Toilet.problems?

mickrumble
mickrumble Forum Participant Posts: 29
edited May 2018 in Caravans #1

No. Not me this time, honest, it's the van! We have an Ace award, fitted with an electrically operated flush. When I had the van serviced late last year, the engineer found a problem with the flush and rectified it by changing the fuse. In preparation for a trip away I have just checked the van out with a freshly charged battery and found that the flush pump does not appear to be working.The fuse is good but nothing happens when I press the flush button. I have not yet filled the flush tank but I would have thought that I should be able to hear the pump start . Is there some form of interlock which prevents the pump starting dry?

Thanks in anticipation, Mick Rumble

Comments

  • Tinwheeler
    Tinwheeler Forum Participant Posts: 23,149 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2018 #2

    Possibly the pump has stuck - it’s a common problem.

    Have you tried a good thump?

  • Betsyboo Too
    Betsyboo Too Club Member Posts: 14 ✭✭
    edited May 2018 #3

    We have a Thetford 262 toilet fitted to our van and the pump will run dry .

    ie when no water in the tank.

    Hope this helps

  • commeyras
    commeyras Club Member Posts: 1,853 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2018 #4

    Obvious question - is power on? (sorry to ask).  Then there are a couple of things you can do to check.  In the easiest order:

    1.   As you say the fuse is ok.  On top of the cabinet peel off the cover by the flush press and spray the contacts with WD40.

    2.   Remove pump and try to turn the white impeller you will see at the base, you may need to use some pointed pliers.  If you cannot turn it the pump may be U/S. 

     

    If these do not work best call in  a techy!

  • commeyras
    commeyras Club Member Posts: 1,853 ✭✭✭
    1000 Comments
    edited May 2018 #5

    Done a little more investigation.  The norm is for the toilet to be on the same circuit as the toilet room light so turn light on and press toilet.  If light flickers electricity is getting to the toilet.  Second, the press button sometimes gets broken by being pressed too hard.  Finally, removing the pump is quite simple and probably involves pressing two lugs and it should just drop out, your handbook should explain.  A small screwdriver may be easier to use to try to turn the impeller than pointed pliers I mentioned earlier.

    Google your problem and you will get a number of suggestions.

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,671 ✭✭✭
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    edited May 2018 #6

    Fuse may be OK, but you should also check the fuse holder, they can stop making a good connection.

    There are several places the wires can make poor connections too, plus the connection to the PCB can get dodgy.

    I would test with a meter to check connections, if OK then could be pump or PCB.

     

  • Merve
    Merve Forum Participant Posts: 2,333
    1000 Comments
    edited May 2018 #7

    I had a problem with my Thetford loo last year where it was continually flushing. Obviously, the fuse was fine.  I peeled (very carefully) the blue label on top of the loo back an accessed the PCB- it was soaking with condensation- quick clean and protective spray and perfect- this is also a fairly common fault with the Thetford.

  • jennyc
    jennyc Forum Participant Posts: 957
    500 Comments
    edited May 2018 #8

    There’s a printed circuit, accessible by peeling off the sticky cover on top of the flush water tank, as described above. In keeping with their long history of electric flush problems, the circuit isn’t encapsulated to protect it from the water below. If you remove it for a proper drying and spray it with a protective spray - popular for car electrics in the past, then you may be able to restore service. A replacement part is relatively cheap (for caravan parts).

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