Unable to find vacuum leak - Vacuflush

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Pilotpak

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I've got an older style Vacuflush (on a 2002 boat), one of the ones with the vacuum switch mounted horizontally. The Vacuum pump is cycling on once every 5 minutes. The toilet bowel has water in it, and I can hear an air leak around the vacuum generator. I have tightened all clamps but can't locate the leak.

Couple of questions:

1/ If the duckbills were bad, would I hear a small hissing sound ?

2/ The hissing sound is around the switch area. Are the switches prone to leaking ?

Thanks,

Wayne
2002 Riviera M290
 
Sounds to me like it could be either one of the two situations you describe. With it being a 2002 model, if the duckbills haven't been changed up until now, change 'em! If they are in need of replacement, you could hear a slight hissing sound. So replace them first, and hope that it cures the problem - they're certainly due to be changed if they're still original!

If changing them doesn't solve the problem, then it requires a little more troubleshooting. At that point, I'll probably defer to Pascal when he checks in - he's our resident VacuFlush guru...!
 
Could be the pressure switch on the vacuum chamber.
There are 4 duckbill valves in the vacuum pump - replace them all
I had the same problem. I called PAtti seacoast and they sent me a vacuum guage that you can use to isolate the leak.
Seacoast people are very helpole and can be reached 631-598-2628
 
Thanks guys..this is one job I'm not going to look fwd to.
 
wayne there are a couple places to look after the duck bill valves are replaced as Vic noted.

try this to help you search, use some shaving cream on suspect areas and look for the cream to dissapear. the rubber seal where the vac line from the toilet enters the vac chamber on the pump dries up over time and can leak. same on the pressure switch. also check the diaphram itself for evidence of water when its pumping. if the diaphram cracks it will push water thru the crack while its working.
 
I spent a couple of hours the last 3 days trying to track down a 10 minute 32 second leak. I could not hear any hissing.(either not there or below my hearing level. I replaced the duckbill valves and actually do have a vacuum test gauge sold by sealand and the leak was on the 2001 vacuum generator unit and not from the toilet or the hoses.

I did the shaving cream test around the inlet seal, along with tightening and silicon greasing the duckbills. I checked the pressure switch, removed cleaned and replaced the O-rings on the pressure switch unit and the pickup tube. No matter what I tried I kept the 10 minute 32 second leak. I ran across another thread on a different site that read as my story. When he replaced the inlet seal, his leak was fixed.

Today, I removed and cleaned the seal and the pipe that inserts into it and my leak is gone. For me the small leak around the inlet seal was not detected by using shaving cream, or at least I could never see any evidence in the cream.

I do think shaving cream can help find a leak, just don't use a negative test as absolute proof there is not leak.
 
Thanks Guys...I'm heading down to the boat this week-end and will try the shaving cream test and look at the inlet too. I guess the previous owner also had this issue because I can see silicon around some of the threaded joints and couplings.
 
The purpose built Sealand vacuum gauge Ehoyles mentions is a great tool and will pin point problems the shaving cream trick will not. They run about 70 bucks. They make the job so much simpler, and helps you test your work as you go. Nothing like putting it all back together only to find you muffed something and you don't know what... I had to diagnose and redo an improper installation on on one of ours (that had taken about three years to evidence itself), so I have been pretty much through this back-to-front.

By the way, flush a bunch of fresh water and a LITTLE bleach through the system before you start taking it apart and it will make the project less unpleasant and more sanitary. These are pretty clean systems by their very nature. Also, follow the direction for installing the DBs very carefully, as simple a task as that may seem. I think you can get the owner's manual/trouble shooting guide on line.

George Hatteras 56MY
Boston Whaler 130 Sport
 
Any update Pilotpak? Been monitoring this thread as I am having a similar issue. Have replaced the vacuum pump, duck bills checked all the tubes etc. and still had a leak by the end of fall. Going to renew my quest in the spring, but watching for what happens here. Otherwise, may be spending a few bucks to swap out and get an Elegance instead and get rid of this headache (pun intended).
 
FWIW, i spent alot of time tracking down a leak on one of my toilets and finally got resolution. on the flush lever, there are a pair of o rings that maintain the vacuum. very easy to replace and mine were not making any detectible hissing sound. but once i changed them the leak stopped.
 
Haven't quite got around to this job as yet....battery charger died and spent last week-end replacing it - I guess slightly more pleasant than working on the Vacuflush.
 
Ya, I bought one and for some reason I still can't figure out where the leak is... I went as far as buying a new pump too and still have issues. Although I put it in the last weekend for power at the harbor before winter so I haven't given it some time yet. Could just need some time to work through some liquids...

There is one hose left to replace going from the toilet to the air tank. But, I cannot get to it to replace. It runs under some permanent flooring, but from what I can tell, that isn't the issue, but could be because I can't seem to isolate where the issue is.
 
You just have to be very methodical with the gauge. Start at the pump and work your way back one section at a time to the toilet, this will isolate where the problem is. These are very simple systems. The Vc manual walks you through it. BTW Is the bowl holding water? How old is you system?
 
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