Toilet plugging -- could use a quick answer

[rimartin58]

Hey Dave -- or anybody else who's got an opinion on this,

Since you've had a look at the guts of the toilet, do you see any seals, parts, etc. that look like they would be damaged by a little bleach? I'm wondering if 1/4 cup or so along with the usual tank chemical wouldn't help both the smell and help breakdown the solid stuff.

Or is there a big reason not to use bleach that I'm overlooking?

Thanks

RIM

[Bill]

Thetford's manual, as well as the web site, used to say no to bleach. Something about hurting the seals. I'm having trouble finding it today, but I would still tend to stay away from bleach. Besides, I think bleach might sanitize things, but I doubt that it would break up any clogs. There are enzyme products that supposedly help with this, but I am unconvinced

Bill

[ShrimpBurrito]

When I pulled the toilet up, with the instructions presented by Bill and others on this site guiding me, I found that one of the seals in between the toilet and the floor was in rough shape. Compared to the new replacement seal, it wasn't flexible and was deformed, so seemingly some environmental factors made it that way. I don't know if that is what you'd consider dried out or not.

I don't see any reason why bleach would help break down solids. Bleach is simply chlorine, which is a disinfectant. But its effectiveness as a disinfectant actually lessens when the concentration gets too high. If I recall correctly from my lab days, the optimal concentration is 10%. Less is more. Second, you may just give yourself a problem with chlorine gas, which is deadly at fairly low concentrations. But it is quite detectable though.

I personally don't have a problem with odor using the blue-capped Thetford product, at least until maybe after 4 days of continual full-time use of 2 adults with temps in the 80s. But even then, the odor is only when you lift the lid. If you have odors before then, you may have a bad or misplaced seal, either the one around the lid or the one in between the top seat assembly and the base. You could replace or reseat both in about 10 minutes tops.

Dave

Some people on rv.net forums report good results by adding a Potty Toddy table every day or two. When the weather is hot, 80+, that is what I do. I am not sure that it helps, but no one is complaining about the oder. But, it is rare for us to have any solids in the Thetford.

The tablets are cheap enough to be worth trying. I get them at Camping World. Walmart does not have them.

[Keith Wire]

A couple of years ago when I was first investigating a travel trailer I found this article by Charles Bruni.

I realize TM's don't have a "Black Water" tank like conventional travel trailers, but I wonder if anybody has ever tried Calgon in Tetford instead of using chemicals?

Any other comments regarding the article would be appreciated. I would prefer to have the best results (no odor but and clean toilet) with the least impact on the environment.

Keith

Good Sam, Highways magazine, August 2008 edition, page 42, has a article about the Thetford toilet that is installed in TrailManor. It is about replacing the vinyl skirt assembly in the toilet. Check it out.

[Bill]

Keith -

I saw the Bruni article several years ago and lost track of it. I think it is a great article, but the links (water softener, bleach, and detergent) are missing in the pdf version. A quick Google search pulled up the following site, which has the original links intact.

http://cbruni.googlepages.com/

I'm still nervous about prolonged exposure of the Thetfords seal to bleach, but the water softener and detergent ideas still sound great.

Thanks for bringing this goodie back!

Bill

[Dagrip]

Last year we were having problems with blockage in our Thetford. I was able to resolve the problems by completly filling the unit with water and letting it sit for a handful of hours. I would then dump the toilet and repeat the procedure until it eventually ran clear when dumping. Doing this dramatically improved the performance of the Thetford.

If I might take this thread on a bit of a detour...If I understand the 'innards' of the Thetford, the waste drops into some sort of screen cone basket. The solids remain while the liquids are free to roam about the tank. When the plug is pulled (and I assume the drain hole is in the bottom of the basket) the pressure causes the basket to empty, along with all the liquids in the tank. A quick rinse would get rid of any lingering waste. That is why the 'woosh' is needed, the pressure helps to drain the tank of all waste. If this is correct, then those of us who use things like the Sewer Solution (which by the way I completely love) are asking for trouble since the tank is emptied at a much slower rate - a 1 1/2" hose instead of a 3" hose. But maybe the pressure is enough when the inside gate is opened which allows the solids to go into the large pipe and stop at the outside gate??? Other opinions/thoughts on this would be appreciated, and if this is too off-topic Don feel free to move it to a new thread. Boy, it is going to be a bad day when I start off contemplating holding tanks...

[Leslie & Nick]

I happened to be one of the 'unlucky' ones who had to take the toilet apart for repairs. As you might assume, the drain hole is opened when you pull the 'T' handle at the base of the toilet - that's what starts the 'swooshing' noise which is the sound of the toilet contents dropping into the large waste pipe beneath the floor. As a side note, if you don't hear the swoosh (I didn't), it means the drain hole is probably stuck in the open position (even partially) and that waste water is continually filling the large drain pipe, and is only being held in by the outside slide valve. What would be much worse however, is if the toilet valve breaks or malfunctions in the closed position, and you can't get the toilet to drain.

Anyway, I don't have a 'Sewer Solution', but understanding a little bit about how these devices work, I wouldn't think you're going to experience any big problems because you're draining through a smaller hose and don't have that sudden 'head pressure' (pun unintended) at the drain. Once you have the waste water in the drain pipe, I think gravity is going to make it flow through the slinky hose or the Sewer Solution device.

TM owners have been using these drain devices for a while now, so I'm sure they'll also weigh in with their actual experiences.

Nick