Can't get intake to work on head.

[James T]

Hi Gang,

My 2003 2400 scr will not draw water into the head. It pumps out fine. I took the pump apart as per the manual to check for blockage and nothing. Next I believe I should remove the screen near the seacock intake valve - is this screen reachable from below the seacock or exterior of the boat hull? Also my hot water is up and running but not from my galley sink (works in head and at transom). Thoughts?

Thanks,

James T

[shrew]

hi James T, welcome aboard (if I haven't already). Since you've found the seacock for the head, I'll assume it's open. You don't happen to have A/C on your boat do you? I only ask because there would be a sepereate seacock for the A/C as well. Just trying to rule out whether the seacock in disucssion is the one for the head, since the behavior you describe is very much like the seacock being closed. Otherwise either the valve for the intake is bad or there is a major blockage. I would expect even with barnacles clogging up the intake, you would still get SOME water in, though it would be difficult.

If there is a seastrainer for the head, then certainly check to make sure that isn't blocked. Once it's empty, if you put it back together and open teh seacock I would expect it to fill with water if the strainer is below the waterline. That should give an indication of which direction to start looking for the blockage.

[James T]

Thanks Shrew! No AC on board and have triple checked the off and on of the seacock. Will head down tonight and try the strainer as everything else seems fine. The boat has never sat in the water for long periods so never any marine life attached. I am assuming the strainer is accessible via the engine compartment (as it appears to be such in the owners manual) but will find out tonight. Same thought on the galley sink hot water not working - just trace it back and see what I find. Cheers, James T

[shrew]

I'm not sure exactly where the seacock is for the head on a 2400. If you don't have AC and you found a seacock, then it is undoubtedly for the head. As for the hot water that is a completely isolated system. Are you getting cold water on the cold side? Are you getting cold water only on the hot side? Or are you getting nothing on the hot side?


BTW- one more thing about the manual pump head, there is a switch that goes from Dry Flush to Wet Flush. Dry flush will pump contents to the holding tank but not draw water in. Wet flush draws water in. If the seacock were closed and you had the setting to Wet Flush, you wouldn't be able to pump the pump. If it were set to dry flush it would flush easily all day but never draw water in. I forgot to mention that. I assumed you noticed the switch and since you had the manual, I assumed you had gone over that part of how it functions.

Just an FYI. Let us know how it goes.