Adding a second salt water intake valve?

[TBOT422]

Has anyone considered adding a second valve on the salt water intake line to the head? We recently returned from our first extended cruise on our C350 and I was very dissappointed in how quickly the holding tank filled. We previously cruised on a Hunter 36 and the holding tank (same capacity) lasted nearly 4 days instead of the 2 days we were getting on the C350. I believe the big difference is the amount of salt water that is added to the waste with each flush. The Hunter was equipped with a 3-position switch. One position pumped out liquid waste without adding any additional water to 'flush' - a dry flush. Another position added water to the bowl without flushing, and the third position added water and flushed the waste at the same time. We found that by using the same process of opening and closing the head inlet sea cock, we dramatically increased the amount of time before the holding tank got full. The problem is the location of the sea cock is in the forward cabin and it is a nuisance to go back and forth to open or close the sea cock depending on what you want to do. I was thinking of adding another valve in the head to make it easier to control when water is added to the waste. Has anyone else done this or considered this or have any suggestions?

Thanks

[R.B.]

What some people have done is re-plumb the sea water hose to the sink drain and only use fresh water if needed. The 2 benefits are 1) you control the amount of water you use to flush and 2) you don't have sea water standing in the bowl, which eventually causes an odour. I guess an additional benefit is not bending over to access the sea cock in the V-berth. I myself have not done this, but instead (lazily) left everything the way it is, I don't open the sea cock at all and just use a cup of water from the sink when necessary or use the shower hose.

[TBOT422]

Ralph,

When I leave the boat for a long period of time, I always clean and rinse the toilet with fresh water from the shower. That does help keep the odor down. When cruising for extended periods, the fresh water is far too precious to flush down the toilet. While cruising, I find that the toilet is used frequently enough that the salt water does not create an excessive odor. But, I would like an easier way to control the amount of salt water used per flush.

I didn't understand your comment about re-plumbing the salt water hose to the sink drain. What is that supposed to accomplish?

[R.B.]

The drain from the sink is "used" or "dirty" fresh water that will be drained over board anyway, so using it to flush the toilet would seem to be a good use for recycled water. So instead of opening the sea cock for the sink drain, you leave it closed, filling the drain hose and the sea water hose while washing up, leaving the water for flushing at a later time. Again, I have not made this mod myself, I have only read about it.

[wolfe10]

Ralph,

Before going ahead with this potential re-plumb (closing sink drain and rerouting to head intake), suggest you measure volume (or what I suspect is very little volume) in the sink drain hose.

Close the sink drain. Use a quart container to see how much water can be "stored" in that hose that you may desire to use to flush the head. I suspect you will find the quantity VERY limited and not worth the time. Flushing the toilet with no water to the toilet intake would not be a good idea.

We use shower head to flush if potable water supply is unlimited and sea water to flush other times. We always store with fresh water from shower head.

Brett

[R.B.]

Brett,

I am not considering this change, I use a cup or the shower wand for flushing. I only mentioned it because I have read that some others have made this mod. I leave my thru-hull closed for the season. If anything I will eventually repurpose that thruhull for a future wash down pump.