Electric Loo Pumps Pee Not Poo

[CaptainBob]

Electric loo, only identifying mark on it says "matricola a" and "made in italy".

Happily pumps away number ones. Not a lot of inflow of flushing water - no idea if this is normal or not.

But if I try to pump even a very small and inoffensive number two, it gets blocked for a while and requires long periods of pumping to get it to clear.

I've checked the inlet and outlet hoses are clear by using the dinghy pump on them after extensive flushing.

Wondering if there might be a crystalline buildup constricting something somewhere - there's nothing obvious though.

Any ideas?

I hate the noisy thing anyway so might just bin it and get a manual - but if there's an easy solution...
?

TY!

 

[colind3782]

Electric loo, only identifying mark on it says "matricola a" and "made in italy".

Happily pumps away number ones. Not a lot of inflow of flushing water - no idea if this is normal or not.

But if I try to pump even a very small and inoffensive number two, it gets blocked for a while and requires long periods of pumping to get it to clear.

I've checked the inlet and outlet hoses are clear by using the dinghy pump on them after extensive flushing.

Wondering if there might be a crystalline buildup constricting something somewhere - there's nothing obvious though.

Any ideas?

I hate the noisy thing anyway so might just bin it and get a manual - but if there's an easy solution...
?

TY!

It sounds like it's from

http://www.matromarine.com/index.html

I've just changed one of their pumps and they're not cheap, mine cost 327 Euros but I bet it can be found cheaper online.

 

[V1701]

(Dilute) Hydrochloric acid to dissolve the crystal build-up? Take the pipes off & bash them? Replace the sea toilet with a Porta Potti? I did the latter & don't regret it at all, live aboard in marina. Aren't you anchored most of the time? If so PP might still be a good move, could empty when you move off the anchorage?

 

[greenalien]

Could be that the pump impellers are worn/burnt out, or the macerator has come loose on its shaft. Stripping it down is the only way to find out.

 

[LadyInBed]

Try feeding the bowl with a bucket of sea water when flushing, that will tell you if it's a restricted flow in inlet pipe. Some twisted up kitchen role might substitute for poo.

 

[ostell]

Some twisted up kitchen role might substitute for poo.

I think someone said some time ago that a banana (peeled) was used for testing.

 

[SHUG]

You can't duck the bullet!!!........you must detach the outlet hose and see if there are deposits which are reducing the bore.
On with the Marigolds!!

 

[CaptainBob]

Ta for the replies. I emailed Matromarine and asked for their input.

You can't duck the bullet!!!........you must detach the outlet hose and see if there are deposits which are reducing the bore.
On with the Marigolds!!

I did that already. Nothing there. Has to be something inside the pump, or a problem with the pump I guess. But once blocked, if you pump it sounds a bit different and the bowl gets more and more full from sucked up seawater.

 

[Poignard]

I hate the noisy thing anyway so might just bin it and get a manual - but if there's an easy solution...
?

TY!

In the long run that probably is the easiest solution

 

[CaptainBob]

FOR SALE:
One used, broken, blocked electric heads. Collect only.

Any takers?

 

[colind3782]

I hate the noisy thing anyway so might just bin it and get a manual - but if there's an easy solution...
?

TY!

Mine is a lot better than listening to someone manually pumping the heads in the "wee" small hours.

 

[Poignard]

Mine is a lot better than listening to someone manually pumping the heads in the "wee" small hours.

But even that's better than someone stumbling throught the saloon with a brimfull bucket, crashing into things and cursing as he upsets the contents onto the chart table and galley