TIPS: Economical and practical marine toilets ?

Posted by Mofabz on 15th Sep 2023

Vessel owners knows the importance of having toilets on board but this equipment can be quite problematic and in some cases expensive. 

This article will try to explain which marine toilet is best suited to your boat. 

Certain COBS will favor chemical toilets and others manual or electric marine toilets. Some might just look for an inexpensive marine toilets. Well it really depends on the frequency of your usage and also your budget.

At Marine Asia Trading , we can supply marine toilets for most brands but normally these are the brands that customers will look for in no particular order

1) Jabsco

2) Dometic

3) TMC

There are electric toilet and also manual toilet , some are portable while some are fixed. 

Electric toilets are equipped with motor pumps, while manual toilets are mechanical. Which model do you think would best suit your boat? A manual or electric marine toilet? Why should you choose one and not the other?

All marine toilets are made up of the same basic elements, namely: a clean water tank, a pump,  and a waste water tank. 

So for choosing a manual or electric marine toilet, it is necessary to take into account parameters related to the size, operation or adjustment of these different components.

Flushing system is one of the criteria that differentiates manual marine toilets from electric models. Electric models are equipped with self-priming pumps, while the manual marine toilet models are equipped with mechanical pumps. Otherwise, both are made of the same elements and work on the same principle.

Once you have decided on a specific type of marine toilet, make sure that the model you are interested in matches the space available on your boat. Remember that this is a set consisting of two tanks, a tank and a pump. So, you have to be sure that each of these elements can be integrated into your boat. Otherwise, opt for a compact marine toilet model. They are designed to adapt to the specifics of boat interiors.

This parameter only concerns fans of the electric marine toilet. It allows you to select a pump according to its power consumption. Indeed, there are several models of electric pumps, and each develops a power proportional to its consumption. This means that you should check the power consumption of a pump before choosing it.

Like energy consumption, the noise caused by marine toilets is a parameter that only concerns electric marine toilet models. Indeed, some of them are equipped with pumps which generate noisy and harmful snoring during their operation. To solve this problem, manufacturers offer models equipped with pumps separated from the tank. This allows them to be installed away from compartments occupied by passengers.

Electric marine toilets feature the best innovations in technology. Practical and easy to use, they offer the best level of comfort and safety on the market. With such a device, it suffices to press a button to perform three operations at the same time: rinse the tank, crush the waste and remove it. No need to strain your arm to pump water, everything is managed automatically. Some electric marine toilet models take innovation even further, allowing water to be drawn directly from the sea to rinse the bowls (saving you fresh water for long crossings). So it's no surprise that the opinions on electric marine toilets are so positive.

The main disadvantage of manual pumps is their mechanical operation. The fact that they require physical effort constitutes a handicap vis-à-vis their electric competitors. In addition, hand pumps often have a tendency to break. 

Manual marine toilets offer more independence and autonomy to users. Easy to install and maintain, they do not require electrical energy to operate. Everything is done in a mechanical and simple way. By eliminating the electric motor, you save energy, materials (cables, fuses, etc.) and maintenance costs. In addition, you protect yourself from its whims and those of the electrical circuit. Be aware, in the event of a power failure, the electric pumps stop working, which is not the case with manual models. Finally, let's talk about the atmosphere that prevails when using hand pumps. Unlike noisy and annoying electric models, they are silent and respectful of the peace of the passengers.

In conclusion, we will say that the choice of a Manual or electric marine toilet depends on the user's needs and budget. Know how to define your priorities!