I've got a new SeaEra head with an integral raw water pump that I'm installing in a location above the water line. It will discharge into a holding tank. Is it necessary and/or adviseable to install a vented loop in the discharge line?

Thanx in advance for any advice you can provide.

Cap'n Jeff

No...not if the toilet is above the waterline, unless the head discharge line has to run uphill at all into the the tank.

Your choice of a toilet is excellent btw.

Thanx Peg.

My discharge line does indeed rise after it leaves the head. Is the vented loop required to prevent odors from coming out the head?

I selected the Sea Era head _base_d on advice you have given to others on this site. Thanx!

The loop only prevents waste and flush water left in the line between the toilet and the tank from running back to the bowl. If the tank is within 6' of the toilet, only flush water is likely to be left in the line...but if it's further than that, few people actually flush long enough to move bowl contents all the way to the tank, so it'll be waste running back downhill. But even if it is only flush water, if the line is long enough it can be enough to fill the bowl. The joker valve in the toilet will prevent a flood till it becomes too worn, but it won't prevent slow seepage.

Installing a loop (it doesn't have to be a vented loop, just an arch in the line) near the toilet to provide a downhill run the rest of the way to the tank will leave only flush water in line between the toilet and the top of the loop...the closer to the toilet, the less water will be left in the line.