Vacuflush Problem

[Mattyq67]

Sorry to troll, no pun intended on a voting site as my vacu flush system is on an RV. I understand that one has to change out the duckbill valves every once in awhile, so I have ordered them and stand ready to do what is sure to be a messy job. While I am not sure that it is my problem, I know that as a preventative maintenance thing it won't hurt to change them anyway. I have posted a YouTube video on what my problem is, so if you are someone with a heck of a lot more experience than me maybe you could give me some advice. What is essentially happening is, in my RV I have two toilets. Beside each is a red light green light electrical panel, simply green means it's okay to flush and red means don't flush. The pump makes quite a sound, my thinking is that perhaps there is no vacuum and again maybe the duck bill fix will help. Is it possible also there is a switch problem?

I would say 95% of the time it makes the sound you hear in the video, and when it is not making that sound the green light is on. As you can see in the video the holding tank is fairly full, access doesn't seem to be too tricky unlike some of the boats I have heard the system is found on.

Sorry for the long message, but I wanted to set up the video.

https://youtu.be/k_LHhQRq95E

 

[firehoser75]

Matty,
Empty your tank. The pumping sound you are hearing is normal. That is how the pump sounds as it tries to make a vaccum (negative prressure) in your system. There are many possible places for leaks. The red light indicates that the system is not holding a vaccum, so there is a leak somewhere, and therefore the system is not ready to operate. Duckbills are a maintenance item so changing them is a good idea even if they are not the issue.

Does the toilet hold water, or does it leak out and you can hear an air sound when the toilet is empty and the pump is running? If so, try cleaning the seal at the "ball valve" (run the (wet) brush around the seal to clean). That has sometimes caused leakage in my system at this location. The bowl should "hold water" after a completed flush. There is also the floor seal that could be leaking, as well as the "pressure valve" on the holding tank could have failed. A longer shot, but still possible is the pump bellows. There is also the possibliity that there is a leak at any of the connections, especially any that have hose clamps. The fact that you have a smell, indicates a leak. Find and fix all leaks.

If you get a reply from Peggy Hall, the "Headmistress", listen to what she says.
Good luck.

 

[Mattyq67]

Thanks for this valuable info. The toilet holds water. Sorry if this is an ignorant question, but how do I empty that tank? When hooked up to sewer at a campsite I obviously have the grey/black water tanks open and off the waste goes but it DOES NOT impact the tank you see swishing around in the video. That waste in that tank is from the previous owners. We have never used the toilet in the month we have had it save for a pee or two.

Thanks. I am not a handy guy but have a handy guy to help (aka do the work).

 

[firehoser75]

When hooked up to a sewer at a campground, DO NOT leave the tank valves open (in others words continuous dumping). This will lead to problems! Not the ones you are experiencing now. Wait until the black waste tank (toilet waste) is 3/4 full, then open that valve to dump. Close it again after dumping. What that does is, it ensures that your waste is mixed, both liquid and solid which allows for a more complete emptying. Follow that by opening the grey water valve to 'flush out" the pipes with "cleaner" (cleaner than sewage) water. Close that valve again. Doing what you are doing could lead to the solid waste drying out (as the liquid is draining all the time and not taking much of the solids with it) and "coating the holding tank" and if that happens it is very, very difficult to remove!!
The "tank" you are talking about is part of the vacuum generator, and it will empty only if the pump is working properly and is generating the necessary vacuum.
Send me a PM with your email address and I will send you some literature pertaining to these systems.

 

[catalinajack]

Thanks for this valuable info. The toilet holds water. Sorry if this is an ignorant question, but how do I empty that tank? When hooked up to sewer at a campsite I obviously have the grey/black water tanks open and off the waste goes but it DOES NOT impact the tank you see swishing around in the video. That waste in that tank is from the previous owners. We have never used the toilet in the month we have had it save for a pee or two.



Thanks. I am not a handy guy but have a handy guy to help (aka do the work).

Replace it with a Marine Elegance electric head and be trouble free for years and years and years.

 

[tiltrider1]

The little tank full of liquid is your vacuum tank. The pump needs to empty it first and then create a vacuum. The pump is working but some one flushed something down the toilet they should not have and now the duckbills are jammed open. Clean out the duckbills and you are back in action.

 

[Mattyq67]

Thanks. Firehoser75 inside send you a PM not sure if it worked tho (new to this). My email is pretty easy to figure. My username here followed by the most common email service.

Thanks also for the duckbill info. If only I could suck that tank out somehow.

 

[HeadMistress]

I suspect that you don't quite understand how a VacuFlush works, Matty. I do...it was the toilet on my last two boats and I was dealer for nearly 10 years. I've written a piece that I call "VacuFlush 101" that I think will help you...it explains how it works and how much water it really needs to keep it working trouble free. And between us we can find out whether you even need to "suck that tank out" 'cuz the conversation so far doesn't make it clear whether "that tank" is the vacuum tank or the holding tank.

I usually just ask people who want "VF 101" to send me a PM that includes their email address 'cuz there's no way to attach anything to PM, but you're so new here that I'm not sure the system will let you include your email address in a PM yet (spam prevention). So I'm gonna send you a PM that includes MY email address...email me and I'll attach it to a reply. Get back to me--Please stick with email!) after you've read it and we'll go from there to solve your problems.

PM sent.


--Peggie