Ok, I admit it! Two weeks ago, I wasn't feeling up to snuff and I inadvertently plugged up the head. After taking the head apart, clearing the paper blockage and reassembling, it would NOT "dry bowl". It seemed that there was still a blockage, so I took EVERY connector apart from the bowl to the holding tank, found NOTHING! Took the pump apart two additional times, everything looked just fine. Reassembled, and it STILL didn't work. It was hydro locking when you pushed down on the pump arm when in the "dry bowl" position, ie. it was pushing back.
Finally I called Groco, told them that this head was 1 year and two months old, what could be the problem. The tech. told me that the very small lever arm off of the "Flush"/"Dry Bowl" lever had broken and was not allowing the pump to relieve pressure when in the dry bowl position. He said that it would be a hair line crack, and would not be visible if you looked at the arm assembled. I asked if this was warrantied, no, he said, but he would send me the new piece! He also said that I would notice that the new arm was a different color as they had changed the plastic formulation! In other words, they new there was a problem with this piece!!
Got the piece Friday, went to Hanalei and fixed the problem in 15 minutes. It is easiest if you completely remove the pump from the head, then you can work on it where you can really see it.
If your head will not "Dry Bowl" easily, this could be the problem. Hope this helps someone, it was NOT fun trying to figure it out. FWIW....
Dave Stump
Captain Commanding
s/v Hanalei
Trouble with a Groco HF head....
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