# Vacuflush toilet, head. toilets



## Myblueheaven (Sep 7, 2003)

I am taking out my old tired heads and am considering those Sealand Vacuflush models. NO...not the vacuum flush toilets that require a sealed seat to work! The actual Sealand brand ''Vacuflush'' line. They work similar to a airplane head. I would appreciate anyone who has real experience with living with these. NOT A Sealand SALESMEN! Also, any advice on the best head you''ve come across.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

I like these heads and am not involved in selling them, but I have worked on all kinds of heads for customers over the years. Let me tell you what I like and what I don''t like.

I like that they work great 95% of the time, and if you use your head, they work great 99.5% of the time. They don''t smell. They only use a pint of your own fresh water, so you don''t need the extra thru-hull and you don''t get the smell of stale seawater or stinky-ass canal water in your head. Since the Sealand head uses so little water to flush (about 1/3 to 1/4 of a regular head) your holding tank lasts a lot longer. It is virtually impossible for a Vacuflush head to lose a seal and allow seawater to back into the boat and sink the boat. Women love them because they are oderless and clean. They are totally easy for anyone to fix.

That''s most of the good.

Now for the not so good.

They are expensive. About $1000 plus installation of about another $1000 for a full system. They need extra space for the vacuum pump and vacuum tank. If the little seal in the botom of the head is leaking a little (something nasty in it) the vacuum pump will automatically cycle every half hour or so all night long, making you finally get up, swearing and cursing the day you spent two grand for this freaking nightmare, and turn off the circuit breaker. The next day when you fix it in a second, you''ll be glad to have it again. There are also a half dozen clamps that might leak, which is why you really want to watch a pro install your first one.

By the way, Sealand makes their own oderless hose, and it really works, so let them include as much as is needed for the installation. At $8 per foot, it can get pricy.

Last item: there is a vacuum switch on the vacuum tank that controls the cycling. It costs about $150 and has a warning "Do Not Adjust - Calibrated At Factory" Take their word for it. It''s an expensive item to experiment with for fun. I have played with one while trying to fix a head that it turns out had a leaking vacuum pump (extremely rare). I was lucky that the head rep exchanged the vacuum switch for nothing because the whole system was under warranty.

As far as I''m concerned, the Sealand Vacuflush is the best head I know of, but I do know there are several other companies that make the exact same type systems, but I have zero experience or knowledge of them. There is one or two more U.S. makers, and a couple from Europe.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Falcon Eddie, thanks for the informative description of the Vacu-flush head. I opted for one in the new Tartan 3700 I just purchased. Cost was $2200.00 factory installed, so you''re right on with the price. The reasons you listed as downsides to the standard raw water head are just the reasons I opted for the Vacu-flush. We''ll see how it works and I''ll bear in mind the nuances of the system that you mentioned. All the best, Larry


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Well, you''ve reminded me of this, so I have to tell you. Years ago, I was hired to take a 64'' ketch to Hong Kong from Manila and put it up for sale. It had four of those sealed-down seat type heads discharging into two treatment plants, which were emptied overboard by Whale Gusher hand pumps, one on each side. We sailed with 20-30 people twice each weekend from the RHKYC (sales promo, you know) and the heads drew a lot of comment. What I didn''t notice is that someone posted neatly lettered signs on each side near the pump ports saying, "Stay clear - high pressure waste discharge without forewarning!", until they caught the attention of the Harbor Police, who required a complete demonstration, then sealed the gushers.


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## davmarwood (Jan 12, 2008)

*Vacuflush HeaD*

Just returned from 5 days on a Hunter 410 with 5 guys and two vacuflush heads. They worked as advertised every time, and we ate well and gave them a good "challenge" each morning. No smell, and the holding tanks lasted for the full days.
Bad point - noisy when flushed. If someone gets up in the middle of the night to use the head, everyone in the boat will know. First person to use it in the morining wakes everyone else up with the noise of the vacuum pump and the gurgling of the waste being sucked around several 90 degree elbows.
Overall, I wish I had the $ to put one in my 35 footer this year, but that will have to wait.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

*Vacu Flush*

I recently shipped (by Land) my 98 310 Sea Ray with the Vacu Flush system.

It worked when it left but didn't upon being put back into the water. Sea Ray tells me there's a breaker that must have tripped behind the DC and AC control panels but there is no breaker to be found.

The water pump works but the vacumm pump is not.


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## bloodhunter (May 5, 2009)

*Sealand Vacuflush -- satisfied customer*

When we got Enchantress my wife told me in no uncertain terms that there were to be no more smelly manual heads. After doing a little research I settled on the Vacuflush, the model that flushes to a remote holding tank (they also made a self-contained unit but I already had a holding tank and wanted to keep that capacity). 
Don't remember the cost to the penny but it was about $1200. I installed it myself -- the installation guide is very clear and easy to follow. One tip if you do it your self. Replace ALL the piping y-valves and anything else used by the old system otherwise the smell will remain. Also I built a locker around the vacuum pump and soundproofed it. Not perfect but it doesn't wake us up at night.
The system works exactly as advertised and I've had no problems with it. It uses very little fresh water and power. I winterize it by pouring a couple of pints of watersystem antifreeze into the head and flushing it. Dealer told me it also keeps the seals from drying out.
The head odor has disappeared and there's no more pumping and no more leaks. The Vacuflush, along with the new acrylic galley sink has made my wife very very happy. In fact the Vacuflush is up at the top of my list of best things I've added to the boat.
FYI I have no connection with Sealand, or any marine sales or service company.


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## TSOJOURNER (Dec 16, 1999)

Thank You for your reply, however, I already have the system. I'm trying to understand why the pump is not working. Is there a reset or fuse/breaker?


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## bloodhunter (May 5, 2009)

Sorry, tfoster, was replying to original message on thread. 
When I put my Vacuflush in the wiring diagrams showed no internal breaker or fuse and there was no reset button on the pump. I wired it directly to my breaker panel. I suppose it's possible that a different model might have a built-in breaker but I don't see why. 
MyVacuflush has a footpedal on the right-hand side which lets in water and turns on the pump. I'm wondering if one of the connections there might have been broken in transit. Seems the most likely culprit.


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## sailingdog (Mar 19, 2006)

I didn't know SeaRay made sailboats??? 


tfoster7 said:


> I recently shipped (by Land) my 98 310 Sea Ray with the Vacu Flush system.
> 
> It worked when it left but didn't upon being put back into the water. Sea Ray tells me there's a breaker that must have tripped behind the DC and AC control panels but there is no breaker to be found.
> 
> The water pump works but the vacumm pump is not.


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## RhosynMor (Apr 23, 2008)

In reply to best head;
the Lavac. indestructible ,available with electric or manual bilge pump, but it is one of the sealed seat type


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## 7Psych (Aug 28, 2007)

Wag Bags..Try 'em....You'll be glad you did!


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## MerrittIslandRich (Dec 14, 2011)

*Thanks for the information*

Thanks for all the information you all posted on heads.


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## Waterdawg43 (Oct 13, 2012)

7Psych said:


> Wag Bags..Try 'em....You'll be glad you did!


Funny, I was researching Vac Flush toilets and stumbled upon this. Just watched a video of it on Youtube... LMAO






This might be the perfect answer of how I'll manage livingaboard between October and April when they shut down the pumpout boats and I don't want to run on shore in the middle of the night.


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## benesailor (Dec 27, 2012)

That's one way of doin it. I have never seen that! I always took a crap in a dug out hole or porta potti when available. 

Lesson to be learned from this. Baby wipes are your best friend. Don't leave home without them. They will keep you clean for days on end. Cuts down on the swamp a$$ and stinky feet. 
You would think the military would issue baby wipes!? Everyone uses enough of them.


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## kellysails (Nov 1, 2008)

I have one vacuflush and one standard toilet. The vacuflush is fantastic except for how loud it is. At night we tend to use the standard toilet. I am glad we have one of each.


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## luv4sailin (Jul 3, 2006)

Keep a bucket handy. A boat doing the transatlantic race a couple of years ago had a Vacuflush and it died about mid ocean. Nine guys used a sea bucket for 10 days. Not nice.


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## kellysails (Nov 1, 2008)

luv4sailin said:


> Keep a bucket handy. A boat doing the transatlantic race a couple of years ago had a Vacuflush and it died about mid ocean. Nine guys used a sea bucket for 10 days. Not nice.


That is the reason I went with (1) vacuflush and (1) standard. I was more concerned about a serious power issue that would forgo use of the vacuflush.


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## eherlihy (Jan 2, 2007)

I have a VacuFlush on my boat. It was installed by the PO. When I bought the boat, I considered ripping it out, because I was not familiar with it, and the pump ran all the time. 

Over the last two years of ownership, however, I have figured it out (it's really pretty simple - if you have the right parts) and I am now a convert. It turns out that the gasket connecting the porcilean (sp?) bowl to the base was leaking. I believe that the PO paid close to $4K to have the system installed.


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