Thetford cassette toilet not flushing

[Shaun_374468544]

Hi, I have just been checking the toilet out but its not flushing.. There is water and chemical in the header tank, I have had the motor out and its not stuck or anything, When I push the flush nothing happens, If the water pump for the caravan is on this can be heard slowing down when the flush is pressed but still nothing happens.. I have checked the voltage coming into the cassette compartment but it only seems to be showing about half a volt if that.. Does power only come down that wire when the flush is pressed? I dont know what else to try...

 

[TonyH1]

Hello Shaun, are you sure you're actually checking the voltage across the positive and negative? Most certainly the feed should be live whenever the main battery switch is on.

If you can hear the water pump slowing I would have thought you would also see the lights dimming. This would indicate the toilet flush is drawing power but not pumping. Could it have debris in it?

 

[Shaun_374468544]

Hi, Thanks for your reply.. I will have to re check the wiring, maybe I checked it wrong but it was a blue/brown and a white/black wire I checked it accross.. I will try with the lights on and see if they dim.. the pump slows only while the flush button is pressed and returns to normal as soon as I release the flush button.. I have the flush pump out, it does nothing, the impeller moves freely when I turn it with a screw driver..

 

[TonyH1]

Hi Shaun, as you've got the pump out I would suggest you try connecting the pump to a 12v power source. Probably wise to include a fuse incase it's a direct short. That would give you an indication as to whether the fault lay with the wiring or the pump. Must say that if the pump is drawing enough power to slow your water pump I'm surprised the fuse for the toilet flush hasn't blown.

 

[Shaun_374468544]

Right, thinnk I have sussed it, I have disconnected the pump, checked the voltage accross the wires that connected to the pump and they give out the 12v when the flush is pressed, Connected the pump to a 12v supply and it did nothing, cleaned it out, soaked it in warm water, cleaned it out somemore, but it does nothing more than a little jerk as its connected.. So im gonna buy a new pump hopefully this will solve the problem.. What can I use to clean the gunk and crap out of the flush tank?

 

[TonyH1]

If it's sealant type muck & gunge you're referring to, my suggestion would be to check with either the dealer you get the pump from or Thetfords. I think anything solvent based could be dodgy.

Hope you've got it sorted.

 

[TonySharon]

If it's sealant type muck & gunge you're referring to, my suggestion would be to check with either the dealer you get the pump from or Thetfords. I think anything solvent based could be dodgy.

Hope you've got it sorted.

Hi Shaun sorry to hear about you caravan flush problem.I purchased a new Wyoming back in 2008 and had a electrical problem with the thetford electric flush sometimes it would not work. the cause which I found out myself.

was the fuse holder terminals where badly corroded from the toilet chemicals. I removed the corroded holder and terminals fitted a shower proof fuse holder out of the way of the existing one, And now its never failed at all,

hopes this help

cheers Tony

 

[ChrisUK]

How did you get at the pump? On holiday receintly mine seemed to pack up, motor would turn but no water and I could not see how to get at the pump.

What actually happened was the tank empted but I only put in about 2 l of water as we were off home later in the day. I rang my dealer and he said I should fill it, which I did and it worked? You would have thought if you flushed it empty with the pump, even a small ammount of water added should flush. I would still like to know how to get at the pump.

 

[Shaun_374468544]

Thanks for all your replys, I got at the pump in mine by removing the whole toilet roll holder then its just under there, held in by one retaining screw.. I have the new pump now, connected it up and it powers up fine, so must have been the pump.. Want to clear out the tank before i fit it though so it doesent bumg up the new pump. The stuff seems to be just like mould as though stagnant water has been left in for a while.. Im wondering maybe soak with bleach and warm water? would this do the trick? I could just siphon this out then down the shower drain and into a waste tank for disposal

 

[TonyH1]

Shaun, if it's not too late, bleach could be a no no. Caravan dealers should be able to sell you a cleaner that's suitable. Some of the modern plastics don't like powerful cleaners.

 

[MrsSheila]

Hi Shaun, I have been watching this topic with much interest as we are having trouble with our thetford toilet electric flush. We have had this problem twice with the first time being resolved when my hubby emptied the flush tank thinking he had caused a vacuum by putting in water already mixed with the pink flushing additive. this seemed to work until last week when he refilled the tank and the pump seemed to be running but no water being delivered. I noticed that a "lump" of black gunge came out of the tube after the pump was ran. the pump now ran ok for the next 5 days. My husban suspects that it is a combination of 1) a vacuum occurs when the tank level drops and/or when it is been refilled. and gunge or scale being produced over time to cause a blockage. I note that my hubby always says that the inlet is a little awkward to get water into it

Hope our water problems are cured soon and that the other waterworks (rain) will also cease spoiling our caravanning

Regards Sheila