Vacuflush problems!

Luckydogs

Luckydogs

New Member
Mar 5, 2007
348
Lake Texoma, Texas
Boat Info
2003 3870 Express
Engines
Twin 8.1S (hogs)
This weekend the vacuflush to the hear system seems to be running longer than normal. I haven noticed in the last couple of weeks that it progressively gets worse. I checked all the fittings for leaks and water remains in the bowl, so the rings there are good.

Does this sound like bad duckbill valves, switch...........

Thanks
 
At least I am not the only one!! Phew (or pew). I had a problem last year - they "claim" all was good....well, it's back... You go to flush - does nothing.. Almost as if the water is backing up on you instead... Went to the tank itself, disconnect the hose - you heard the pump running - so I know it's still creating a vaccum.... So ?? It's coming to the question of is something stuck in the line? ?? Or ??? Could there be a different problem?
 
Ahhh there is something smelly about this post 1

Sounds like the system from the china bowl to the tank is clogged. The pump keeps trying to clear it.

It's probably got a wad of shore side double ply TP, a tampon, a wad of Wetones or baby wipes, que tip or paper towel clogging things up.

The skipper has to call a Head Specialist and then rag a new one on the family or guests about special marine head rules which are:

1. Any item that did not go through a persons body is contraband in the head.

2. If TP is used, only that TP provided by the skipper is permitted.
(Use SeaLand double ply only)

3. Anything else a person desires to dispose of should be wrapped in TP or baggies and tossed in the trash (small trash bin 5-6 quart size with lid in each head) helps.

I don't know how to unclog a vacuflush and I don't want to ... I'got a phone number and that is all I want.

Good luck
 
I do NOT want be known as "the vacuflush guy" on this board. But....

I put a post up on how to change out the duckbill valves. You can search here on CSR for duckbill valves and find it. That's where I would start. If your boat is a 2002 and it has the original duckbill valves, you are due for new ones.

Just because the pump is running does not mean you are getting vacuum or liquid through the system. These are fairly simple systems with two duckbill valves (one way check valves that poop fits through) on each side of a bellows pump that goes up and down. When the valves lose their elasticity, the bellows can't do much other than slosh sewage around and not move it.

Could the pipe be clogged? Yep... but the symptoms of the pump running longer and longer and water not moving like it used to on 5 year old duckbill valves tells me the right course of action.

Good luck... and read the other posts on this subject. It'll help.
 
Boat next to ours had a head clog this weekend. The dock guys used a garden variety toilet bowl plunger to clear whatever (TP I would guess) clogged the system. Worked like a charm without having to take the head apart.

Hey Gary, someone has to be the Vacuflush guy....why not you???? :smt043 Hell, I am the guy that pisses everyone off by commenting on non boating "stuff" on the board!!!! :smt018
 
Mine is only a year old...so I don't think it's the duckbills ....

I will try the old plunger routine and worse comes to worse I can take a fish line from the "back end" (little Vacu humor here) and try that again...if that doesn't work...then I guess I start ripping it apart.

Anyone bored tonight?
 
I had to replace mine at only a year old... I found out the kids were putting their dental floss down the toilet and it bound up the bellows pump and had acted like a net catching stuff in the valves. Why do kids have to use 20 feet (literally) of floss per flossing? It was a nasty mess and I just replaced the stuff instead of "cleaning it" and hoping it was all ok.
 
Mr. Vacuflush is probably right on the money on this one.

The only thing I'd add to the experts comments is that anything you flush containing rag content or strings can bind the bellows and hang up in the duckbills. Anything cought in them prevents their closing and creates your symptoms.

If you are going to go to the trouble to get to the dickbills, remove the bellows and clean them at the same time.

After you do t his repair and are successful, you will likely want to tatoo your "head rules" on the forehead of everyone who uses the head.
 
Old Duckbills

Old Duckbills! C=R=A=P, now I got another repair on the way ... my duckbills are 6+ years old and have been faithfully sucking all the crud thrown at them for all that time.

Ummm and doesn't sound like another healty BM is PM for those things! :smt043

Ummm Headhunters, here I come.
 
My plan is this tonight..
First try the old plunger - see if that works.
next option...take off the connection from teh tank and shove a snake through and see if I get lucky...then, I can look at pulling apart head and seeing what I find...I was looking on the vacuflush site and I really couldn't find these duck bills that you are all talk'n about...but ???
 
Ahhh - see that's in the pump part..

I think my problem is in the head or somewhere else...not the pump...

But, now I get what you are saying - that will be a fun one to rip apart :)
 
put on a body condom if you are going to rip the pump apart. :lol:

Anyway, my vacuflush is working GREAT after i took it apart and cleaned everything. It's like those airline toilets, scares the hell out of first time flushers. I had the previouse owner on the boat and he used the toilet and came out and asked if I bought a new pump. The pump is built like a tank, just can't throw certain things in there. my valves have 4 years on them and they still look good.
 
Cuttin' Edge said:
I think my problem is in the head or somewhere else...not the pump...
Click to expand...

well... "Mr. Vacuflush" here says that a toilet not flushing is not a "head" issue (I think you are referring to the toilet). These systems center around the vacuum tank which consists of a tank, duck bill valves, a bellows pump, and a vacuum switch.... Any of that not working means the "head" don't flush.

I have also had to rebuild one of my toilets due to a bum that decided to live on my boat for a bit and crapped up the system with cigarettes and tampons (don't ask). The part that went bad on the toilet for me were the rubber seals on the toilet that are against the rotating ball. They are 2 piece and if someone leaves their business in the toilet and doesn't flush, it can leak between the seals and give a foul oder in the bathroom... and the only way to get rid of it is to take the toilet apart and put all new seals on it (do the base seal as well as it is "extra" spongy). That whole saying of "if it's yellow let it mellow" does not apply to marine sanitation...

I do not want be know as the vacuflush guy... did I mention that?
 
I give up....
I have tried and no luck
Randomly it will work....more than not - it doesn't
It drains now - which is good...but that's it...
Randomly it will have some "suction" to it...but that's it....

So, you got me... Time to call the Vacuuflush guy and let him play with it...
 
I called Sealand this morning and spoke with the tech support. I explained my problem and she immediatly said it was the duckbill valves gone bad and will need to be replaced. She said that it wasa simple DIY job so I have already purchased the valves and will get busy the next couple of days.
 
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