Sealand Vacuflush Problem= Help Needed

G

gcolton

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What I do not know about marine toilets is what they have written the manuals about.

My 1999 Pursuit 3000 Express has a Sealand Vacuflush toilet. Model unknown. I talked to Sealand Friday and they are researching that for me.

When I got the boat the mechanic told me the macerator pump was not working and I had him replace that. They also emptied the holding tank before I picked up the boat.

When we got back here I tried the toilet to see how it worked. Nothing happened when I pulled the handle up. Called the mechanic and he said it was either the micro-switch on the side or the vacuum pump. I believe I can hear the pump operating. Nothing happened when I manually open and closed the micro=switch.

I pulled the wires (the switch interrupts the hot wire) and jumped them. When I jump the wires the toilet bowl starts filling with water. Even with the handle in the full up position and the rotating valve in the bottom open the bowl is filling with clean water. Nothing is going out.

I have no clue. Anybody have any ideas.

Thanks.

George
 
My vacuflush doesn't work if the breaker in the 12 volt panel....marked " head "...isn't on. That breaker activates the vacuum pump and the water pump. It doesn't evacuate without vacuum when you step down on the peddle.

Have you checked it ?
 
maybe i'm not up on the times but I think you have to step on the peddle to get it to flush. lifting the peddle only induces extra water as for filling bowl higher for flushing solids.
 
Some older Vacuflush heads had a SS handle that was pulled up to flush. When you pull up the handle, does the ball seal in the bottom of the head swing open? WHen the ball seal opens, the contents are sucked into the holding tank and the vacuum sensor senses a reduced vacuum and starts the pump.
 
My Vacuflush has a seperate switch for the pump (on my boat it looks like a light switch on the wall) it also needs the water pressure switch in the panel box to be in thee on position plus the boat main switches also need to be in the on position. All that and then when the foot pedel is pressed it flushes. If the foot pedel is raised it fills the bowl with water. Hope any of this helps?
 
whoa, I know you can figure it out. On my vacuflush you press down, not up to flush,. they work well but the darn things have a sleep switch that has caused many unnecessary repair bills.
 
quote:
Originally posted by Shake n Bake

Some older Vacuflush heads had a SS handle that was pulled up to flush. When you pull up the handle, does the ball seal in the bottom of the head swing open? WHen the ball seal opens, the contents are sucked into the holding tank and the vacuum sensor senses a reduced vacuum and starts the pump.

Click to expand...


This is the style. The ball seal opens and nothing happens.

G
 
I have all of the related (that I can find) switches on the 12 volt panel turned on. I will look for that switch on the wall.

George
 
Clogged line or bad duck bills would be my guess.
 
if the ball opens and nothing happens there is no vacuum. Do you hear the pump? if not check all the control switches. If you dont hear the pump then the vacuum switch may be at fault. check the sealand site for detailed FAQ
 
Something is wrong check for voltage to the pump and work your way backwards. You should hear the vacuum pump running after the flush. On mine I have a side pedal, lifting it up fills the bowl with more water and pushing down flushes the bowl and starts the cycle. Regards Bill
 
The Vacuflush is a very simple system. At this point you have determined that your vacuum pump is not working. It's either a defective pump, sensor or no electric to the pump system. First, be sure all the breakers and switched are turned and the tank is really empty so that a "lock out if full" solenoid is not engaged. If your boat is anything like mine, and it is, getting to the pump will be difficult. However, that's where I'd start. Put power directly on the pump and see if it pumps. If it does, then check the continuity of the vacuum sensor. If both are good, all you need is 12vdc and you're in business, no pun intended.
 
Thanks for all of he information. Now all I need is the time to get to the boat and do the checking.

G
 
if the problem started after the mechanic replaced the macerator, id' look at disconected wire, breaker, etc....

first, check for power at the vac switch. since you don't have any vacuum you shoudl have power on both terminal.

" believe I can hear the pump operating. Nothing happened when I manually open and closed the micro=switch."

well, you either hear it or not, so you need to make sure whether or not the pump is running. you can bypass the switch by connecting the wires together and see it the pump runs.

if you have power at the switch and at the pump, then the motor itself must be bad. these things are near bullet proof though. pull the motor, check the brushes, etc...

if the motor runs and you see the belows moving, but it's not building vacuum then you either have a clog or bad duckbills. turn off the water pump so that water doens't overflow, hold the pedal down and check the bottom of the head, if someone used too much TP, it will get caught at the bottom in the venturi. don't force it down, use a thick wire and fish it out.

if you dont' see a clog there, then you need to open the pump inlet and outlet and check the dukbills (two on each side). something could be caught there or they are just too old to build any vaccum. when you remove the inlet hose and turn the pump on you can feel vaccum with you palm on the inlet. if you dont' feel any vacuum, then you know it's the DBs.

VF are very simple to troubleshoot and have very few moving parts

"I pulled the wires (the switch interrupts the hot wire) and jumped them. When I jump the wires the toilet bowl starts filling with water."

that doens't make much sense either... the vac switch only controls the vac pump, not the water valve which is mechanically controlled by the pedal. afaik most VF are pedal operated although i think some very recent models use some electronics... not sure.. but i doubt they did in 99.
 
George
Once you solve the electric issue, heres a break down of the pump
the duckbills are # 10

Vacpump.jpg
 
Andy: couldent find the drawings, can you post the vacuum swith pix for him? Those switches stick if not used regularly once they get a bit older.
 
quote:
Originally posted by pdecat

Andy: couldent find the drawings, can you post the vacuum swith pix for him? Those switches stick if not used regularly once they get a bit older.

Click to expand...
this is one on a tank Switch is #4

Vac.jpg


This is like my vacuum generators (1999) Switch is #12
vacGEN.jpg
 
I really do appreciate all of this good information. I am in the process of printing this thread.

Sealand called me today and told me I had a model 106. One of the gentlemen there also gave me some tips on trouble shooting. They said that they would fax me a manual, but I have not yet received it. The Sealand people have been real nice.

Again, many thanks.

George
 
pushing a pedal to dispose of waste is nice, but I like the new touch button to flush toilets. SeaLand makes one that our manufacturers are using...it flushes alot like a household toilet. Techma is another brand that Cruisers Yachts was using...best toilet I've ever seen for simplicity and freedom from trouble...nothing would clog it...we tried in a demonstration.
 
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