Continuing problems with Thetford toilet - Page 5

11-18-2008, 03:50 PM

Nonichris,
We have a 2008 TM 2720SL purchased 8 months ago. No problems with the toilet (except the indicator gage never worked) until last week. We have the identical problem you have been working through. After alot of effort and we appreciate that, it seems you found the source of the problem, i.e., voltage level. But given TM's responce, Bill's and Harveyrv's reply, what is the final solution? Thank you and all the people that worked this issue.

_____________________________

2008 TM 2720SL, 2008 Lexus RX 350
Hilton Head Island, SC

11-22-2008, 08:51 AM

Sorry for the delay..sometimes life gets in the way. But yesterday we tested the voltage at a splice under the bathroom sink and under the kitchen sink...the voltage drop was minimal at both splices...from 13.6 to 13.4 with pump running, whereas the drop at the lines inside the box on top the toilet went from 13.6 to 0 with pump running. From what Ed said, if the problem was inside the toilet, then Thetford was responsible...if outside toilet then TM...so it looks now that we will have to haul the TM all the way back to RV Brokers and hope they have the ability to repair. There are a couple of other things that need to be fixed too...a leak over the front bed and the stove top which refuses to stay put. Any further suggestions for toilet repair would be greatly appreciated, as the other repairs could be done locally....

**Bill** · 11-22-2008, 08:20 PM

If the voltage is good under the bathroom sink, then I would take apart the splice under that sink and remake it - I'm sure it uses wire nuts - and then do the same thing with the splice in the back of the Thetford. I would give 10:1 odds that one or the other will fix it. If it doesn't, then the problem has to be in the 2 feet of wire that runs from the splice to the Thetford. It can be replaced for less than a buck - be sure to maintain the proper polarity.

Since you have diagnosed this problem all the way to the last detail, no way is it worth driving the TM anywhere for.

Bill

11-23-2008, 08:18 AM

Thank you Bill...That makes sense to me..now we have to find out where to buy those little connectors...wire nuts? The trip to Sacramento is really a depressing thought...so your helpful advice is truly appreciated.

Wavery · 11-23-2008, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nonichris

Thank you Bill...That makes sense to me..now we have to find out where to buy those little connectors...wire nuts? The trip to Sacramento is really a depressing thought...so your helpful advice is truly appreciated.

If they are "wire nuts", just unscrew the wire nut off of the wires, Trim the ends of the wires then reinstall the same wire nuts.

However, I feel that there may be something wrong with your voltage reading. If the pump is running at all, the voltage could not be "0". It would have to be at least 6V for the pump to turn at all. I would have expected a voltage drop down to about 10V.

**ShrimpBurrito** · 11-23-2008, 10:39 PM

FWIW, a seemingly older Thetford Electra Magic manual has some troubleshooting tips on the second to last page. Reversed polarity, an insufficient charge, and a bad pump are all listed causes for weak flush flow. It says the bad pump could be caused by excessive dry flushing, which could possibly happen on a dealer's lot with lots of curious browsers.

http://www.bdub.net/manuals/recirc-toilet.pdf

Dave

11-28-2008, 05:09 PM

You were so right Wayne....after remeasuring voltage sink to toilet, the voltage drop was only 13.6 to 13.1 near the switch...so as far as we can tell now the wiring is ok...so much for our miraculous pump that ran without any energy supply...what else is left now to check? New pump...negligible voltage drop...must be some sort of blockagem although the Thetford rep supposedly checked for that..Chris is reluctant to do any more so I guess a trip to RV Brokers for a check on that and a couple of other things is coming up...unless anyone else has a brilliant idea for your dunderhead compatriot TMers.

Wavery · 11-28-2008, 05:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by nonichris

You were so right Wayne....after remeasuring voltage sink to toilet, the voltage drop was only 13.6 to 13.1 near the switch...so as far as we can tell now the wiring is ok...so much for our miraculous pump that ran without any energy supply...what else is left now to check? New pump...negligible voltage drop...must be some sort of blockagem although the Thetford rep supposedly checked for that..Chris is reluctant to do any more so I guess a trip to RV Brokers for a check on that and a couple of other things is coming up...unless anyone else has a brilliant idea for your dunderhead compatriot TMers.

Check the voltage going right into the pump. Use a pointed probe. Although, if you have 13v at the switch (both sides), Thetford should certainly step up and take care of this.

If you still have 13v going into the pump, I would ask them to send a new pump. It sure seems easy to install.

11-28-2008, 07:52 PM

We have a new pump...it works exactly like the first one did, not enough water flow to flush a single piece of tp...the local "Thetford tech" put in a new pump, and asserted the problem fixed..that has been our problem...the new pump didn't fix the toilet, but the "tech" doesn't like the Thetford and refuses to do anything more to help, so we either had to fix it ourselves or take the trailer back to the dealer in Sacramento. It has been frustrating.

**Bill** · 11-30-2008, 05:15 PM

OK, if there is plenty of voltage to the pump, and you have replaced the pump, then the only thing left is a blockage somewhere in the water flow path. I'm trying to remember how this thing goes together, and I admit I'm not having total recall here.

Below the pump is some sort of water pickup hose or tube or channel. When the pump was replaced, this piece might not have been replaced. So is it clear? Or is it blocked?

At the outlet of the pump, there is, again, some sort of water outlet hose or tube or channel. This carries water out of the pump and into the distribution channels under the rim of the toilet. Is it clear, or blocked? If you unhook this and run the pump, does water gush out of the pump? It should.

I understand your frustration, but this isn't magic, and it doesn't require special knowledge or special tools. It's more on the order of "If you push water into one end of a tube, it ought to come out the other end. If it doesn't, the tube is blocked."

Good luck

Bill