It technically can harm metal, but it would take a large amount and extended period of time. Know that it is harmful to eyes and skin, so take the proper safety precautions and be careful when handling the product.
You will want to pour two cups of acid into the boat toilet. Know that it will fizz as it encounters calcium deposits - and that's a good sign, not a red flag. Once the fizzing ends, pump the toilet with the intake closed. This empties the toilet bowl and moves the acid into the pump.
Wait a few minutes. Pump again to move the acid to the discharge hose. Wait a few minutes. Open the intake and flush the toilet and lines.
You may also need to remove the anti-siphon valve. If it has deposits on it, simply soak it in warm water.
Lubricate The Boat Toilet
It's important to lubricate the boat toilet. This keeps the internal rubber and leather parts in good condition. It also keeps the pump running well. Lubrication needs to be a regular boat toilet maintenance task and you can do it after the vinegar flush.
Be sure to purchase a lubricant designed for marine toilets. Start by getting a bit of water into the boat toilet, add a few ounces of lubricant, and pump through the toilet. This will lubricate the discharge side of the pump.
Next, disconnect the intake hose from the closed seacock. Add lubricant to the hose. Pump the head, which will get the lubricant through both pump chambers and will effectively lubricate the intake side.
As a finishing touch, add Teflon® grease to the piston rod. This extends the lifespan of the piston rod seal.
Know How To Address Odor
Bathroom toilet odor is an unpleasant experience! If you encounter a situation, there are a few common culprits to check out. If you can't figure out the problem, remember you can always visit our service department and let our experts solve the issue for you.
In most cases, the problem is the discharge hose. Take a damp and clean cloth, then rub it on the discharge hose. Do a quick smell test. If you found the source, know that you will need to replace the hose to get rid of the smell.
Another common issue is leaking connections. Use a clean and damp cloth to check potential problem areas, then address accordingly.
Remember to check the piston rod's seal too. You may be able to solve the problem by tightening the seal. Otherwise, you will need to replace it.
It could also be debris caught inside the flush-water passage under the bowl's rim. Install a strainer in the intake line to prevent this.
We hope you found this guide to boat toilet maintenance helpful! For more maintenance advice or to shop boats for sale, chat with the experts at The Harbor (Boat & Yacht Sales). We can answer questions, make suggestions, offer help with boat toilet maintenance, and more. Our dealership is based in Branson, Missouri, and we also serve those in Springfield and Kansas City.