Dometic vacuum loo

[Miffy]

I am just about to fit a Dometic vacuum cassette loo in our new boat. Has anyone else fitted one of these and if so what was their experience of using it (not literally please !!!!)

[aread2]

I am just about to fit a Dometic vacuum cassette loo in our new boat. Has anyone else fitted one of these and if so what was their experience of using it (not literally please !!!!)

 

Generally good. Make sure you follow the instructions. Remember to drop a teaspoonful of oil on the ball valve at intervals to avoid it seizing and finishing off the seal. It's a macerator - and by this they mean the vacuum is used to suck everything through a one inch hole at the bottom. Pretty effective but like all macerators it doesn't like wet wipes. I carry a pair of heavy duty rubber gloves on board. The cassettes are clever but with a family of five fill up in a day (15 litres; 7 year olds don't know the meaning of press and release the pedal immediately so it flushes for longer than expected). We carry a spare. Don't forget to plumb the vacuum pump outlet outside via a skin fitting otherwise you'll quickly learn when the activated charcoal filter has expired. The vacuum pump is quite noisy, especially when fitted under the bed (so I switch it off overnight) but can be fitted up to 5 metres away from the bathroom, so some thought is required here.

[Tuscan]

When converting our boat , we had one fitted but between the purchase and fitting they stopped making our model , so quickly bought spares, the tanks fill up quickly so we turned down the water to minimum and bought another spare tank, very expensive. It's working ok but the the pump is noisy . in hindsight I wish I had not been persuaded and bought a thetford with a china bowl, cheaper and less to potentially go wrong.

Edited May 11, 2012 by Tuscan

[Grace and Favour]

Generally good. Make sure you follow the instructions. Remember to drop a teaspoonful of oil on the ball valve at intervals to avoid it seizing and finishing off the seal. It's a macerator - and by this they mean the vacuum is used to suck everything through a one inch hole at the bottom. Pretty effective but like all macerators it doesn't like wet wipes. I carry a pair of heavy duty rubber gloves on board. The cassettes are clever but with a family of five fill up in a day (15 litres; 7 year olds don't know the meaning of press and release the pedal immediately so it flushes for longer than expected). We carry a spare. Don't forget to plumb the vacuum pump outlet outside via a skin fitting otherwise you'll quickly learn when the activated charcoal filter has expired. The vacuum pump is quite noisy, especially when fitted under the bed (so I switch it off overnight) but can be fitted up to 5 metres away from the bathroom, so some thought is required here.

 

Would liquid silicone not be better - I thought that oil degrades the seal?

[Miffy]

Generally good. Make sure you follow the instructions. Remember to drop a teaspoonful of oil on the ball valve at intervals to avoid it seizing and finishing off the seal. It's a macerator - and by this they mean the vacuum is used to suck everything through a one inch hole at the bottom. Pretty effective but like all macerators it doesn't like wet wipes. I carry a pair of heavy duty rubber gloves on board. The cassettes are clever but with a family of five fill up in a day (15 litres; 7 year olds don't know the meaning of press and release the pedal immediately so it flushes for longer than expected). We carry a spare. Don't forget to plumb the vacuum pump outlet outside via a skin fitting otherwise you'll quickly learn when the activated charcoal filter has expired. The vacuum pump is quite noisy, especially when fitted under the bed (so I switch it off overnight) but can be fitted up to 5 metres away from the bathroom, so some thought is required here.

 

Many thanks for the info. We've installed the main unit in a cupboard behind the shower along with a spare cassette. I noted your comments about the activated charcoal filter - is this easy to replace?

[blackrose]

Generally good. Make sure you follow the instructions. Remember to drop a teaspoonful of oil on the ball valve at intervals to avoid it seizing and finishing off the seal. It's a macerator - and by this they mean the vacuum is used to suck everything through a one inch hole at the bottom. Pretty effective but like all macerators it doesn't like wet wipes. I carry a pair of heavy duty rubber gloves on board. The cassettes are clever but with a family of five fill up in a day (15 litres; 7 year olds don't know the meaning of press and release the pedal immediately so it flushes for longer than expected). We carry a spare. Don't forget to plumb the vacuum pump outlet outside via a skin fitting otherwise you'll quickly learn when the activated charcoal filter has expired. The vacuum pump is quite noisy, especially when fitted under the bed (so I switch it off overnight) but can be fitted up to 5 metres away from the bathroom, so some thought is required here.

 

Not sure about that? I've read just about every bit of information on this toilet and I've never heard that before. I installed my Vacuflush toilet nearly 7 years ago and I've never lubricated the ball valve in the bowl. It hasn't seized and it still seals. Just clean the ball and seal occasionally and that's all you need to do.

 

I also plumbed the vacuum pump outlet outside through a skin fitting, but I put it through a bigger LeeSan charcoal filter (meant for pump-out toilets). If you plumb it out without any filter the smell will blow back through any open windows on that side of the boat.

 

Would liquid silicone not be better - I thought that oil degrades the seal?

 

Is the correct answer.

[aread2]

Not sure about that? I've read just about every bit of information on this toilet and I've never heard that before. I installed my Vacuflush toilet nearly 7 years ago and I've never lubricated the ball valve in the bowl. It hasn't seized and it still seals. Just clean the ball and seal occasionally and that's all you need to do.

 

I also plumbed the vacuum pump outlet outside through a skin fitting, but I put it through a bigger LeeSan charcoal filter (meant for pump-out toilets). If you plumb it out without any filter the smell will blow back through any open windows on that side of the boat.

 

 

 

Is the correct answer.

It's a silicone seal. In the manual on page 10 under troubleshooting it says use furniture polish or cooking spray if the ball gets stuck. I know furniture polish contains silicone. Does cooking spray contain silicone too? Or is it made from cooking oil?

[blackrose]

It's a silicone seal. In the manual on page 10 under troubleshooting it says use furniture polish or cooking spray if the ball gets stuck. I know furniture polish contains silicone. Does cooking spray contain silicone too? Or is it made from cooking oil?

 

Mine isn't. I have a spare one in my hand and the label on the box says Dometic Vacuflush/Traveler/SeaLand Bowl Seal Kit. Contains: Rubber flush ball seal (1) and rubber bowl seal (1).

 

Edit:

 

Are you sure your manual recommends using cooking spray? Under the heading "Proper Toilet Cleaning" my manual says:

 

For stubborn stains, use SeaLand® Toilet Bowl Cleaner (Fig. A). It’s manufactured especially for use with SeaLand toilets. In certain locations where water is hard, a build-up of lime may dull the toilet bowl finish. Restore the shine with this SeaLand cleaner. If you cannot find it in your area, contact Dometic for your nearest dealer. If the cleaner is not available, you can also use most non-abrasive bathroom and toilet bowl cleaners (Bar Keeper's Friend® spray cleaner, Clorox® toilet bowl cleaner, SaniFlush® toilet bowl cleaner, etc.). Please follow label instructions.

 

To avoid damaging the Teflon®-coated seal, Do not use:

– abrasives (Comet®, Soft Scrub® cleansers etc.)

– caustic chemicals (Drano® clog remover, etc.)

– lubricants and cleaners containing alcohols or petroleum distillates

(Pam® cooking spray, Pine-Sol® cleaner, WD-40® lubricant, etc.).

Edited May 12, 2012 by blackrose

[pearley]

I clean the ball valve and bowl regularly with Dometic Bowl Cleaner and lubricate the seal about once a month with a smear of silicone grease.

 

The advice I got from Leesan about the carbon filter was to have two and swop them every 4 weeks or so, putting the one not in use in a warm environment to dry the carbon out. I wedge it beside the calorifier pipes.

 

I replace all the O rings every year and only use silicon grease on them. Apart from a tiny bit of plastic getting into the pump and keeping the non return valve open it has given us good service over 5 years.

 

Regards

Pete

[aread2]

Mine isn't. I have a spare one in my hand and the label on the box says Dometic Vacuflush/Traveler/SeaLand Bowl Seal Kit. Contains: Rubber flush ball seal (1) and rubber bowl seal (1).

 

Edit:

 

Are you sure your manual recommends using cooking spray? Under the heading "Proper Toilet Cleaning" my manual says:

 

For stubborn stains, use SeaLand® Toilet Bowl Cleaner (Fig. A). It’s manufactured especially for use with SeaLand toilets. In certain locations where water is hard, a build-up of lime may dull the toilet bowl finish. Restore the shine with this SeaLand cleaner. If you cannot find it in your area, contact Dometic for your nearest dealer. If the cleaner is not available, you can also use most non-abrasive bathroom and toilet bowl cleaners (Bar Keeper's Friend® spray cleaner, Clorox® toilet bowl cleaner, SaniFlush® toilet bowl cleaner, etc.). Please follow label instructions.

 

To avoid damaging the Teflon®-coated seal, Do not use:

– abrasives (Comet®, Soft Scrub® cleansers etc.)

– caustic chemicals (Drano® clog remover, etc.)

– lubricants and cleaners containing alcohols or petroleum distillates

(Pam® cooking spray, Pine-Sol® cleaner, WD-40® lubricant, etc.).

And yet on page 10 under "Plastic ball will not close completely" it says use furniture polish or cooking spray. Must get some silicone grease for regular maintenance.

[blackrose]

And yet on page 10 under "Plastic ball will not close completely" it says use furniture polish or cooking spray. Must get some silicone grease for regular maintenance.

 

They do seem to be contradicting themselves...

 

Since page 10 is the Troubleshooting Guide, perhaps they just mean if the ball doesn't close properly you can apply furniture polish or cooking spray, but they aren't saying you should do that on a regular basis - only if you have that particular problem.

 

My flushball has always shut properly so I've never applied furniture polish or cooking spray.

Edited May 13, 2012 by blackrose

[lewisericeric]

Hi

 

We have a Dometic/Sealand Vacuflush, as I was really against having a pump out toilet, but also didn't want just a cassette toilet where the s**t is just in a box underneath the bowl stinking the place out! The vacuum is great as you don't get any smells from it at all.

 

Nearly had it coming up to a year now, and never had any problems with it, and never had any problems with the ball sticking either, so not sure what that's about - i'm with Blackrose on this one though - it is a rubber seal so you definately shouldn't use any sort of oil!

 

Good luck, you made a really good choice, you definately won't regret it!