278 vista owners? where are they?

hutch9900 · **Joined:** Tue Mar 22, 2011 7:14 pm **Posts:** 456

saltlife wrote:

Can someone tell me if their is a filter for the head on this boat? when someone flushes it really stinks inside the boat.

viewtopic.php?f=14&t=9642&p=92860&hilit=vent+filter#p92860 Yes, there should be. I dont know if it is the exact same as the thread I copied here, but for anyone that has one it is sure worth the money! We had the same problem as the one you mention above where I knew the tank was clean, but it stunk when flushed. Do you have vaccuflush on your boat?

saltlife · **Joined:** Sun Oct 07, 2012 1:53 pm **Posts:** 59

No I don't have vacuflush. Just manual type. I did purchase a mew replacement pump today to see how much that helps. Besides the old one was getting g quite sticky, noisy and was getting g some backflow. When I get in there tomm I will look for a vent filter.

jzellers · **Posted:** Fri May 31, 2013 9:30 am

I have one:

saltlife · **Joined:** Sun Oct 07, 2012 1:53 pm **Posts:** 59

jzellers wrote:

I have one:

NICE!

Technologic80 · **Posted:** Fri May 31, 2013 10:40 am

Jzellers - where did you buy your swim platform from? I dont recognize the supports as being the ones swimplatforms.com uses..... Either way, it looks great and thats on my "to-do" list this summer :mrgreen:

Technologic80 · **Posted:** Fri May 31, 2013 10:49 am

saltlife wrote:

Can someone tell me if their is a filter for the head on this boat? when someone flushes it really stinks inside the boat. There is a small vent next to the drivers location under the gunale could the smell becoming from there?

Also is there a rebuild kit for the manual Jabsco toilet? Is it hard to isntall the replacement parts?

You dont need to buy a new head. And why bother buying a rebuild kit for $50 when you can get the WHOLE pump and seals- EVERYthing for $72 with free shipping on amazon?

Thats exactly what I did! My joker valve, whatever else dried up and went bad after 16 years of use. West Marine wanted $50 or so for the rebuild kit and I figured I didnt want to be touching whatever was in there (lol). Replaced the pump, super easy job and now its like brand new.

As far as your smell goes - what holding tank chemical are you using? I use Campa-Chem, available at Wal-Mart. Our tank NEVER smells, even in the hottest summer months. And we overnight every weekend, sometimes spend 5-7 days out on the hook.

What I do notice is the head itself does stink like pee sometimes. You really need to rinse it good when you flush and sometimes Ill put a few pumps of the lemon scented anti-bacterial soap I keep next to the sink in the head and let it sit. Kinda deodorizes it....

jzellers · **Posted:** Fri May 31, 2013 12:50 pm

Technologic80 wrote:

Jzellers - where did you buy your swim platform from? I dont recognize the supports as being the ones swimplatforms.com uses..... Either way, it looks great and thats on my "to-do" list this summer :mrgreen:

I made my platform out of Plasteak boards from plasteak.com. The transom brackets were made by the previous owner to hold a 8.5' dinghy. I don't use it but made the necessary brackets to mount the platform to what was there. They're very strong and the whole platform can remove with two bolts like a hitch receiver. I can still use the dinghy mount and it installs with just one bolt. Here are some more pics:

Technologic80 · **Posted:** Sun Jun 02, 2013 6:34 am

Does anybody have a problem with their circuit breaker for the AC Outlets being too weak and popping under any loads?

It doesnt matter if we are on shorepower or generator power, we cant even run a toaster on the low setting on our outlets. The circuit breaker itself starts humming and then it pops as soon as the toaster is on for a few seconds. No other problems with any other breakers.

Does the same thing for a small handheld vacuum, over the hatch A/C, etc....

I should note that we have tested the same exact items on our friends 2001 Vista 268 and our other friends 328 Vista and their breakers do not pop.

Bad breaker or common problem with the 278?

Technologic80 · **Posted:** Sun Jun 02, 2013 12:36 pm

UPDATE:

Took my breaker panel apart.

My 278 Vista was definitely built on a Friday!! First, FW wired my forward bilge with no 12+ wire. Second, my AC outlets have always tripped under the smallest of loads. Just took it apart and the grand prize winner issssss:

A 5 amp breaker for 4, yes FOUR AC cabin outlets!! WTF was somebody thinking??

Im now convinced more than ever that my boat was built on a Friday or a holiday weekend :evil:

Bwalton · **Posted:** Sun Jun 02, 2013 6:41 pm

I have a 2009 278, this is our second season owning it we live just outside of Saint John New Brunswick

saltlife · **Joined:** Sun Oct 07, 2012 1:53 pm **Posts:** 59

replaced the pump to the head the other day. definitely works ALOT better, and most of the smells are gone. but just when you fix one thing something else breaks! the shower sump box has cracked at both hose inlets. Gotta love boating!

saltlife · **Joined:** Sun Oct 07, 2012 1:53 pm **Posts:** 59

Technologic80 wrote:

UPDATE:

Took my breaker panel apart.

My 278 Vista was definitely built on a Friday!! First, FW wired my forward bilge with no 12+ wire. Second, my A/C outlets have always tripped under the smallest of loads. Just took it apart and the grand prize winner issssss:

A 5 amp breaker for 4, yes FOUR A/C cabin outlets!! WTF was somebody thinking??

Im now convinced more than ever that my boat was built on a Friday or a holiday weekend :evil:

What size did you replace it with? I havent had a problem (yet) with the outlets and i run the keurig.

Technologic80 · **Posted:** Sun Jun 02, 2013 8:43 pm

saltlife wrote:

replaced the pump to the head the other day. definitely works ALOT better, and most of the smells are gone. but just when you fix one thing something else breaks! the shower sump box has cracked at both hose inlets. Gotta love boating!

Replacing the pump solved 90% of my issues with the head. I saved the old pump as a spare. Maybe if I get brave enough one day, Ill order the seal kit and rebuild it for a spare....

I dont know if you've noticed but even with the exhaust fan in our head compartments, they tend to stink badly. As opposed to my friends who have a Vista 268 with an opening portlight. Ive tried air fresheners, cleaning it from ceiling to floor, putting nice smelling cleaners into the drains of the toilet and shower, etc... it just always smells "off" in there.

Technologic80 · **Posted:** Sun Jun 02, 2013 8:51 pm

saltlife wrote:

What size did you replace it with? I havent had a problem (yet) with the outlets and i run the keurig.

Of course you or anybody else wouldnt have a problem - Im totally convinced my boat was put together with whatever leftover parts were still around that fateful Friday before a holiday weekend, when my 278 was being finished up!! lol. :lol:

I ran up to Worst ... err I mean West Marine and bought a 15amp replacement circuit breaker. Installed it, guess what?!?! No more popping breaker while on shorepower or generator power. I can now run my little euro-pro or whatever heck brand it is shark vacuum without any problems. :mrgreen:

That means our Keurig should work just fine too and the over-the-hatch A/C as well, finally!!

Im going to be keeping an eye on the electrical systems because this is twice now Four Winns has dropped the ball on my boat. Like I said before, the forward bilge had no 12+ lead to the breaker AT ALL and now a 5 amp circuit breaker for 4 AC outlets. Brother......

Took the boat out afterwards and got a pumpout. Shes running really good this year, hate to jinx myself by saying that!

saltlife · **Joined:** Sun Oct 07, 2012 1:53 pm **Posts:** 59

^^^^^^ knock on some wood!

By the way -I ordered a horizon 500 windlass off of eBay for a good price just have to wait for it to come in. Now its time to find out how much fourwinns actually prewired on these boats. I have the windlass rocker switch on the panel and I know there is a few wires under the vberth port side acess panel (not sure if those are for windlass or something else). I would assume they did not run heavy cables ?

Does anyone know which way is easier to run cable from bilge to anchor locker?

Any thoughts on the process?

www.iFourWinns.com

278 vista owners? where are they?

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