Toilet does't hold water

[R&SGove]

My 25' Bigfoot has the usual Thetford Toilet. Water in the bowl is leaking through the flush valve. I had the same problem last spring and was able to cure it by scrubbing the inside edge of the seal. It felt like it was covered with mineral deposits. I am wondering if I will eventually need to replace the seal/valve? Anyone done this. What am I in for?

Ron Gove

[BobB]

Hi Ron,

I don't know which model toilet you have or how old it is. Sounds like you have a blade seal problem. You could replace the entire toilet if cleaning the blade valve doesn't work. You will need a closet flange seal as well. I'm not pleased with our plastic toilet and am considering a porcelain replacement. We have the Aqua-Magic V and I have to tighten the flange bolts frequently because of odor. The blade seal is OK in ours.

[Gina D.]

Mine did the same thing (Or I should say "does")

It is a major project to replace the valve, so I installed an inline shut off valve at the supply line. I turn it on when I use the toilet, and shut it off after I flush.

It cost 4 bucks and some food or a Dr Pepper or something I bribed Fred with to actually wrestle it into the line.

[Donna D.]

Mine does the same thing and I don't see it as a problem. Water doesn't run continuously into the bowl and the valve seals well enough to keep odors from invading the area. I pull up on the handle to put water into the bowl, take care of business, then flush... water does flow into the bowl during flushing... it just doesn't stay there.

[Gina D.]

I don't see it as a problem

Never had the black overflow on ya? Mine filled up once from water draining into the tank. Not real good when boondocking and a quick dump isn't easy.

[Donna D.]

Not for me Gina! Sounds like you had a problem similar to the movie RV??

Ron said the bowl wouldn't hold water... not that it continued to run. Or did I miss that part?

[Gina D.]

on mine, I think it's a leaky ball valve and it continually drips water into the bowl and it leaks down thru the flapper thinger that doesn't seat quite right.

Yes< i had the tank fill up to the flapper and start oozing out the top of the tank at the seal and it dripped onto the ground, and on all the junk I had stored under there.

The solution for me was the same.. shut the water source off and leave the bowl dry.. like you, I don't have any smell issues. I leave the lid down as well.

[R&SGove]

Not for me Gina! Sounds like you had a problem similar to the movie RV??

Ron said the bowl wouldn't hold water... not that it continued to run. Or did I miss that part?

Yes Donna, the water only drips until the bowl is about empty--I figured it was a seal problem. I don't have water running continually like a standard reservoir toilet in the home--that would be a REAL problem. Sounds as if one just can't replace a seal without replacing a toilet! And it is only 2 years old!! I will try scrubbing the seal again the next time out. I was also wondering if something like Vaseline might help keep the seal functioning.


Ron

[R&SGove]

Yes Donna, the water only drips until the bowl is about empty--I figured it was a seal problem. I don't have water running continually like a standard reservoir toilet in the home--that would be a REAL problem. Sounds as if one just can't replace a seal without replacing a toilet! And it is only 2 years old!! I will try scrubbing the seal again the next time out. I was also wondering if something like Vaseline might help keep the seal functioning.


Ron

I just discovered, by going to Thetford's web page, that they sell a seal lubricant/conditioner. Will have to try it.

[BobB]

Hi Ron,

If simple measures don't work, you might try to get the toilet fixed under Thetford's 3 year warranty.

[Pete Dumbleton]

Many of the blade seals are double-lip and the blade goes between them -- Clean the INSIDE between the lips with a popsicle stick or tongue depressor, wood with rounded edges so the seal isn't damaged -- I would put some silicon grease (dielectric grease if you can't find the plumber's silicon grease) on the seal and blade to lube and protect.

Do NOT eat the stuf you may find in the seal...

[BobB]

"Do NOT eat the stuf you may find in the seal..."

Sometimes I wonder about you, Pete ;-)

[R&SGove]

Hi Ron,

If simple measures don't work, you might try to get the toilet fixed under Thetford's 3 year warranty.

I will have to check my paper work and see if my Thetford unit does have a 3 year warranty. I assumed 1 year like everything else seems to be

[Per Walthinsen]

We just completed our long trip, and by the time we got to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, the freeze was on. I was "prepared" with a gallon of RV antifreeze, made by DOW Chemical. All bio-degradable, environmentally friendly, etc. From WalMart.

During the next three days the toilet valve started leaking a little bit, then it became a torrent. The valve is the Valterra one, same as Gina's. By the third day the blackwater tank was full and the freshwater tank was about empty. Every time we turned the water pump on, however briefly, the toilet made loud water noises. Couldn't turn it off with either force or persuasion. Luckily mine is easily replaceable.

I thought RV antifreeze (Camco, etc.) was particularly friendly to seals of all kinds, but either this DOW stuff killed mine or the coincidence made me suspicious. Not a scientific test, but I'm not doing that again. Anyone else have a similar experience?

[BobB]

While toilet shopping, not as much fun as it sounds, I ran across a cleaning tool on the rvwholesalers website, search "Thetford toilets":

"The flushing mechanism on Aqua-Magic permanent toilets consists of a blade that slides tightly below a rubber lip seal.
Occasionally, toilet tissue or other debris may get caught in the groove below the seal, preventing the blade from fully closing. This allows fresh water in the toilet to leak into the holding tank and eliminates the odor barrier. Thetford offers a specially designed tool for cleaning the seal groove on Aqua-Magics. Nicknamed "The Bent Screw driver", this tool does the job easily and without damaging the seal."

The price $17 got me thinking that an offset screwdriver might also work. Somehow Pete's suggestion isn't that attractive!

http://www.rvwholesalers.com/catalog...hp?mode=search

[Harry Young]

A lube might help it, but do not use Vaseline, it will break down the seal because its a petroleum based lube...go to a restaurant supply company and get silicone based N.S.F. lube for ice cream machines ect. its cheap and will hold up even in cold...the time to do this was before the seal goes...but it may still help some...also ambient temps are going to say allot here regarding the tolerances between the mating surfaces of the seal...if the dump door is the sliding type your doomed, one scratch on the door surface and any seal new or not will be cut by the scratch on the door as it slides past the seal, this sucks as you must R&R the door and seal together...if you have a flapper type of door or a ball valve your in luck...fix it with the seal only. Tolerating the leak as part of your toilets personality is probably cheaper. This is a nightmare when a $$$$ coach comes in under warranty with this issue...We just replace the toilet to get rid of the problem and ebay the old unit out.


Harry

Yes Donna, the water only drips until the bowl is about empty--I figured it was a seal problem. I don't have water running continually like a standard reservoir toilet in the home--that would be a REAL problem. Sounds as if one just can't replace a seal without replacing a toilet! And it is only 2 years old!! I will try scrubbing the seal again the next time out. I was also wondering if something like Vaseline might help keep the seal functioning.


Ron

[TonyB]

My 25' Bigfoot has the usual Thetford Toilet. Water in the bowl is leaking through the flush valve. I had the same problem last spring and was able to cure it by scrubbing the inside edge of the seal. It felt like it was covered with mineral deposits. I am wondering if I will eventually need to replace the seal/valve? Anyone done this. What am I in for?

Ron Gove

Our seal is leaking, it used to hold water but not anymore. When I inspected the seal I found a "nick" in it so no amount of cleaning will solve the problem. no smells though so I see no reason to change the seal. Tony

[R&SGove]

While toilet shopping, not as much fun as it sounds, I ran across a cleaning tool on the rvwholesalers website, search "Thetford toilets":

"The flushing mechanism on Aqua-Magic permanent toilets consists of a blade that slides tightly below a rubber lip seal.
Occasionally, toilet tissue or other debris may get caught in the groove below the seal, preventing the blade from fully closing. This allows fresh water in the toilet to leak into the holding tank and eliminates the odor barrier. Thetford offers a specially designed tool for cleaning the seal groove on Aqua-Magics. Nicknamed "The Bent Screw driver", this tool does the job easily and without damaging the seal."

The price $17 got me thinking that an offset screwdriver might also work. Somehow Pete's suggestion isn't that attractive!

http://www.rvwholesalers.com/catalog...hp?mode=search

I wonder if my problem was material getting into the groove, because the leak self corrected. Some toilet tissue would eventually disintegrate.

Ron

[Jake Jacobson]

I don't know what type of toilet my Scamp has, but it does not use a blade - instead it has an eyeball valve. The toilet is porcelain - it is old, and still works perfectly. Not sure if they make this kind anymore, but might be a good one to look for if you are forced into a replacement.....

[BobB]

Jake,

The toilet in your Scamp is probably a Sealand Traveler. They are good toilets and popular for replacement toilets in vintage trailers, including Airstreams. Thetford and Sealand are separate brands, but both are part of Dometic. Sealand makes quite a few marine toilets as well.

All are better than the "toidy" jar or trudging to the RR at night.