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Tecma macerator pumpout toilet woes


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Hi all,

 

Tecma toilet on my new boat is blocked - it fills up and the macerator pump whirrs, but the water doesn't get sucked out and it just creates a few bubbles. Partner put a small amount of kitchen roll down there (I know), which is when the trouble started

 

We've taken the whole thing apart and there's nothing blocking up the pump itself, nor does it seem like any of the toilet's own u-bend pipes are blocked. Holding tank is near empty and pumped out fine

 

Ridiculously this is the second time we've had to take it apart in 4 weeks of boat ownership (last time a piece of plastic fell in and jammed the pump up), and when I did it the first time I also cleaned out the limescale from the toilet's u-bend pipes.

 

I replaced the hose from the toilet to the holding tank a few weeks ago, so it shouldn't be limescale build up there either. I'm now wondering, and dreading, that it could be a blockage of this hose by the kitchen roll and/or any small bits of limescale I freed up and didn't manage to clear out before putting it back together last time? really don't want to have to take this pipe out again as it was a pig to fit and created an almighty mess!

 

Any other ideas? Descaler? Drain unblocker? I've trawled the forum and tried a few suggestions, but no luck

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24 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Can you blow down the discharge pipe? Not easy to do but use a poly bag over the end with a small hole so that your lips don't come into contact with the pipe.

 

Just tried that - can't force any air down it. Must be the discharge pipe then. Bugger. Any ideas of how to unblock it?

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2 minutes ago, Woodfern said:

 

Just tried that - can't force any air down it. Must be the discharge pipe then. Bugger. Any ideas of how to unblock it?

Try sucking with a vax or if no vax, make a bung with a plastic bag and some rag on a stick and use it as a push and pull rod in the pipe to create suction and pressure. 

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If it's a centrifugal pump, it's worth reversing the power connections, giving it a few goes in reverse, then switching back again.

 

That worked so well on our Jabsco macerator that I installed a switch so that the power can be reversed without use of a screwdriver. 

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1 minute ago, Iain_S said:

If it's a centrifugal pump, it's worth reversing the power connections, giving it a few goes in reverse, then switching back again.

 

That worked so well on our Jabsco macerator that I installed a switch so that the power can be reversed without use of a screwdriver. 

 

Cling film the bowl first before doing this !!!!!!!!

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1 minute ago, Tracy D'arth said:

 

Cling film the bowl first before doing this !!!!!!!!

Not necessary if it's a centrifugal pump. It spins backwards, but won't pump backwards.

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Probably your best bet is to find and cover the external vent to the tank; cover it with something that can't be sucked in. Then pump out once more; this will cause air to be drawn through the toilet and through the non-return valve, clearing the blockage. Once this has happened, suck some buckets of water through the toilet for good measure.

 

My Tecma has operated faultlessly for 20 years. I obey the instructions.

Edited by Martin Nicholas
Wise
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57 minutes ago, Iain_S said:

If it's a centrifugal pump, it's worth reversing the power connections, giving it a few goes in reverse, then switching back again.

 

That worked so well on our Jabsco macerator that I installed a switch so that the power can be reversed without use of a screwdriver. 

Is this to clear out the pump itself, or the discharge pipe?

 

10 minutes ago, Martin Nicholas said:

Probably your best bet is to find and cover the external vent to the tank; cover it with something that can't be sucked in. Then pump out once more; this will cause air to be drawn through the toilet and through the non-return valve, clearing the blockage. Once this has happened, suck some buckets of water through the toilet for good measure.

 

My Tecma has operated faultlessly for 20 years. I obey the instructions.

Great idea, will try that! I'm sure they work perfectly well when idiots like us don't put detritus down them...

 

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1 hour ago, Tracy D'arth said:

 

Cling film the bowl first before doing this !!!!!!!!

To empty the bowl, I invested in a cheap soup ladle and used a pail as a receptacle. Emptied in an Elsan. A straightened out wire coat hanger is also a useful "tool". However, after two blockages in quick succession the reversing switch installed by Iain has worked a treat on the one blockage we have had since.

 

haggis

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22 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Its a good bet that the non return valve is where the blockage is, can you disassemble it?

Have disassembled this and the valve is fine. What I don't understand is how any blockage could have got through the macerator pump AND the non return valve, and then got somehow stuck in the much larger diameter, smooth pipe thereafter?? Unless it's stuck at the join with the holding tank...

 

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The blockage could be anywhere between the bowl and the outside air. This includes the vent pipe which could be blocked or obstructed. I wouldn't recommend stuffing sharp objects down the bowl. There are rubber hoses that are easily pierced.

 

When Barry Wren fitted mine he said: "Use cheap toilet paper".

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Mystery solved - it was a blockage at the holding tank end. Took the end of the tube off, to find the silicone sealant I had (sloppily) put in there when changing the pipe had restricted the hole, so it was no wonder really. Thanks everyone for the helpful suggestions!

 

I'm now off to the tattoo parlour to get 'use cheap loo roll' etched permanently into my forehead

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8 minutes ago, Woodfern said:

Mystery solved - it was a blockage at the holding tank end. Took the end of the tube off, to find the silicone sealant I had (sloppily) put in there when changing the pipe had restricted the hole, so it was no wonder really. Thanks everyone for the helpful suggestions!

 

I'm now off to the tattoo parlour to get 'use cheap loo roll' etched permanently into my forehead

It should be tattooed nearer to the site of use in case you ever need assistance....................................

 

If you are using sealants in sockets, you put it on the pipe only then it does not restrict the flow.

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31 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

It should be tattooed nearer to the site of use in case you ever need assistance....................................

 

If you are using sealants in sockets, you put it on the pipe only then it does not restrict the flow.

 

Good idea.

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7 hours ago, Woodfern said:

Is this to clear out the pump itself, or the discharge pipe?

 

Great idea, will try that! I'm sure they work perfectly well when idiots like us don't put detritus down them...

 

The pump itself. I think the problem was a build up of paper fibres, etc on the pump vanes, reducing its efficiency by quite a bit. I guess that if the pump isn't working properly, the non return valve and pipework is more likely to block, so maybe a bit of both!

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  • 1 month later...
On 30/06/2021 at 12:23, Iain_S said:

If it's a centrifugal pump, it's worth reversing the power connections, giving it a few goes in reverse, then switching back again.

 

That worked so well on our Jabsco macerator that I installed a switch so that the power can be reversed without use of a screwdriver. 

Resurrecting an old thread, but what type of reversing switch did you use?

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20 minutes ago, Idle Days said:

Resurrecting an old thread, but what type of reversing switch did you use?

Just swap the 2 wires over, its a DC PM brush motor it will run in reverse.

Edited by Tracy D'arth
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4 minutes ago, Idle Days said:

Resurrecting an old thread, but what type of reversing switch did you use?

 

It's probably  a permenant magnet DC motor so just reverse the feed wires - check I'm correct about permanent magnet and DC first.

Edited by Tony Brooks
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On 30/06/2021 at 19:00, Woodfern said:

 

I'm now off to the tattoo parlour to get 'use cheap loo roll' etched permanently into my forehead

I found this notice in a portaloo recently. Rather unhelpful for anyone who has just about any other type of non-mains toilet.20210731_125643.jpg.6898d60ad2d4d64912828c2d6b3ce4f8.jpg

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1 minute ago, David Mack said:

I found this notice in a portaloo recently. Rather unhelpful for anyone who has just about any other type of non-mains toilet.20210731_125643.jpg.6898d60ad2d4d64912828c2d6b3ce4f8.jpg

 

But they are dump throughs so as long as the pump out fitting and hose is large enough probably no problem. I think the pump out wagons use a "pressure" tank and vacuum pump, so no impeller to block.

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