Toilet Flush

[BlueStringPudding]

Salutations, sound sages of sanitary systems! ( )

 

Our boat has (what I think is) a macerator toilet. The flush is very effective but uses a lot of water (the bowl fills three quarters of the way up).

 

I know we have the biggest pootank in the history of the universe , but unless that quantity of water is essential to the workings of the loo, it'd be good if we can somehow reduce the amount of water that pumps into the bowl each flush. Is this relatively easy to change or should we leave well alone!?

 

Thanks all.

[carlt]

Salutations, sound sages of sanitary systems! ( )

 

Our boat has (what I think is) a macerator toilet. The flush is very effective but uses a lot of water (the bowl fills three quarters of the way up).

 

I know we have the biggest pootank in the history of the universe , but unless that quantity of water is essential to the workings of the loo, it'd be good if we can somehow reduce the amount of water that pumps into the bowl each flush. Is this relatively easy to change or should we leave well alone!?

 

Thanks all.

Are you sure it's a macerator? Is it electric? I can't remember now but I thought it was a straightforward pump-out.

 

Can't help with the water problem. I'm a committed (or should be) portapotti man, personally. Though I did have a baby blakes sea toilet once.

[Postcode]

Salutations, sound sages of sanitary systems! ( )

 

Our boat has (what I think is) a macerator toilet. The flush is very effective but uses a lot of water (the bowl fills three quarters of the way up).

 

I know we have the biggest pootank in the history of the universe , but unless that quantity of water is essential to the workings of the loo, it'd be good if we can somehow reduce the amount of water that pumps into the bowl each flush. Is this relatively easy to change or should we leave well alone!?

 

Thanks all.

 

I have a Tecma macerator toilet that also fills the bowl 3/4 of the way up. This is actually an efficient way of doing it because it is the suction that provides the flushing action rather than water being poured straight through. This is why this type of toilet is used on aircraft where the weight and space water takes up is important.

 

A normal home loo uses several gallons of water whereas this toilet only uses 1/2 gallon. It just looks a lot!

 

Dave

[BlueStringPudding]

Are you sure it's a macerator? Is it electric? I can't remember now but I thought it was a straightforward pump-out.

 

Can't help with the water problem. I'm a committed (or should be) portapotti man, personally. Though I did have a baby blakes sea toilet once.

 

The chap at the boatyard called it a macerator toilet so I assume he was right. Yes - it's got an electric button, the bowl fills with water and it all mysteriously gets sucked into the tank with a bit of a rumbling noise, then a bit more clean water comes into the bowl afterwards. Does that constitute a macerator loo? I dunno, to be honest!

 

I have a Tecma macerator toilet that also fills the bowl 3/4 of the way up. This is actually an efficient way of doing it because it is the suction that provides the flushing action rather than water being poured straight through. This is why this type of toilet is used on aircraft where the weight and space water takes up is important.

 

A normal home loo uses several gallons of water whereas this toilet only uses 1/2 gallon. It just looks a lot!

 

Dave

 

Okay - thanks for that. Perhaps it just looks a lot!

[carlt]

The chap at the boatyard called it a macerator toilet so I assume he was right. Yes - it's got an electric button, the bowl fills with water and it all mysteriously gets sucked into the tank with a bit of a rumbling noise, then a bit more clean water comes into the bowl afterwards. Does that constitute a macerator loo? I dunno, to be honest!

Okay - thanks for that. Perhaps it just looks a lot!

Yep, sounds like a macerator.

[BlueStringPudding]

Oh - and incidentally, would it be safe to flush it without the water pump on sometimes or would that kill the loo? (we have a water pump switch we have to switch on when we want water because of a leaking tap at the moment anyway)

 

Yep, sounds like a macerator.

 

Okay. Thanks!

[turnbuttonboy]

Salutations, sound sages of sanitary systems! ( )

 

Our boat has (what I think is) a macerator toilet. The flush is very effective but uses a lot of water (the bowl fills three quarters of the way up).

 

I know we have the biggest pootank in the history of the universe , but unless that quantity of water is essential to the workings of the loo, it'd be good if we can somehow reduce the amount of water that pumps into the bowl each flush. Is this relatively easy to change or should we leave well alone!?

 

Thanks all.

We also have a macerator toilet (tecma) and I too was horrified by the water it uses (despite a 200 gallon toilet tank). Check to see if your panel has a dial that can be turned to adjust the time that the water solenoid is open - it sounds like yours is set very high - ours works well with the water about an inch higher than the top of the outlet opening. I have reduced the water used by putting a switch on the cable between the panel and the water solenoid and have also added a push button ( needs to be 30amp @12volts) that runs the macerator - a brief push and the bowl is cleared of liquids and all the preset timings are negated. Check to see if your panel has a dial that can be turned to adjust the time that the water solenoid is open - it sounds like yours is set very high - ours works well with the water about an inch higher than the top of the outlet opening. We have used this system for two years without any problems and given that we live and work from our barge it does get constant abuse.

[BlueStringPudding]

We also have a macerator toilet (tecma) and I too was horrified by the water it uses (despite a 200 gallon toilet tank). Check to see if your panel has a dial that can be turned to adjust the time that the water solenoid is open - it sounds like yours is set very high - ours works well with the water about an inch higher than the top of the outlet opening. I have reduced the water used by putting a switch on the cable between the panel and the water solenoid and have also added a push button ( needs to be 30amp @12volts) that runs the macerator - a brief push and the bowl is cleared of liquids and all the preset timings are negated. Check to see if your panel has a dial that can be turned to adjust the time that the water solenoid is open - it sounds like yours is set very high - ours works well with the water about an inch higher than the top of the outlet opening. We have used this system for two years without any problems and given that we live and work from our barge it does get constant abuse.

 

Thanks - although if ours has a "panel" I don't know where it is! I'm not sure it's that complicated a loo!?!?! I'll have a look round the back tonight.

[Oliver]

We've got a Sealand macerator - it has 2 different flushes. You push the button once for a big flush and twice for a small flush. Seems the wrong way round but that's what the instruction book says. Might be worth pushing your button twice in quick succession to see if yours has the same function.

[StoneHenge]

We have a saniflo macerator loo as well and I was told that there is an eco flush and a normal flush, one using less water per flush.

 

One of ours seems to have the eco flush set on it, the other doesn't and fills up the same way as yours does, but it doesn't seem to get through a huge amount of water compared to others I've seen or as others have said, a loo in a house.

[Gary Peacock]

Their is a adjustment on most of these for the amount of water used in the cycle. It is normally located on the back of the flush button panel so you need to remove it to adjust it.

Edited June 28, 2007 by Gary Peacock

[Mick and Maggie]

We also have a macerator toilet (tecma) and I too was horrified by the water it uses (despite a 200 gallon toilet tank).

 

This is an old posting - But I have an update. I have not seen reference to the adjustments in other postings.

 

If it is a single button operation TECMA Macerator (pre 2006). On the rear of the contol panel with the push button is a small knob. The panel is marked on the back (-) to the left and (+) to the right. This controls the length of time that water flows into the bowl during the refil part of the cycle. Ours was set in the centre and filled to the 3/4 bowl full point. By turning the knob to the left in gradual stages I was able to get the water level to reduce. Its now set to about an inch and a half above the outlet saving well over a litre per flush. The engineers installation manual says to set the knob to the mid point. So my guess most will be set that way by default by the installation people.

[ditchcrawler]

The chap at the boatyard called it a macerator toilet so I assume he was right. Yes - it's got an electric button, the bowl fills with water and it all mysteriously gets sucked into the tank with a bit of a rumbling noise, then a bit more clean water comes into the bowl afterwards. Does that constitute a macerator loo? I dunno, to be honest!

 

 

 

Okay - thanks for that. Perhaps it just looks a lot!

That is a lot more than a dump through and I think the vac ones also get away with less.