vacuflush questions.....

CliffA

CliffA

Well-Known Member
Dec 29, 2009
4,712
Lake Norman, NC
Boat Info
2001 Sea Ray 340DA
Name: 'Happy Place'
4.5kW West. Generator
Purchased Nov. 2014
Fresh Water Use
Engines
Twin Merc. 6.2L (MPI)
640 hp (Total)
Raw Water Cooled
V-Drive Transmissions
i have a couple questions about the vacuflush toilet in our 340.

1. sometimes after the toilet is flushed the pump cycles on and off quickly for up to around 30 seconds. I assume it is trying to create and store enough vacuum for the next flush. Is this normal or should the pump create the vacuum quickly after each flush?

2. the water in the bowl will leak out if the toilet is not used for a few hours. I assume this is not normal and that the water should stay in the bowl until the next flush. i am guessing there is a seal somewhere not working properly. which seal is likely to cause this?

3. this may or may not be related to the vacuflush, but about once every hour or so i hear the fresh water pump kick on for a couple seconds. i assume this is from a small leak somewhere in the fresh water water system but was wondering if a problem with the vacuflush toilet could also cause this.

thanks....

cliff
 
1. 30 seconds sounds long to me. Im thinking more like 10-15 seconds.
2. Water should indeed stay in the bowl. The seal you are looking for is right under the lip where the toilet itself (sand in color) meets the half "ball" (white in color). I have had to clean mine once or twice & it seals fine afterwards. This seal could also be the reason for your long vacuum run times. Its an easy fix so Id start there.

3. I am going to say that these problems are not related.
 
mwph said:
1. 30 seconds sounds long to me. Im thinking more like 10-15 seconds.
2. Water should indeed stay in the bowl. The seal you are looking for is right under the lip where the toilet itself (sand in color) meets the half "ball" (white in color). I have had to clean mine once or twice & it seals fine afterwards. This seal could also be the reason for your long vacuum run times. Its an easy fix so Id start there.

3. I am going to say that these problems are not related.
Click to expand...

OK, thanks....how do i clean that bowl seal?

cliff
 
Turn off both the water system and the vacuflush breakers. Moisten a paper towel and add a little dish washing liquid to it. Push down and hold the flush pedal while you run the paper towel around the exposed lip of the seal a few times. Should do the trick.
 
hottoddie said:
Turn off both the water system and the vacuflush breakers. Moisten a paper towel and add a little dish washing liquid to it. Push down and hold the flush pedal while you run the paper towel around the exposed lip of the seal a few times. Should do the trick.
Click to expand...

gotcha....thanks.......

cliff
 
Another thing I have done to mine is, after cleaning, add a little vaseline to the seal. Mine has been holding AF since winterizing 45 days ago.

Bennett
 
Cliff - The seal kit for a vacuflush is an easy fix, try cleaning the seal lip first. NO Bleach! If yours has not been changed then it's time, I replaced the one on my 290 after 4-5yrs I think. If you replace the seal, also make sure yours has the new brass shaft on the flush ball mechanism - some were plastic and broke, causing you not to be able to flush the head! Not good when you have a family of women like me! Sealand sent me a brass replacement and I never had anymore problems there. On going, make a habit of flush plenty of water down the bowl when it is used. I also would flush one or two full bowls at the end of a weekend before shutting the boat up.The long running pump cycle is probably the duck bills on the vacuum pump, another easy fix.

I don't think the freshwater pump cycling is related to the head, there is a leak somewhere, the fittings on the freshwater lines that SeaRay used in that era are notorious for leaking. The most troublesome one I had was the transom shower, then the cockpit sink. I ended up replacing both of those lines and fittings and that seems to stop my leaking. There is also a filter and check valve at the freshwater pump that can cause problems - clean this filter occasionally. As far as the check valve, once you are sure there is not a leak somewhere in the system, then the last culprit is the pump/check valve. I don't know if there is a repair for this or it a pump replacement is in order. I never had a pump problem on my 290. I don't know how much this boat sat before you bought it - but if it was not used much, it's possible a good freshwater system cleaning is in order.
 
Last edited:
I second Bill's advice above.

If you've never done it, which sounds like you haven't.

Then replace it. By the ball kit, and replace it as well.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD
 
Great video. I learned a few things. How do we find his other videos?
 
bbwhitejr said:
Another thing I have done to mine is, after cleaning, add a little vaseline to the seal. Mine has been holding AF since winterizing 45 days ago.

Bennett
Click to expand...

Good idea, wrong product, petroleum jelly will dissolve the seal you hope to salvage. A latex type sealant like used on swimming pool equipment is the right product to revive your seal. I tend to have to do it once a season.

http://www.instockpoolsupply.com/Magic_Lube_630_p/630.htm?gclid=CK615-mg98ICFQQSMwodcQcARw

MM
 
Thanks for all the replies.....I cleaned the seal with a toothbrush and dish washing soap this afternoon before we left the boat....most likely I will need to replace the seal....After viewing the video it does not look to be too bad of a job.....I'll get the flush ball kit and install it at the same time.....the idea about flushing a bowl full of water every so often seems like a good one so I'll start doing that.....

It sounds like I need to either clean or replace the duck bills on the pump.....any pointers on this job?......I might as well do this the same time I am replacing the seal and ball kit....

The boat was not used very much in the past year or so...what is involved in cleaning the fresh water system?

thanks....
cliff
 
I have cleaned my fresh water system by basically flushing some bleach through it.

Start by removing and cleaning the screens at all of the outlets and at the pump inlet. Add a half of a cup of bleach to a full tank of water & open up each faucet for a minute. Some guys might suggest a boat ride at this point so slosh the water in the tank around, I did not think this was needed but I did let the water sit in the tank & lines for a while. After that just empty the tank & flush the entire system with clean fresh water until the bleach is gone. Replace all of the screens making sure the one at the pump inlet is seated & secured correctly.

When I bought the boat, the system was unused for a while & that is what seems to cause stagnation. Now, we use the system a lot and have had no problems!

hope this helps.
 
For cleaning the water system - Like MWPH said, mix some beach in the water tank (2oz / gal) fill, run all of the faucets until you smell the beach coming out, then shut everything off and let it sit overnight. Then flush until you beach smell is gone.

Duck bill valves - you might google this one. You access them by removing the vacuum pump, depending on the location it might be hard to access, should be just upstream from the holding tank. I've never done it myself, but hear it s pretty easy. Due to the "nature" of the area you will be working in, I would only replace these, it's not something you want to redo.
 
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