420/44 DB Owners Club

[Mark.60]

I only found mine because a member told me where to look.

 

[Tomco]

Mine only came with the Sea Ray sick duck sounding horn. Its on the list to add ... the Kalenberg are certainly non in-expensive! Anyone have a picture of their radar arch - curious where its mounted with the other gear up there.

 

[bajturner]

Anyone have a picture of their radar arch - curious where its mounted with the other gear up there.

I don't have any close-ups, but here's a few grainy crops that may help a bit:

 

[SeasNT]

Mine only came with the Sea Ray sick duck sounding horn. Its on the list to add ... the Kalenberg are certainly non in-expensive! Anyone have a picture of their radar arch - curious where its mounted with the other gear up there.

This frame grab gives you a general idea. Ours is mounted just forward and to the port of the radar scanner. the base of the horn is on the radar arch but the trumpet is over the forward canvas top. Get a dual horn if you can. I think they sound better than the single.

 

[boaterholic]

My holding tank is empty, and when I power up the two heads, the green light on the day/guest head comes on after about 3-5minutes. I can flush it and it turns reds a couple minutes then back to green.
The master Head, sometimes will turn green sometimes stays red. I can flush it even when it has red light on.
What could be making it stay red?

 

[bbwhitejr]

My holding tank is empty, and when I power up the two heads, the green light on the day/guest head comes on after about 3-5minutes. I can flush it and it turns reds a couple minutes then back to green.
The master Head, sometimes will turn green sometimes stays red. I can flush it even when it has red light on.
What could be making it stay red?

It is staying red because it is not building vacuum or you have a flaky switch. If it is taking the guest head that long to turn green(build vacuum), it is needs attention as well. Marine Sanitation in Seattle is the best there is.

Bennett

 

[boaterholic]

It is staying red because it is not building vacuum or you have a flaky switch. If it is taking the guest head that long to turn green(build vacuum), it is needs attention as well. Marine Sanitation in Seattle is the best there is.

Bennett

I thought about whether it was building vacuum or not, but when I look at the ammeter gauges I can see when the vacuum pump is running and when it quits. So if it quits running is lack of vacuum still an issue?

 

[bajturner]

I thought about whether it was building vacuum or not, but when I look at the ammeter gauges I can see when the vacuum pump is running and when it quits. So if it quits running is lack of vacuum still an issue?

It could be losing vacuum one of two ways (or both, I guess).

One key tell-tale is if the toilet bowl is holding water. If the bowl drains, then the ball valve gasket in the toilet needs to be replaced. Not a hard job. This problem is usually very obvious. The bowl drains, you will year a suction sound, and the vacuum pump will periodically cycle to rebuild the vacuum.

If the toilet bowl stays full but the red light stays on, there are two typical reasons. One is the "tank full" sensor is giving a false reading and shutting down the vacuum generators. Your guest head is working ok so this isn't the case. The other reason is a problem with the vacuum generator- either a faulty pressure switch as already mentioned, or the duckbills need to be replaced or have something stuck in them.

As for your question, if it quits running, the light turns green, and your toilet flushes then it successfully built vacuum. If it quits running and you have little to no vacuum (weak or no flush), and the light stays red, the pump likely overheated (more likely when clogged). If I remember well, overheating causes the breaker to trip though, so that's not likely the case.

3-5 minutes seems like a long time to recharge. 30-60 seconds is more what I think you should expect. Duckbills are the usual suspect for long recharges. Not a hard repair, but it's all about the access. Both are a pain on this boat, with starboard one a really big pain.

One other possibility, although unlikely, is a clog between the toilet and the pressure generator. In this case the toilet won't flush. Vacuum is created between the pressure generator and the clog. Fluid and air upstream of the clog gradually make it past the clog, causing the pump to cycle.

I've had vacuflush toilets since my kids were 3 and 5 so over the years I've spent quite a few late nights doing repairs to the head in a variety of locations!

 

[Irie308]

I recall someone posted a while back about their replacement cockpit carpet on the 42/44 DB. They said that the vendor had the template on file. Does that ring a bell to anyone?

 

[boaterholic]

It could be losing vacuum one of two ways (or both, I guess).

One key tell-tale is if the toilet bowl is holding water. If the bowl drains, then the ball valve gasket in the toilet needs to be replaced. Not a hard job. This problem is usually very obvious. The bowl drains, you will year a suction sound, and the vacuum pump will periodically cycle to rebuild the vacuum.

If the toilet bowl stays full but the red light stays on, there are two typical reasons. One is the "tank full" sensor is giving a false reading and shutting down the vacuum generators. Your guest head is working ok so this isn't the case. The other reason is a problem with the vacuum generator- either a faulty pressure switch as already mentioned, or the duckbills need to be replaced or have something stuck in them.

As for your question, if it quits running, the light turns green, and your toilet flushes then it successfully built vacuum. If it quits running and you have little to no vacuum (weak or no flush), and the light stays red, the pump likely overheated (more likely when clogged). If I remember well, overheating causes the breaker to trip though, so that's not likely the case.

3-5 minutes seems like a long time to recharge. 30-60 seconds is more what I think you should expect. Duckbills are the usual suspect for long recharges. Not a hard repair, but it's all about the access. Both are a pain on this boat, with starboard one a really big pain.

One other possibility, although unlikely, is a clog between the toilet and the pressure generator. In this case the toilet won't flush. Vacuum is created between the pressure generator and the clog. Fluid and air upstream of the clog gradually make it past the clog, causing the pump to cycle.

I've had vacuflush toilets since my kids were 3 and 5 so over the years I've spent quite a few late nights doing repairs to the head in a variety of locations!

Wow, thank you fir such an informative and educational post. This is new for me so much appreciated it!
I will dig into it. Do you know off top of your head where the duckbills are located on our systems?

 

[Mark.60]

Before you take any of the sanitation system apart dump a gallon of simple green down each head. Your nose will thank me for this tip.

 

[Carpediem44DB]

So today I ran the air compressor on the bench in my garage.
It was loud so I put it back in the original place. Thank you for all the input, I’m glad I didn’t make a mistake putting it under the dash. If it dies again I’ll take Bennett’s advice and go electric. Thanks again for all the help.

just curious about why the noise would be an issue? it only runs for maybe 20 seconds at most. I had a small leak in one of the fittings on Carpe Diem so when ever I energized the Starboard batteries the compressor would run a bit but I rarely heard it run other wise. I would put it where it is easiest to service since it rarely cycles.
Carpe Diem

 

[Carpediem44DB]

I don't have any close-ups, but here's a few grainy crops that may help a bit:

View attachment 100784

View attachment 100785

View attachment 100786

I loved the volume of the horn but I often thought about relocating to the side of the bridge below the splash shield so the horn didn't blow right in my frigg'n ear! I always felt compelled to warn passengers before I sounded the horn as it really could be a problem for those with significant heating issues. The Carver has the horns center mounted on the top of the cabin forward of the bridge. They are the electric and sound pitiful so air horns are on the update list.

 

[Mark.60]

You think the horn is loud ? Try testing it while the boat is still covered with shrink wrap.

 

[bajturner]

Do you know off top of your head where the duckbills are located on our systems?

They are part of each vacuum generator unit, inside a housing near the pump motor on top of the unit.

Both vaccum generators are in the engine room. One is on the far port side, just fore of the generator and the other is on the starboard side roughly parallel to aft of the generator.

You have to get past the exhaust pipes to reach them, which is mainly what makes it difficult.

 

[ttmott]

Wow, thank you fir such an informative and educational post. This is new for me so much appreciated it!
I will dig into it. Do you know off top of your head where the duckbills are located on our systems?

I purchase my parts from Environmental Marine - this is from their website; item 6 are the "Duckbills" -

 

[boaterholic]

It could be losing vacuum one of two ways (or both, I guess).

One key tell-tale is if the toilet bowl is holding water. If the bowl drains, then the ball valve gasket in the toilet needs to be replaced. Not a hard job. This problem is usually very obvious. The bowl drains, you will year a suction sound, and the vacuum pump will periodically cycle to rebuild the vacuum.

If the toilet bowl stays full but the red light stays on, there are two typical reasons. One is the "tank full" sensor is giving a false reading and shutting down the vacuum generators. Your guest head is working ok so this isn't the case. The other reason is a problem with the vacuum generator- either a faulty pressure switch as already mentioned, or the duckbills need to be replaced or have something stuck in them.

As for your question, if it quits running, the light turns green, and your toilet flushes then it successfully built vacuum. If it quits running and you have little to no vacuum (weak or no flush), and the light stays red, the pump likely overheated (more likely when clogged). If I remember well, overheating causes the breaker to trip though, so that's not likely the case.

3-5 minutes seems like a long time to recharge. 30-60 seconds is more what I think you should expect. Duckbills are the usual suspect for long recharges. Not a hard repair, but it's all about the access. Both are a pain on this boat, with starboard one a really big pain.

One other possibility, although unlikely, is a clog between the toilet and the pressure generator. In this case the toilet won't flush. Vacuum is created between the pressure generator and the clog. Fluid and air upstream of the clog gradually make it past the clog, causing the pump to cycle.

I've had vacuflush toilets since my kids were 3 and 5 so over the years I've spent quite a few late nights doing repairs to the head in a variety of locations!

so I re checked the system, and this time both heads were green upon energizing the circuit breakers. I flushed each one and timed each. The port head was approx 50 seconds and starboard head was 45 seconds to green. I only tried it once that day as I had other things to do. so not sure now what to think. Maybe it needs more use.

 

[boaterholic]

I will go ahead and order the duckbills and have on hand in case it acts up again.
When I’ve looked at parts online I got the impression we have both 2” and 1 1/2” duckbills. Can anyone confirm?
Thank you

 

[bajturner]

so I re checked the system, and this time both heads were green upon energizing the circuit breakers. I flushed each one and timed each. The port head was approx 50 seconds and starboard head was 45 seconds to green. I only tried it once that day as I had other things to do. so not sure now what to think. Maybe it needs more use.

That sounds pretty normal...maybe a bit long, but not much.

Do they then stay green and the bowls hold water?

 

[boaterholic]

On my 2005 does anyone know where the air compressor and tank for horns are located? I’ve searched all over the aft area around generator area but can’t find it. My horns are weak sounding and I want to check if compressor and tank are ok. thanks