Head clogged help

I have a 1998 searay 270 sundancer with a macerator and a vacuflush head. I had girls on it this weekend and I think the toilet paper clogged it. I got the bowl full of water and it will not go down at all.

Re: Head clogged help

There is only one solution for you my friend. Start opening up the system and find the clog. To reduce the chances of this occurring, make sure you're using marine toilet paper and not the stuff from the grocery store. It breaks down much easier. Try to be sparing with its use. Limit what gets flushed. We only flush 4 things down the head, 3 = marine toilet paper and 4 = water. I don't need to list #1 and #2 do ?

Best of luck.

Re: Head clogged help

It is usaully at the macerator. There are little blades in there to cut up whatever and if it is to much, it results in what you have.

Shrew said it perfectly.
make sure you're using marine toilet paper and not the stuff from the grocery store.

Re: Head clogged help

im using marine toilet paper for sure. The bowl is holding all the water and it is near full from trying to flush it. HELP

Re: Head clogged help

:facepalm::facepalm:


Quit trying to flush it until you find the problem. Turn your water supply off so you can hold the pedal down to mty water
Is it the vacuum part not working to suck it down. Have you looked to see if the switch for the vacuflush is turned on.It won't work otherwise.
The VacuFlush is designed to use pressurized fresh water from the onboard system, eliminating sea water odor. It uses only 1 -3 pints with each flush,Never put anything into a marine sanitation system that isn't specifically marketed for that purpose. Do not use detergent, bleach, dish soap or other cleaners--especially cleaning products which contain pine oil, petroleum, or alcohol.
The cheapest "no-name" single-ply paper at the grocery store is the same thing as "marine" toilet paper, and it's a whole lot cheaper!)

Most often someone is using non marine toilet paper or a sanitary napkin being flushed through. What happens is that the non-marine toilet paper cakes in the suction pump bellows. The bellows in the suction pump is shaped like an accordion. Imagine an accordion that had the bellows seems all clogged with something. You could not close it. Same principle, the pump is trying to make the bellows go up and down but it can not go down(or compress) because the bellows seems are clogged holding the bellows at full open. This causes the electric pump motor to stop turning, and blow the breaker. The fix is simple, Remove top of pump and pull all caked in toilet paper. Also be sure a hole has not been punched in the bellows as this will cause a vacuum leak.

DO NOT USE A SNAKE in the Vacuflush toilets. I use a shop vac directly into the bottom of the bowl first. Often this will pull a plug out of a flush funnel or bend close to the toilet. If this does not work, disconect the hose at the vacuum side of the pump. Do you hear the shop vac in the hose? If not you have found your clog. Now use something to go up the hose(not a snake or anything rotary). I use an old control cable. Poke around untill you break through the plug. With the shop vac running at other end this will pull the plug through while making a minimal mess.
Another thing that will cause this is a tampon stuck in a duckbill valve. Replace duckbill valves if this is the case.

Re: Head clogged help

What he said^

The overboard macerator has nothing to do with it.

Often times a shop vac in the toilet(with the water off and flush valve open) or at the other end of the hose where it goes into the pressure tank from the toilet, will get the clog out. If its not stuck in the line to the toilet, then you likely have something stuck in the duck valves in the pump, the pump motor or switch is broken, or the bellows is clogged (as mentioned in above post) or has a tear in it. When the bellows for the pump gets old they can crack at the seam and wont make pressure. It can make a stinky mess in the bilge if you continue running it if this is the case. Unfortunately i have spent way too much time fixing vacuflush head systems in my life lol.