Dometic Toilets

[TimD]

After around an hours chew I managed to get everything lined up and working again

 

Not a very pleasant choice of words. Thank you for that!

[Biggles]

I have a Dometic ceramic bowl jobbie in the motorhome, and I had a Thetford 365 on the NB. Both are cassette. The ceramic jobbie is far less hassle than the 365, less smell, less splash back, easier cleaning, the dometic even has a cassette that has a handle and wheels and a self connecting vent to dispatch the smells and pressure buildup.

 

Not that I am a fan of cassette, but in the scheme of things the ceramic domestic wins hands down. Even has Mrs Biggles approval.

[sharpness]

Im a happy sh*t carrier, at least we dont have to pay for it to be emptied.....

 

Regards

Rachel

 

Me too, the only thing we need from start to finish of the job is gravity!!!!

 

Steve

[lewisericeric]

ARRRRRRGGGGH

 

Can anyone help as Leeson are really f*cking me off with keep arguing! They do a Vaccuflush toilet set which is the toilet, vacuum and 2x cassette tanks for £1200. However, we are moored right next to a santiation point so feel we only need 1 x cassette - I keep explaining this to Leeson via email and to give me a price for just the one cassette....

 

They keep coming back arguing saying "you're going to need 2x cassettes as Dometic have now discontinued this toilet" .

 

 

Yes I know they have but I only want to buy 1 cassette (budget issues!) and am looking out on ebay for a cheaper second one.....

 

Rather than keep arguing the toss with Leesan, can you guys advise (those that already have these toilets especially!) if this is all I would need to get.....

 

The toilet : http://www.leesan.co.uk/index.asp?m=3&cat1=4&cat2=29&p=243&t=Toilets+for+Vacuum+Toilets

 

The cassette/vaccum: http://www.leesan.co.uk/index.asp?m=3&cat1=4&cat2=29&p=418&t=Toilets+for+Vacuum+Toilets

 

Leesan won't bloody well tell me!!!!

 

Please help guys

Love always

From someone who really needs to get a toilet sorted soon....

[blackrose]

ARRRRRRGGGGH

 

Can anyone help as Leeson are really f*cking me off with keep arguing! They do a Vaccuflush toilet set which is the toilet, vacuum and 2x cassette tanks for £1200. However, we are moored right next to a santiation point so feel we only need 1 x cassette - I keep explaining this to Leeson via email and to give me a price for just the one cassette....

 

They keep coming back arguing saying "you're going to need 2x cassettes as Dometic have now discontinued this toilet" .

 

 

Yes I know they have but I only want to buy 1 cassette (budget issues!) and am looking out on ebay for a cheaper second one.....

 

Rather than keep arguing the toss with Leesan, can you guys advise (those that already have these toilets especially!) if this is all I would need to get.....

 

The toilet : http://www.leesan.co.uk/index.asp?m=3&cat1=4&cat2=29&p=243&t=Toilets+for+Vacuum+Toilets

 

The cassette/vaccum: http://www.leesan.co.uk/index.asp?m=3&cat1=4&cat2=29&p=418&t=Toilets+for+Vacuum+Toilets

 

Leesan won't bloody well tell me!!!!

 

Please help guys

Love always

From someone who really needs to get a toilet sorted soon....

 

Yes, that's what you need - plus a length of flexible sanitary hose and 4 x good quality hose clips (jubillee clips).

 

http://www.vetus-shop.com/vetus-sanitary-hose-c-27_118_128.html

 

It's the 38mm diameter hose you need.

 

Use 2 x hose clips on each end of the hose and position the tightening screws 180 degrees to each other (on opposite sides of the hose), so there can be no leaks.

 

You'll also need 4 coach bolts and washers to screw the toilet to the floor. Go easy - I cracked the plastic base (under the pedestal cover) around one hole and had to use a big repair washer.

 

Edit: By the way, you will need a second cassette!

Edited August 31, 2011 by blackrose

[lewisericeric]

LOL Thanks blackrose- what IS the need for the second cassette though straight away? Can I not just get one of those extra ones in a few months????

 

Also, didn't I read somewhere that it should be the 40mm hose or the vaccuum isn't quite right? Do you get any smells with your Vacuflush?

[blackrose]

A couple of other tips:

 

Check the hose that goes from the footpedal of the toilet bowl to the outside of the rim. Mine wasn't that secure and came off one day. Because it's a pressurised water supply (like a tap) when the hose came off water just kept coming out.

 

If you ever break the rubber o-ring seal inside the cap on the cassette, don't pay 17 quid for a new cap! Just take the broken seal out of the cap, apply a bead of marineflex inside the recess, wipe it around with a wet finger so that the recess is filled and the marineflex is even. Don't screw the cap back on yet - let the marinflex go off overnight. In 24 hours you will have a new seal.

 

I'd never be without this stuff on a boat: http://www.marinemastics.com/marine-flex.html

 

LOL Thanks blackrose- what IS the need for the second cassette though straight away? Can I not just get one of those extra ones in a few months????

 

Also, didn't I read somewhere that it should be the 40mm hose or the vaccuum isn't quite right? Do you get any smells with your Vacuflush?

 

No smells with mine.

 

The second cassette just means there's no desparate need to empty one when it's full, that's all. You just switch over, put the full one outside and empty it the next day.

 

My hose is definitely 38mm. I think it's the insert that goes into the base unit that's 40mm. That bit should come with the base unit. It's the white elbow on the back of the unit in in the picture on the Leesan page you posted. You attach the hose to the elbow and push the elbow into the base unit. Make sure the big o-ring in the base unit has some silicone grease on it (not silicone sealant!). The elbow just stays there full time and shouldn't need to come out again once it's in.

 

Edit: You know about putting hoses in hot water to get them onto fittings? Well, you do now.

 

PS) The other tip I will give is that you should have a convenient switch somewhere to turn the toilet off when you leave the boat. Mine is next to my water pump switch and I switch both off. The reason is that if you have a vacuum leak the motor will be doing unnecessary work on and off all day until you get back to the boat. This will shorten it's lifespan.

Edited August 31, 2011 by blackrose

[lewisericeric]

Thanks blackrose - you've been a great help

 

Will print all that off so I remember when I'm tearing my hair out my head when trying to fit it!!! Arrgh!

[Speedwheel]

 

 

mrsmelly - your pm box is full.

[WotEver]

... what IS the need for the second cassette though straight away?

Over 2 weeks late here, so possibly irrelevant, but you need the 2nd cassette so that when you're out cruising and suddenly find your cassette is full you don't need to keep your legs crossed for the next day until you get to an elsan point.

 

Tony

[mrsmelly]

mrsmelly - your pm box is full.

 

Blimey didnt know it could get full, thanks and err I THINK I have emptyied it ?

[Paul H]

DO NOT BUY the Dometic cassette bog. Right we ALL know the cassette type or porta potti type of bog is the only sensible option for a boat that is not debatable BUT having for years always fitting Thetford a couple of years ago I bought a very expensive Dometic type with ceramic bowl. DO NOT DO IT they are crap ( pardon the pun ) The cassettes are very stiff and awkward to open and they leak within 2 weeks of useage stick with a Thetford.

I too had a similar problem. A complaint to Dometic via Midland Chandlers produced a complete new seal assembly for the cassette posted to me which took a couple of minutes to fit. Problem solved.

So if you want a ceramic lined bowl and can't stretch to the ludicrous price of the Thetford one, give the Dometic a chance. I presume all those now on sale are of the new type.

Why they were selling toilets with sub standard seals before quietly introducing an "improved" type is of course another matter.

Paul

[bigcol]

Yep

 

I also have the dometic cassette toilet,

bought it as we prefered the ceramic bowl

 

But yes theres a big problem with the cassette leave which most times its imposible to open.

 

ive been putting oil on the 2 rods and seals to help, but still a nightmare.

 

I have 2 cassettes, the system i bought fron midland swindelers

 

Paul !

 

are you saying that dometic will or could send out new type of s

modified seals?

if so im on the phone see if they send me 2 sets.

 

if not we were thinking of changing it to the new thetford with ceramic bowl

 

thanks for the posting, thought it was just us that buggered up the toilet

 

 

Col

if so im on the phone today as well, as this

[Major42]

There was a Dometic 2500 vacflush and Ceramic bowl fitted to our boat when we bought her and we purchased a third cassette to give spare capacity while out boating. There were no problems for the first four years but last year we had some difficulty taking out the cassette so I cleaned the seals and lubricated with Vaseline. This worked well for a time but then the cassette became more and more difficult to remove. I contacted Lee San for new seals and they asked if I wanted their "special" grease which I queried and got told that some people used other lubricants such as Vaseline which "made matters worse". I wasn't convinced but I ordered the "special" grease and low and behold it works and the cassette is now very easy to remove.

 

I planned to strip the toilet, clean and service it this winter but on our final trip last year the toilet would not flush so I had to strip it there and then. The problem was some hard waste matter preventing the vacuum pump diaphragm sealing correctly thus no suction. Everything got cleaned out at the time and a dab of the "special" grease applied to all seals. A messy job at the time but everything went back together and will hopefully be good for another 5 years plus.

 

Major

[Paul H]

Yep

 

I also have the dometic cassette toilet,

bought it as we prefered the ceramic bowl

 

But yes theres a big problem with the cassette leave which most times its imposible to open.

 

ive been putting oil on the 2 rods and seals to help, but still a nightmare.

 

I have 2 cassettes, the system i bought fron midland swindelers

 

Paul !

 

are you saying that dometic will or could send out new type of s

modified seals?

if so im on the phone see if they send me 2 sets.

 

if not we were thinking of changing it to the new thetford with ceramic bowl

 

thanks for the posting, thought it was just us that buggered up the toilet

 

 

Col

if so im on the phone today as well, as this

Dometic/Waeco/Electrolux (so hugh faceless company) are not apparantly renowned for their customer service so you may have more success complaining to Midland Chandlers who will have more clout with them. The units were clearly not of merchantable quality if they leaked,

 

The modification is apparantly a white nylon spacer ring inside the seal which gives the seal an extra couple of mm lift. Dometic sent me a whole new unit including the slider blade which snaps on to the cassette with no need for tools. I'm not sure if this helps with yours being hard to open though.

 

Good luck!

 

Paul

[lewisericeric]

It does state in the literatrure (although I'm guessing mine is of the new type - only bought in Oct last year!) that the seals or o rings shouldnt be lubricated using petroleum based lubricants.

 

Fingers crossed so far that we've not had any problems, but it is fairly new so thats probably why!

[andywatson]

Dometic/Waeco/Electrolux (so hugh faceless company) are not apparantly renowned for their customer service so you may have more success complaining to Midland Chandlers who will have more clout with them. The units were clearly not of merchantable quality if they leaked,

 

The modification is apparantly a white nylon spacer ring inside the seal which gives the seal an extra couple of mm lift. Dometic sent me a whole new unit including the slider blade which snaps on to the cassette with no need for tools. I'm not sure if this helps with yours being hard to open though.

 

Good luck!

 

Paul

 

First of all: Thanks chaps for alerting me to this potential problem.

 

I have a Dometic cassette toilet (and spare cassette) which is new but as yet unused as my boat is still in build so I don't know as yet for sure if this problem will occur.

 

I have just checked the cassettes and they both have a white plastic spacer ring in the black seal which is about 6mm thick. Can I take it that this is the later type of seal which is OK?

[andywatson]

Further to the post above I have contacted Dometic directly with this query.

I supplied them with the serial numbers of my toilet and spare cassette.

Within the day they checked the serial numbers and found that I do have the older type which has leaked in a few cases.

The technical manager rang me back to get my details as they are sending me a couple of seal upgrade kits.

 

 

 

ETA: At 09-10 today the seal kits arrived by courier.

I think 22 hours from a query to parts in my hand is pretty good customer service.

Edited February 23, 2012 by andywatson

[Ace 01]

Further to the post above I have contacted Dometic directly with this query.

I supplied them with the serial numbers of my toilet and spare cassette.

Within the day they checked the serial numbers and found that I do have the older type which has leaked in a few cases.

The technical manager rang me back to get my details as they are sending me a couple of seal upgrade kits.

 

 

 

ETA: At 09-10 today the seal kits arrived by courier.

I think 22 hours from a query to parts in my hand is pretty good customer service.

 

That's good to hear and takes some beating

 

 

Ann