Thetford toilet not charging

I don't look at the gauge.

To charge, I add water, stopping periodically to push the flush switch. When water starts to circulate I stop adding water.

When I an see fluid through the opening, it is time to dump. Sometimes i will pull the dump valve handle on the Thetford, allowing some of the waste to fill the drain pipe. This adds a little to the capacity.

we almost exclusively dry camp. For me it is critical to manage the Thetford. We have three adult women and two adult men. For four days I need a Blu-Tote with me.

Originally Posted by Mkilmurry

I also noticed with mine that the gauge didn't seem to work after the charge, but then after a few uses it started to move. I guess I thought I would see it move with every use, which is not the case.

Hi -

What I do when charging is tap very lightly on top of the gauge then it starts to move. I carry a small 2 gallon bucket with me for cleaning the floor and other chores on the outside. Now if the gauge ever fails I can measure 3 gallons of water with the bucket to charge the toilet if the guage does not work.

Dave

Originally Posted by Bill

John is exactly right. Since it worked before, it is almost certainly gunked up, and it is easy to clean once you get it out. As you are doing so, check to confirm that the stem of the gage, and the twist element in the center, are not bent. And be sure you don't bend them during the remove/replace action. They must be straight.

Bill

Hi-

I cleaned mine today and it works great! I could not pry the gauge off on the top, so I took the cover top off and cleaned the rods, they were filthy and the float got stuck going up & down. It is a very simple system as long as the float does not get stuck (no wires). Last week I took the vinyl skirt off so I should be set now.


Dave

Assuming we have sewer hook ups, at the end of our trip I will do a complete and thorough cleaning, primarily by filling and emptying a couple of times. At home, I will add a little Thetford seal saver to help prevent the seals from hardening. When preparing for our next trip, I will add 4-5 gallons of water and some detergent. Since it will slosh around while driving to our destination I will cover the top with saran wrap to prevent splashing. A quick emptying at our destination and we are clean and good to go.