jabsco makes a pump they claim will not be harmed by being ran
dry, I am thinking about rigging it so it only runs while I am holding
the botton down, I figure between 30 to 40 seconds, time, and as the
grave toilets only use a pint or so of water, I would only have to flush
the 1 gallon tank every few toilet flushes. however My idea is
dependent on the claim from jabsco that it will not be harmed by
running dry? has anyone ever had a jabsco pump burn out bu
running dry?

and you are right the ec isn't being sold by raritan anymore,
however, the L/S isn't exactly a product that flys off the shelf, and I
have found a few dealers who still have ec's for sale still in the box,
and as new would still come with a warranty.


thank you
Jason Miller
www.wafflefilms.com

Lack of use is more destructive to machinery than the hardest continuous use...and anything that's been sitting on the shelf for several years is likely to need new seals and gaskets--cuz rubber dries out and becomes brittle over time...lubrication in motors settles and ceases to provide any protection from corrosion. So buying an EC model that's still "new in box" will be a crapshoot. And while Raritan may still warranty it, you'd risk having to deal with the aggravation of a system that isn't working and could prevent you from using the toilet at all till it's fixed.

As for a macerator that can run dry without harm...it can occasionally for a limited time. But no rubber impeller can run dry for an extended period and/or repeatedly for short periods without wear to the edges of the vanes from dry friction heat. So while it may survive for a while, it will require more frequent impeller replacement...and again, risk down time during which you wouldn't be able to use the toilet. Any increase in the odds that the toilet may become unuseable even for a day a two is a risk most people wouldn't take...but it's your boat, and your life.

And there's one more issue--your proposed "retention tank" will be full of raw untreated waste that will stink unless that tank is plumbed and maintained like any other holding tank. You can't use chemical products--not even chemical bowl cleaners, 'cuz chemicals damage the electrodes in the Lectra/San...that tank has to be vented, or you won't be able to empty it except while holding the toilet pedal down. So even though it's only a gallon, you're just adding the hassle of maintaining a holding tank to what should be a simple flow-through toilet and treatment system.

But if you're determined to try to build a reliable sanitation system out of obsolete equipment and "work-arounds," at least you'll be making an informed decision...and if you do have problems, you can't blame it on the equipment.

And now, after 40 + posts attempting to advise you, I think we've pretty much exhausted this subject. peghall38327.2357407407