Thetford Cassette floats....

[Ex-Member]

The previous owner left 4 cassettes but said they were all faulty i.e. the red warning light did not come on but he didn't know if it was the LED or the cassettes. I emptied the first one by judging the level by eye but then I did a bit of research on't'internet and learnt all about 'floats' so, with the second cassette in place for a couple of days and, after donning a pair of disposable gloves, I did the unholy and finding the float I raised it and low and behold the red light came on. Whilst I had my hand in I checked it a few times and the red light came on each time. Unfortunately when the cassette was full the light did not come on and, well we won't go into that.

 

So today I took all 4 to the onsite facilites and spent nearly 2 hours washing and cleaning them all, checking seals etc and that there was a float in each. I then tried each one in situ, raised the float by hand and the red light came on for all of them. So,knowing the float/contacts work and the LED comes on (I almost daren't ask) what could be the problem. I use the 'continental' method of disposing of toilet paper but ocassionally do put some down the loo, which is 3 ply, and I read somewhere that only 2 ply should be used. Anyway, if it hasn't put you off your evening meal, any advice welcome as usual.

 

ps....... is there a way to open the cassette fully rather than using the hand in the dark method?

Edited November 22, 2016 by Numpty

[Martin Megson]

Seems odd that all the cassettes are faulty but I have heard that shaking the cassette too hard while rinsing can bend the float arm..

 

To test the float put a clean cassette in the loo and half fill it with fresh water and then check inside to see if the float does in fact float. If it does then fill the tank to the point you consider to be full, probably leaving a bit empty at the top, and if the float is still floating try bend the float arm downwards a little so that the float arm makes contact with the switch.

[series3]

If they work raising by hand, there must be something not letting them float. I changed the seals on my three last month. Cleaned everything up. One of mine gave problems with the light, a little tweak and all working fine.

Not sure if you can take them apart fully...I wish....

I'm a no glove man..

[MoominPapa]

The floats in mine are made of closed-cell foam, and a combination of water ingress into the foam cells and limescale deposits has turned them into sinks.

 

I've just learned to live without the cassette full light, but I guess it would be possible to replace them with a suitable bit of foam, cut to size.

 

Cheers,

 

MP.

[john6767]

If you find and easy fix, then let us know! One of my 3 does not put the red light on, and the trouble is remembering that its that one in there and not relying on the light!

[alan_fincher]

The floats in mine are made of closed-cell foam, and a combination of water ingress into the foam cells and limescale deposits has turned them into sinks.

 

I've just learned to live without the cassette full light, but I guess it would be possible to replace them with a suitable bit of foam, cut to size.

 

Cheers,

 

MP.

 

Yes, I have lived a long time now without working lights on both this and the previous boat, (on any of the cassettes we have).

 

Although I have never done the rubber glove research to prove it, my assumption is that what once floated in sewage probably no longer does. OP's post rather seems to confirm that as a valid theory.

 

We just live with the fact it is not hard to see how full they are getting by visual inspection

[Opener]

If you are feeling ambitious (wait until you have had your tea) it's worth having a look at: http://cruisingthecut.co.uk/2016/10/04/vlog-62a-poo-sticks/ David gives advice on how much kitchen roll to use, what size marigolds, etc. Instructive if nothing else!

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

I listen to the drop when I open the pull.

[johnmck]

We dismantle our cassettes every season. Thorough clean and replace seals when appropriate. We have found Bradtech to be a good source of parts at reasonable prices.

 

http://www.bradtech.ltd.uk/index.html

[Guest]

We have now had the current cassette for 18 months and with lots of regular use with only one cassette it is regular use our light still works perfectly.

 

After I believe I dislodged the float in one of the cassettes on the boat within a couple of months through over vigorous shaking I now take great care not to repeat.

 

I did have the converse problem last week when the light wouldn't go out even when the cassette was empty. I assumed it was some how jammed as rinsing the tank sorted it.

 

To the OP I'm sure there are previous posts on here about successes replacing the float and getting the light to work again.

[GUMPY]

The problem I had is that the arm gets bent so the float is to far from the hall effect switch.

The float/arm should be within a couple of mm of the side of the tank.

All you need to do us bend the arm so its tight on the side of the cassette.

The reason it bends is heavy agitation when rinsing

[mross]

Yes, definitely sounds as though float doesn't float or has moved away from sensor. it's probably a magnet on the float arm and a reed switch. Reed switches don't often fail so look and see if float arm has bent.

When you are 'on the pot' and you get some 'splashback' it's definitely time to empty!

Edited November 22, 2016 by mross

[David Mack]

I thought this was going to be story about someone who had managed to drop a cassette over the side...

[Taslim]

I thought this was going to be story about someone who had managed to drop a cassette over the side...

I thought "Bug! Someone saw it."

[Lily Rose]

I shake mine fairly vigorously but the light has still worked on the odd occasion when I have inadvertantly allowed the tank to become full. I prefer to check my cassettes visually once I know they are starting to look a bit full for the following reasons...

 

1. Relying on the light to work is risky. If it doesn't then the first you may know that the cassette needs emptying is when it leaks.

 

2. It is a bit easier to move and carry when it is about 7/8 full or less.

 

3. I find it slightly easier to empty without revolting splashback if it is not completely full.

 

4. I believe Thetford recommend emptying before the light comes on.

 

As the OP has 4 cassettes (and I have 3) I don't think there is any need to let them fill completely unless there are exceptional circumstances such as being stuck somewhere without a working elsan.

[Ex-Member]

All very good advice so thanks to everyone who replied. I am not sure why the previous owner had 4 cassettes but then again we have spent the last few days going through the things left on board and there are multiples of everything (so far 15 windlasses) He was obviously meticulous as everything is either in original box or labelled, loads of new spare parts including shower pump, alternator belts/filters, oil and enough rope to go round the marina twice. Anyway back to topic I will use the 'eye' method but at least all 4 got cleaned and I learnt something else, albeit not the most savoury thing, about boating. It was quite funny yesterday because I had to take the 4 on a trolley to the facilities and whilst I was there a lady asked if I was servicing them and how much did I charge........ methinks a new income stream

[pquinn]

Ours stopped working fairly early on and i never bothered to fix it. After a while it just becomes a second nature most of the time to know roughly when it needs emptying. two days for some folks, longer for others.The exception to this is when you have visitors and kids,unless instructed they can fill the damn things in an hour.

I am always amazed at the ammount of water that many house dwellers waste.

[Lily Rose]

All very good advice so thanks to everyone who replied. I am not sure why the previous owner had 4 cassettes but then again we have spent the last few days going through the things left on board and there are multiples of everything (so far 15 windlasses) He was obviously meticulous as everything is either in original box or labelled, loads of new spare parts including shower pump, alternator belts/filters, oil and enough rope to go round the marina twice. Anyway back to topic I will use the 'eye' method but at least all 4 got cleaned and I learnt something else, albeit not the most savoury thing, about boating. It was quite funny yesterday because I had to take the 4 on a trolley to the facilities and whilst I was there a lady asked if I was servicing them and how much did I charge........ methinks a new income stream :sick:

You should count yorself lucky they left you 4 (hopefully empty) cassettes.

 

Lily Rose's previous owner left me one which, when asked at handover, he told me he couldn't remember how to remove it from under the bog as he hadn't used the boat for many months since losing his job. I didn't know how to do this, being a bit of a numpty newbie myself at the time, which is why I asked. Later on I concluded that he feigned forgetfulness due to embarrassment at leaving a cassete full of s**t that had been quietly fermenting through the summer!

 

When I emptied it I had to walk away twice as I was on the verge of puking. Since then, emptying cassettes after a few days use has seemed like a picnic in comparison.

 

God knows how he, the wife and young child managed with just one cassette. I promptly bought two more so I have 1 in use, 1 nearby as a spare for easy swapping at emptying time and another in the under-bed storage that only comes out in an emergency (i.e. when the other two are full and I'm not near an Elsan point). So far no 3 has not been needed but it's a comfort to know it's there.

 

I'm sure someone on the forum once said something along the lines of "happiness is... 2 spare toilet cassettes".

 

I agree so if you have room for multiple cassettes then be happy.

 

Just noticed... 15 windlasses!

 

How on earth did they manage to find all those? Waterproof metal detector plus magnet?

 

Sounds like you could offset some of the cost of the boat by selling a few of those!

 

If you have a spare long throw windlass I might be interested (seriously). I have three of standard length (including one I found) but only one long throw and that's the one I use all the time apart from at the odd lock where it's too long. Could do with a spare just in case.

 

Are you interested in selling one (assuming some of your excess supply is of the longer variety) when I see you? (Hopefully that will be fairly soon, as I plan to come to the boat for 3 or 4 nights once per month throughout the winter.)

[Greylady2]

The first thing i thought was of someone dropping their Cassette in the canal by accident but it floated back to them. Lol