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Galley Maid Toilet-Slow flush—Help?

Discussion in 'Technical Discussion' started by Pahtyof5ive, Aug 25, 2015.

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  1. Pahtyof5ive

    Pahtyof5ive New Member

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    I just bought a 1991 42 Ocean SuperSport, it has a Galley Maid toilet that has a slow flush. The pee fills the bowl and when you hit the button to flush it fills the bowl with more water and just sits there. The bowl doesn't seem to empty, eventually it goes down (2 hrs). I have closed the water intake and I hold the flush button down and it will empty the bowl, but if I just slightly open the seacock it still fills the bowl. Any help will be appreciated. I have the bullet type pump/motor.
  2. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    You probably have a clog from someone forgetting to hold the button for the full 5 seconds. Go to the intake side of the pump with a bucket, disconnect the hose and clean it out. inspect the pump for further clog. Hopefully that will be all that's needed. If the pump needs to be rebuilt that gets expensive.
  3. TeKeela

    TeKeela Member

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    The galley maid screw pumps will eat most anything.

    Can you clarify some of your wording? We need to set a baseline.

    "you 'hit' the button" & "I 'hold' the flush button" - are you doing the same thing the first time as you are the second? or are you just hitting the button briefly? Is HIT the same as HOLD?

    When you "hit" the button, assuming you are just holding it briefly, the fresh water will come in before the bowl begins to empty. With the fresh water valve on, hold the button for 5 seconds, what happens? Hold it till the it fills to near the top then stop. (As you say it will go down after a couple hours)

    "fills the bowl" - do you mean some fresh water goes into the bowl? or the bowl actually fills up?

    I don't see a clog in this, when the fresh water valve is off and he holds the button, the bowl empties. So how fast does it empty? Does it slowly empty? (back to clog theory) does it empty with passion? (then back to the above)

    discharge-pump-rmf.jpg head-pump-rmf.jpg

    I assume it is one of these?

    And do you hear the pump running? They are very loud.
  4. Pahtyof5ive

    Pahtyof5ive New Member

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    TeKeela,
    Let me start by saying I'm new to this type of toilet/system. I've gone to the Galley Maid site and it says "this toilet would grind up cigars"
    I push/hold the flush button and the bowl fills with intake water, but it seems the outgoing (sucking contents out of the bowl) can't keep up with the intake pump. That being said, I did close my intake seacock and pushed/held the flush button again and if I hold it in the bowl will empty. (5-10 sec) So is my problem at the Macerator side of the bullit pump? BTW, I have the bottom pump in your photos.
    Thanks
  5. TeKeela

    TeKeela Member

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    Well if Hit and Hold are the same, and the bowl is slow to empty then I have to say that NYCap is probably right, something is not grinding and likely clogged. But clogs should be brief if it made it to the macerator, cigars are nothing for it, but it will be foiled by tampon strings and condoms. Before I pull off the hose at the macerator, I would try to first use a plunger and move the blockage closer to the macerator, fill the bowl, push the button and plunge at the same time, the pump will suck and you will push, may dislodge the blockage and get it to the grinder, if so, all will work itself out, if not, you'll have to pull off the hose and fish up in there. Hopefully the pump is not far from the head.
  6. Pahtyof5ive

    Pahtyof5ive New Member

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    I think in the fall I will take it apart. I feel the problem is at the Macerator end of the pump. When I bought the boat the old owner said it was slow to flush but it always goes down and this has been the case all summer. This could be a build up of string and fibers around the macerator that is restricting passage or the macerator will need to be re-built
  7. TeKeela

    TeKeela Member

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    I'd try the plunge before I decided to do a rebuild, $500 rebuild or a $5 plunger?
  8. Pahtyof5ive

    Pahtyof5ive New Member

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    Yeah, I'll try that first. Thanks for the info. So many different systems on this boat, So much to learn.
  9. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Just had a call like that last month.
    The rubber stator in the big end of the pump is worn. Order a fresh stator and rotor. About $125.
    also, The push button may have a timer to auto run for a few to several seconds.
  10. NYCAP123

    NYCAP123 Senior Member

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    Don't plunge it. You'll probably blow the hose apart. Don't snake it either. This is not PVC pipe. These pumps will swallow almost anything, but if you don't hold the button for at least 5 seconds the solids will only go to the front of the pump and then clog. Subsequent pushing won't have enough umph to get the clog through the pump. Get on the latex gloves, unclamp the hose and shake it into a bucket. With a pick clean out any clog in the pump. It's a dirty job, but a mechanic will probably charge about $600 to do it.

    On the boat I used to captain, the first I'd run with the GalleyMaid, I got out the Brother P-touch and made very clear signs that can be seen by anyone sitting or standing and also explained to all visitors that it's imperative to hold the button for 5 seconds. Learned the lesson the hard way.
  11. Pahtyof5ive

    Pahtyof5ive New Member

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    Can I get this locally (Boston) or is this a Galley Maid order part? BTW, thanks for the info.
  12. TeKeela

    TeKeela Member

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    Raz Marine in Lauderdale can sell the parts or rebuilt it. Or from Galley Maid.

    The bowl is getting emptied in 5-10 seconds, the clog is not that bad. Adding some pressure WHILE pushing the button should not be an issue. With one end sucking, the other end pushing I doubt you will blow open a hose unless it is very worn and crusty then you need to replace it anyway. If the clog is not at the pump it will get there and then you can see what happens and decide. But I would try it before I had to open up a big mess. The sanitation hose is a VERY tight fit on the end. I would open it up as a last resort. Because that hose is a pita to put on or off.

    And you can buy switches now that have the timer built in, no need to hold it.
  13. Capt Ralph

    Capt Ralph Senior Member

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    Call Depco pump. Ask for George C.
    http://www.depcopump.com/
    He is great. Verify the pump model from above picture or send him a picture of yours.
    No problems after George is involved.
    Tell him Big Ralph sent you.
    rc
  14. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    This, usually if the motor runs and it fills faster than it drains. Like Rcrapps said, the stater and rotor is bad.
  15. mwwhit1

    mwwhit1 Senior Member

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    If you don't find an obvious clog or problem somewhere, my system is definitely slowed down by Uric Acid\Scale buildup inside the pipe to the holding tank. Since you don't know what maintenance the old owner did, this could be a cause as well. Using "sew clean" does wonders to keep my toilet emptying quickly. Something else to consider...
  16. Pahtyof5ive

    Pahtyof5ive New Member

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    Thank you everyone for your info! I know so much more now than I did starting off yesterday, awesome forum!
  17. Kapn

    Kapn Member

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    The rubber rotors are pretty easy, if not disgusting, to replace. I did one and found the hose to be completely choked down with hard calcium buildup. Should have replaced it, but didn't have access to a new hose, so I pounded it on the dock to break everything out. Worked like a champ after that. It's a pretty simple system actually.
  18. Pahtyof5ive

    Pahtyof5ive New Member

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    Someone told me to put some muriatic acid through the system to clear out the hard calcium buildup. Pour it in and wait 5 minutes then flush it through the system. Have you ever heard of this?
  19. Capt J

    Capt J Senior Member

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    Do NOT DO THIS. It will eat the daylights out of your rubber sanitation hoses, holding tank, and holding tank pump.
  20. Pahtyof5ive

    Pahtyof5ive New Member

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    Thank You Capt. J, I thought it sounded a little aggressive.