Groco HE Economics

[Ken Coit]

If you have a Groco head, as we have onboard Parfait, you should be aware that if the base is plastic the factory will recommend that you trash the head and buy a new one with a bronze base. If the plastic pump flanges are cracking they will recommend that you replace the entire pump assembly. Be aware that many of the other parts are the same, so you might want to keep the old head around for spares.

In our case, they recommended that we trash the whole unit as above and replace it with a new one with a bronze base at approx. $220. If we had a bronze base, they would have recommended that we simply replace the entire pump unit instead of the housing I needed. Price: approx. $170.

I have opted for an interim solution that may work, or may not, but at least I used the spare parts already on hand. I reassembled the HE with spare parts and 3M 4200. I may never be able to repair it again, and I may never be able to clear it if it is taken out of service; however, I have not spent either $170 or $220 and I feel good.

In the meantime, I will be looking for recommendations on new units that do not have $170 parts. Lavac has been mentioned as being low on moving parts. Does anyone have any experience with them?


Keep on sailing,

Ken Coit
CD/14
CD/36 Parfait
Hailing Port: Raleigh, NC
Sailing from: Beaufort, NC



parfaitNOSPAM@nc.rr.com

[M. R. Bober]

Ken
The bucket has no moving parts.
Every best wish,
Mitchell Bober
RESPITE
CD330
Annapolis, MD

[Larry DeMers]

Ken,

No personal experience, but I have friends with the Lavac. It's a fairly clean installation, with only a single pump alongside the wc. However, the seat on the wc appears larger than the Groco, so you may want to see how big it is. Significant problems were had in maintaining the seal while flushing. The seat is the seal, and it is flimsy IMHO. These friends have replaced the seat once, as it did not seal up properly..making the whole wc useless. When it works, it's rock simple. I also have read several reports about it and they were praising it as a good alternative wc.

Flush on...


Cheers,

Larry DeMers
s.v DeLaMer
Cape Dory 30 Sailing the waters of Lake Superior

If you have a Groco head, as we have onboard Parfait, you should be aware that if the base is plastic the factory will recommend that you trash the head and buy a new one with a bronze base. If the plastic pump flanges are cracking they will recommend that you replace the entire pump assembly. Be aware that many of the other parts are the same, so you might want to keep the old head around for spares.

In our case, they recommended that we trash the whole unit as above and replace it with a new one with a bronze base at approx. $220. If we had a bronze base, they would have recommended that we simply replace the entire pump unit instead of the housing I needed. Price: approx. $170.

I have opted for an interim solution that may work, or may not, but at least I used the spare parts already on hand. I reassembled the HE with spare parts and 3M 4200. I may never be able to repair it again, and I may never be able to clear it if it is taken out of service; however, I have not spent either $170 or $220 and I feel good.

In the meantime, I will be looking for recommendations on new units that do not have $170 parts. Lavac has been mentioned as being low on moving parts. Does anyone have any experience with them?


Keep on sailing,

Ken Coit
CD/14
CD/36 Parfait
Hailing Port: Raleigh, NC
Sailing from: Beaufort, NC

demers@sgi.com

[Ken Coit]

but not a fave of the crew.

Ken

Ken
The bucket has no moving parts.
Every best wish,
Mitchell Bober
RESPITE
CD330
Annapolis, MD

parfaitNOSPAM@nc.rr.com

[Patrick Turner]

I have the Raritan "Cricket" and so far have been happy. I was considering the Lavac, but I went and checked one out on another boat and walked away thinking there might be something better. Apparently the Lavac takes more flush water then stated. I'm a big componenet of keeping things strong and simlple. The Cricket consists of a single large diameter double action pump (similar in concept to the Lavac) that sits directly below the toilet bowl. Flushing the toilet is done by pumping a long extendable handle on the side of the unit...similar to a bilge pump. From the pump the discharge hose takes a single 90d turn. The service kit is around $80. Big pump, one turn, reasonable service kit makes this one to consdier.....it's also a compact design.

The other one I'd look at is the Raritan PH-II. Little more money up front, but an even cheaper service kit and a good reputation.

Pat

[BobM]

Ken
The bucket has no moving parts.
Every best wish,
Mitchell Bober
RESPITE
CD330
Annapolis, MD

Read Nathanael Herreshoff's "The Complete Cruiser"
I believe he advocated the use of the bucket. Now
there's a man who knew what to do in place of the
head's we use today. A man who believed in KISS
logic just look at his designs.

Bob
Ranger #144
CD25D '84



Ranger1442@hotmail.com