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Pumpout Toilet Blocked


Jcsrtw

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We have had our boat for about 6 weeks and our pumpout toilet became blocked this morning; the macerator runs, the water goes down, but then when the power stops to the macerator the water flows back up again, along with whatever was in it. Nothing down there but very cheap TP and natural products, so we suspect some sort of TP blockage, but it appears to be after the macerator. We did a thorough pumpout just yesterday.

Any advice on how to clear? We are okay with advice that might shorten the lifespan of the pumpout, as we intend to rip the blasted thing out and replace it next week.

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Sounds like you have a blockage in the pipe between the macerator and the tank.

What are the connections between the pipe and the tank? If they are iron, as ours were, they may have corroded and furred up internally causing a restriction and perhaps blockage.

Does the outlet pipe run 'uphill' between the macerator and the tank? This too is bad news.

In the end I think you will have to move the bowl forward to get at the macerator, take it out and dismantle it to check it isn't blocked. Be prepared for, ahem, blowback from the outlet pipe! (You my wonder how I know this)

You could then try poking a drain snake down the outlet pipe to try and clear any blockage but I've never had much success with this.

The most effective way of clearing a blockage was when a boatyard made up a connector for a hose on the outlet pipe and used water pressure to force the blockage into the tank.

I don't envy you this task.

Good luck!

 

Edited by Victor Vectis
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So glad I have a dump through, Gravity is very reliable.:D

If you really are taking it out next week cant you start using the cassette now?, then do both the messy jobs at the same time next week.

.............Dave

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Take it apart as VV said and then when cleared don't put anymore toilet paper down it.  We had the same issues, no paper has avoided anymore blockages. 

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3 hours ago, Jcsrtw said:

We have had our boat for about 6 weeks and our pumpout toilet became blocked this morning; the macerator runs, the water goes down, but then when the power stops to the macerator the water flows back up again, along with whatever was in it. Nothing down there but very cheap TP and natural products, so we suspect some sort of TP blockage, but it appears to be after the macerator. We did a thorough pumpout just yesterday.

Any advice on how to clear? We are okay with advice that might shorten the lifespan of the pumpout, as we intend to rip the blasted thing out and replace it next week.

How much liquid will the pump shift?  If only a small amount it sounds like a blockage, but if a lot - say over a litre - then it sounds like the contents of the outflow pipe is draining back down, in which case the non return valve may be stuck open.  Will it pump lots of water away?  Like 5 or 10 litres?  in which case the pipes should be fairly clean when you open up the pipes.

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4 hours ago, Jcsrtw said:

We have had our boat for about 6 weeks and our pumpout toilet became blocked this morning; the macerator runs, the water goes down, but then when the power stops to the macerator the water flows back up again, along with whatever was in it. Nothing down there but very cheap TP and natural products, so we suspect some sort of TP blockage, but it appears to be after the macerator. We did a thorough pumpout just yesterday.

Any advice on how to clear? We are okay with advice that might shorten the lifespan of the pumpout, as we intend to rip the blasted thing out and replace it next week.

Are you 100% sure the pumpout was done correctly and that you did not somehow fill the tank with water whilst trying to flush it through?

.............Dave

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3 hours ago, Meanderingviking said:

Take it apart as VV said and then when cleared don't put anymore toilet paper down it.  We had the same issues, no paper has avoided anymore blockages. 

Hmmm, yes.

Our Chortoling Bog Monster, as our dunny has been named by friends, is very picky about the paper it will digest.

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9 minutes ago, Victor Vectis said:

Hmmm, yes.

Our Chortoling Bog Monster, as our dunny has been named by friends, is very picky about the paper it will digest.

We use Andrex almost all the time, but any paper that passes the one minute soaking test is fine in our Sanimarin.

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1 hour ago, BruceinSanity said:

We use Andrex almost all the time, but any paper that passes the one minute soaking test is fine in our Sanimarin.

I have a sani and it works well with any bog paper but woe betide you if you run out and use any form of kitchen roll......it dont like it at all. As always the good advice is get rid of it and go cassette a vastly better option or even porta bog.

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I managed to clear an immovable blockage on my last Boat by operating the flush whilst hooked up to a running pump out, might be worth a go. You could hear it clear after operating the flush two or three times. 

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On 11/06/2017 at 18:01, mrsmelly said:

I have a sani and it works well with any bog paper but woe betide you if you run out and use any form of kitchen roll......it dont like it at all. As always the good advice is get rid of it and go cassette a vastly better option or even porta bog.

Toilet paper and kitchen roll are very different beasts. Both are paper fibres coated with very thin layers of polymer. One is designed to fall apart within seconds of seeing water, the other is designed to stay as structurally strong as it can for minutes after seeing water. Both adsorb water well. Can you guess which is the one to put down the loo......and the one not to put down? Paper hankies are the same as Kitchen roll.

.....did I mention I was a Polymer Chemist years ago?

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