Tecma flush toilet problem

[Sheila Hurley]

We have a tecma pumpout  flush toilet.

It is still working but it has been making a much louder noise for the last few days & doesnt always get everything out. Its more of a loud groan than a whoosh sound. Any suggestions very welcome.

[matty40s]

Sounds like a wet wipe or other object( chunk of lime?)  is impeding the blades.

Only solution is to remove the unit from the surround and give good clean out.

[Bargebuilder]

I had a Tecma Silence for 8 years or so. They are extremely difficult to block if only human waste and cheap loo paper is flushed away.

 

If you put a bucket full of clean water into the bowl and press flush, does it all get sucked away promptly?

[Sheila Hurley]

We've been using the same brand of loo paper for years & definitely no wet wipes. We havent been flushing every time, if it's just urine, so maybe that caused it? Just used loo & now won't flush at all now. The water came in but nothing was sucked out 😭

If it is blocked any suggestions?

[Bargebuilder]

Does the pump motor spin but with no suck?

Inside the toilet there is a bend in the rubber hose within which 

an air lock can form. If that happens, the pump blades spin in air rather than liquid and no suction is developed.

 

Older models included a stub onto which an air bleed tube was fitted and this tiny tube can block. On more recent models, this bleed tube was part of the moulding and so less likely to get blocked. Whichever you've got, if the pump is spinning but not sucking, you may have this air lock. 

You can see the tiny tube that gets blocked here:  https://highskyrvparts.com/rv-parts/sanitation/toilets-service-parts/thetford-toilet-discharge-hose-38190

[Sheila Hurley]

It made no noise at all when I last tried to flush. Just added water. I looked at a YouTube video on how to unblock but the pump doesn't look like the same kind as that. I've taken a photo but the file size us too big!

[Bargebuilder]

If the pump makes no noise at all, the problem might be the relay behind the switch panel. Remove the trim, undo the two screws, remove the switch panel and give the two black boxes at the back a sharp knock. 

[Sheila Hurley]

2 hours ago, Bargebuilder said:

I had a Tecma Silence for 8 years or so. They are extremely difficult to block if only human waste and cheap loo paper is flushed away.

 

If you put a bucket full of clean water into the bowl and press flush, does it all get 

2 hours ago, matty40s said:

Sounds like a wet wipe or other object( chunk of lime?)  is impeding the blades.

Only solution is to remove the unit from the surround and give good clean out.

It now makes no noise and nothing happens. I've removed the panelling & shelf to access behind the toilet but don't know what to do next. 

 

[Bargebuilder]

It's also possible that the pump has had it, or the electrical connections have parted or become corroded.

 

How old is the toilet? I'd expect the pump to last 6 or more years of liveaboard use as they are well made.

2 minutes ago, Sheila Hurley said:

I've removed the panelling & shelf to access behind the toilet but don't know what to do next. 

You'll need to unscrew the ceramic bowl from the floor and pull the toilet away from the wall to work on it.

[Sheila Hurley]

If you mean remove the front trim round the switch I've tried just pulling it with my fingernails but no joy. I'm worried about breaking it. I had a look at the back of the switch unit & the rear panel comes off so you can see inside but not enough that I can tap the 2 black boxes

[Bargebuilder]

If there is no noise at all, a blockage isn't as likely as an electrical fault with the switch or a faulty pump.

 

Behind the loo is really just a pump with a house going to it from the bowl waste outlet and another hose going from it towards your blackwater tank. 

 

You could clean out both hoses and the pump and the waste valves, but it's unlikely that the problem lies with a blockage.

[jonathanA]

if it not doing anything it might be worth checking the supply, our macerator has a circuit breaker /trip  at toilet end and also one at the Dc distribution panel.  its usually the one near the toilet (came with it) that goes and needs resetting,  if there is any sort of blockage. occasionally the one at the DC distribution panel goes. 

[Sheila Hurley]

Thanks guys for your help but this is now beyond my DIY capabilities. The boat is 18 years old but we've only had it for 3yrs so I don't know if the toilet is as old as the boat! It was a hire boat & we are just leisure users.

[Bargebuilder]

3 minutes ago, Sheila Hurley said:

If you mean remove the front trim round the switch I've tried just pulling it with my fingernails but no joy. I'm worried about breaking it. I had a look at the back of the switch unit & the rear panel comes off so you can see inside but not enough that I can tap the 2 black boxes

At one side of the perimeter trim, you should find a recess into which you can insert a flat headed screwdriver and gently twist.

4 minutes ago, Sheila Hurley said:

Thanks guys for your help but this is now beyond my DIY capabilities. The boat is 18 years old but we've only had it for 3yrs so I don't know if the toilet is as old as the boat! It was a hire boat & we are just leisure users.

Go on, give it a go: you'll save yourself a fortune over calling someone in, and the parts, if needed, won't be cheap.

 

Do mend it rather than replace it, as they are probably the best macerator toilet available. 

[Sheila Hurley]

Thanks I managed to get the trim off (I thought that was probably the way but didn't want to risk it) but couldn't get to the bit you mentioned as the rear panel won't slide back enough. I'm also not moving the toilet itself as it is now full to the brim as I accidentally pressed the button while removing the front panel. Anyway thanks guys for your help & encouragement! 

[haggis]

If the loo is full, time to get out the soup ladle and a pail and empty it. You can then buy a new soup ladle 😄. 

[Bargebuilder]

5 hours ago, Sheila Hurley said:

Thanks I managed to get the trim off (I thought that was probably the way but didn't want to risk it) but couldn't get to the bit you mentioned as the rear panel won't slide back enough. I'm also not moving the toilet itself as it is now full to the brim as I accidentally pressed the button while removing the front panel. Anyway thanks guys for your help & encouragement! 

 I added two extra switches to our Tecma as an addition to the automatic switch panel that comes with the toilet, one to open the flush solenoid and the second to activate the evacuation motor. By doing this, we could give the loo a tiny flush and empty the bowl without going through the manufacturer's flush sequence, thus saving a lot of water. If economising on water usage is important to you, get whoever mends the toilet for you to do the same. It's a cheap modification, just the cost of a couple of switches.

[Sheila Hurley]

👍

2 hours ago, haggis said:

If the loo is full, time to get out the soup ladle and a pail and empty it. You can then buy a new soup ladle 😄. 

🤮🤣

[Sheila Hurley]

I'm back! Bit the bullet & emptied the loo, pulled it out as far as I can but limited space due to the pipework & boxing panels round radiator pipes etc.

I've taken a couple of photos as the space is so restricted I can't see in properly. Can I disconnect any of the pipes? I think the most restrictive one is probably the water pipe which is metal. If I turn off the water pump will that stop water gushing out? If I do all of this what do I do next? Sorry for all the questions! I've just tried to attach photos but even tho I've reduced the size this site won't accept them 😤

All suggestions gratefully received! 

[Bargebuilder]

9 minutes ago, Sheila Hurley said:

I'm back! Bit the bullet & emptied the loo, pulled it out as far as I can but limited space due to the pipework & boxing panels round radiator pipes etc.

I've taken a couple of photos as the space is so restricted I can't see in properly. Can I disconnect any of the pipes? I think the most restrictive one is probably the water pipe which is metal. If I turn off the water pump will that stop water gushing out? If I do all of this what do I do next? Sorry for all the questions! I've just tried to attach photos but even tho I've reduced the size this site won't accept them 😤

All suggestions gratefully received! 

You've checked the circuit breaker or fuse is okay?

 

Do you have a multi meter to check that power is getting to the evacuation pump? 

 

Turning off the water pump and running the tap to remove pressure will stop most of the flush water from making a mess when you detach the metal pipe, but have some rags ready.

 

The big hoses will be secured to the pump with big jubilee clips I think and should come off quite easily. The pump should come out next for a good clean. There could be an obstruction, but I'm guessing that it's an electrical problem with the pump or its controls, hence why testing it before dismantling everything might be a wise thing to do.

 

 

If you've got a 'Silence' this is what you can expect to see:

https://www.thetford.com/part/tecma-silence-plus-rv/

[Sheila Hurley]

The fuses are OK. We have a multimeter but it doesn't seem to work so we need to try & get a new battery for it  tomorrow & see if it comes on.

The original problem was the loud groaning noise which is why I thought it might be a blockage. 

Assuming we get the multimeter working, how do I test the evacuation pump? I assume the black & red wires have to go on specific places?

[Bargebuilder]

21 minutes ago, Sheila Hurley said:

The fuses are OK. We have a multimeter but it doesn't seem to work so we need to try & get a new battery for it  tomorrow & see if it comes on.

The original problem was the loud groaning noise which is why I thought it might be a blockage. 

Assuming we get the multimeter working, how do I test the evacuation pump? I assume the black & red wires have to go on specific places?

If you can find a place where the copper of the red and black wires that go to the pump are exposed, touch the red and black of the multimeter to these and press the toilet's empty button, making sure the boats water supply is turned off first so you don't fill the bowl again. The pump should energise as part of the empty cycle and the multimeter should show a bit over 12v. If it doesn't, then it's the switch or the control box that's at fault. That's assuming that the breaker hasn't cut the power to the toilet.

 

I believe the breaker should be rated at 40A, so you might like to check that it is. Check the output of the breaker to make sure you've got 12V there as well.

You could use a 12v lightbulb and a couple of bits of wire instead of a multimeter.

That groaning noise might be a blockage, or it might be a pump bearing.

 

 

Given how important the pump is to life aboard, especially if you have visitors, I always kept a spare one for emergencies: we did live aboard though.

[Sheila Hurley]

Thanks!

[Sheila Hurley]

Dear Bargebuilder & others who've contributed, thank you so much for your help. Unfortunately due to a medical emergency I've not been able to take up your advice. The boatyard at our home mooring is now sorting it out. 

Best wishes & THANK YOU! 

[Bargebuilder]

My pleasure.

Hope you are okay and your toilet is too!