Sealand toilet removal / leaking / flakeboard rot - Fiberglass RV
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Old 05-26-2003, 07:06 PM   #1
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Sealand toilet removal / leaking / flakeboard rot

My 1990 16 foot Scamp has a Sealand 911-28 toilet. It does not have a drain assist pump. When I look underneath the trailer I see fungal fruiting bodies coming through the flakeboard and its fiberglass resin coating under the shower/bath area. Clearly moisture or worse had leaked at some point in the trailer's history. Thankfully the wood seems firm enough yet. I suspect that without the drain pump shower water ran under the toilet and found its way onto/into the flakeboard.

So, I want to remove the toilet and see whats up. How do I proceed? Does the lower pipe and the dump valve just unscrew from the holding tank? Can I then just lift the toilet/holding tank out of the shower? Did Scamp seal the base of the holding tank to prevent shower water from leaking down the soil pipe? I do plan to add a drain assist pump. Any tips from those who have taken this road are appreciated.

Thanks, john



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Old 05-27-2003, 07:52 AM   #2
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eeuuuww. I'd call Scamp. tell them the problem and they will tell you how to or what to do. I bet!!



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Old 05-27-2003, 12:18 PM   #3
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The drain pipe does indeed just unscrew from the bottom of the black water tank. However, depending on which frame design you have (there are two - old and new, and I don't know when they switched), it may not unscrew because it hits the frame rail as it turns. In that case, you'd have to saw the pipe off and then redo it - it's just PVC, and is easy to do.

The toilet is mounted to the black water tank, and they come out as a unit. Unhook the water line feeding it, remove the screws and clips that hold it to the floor, and lift it out. That's it. Scamp used sealing wax around the drain to hold moisture out, and caulked around the underside of the black water tank. But, in the case of my trailer, these measures didn't work. Be prepared to find a mess under there.

I have replaced my floor, and then sealed the new wood with spray-in bedliner and marine paint, so that any water that goes under the toilet can't hurt anything. I also plan to use a shower curtain to keep water off the toilet when showering.

Hope this helps!



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Old 05-27-2003, 09:08 PM   #4
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Sealand / flakeboard / ROT

You might check into a product called Sentra - an expanded PVC sheet which is available in various thickness from local plastic suppliers - it glues with regular PVC pipe cement - is easy to cut with hand tools - waterproof - will not rot - and is very light weight - takes paint or wall covering very well -- but not as strong as plywood - ok for small areas like a bathroom - great for doors and cabinets etc .. pvc glue joint is very strong ( try taking a pipe joint apart ! ) have used it several times to renew the flooring of bathrooms on boats ..- in thin sheets it is bendable .. Like it a lot for bathroom / shower floor use . -- but it is a bit soft and will not stand up to hob nail boots and the like - otherwise it's really great stuff .



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Old 06-08-2003, 02:30 PM   #5
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I lifted the Sealand today and cleaned underneath. It was a mess, but thankfully the black water was sealed completely and it was just shower water that flowed under the holding tank (now mostly mildew and soap scum). What a stupid design! Why didn't they at least raise the holding tank an inch or two on a fiberglass platform to help prevent this. Afterall they made the shower pan in their fiberglass shop, seems a simple matter to include a raised portion for the holding tank to sit on.

I guess this problem is why they added a drain pump to the shower. The level of the drain trap is nearly equal to the grey water tank so I don't expect much flow through the garden hose drain. No wonder it backs up under the toilet. The pump Scamp added in later models must help prevent this. I suppose I will add a pump as soon as I want to use the shower, though I wonder if showering in such a small trailer is a good idea anyway, what with humidity issues. I am currently trying to design a system where I can use a macerator pump to drain the shower and then do double duty to drain the black tank. Maybe more trouble than its worth. Any ideas?

john



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Old 06-08-2003, 08:55 PM   #6
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If you drain the shower into something else, then dump the something else into sink, it will end up in the grey tank. and you won't need a pump. not the best idea, but it is one way.



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Old 06-09-2003, 06:13 AM   #7
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One of the problems/delights while remaining in the work world with only the occasional weekend in the woods is to constantly think of ways to modify my Scamp. Sometimes this obsession leads to overly complex solutions to simple problems. Suggesting draining the shower into a container, a blue tote perhaps, is simple and will be as effective as a pump solution and have no battery drain. Perhaps in the future when the shower is in more frequent use a pump might be in order. Anyway, thanks for reminding me why I chose a Scamp, its simplicity and low hassle factor. A container meets my low tech standards and the resulting freedom from problems like clogged filters, running pumps dry, dead batteries, etc; Not to mention a much lower cost.

Best Summer to all, john



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