Toilet smells 😟

[StClements]

I recently bought a 2002 Avondale with a Thetford toilet, please see pics. I have two problems, firstly it doesn't seem to flush- I'm currently in a campsite and using the pleasure battery, is it possible this is electric flush which only works on mains?! Surely not..
secondly, to put it bluntly it just stinks. I have spent a lot of time cleaning it (it was pretty gross when we got it to be honest) but it seems to be emanating a smell which is like a cross between bad, old BO and toilet fluid. If it was up to me I'd like to get the whole thing replaced! But my partner is a kind of 'fix it' person. Is that feasible to rip the stinker out? I suspect smell may be coming from the cassette deep deep down- this caravan was sitting unused in a field since Covid and- let's just say- the toilet obviously hadn't been cleaned before it was shut up and left 😵‍💫
I'm an absolute newbie and don't know what the heck I'm doing at all so please don't assume I know anything-I don't even know if this is an electric flush toilet?! Please be gentle and explain things like I'm a five-year-old thank you 🙏🏼

 

[StClements]

Haha obviously I meant LEISURE battery though pleasure battery sounds fun too!

 

[Buckman]

Haha obviously I meant LEISURE battery though pleasure battery sounds fun too!

Gave me my morning laugh. 🤣 🤣 🤣

 

[Andy Norfolk]

I can't help with the electric, I'm sure someone else will be able to. If you Google the model of cassette you have you could just buy a new cassette. Thetford also do refresh kit I think where you can replace things like the seals.

 

[Andy Norfolk]

Google Thetford fresh up set.

 

[otherclive]

Over the years tye cassette has probably built up a calcium deposit that ordinary washing doesn’t remove. Thetford do a cleaner that dissolves the layer and gives nice clean internals. As said above you could replace any suspect parts. My initial one would be the main seal. If that is not in good condition odours will come out. Also I would give the whole compartment a good wash down.

 

[ProfJohnL]

This seems to be your model

Thetford C200 CWE Toilet Features: Colour White Flush 12 volt electric Integrated pour-out-spout Integrated flush water tank Waste cassette capacity: 17L Flush water cassette capacity: 7L Access door and water fill door are optional extras (to buy go to bottom of this page) Discontinued​ Permanent, swivel bowl chemical toilets for motorhome's and caravans. Thetford C-200 CWE Cassette toilets have a dedicated water tank for flush water and features touch button electric flush. Its bowl can be swiveled 180 degrees to free up additional bathroom space.​

Be wary about using a limescale remover/ decalcifier, they can sometimes attack plastics. Check with the instruction manual

 

[otherclive]

This seems to be your model

​

Thetford C200 CWE Toilet Features: Colour White Flush 12 volt electric Integrated pour-out-spout Integrated flush water tank Waste cassette capacity: 17L Flush water cassette capacity: 7L Access door and water fill door are optional extras (to buy go to bottom of this page) Discontinued​ Permanent, swivel bowl chemical toilets for motorhome's and caravans. Thetford C-200 CWE Cassette toilets have a dedicated water tank for flush water and features touch button electric flush. Its bowl can be swiveled 180 degrees to free up additional bathroom space.​

Be wary about using a limescale remover/ decalcifier, they can sometimes attack plastics. Check with the instruction manual

I would hope that Thetford tank cleaning fluid is compatible with the tanks materials. I used it periodically and had no issues arise. Also I tended to refresh the cassette each day too.

 

[aguiness]

Hi as far as flushing the first thing to check would be the fuse, a lot of thy time it is I n the compartment where the cartridge sits, if not it will be in the fuse box, if the fuse is ok it will most likely bo the pump these get gunned up with the black slide the same as what you gat in a washing machine drawer

 

[aguiness]

google will be your friend just search and you will get loads of you tube vids on this

 

[RogerL]

Thetford toilet cleaner/descaler needs to be used frequently to keep the inside clean - if it's already heavily scaled it could take many attempts to get it satisfactory

 

[Eldorado]

totally left field - we haven't even got our first caravan yet and have no prior experience of fixing something like this -

BUT, Citric Acid is an excellent and cheap descaling chemical that I would imagine is safe to use in a plastic loo

 

[otherclive]

totally left field - we haven't even got our first caravan yet and have no prior experience of fixing something like this -

BUT, Citric Acid is an excellent and cheap descaling chemical that I would imagine is safe to use in a plastic loo

Citric acid can be incompatible with certain types of rubber. I would use the Thetford proprietary cassette ckeaner. Or alternatively one of the complete refresh kits where you get a new cassette.

 

[ProfJohnL]

totally left field - we haven't even got our first caravan yet and have no prior experience of fixing something like this -

BUT, Citric Acid is an excellent and cheap descaling chemical that I would imagine is safe to use in a plastic loo

Its dangerous to assume, That is what happened to several clients, and their gas appliances when they stopped working correctly. I know its a different product completely but the same principle applies. Read the manual and what it says, If it doesn't say then contact the seller or manufacturer or check other sources of reliable information.

 

[otherclive]

Its dangerous to assume, That is what happened to several clients, and their gas appliances when they stopped working correctly. I know its a different product completely but the same principle applies. Read the manual and what it says, If it doesn't say then contact the seller or manufacturer or check other sources of reliable information.

Why not just buy Thetford proprietary cassette cleaning fluid?

 

[JTQ]

I second using Thetford cassette cleaner and as said it almost certainly will need to be used several times to really make a whole lot of progress.
Plus I would use their "Bowl cleaner" to dissolve the film that builds on the bowl plastic and could harbour things causing the smell, I have a high regard for its effectiveness in bowl clearing.

To "smell" it needs somewhere to be oozing the smell. target areas would be the whole outer surfaces including the loo compartment itself, the bowl as mentioned and the state inside the cassette. The latter ought to be trapped most of the time by the main seal, the vent seal and the emptying button seal. If these seals are not effective all these are replaceable and can be cleaned using the likes of the bowl or cassette cleaners. The seals do harden and could be original so well overdue replacing.
I would also adopt a 24 hour emptying routine, don't give "things" time for the bacteria etc to culture to any great extent.

I for decades have used instead of proprietary loo bottom chemicals, Bio laundry liquid, primarily as from experience this is way better at keeping the cassette internals free of uric and calcium deposits. Though I empty each day so place no technical challenges on bottom use products to hold biological decomposition in check, but not least because doing so the cassette is also never too heavy to man handle.

 

[GUMPY]

My go to toilet cleaning and treatment chemical for at least the last 20 years has been cheap biological washing liquid. And that includes 15+ years of living with a cassette toilet 24/7/365 when I lived on a boat.

As a thought, I assume you have refilled the flush tank 🫣

 

[izzy]

If it is not the fuse then it may be the pump that is stuck and that is an easy fix even if you have to change the pump, you may find nasty surprises inside the flush tank such as the dreaded black bits caused by additives and have to give it a good clean out.
As for the smell, personally (not knowing the user history) I would remove the whole toilet, strip, clean and replace seals and then treat floor for any nasty accidents over the years, not easy or pleasant and hopefully not required.
but maybe thats just me

 

[rich0805]

My go to toilet cleaning and treatment chemical for at least the last 20 years has been cheap biological washing liquid. And that includes 15+ years of living with a cassette toilet 24/7/365 when I lived on a boat.

As a thought, I assume you have refilled the flush tank 🫣

@StClements You said you are new to this. As @GUMPY says, there is a usually a seperate filler for the flush tank, on the outside if the can, above the door for the cassette.
If there is water in the tank then try this. Turn the light on in the toilet and press the flush. If the light dims slightly then it is likely that the pump impeller is jammed, if it doesn't then try a fuse.

 

[IanB1485]

The pump is accessed from the flush panel , which is glued on . Use a thin piece of plastic to gently lift the panel , this will reveal the pump drive /switch pcb and another cover plate underneath . The pump is in the flush tank and connected to an anti siphon device and the output pipe which is pushed onto a small spigot and can be gently pulled out and the 12V/switch/ electronic/ pump can be checked to see which is at fault. Attached is a picture of the switch/pump drive pcb which is used across various models of thetford toilets which may help diagnose why the pump isn't working

 

[izzy]

My son has a 2006 ace supreme and I have change the flush pump 3 times now whoever had it before made a proper mess inside the tank with the pipes and wires botched up.
Anyway in the end I removed the pump, pipes and wiring and paid 30 quid for a manual pump, wish I had done it years ago. Took 20 minutes to fit and works a treat, even the kids like it just one lift and lower of the handle is all that is needed
well done Thetford

 

[IanB1485]

sometimes the simpler systems are the best , With the manual flush be careful , too enthusiastic on the down stroke can end up with the water ending up on the floor not the bowl.Having said that a recent post from a person with a new caravan had the same problem electric flush

 

[audiorob]

Further to post #18 if you wish to remove the toilet entirely and refit after a thorough clean you should be able to identify fitting instructions for your loo find on Thetford website so you can identify how to remove.

 

[Beachball]

I would also go for the Thetford cassette cleaner fluid .