Raritan Crown Head check valve
The last thing on my punch list has been the head. I could never get it to suck in seawater after much ugly work. After taking it all apart a number of times, I was trying to get the intake pump on the back to suck water… I tried everything, then I unscrewed the check valve cap on the side of the pump… it houses a spring and a black rubber ball… I fiddled with that and plugged the hole with my finger and suddenly the pump took up water and filled the bowl. It’s the simple things in life that can really make you happy. Hugging a crapper with a finger in hole, I celebrated the first flush ever in this boat. I fiddled with that mechanism and ultimately put the cap back on without the check ball and screw and the pump continued to work…
But I’m uneasy about using it without those two pieces (spring, ball) and wonder if any of you have experience with a Raritan Crown head and what consequences might come without the check ball and spring?
The glamorous life of boating… CH 12, CH8 in diagram
From Raritan
The purpose of the ball and spring is to prevent the water from flowing back down and out of the intake pump for the head. Removing these parts may have an effect on the priming of the intake pump and could cause your impeller to burn out sooner than it should. Usually if the unit is having issues drawing water with the ball and spring in there, it is because the ball is getting stuck in the inlet port. I recommend lubricating the check ball with some silicone-based lubricant if you have some on board. This will allow the check ball to slide out of the way more easily when drawing water, and still allow it to plug the inlet and prevent the water from running back out when the head is not in use.