Poo pump problems 🙁

If there is a louder hissing noise, then the small vent, air blender valve, in the inlet pipe has worn a larger hole in the inlet pipe where the vent pokes in. I had what you described and everything looked okay. Eventually I blocked off the old hole with electrical tape, and fitted a new valve, with new hole, and normal service returned. I think what had happened is that over the years, the movement of the hose and the small valve wore a larger hole. It only takes a small change in diameter of the air inlet point to significantly impact the toilet. The loud hissing noise may not be evident, but it was on mine, compared to the new air leader valve, it is almost silent.
 
RunAgroundHard said:
If there is a louder hissing noise, then the small vent, air blender valve, in the inlet pipe has worn a larger hole in the inlet pipe where the vent pokes in. I had what you described and everything looked okay. Eventually I blocked off the old hole with electrical tape, and fitted a new valve, with new hole, and normal service returned. I think what had happened is that over the years, the movement of the hose and the small valve wore a larger hole. It only takes a small change in diameter of the air inlet point to significantly impact the toilet. The loud hissing noise may not be evident, but it was on mine, compared to the new air leader valve, it is almost silent.
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I would assume if the OP is liveaboard and familiar with the Lavac as he has stated, he would have put his finger over the syphon break hole and tested the pump performance
 
geem said:
I would assume if the OP is liveaboard and familiar with the Lavac as he has stated, he would have put his finger over the syphon break hole and tested the pump performance
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You know what they say about assumption, mother of all mistakes.
 
geem said:
I also no Rob, the OP
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Your reply to me on this matter is irrelevant and has contributed nothing to the thread. If Rob had communicated to you, that he placed his finger over the hole, and that was not the problem, that would have been a useful reply.
 
BobnLesley said:
The OP identified his toilet as a LAVAC, so where are people finding these joker and flap valves to investigate? VicS' post covers it ignore the rest
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My lavac came with an electric pump which had 4 joker valves in it..

It also has a manual pump which has a joker valve at the outlet.

I had huge problems with sealing the pump as had not tightened the screws sufficiently following a rebuild...so be wary, they need to be pretty tight but it's plastic so a bit nerve wracking.

Also I had a tiny leak around the anti siphon fitting which did not allow flush water to be drawn in.
 
PaulRainbow said:
The lid seal won't stop it emptying the bowl Roger, just stops water from being drawn in.
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Yes that is my point

The op says ". Pumping the handle until I'm blue in the face, it just won't prime. "

Lack of prime means the is air getting in the head some way and the most likly is an air leak i the sat seal
 
rogerthebodger said:
Yes that is my point

The op says ". Pumping the handle until I'm blue in the face, it just won't prime. "

Lack of prime means the is air getting in the head some way and the most likly is an air leak i the sat seal
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I understand that Roger, but Post #1 is a little misleading, he later says "It's creating a slight amount of suction at the lid, but not enough to actually draw anything out of the bowl. Pumping with the lid open just agitates what's in the bowl but the level doesn't change." and " there is 'water'* in the bowl and it's not pumping out"
 
PaulRainbow said:
I understand that Roger, but Post #1 is a little misleading, he later says "It's creating a slight amount of suction at the lid, but not enough to actually draw anything out of the bowl. Pumping with the lid open just agitates what's in the bowl but the level doesn't change." and " there is 'water'* in the bowl and it's not pumping out"
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To me the comment that pumping creates agitation in the bowl suggests that the pump's suction valve is not closing. Water (or whatever) is being forced back down the hose instead of onwards to the discharge valve.
 
vyv_cox said:
To me the comment that pumping creates agitation in the bowl suggests that the pump's suction valve is not closing. Water (or whatever) is being forced back down the hose instead of onwards to the discharge valve.
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That is my thinking too.
 
vyv_cox said:
To me the comment that pumping creates agitation in the bowl suggests that the pump's suction valve is not closing. Water (or whatever) is being forced back down the hose instead of onwards to the discharge valve.
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I've had this happen twice on lavac's (not mine, I have a bucket on board)

First was a hairline crack in the pump housing, caused by over-tightening. Only the teeniest tiniest leak visible as it almost only leaked under suction, but it was enough to allow the pump to draw air in in preference to raising "water" 50cm to fill the pump.

Second time it was the inlet (flap) valve on the pump which was installed back to front, which worked when brand new, but struggled after a while - turning it round fixed the problem.

Reading the OP and subsequent posts I would suspect the flap valve - but whatever the case the pump needs inspecting. If there's pressurised water on board then sticking a hose down the bowl with wadding packed around it allows you to flush the pump and hoses before dismantling (gently, in case there's a blockage in the outlet) - a trick I really, really wish I'd worked out earlier in life.
 
rogerthebodger said:
Yes that is my point

The op says ". Pumping the handle until I'm blue in the face, it just won't prime. "

Lack of prime means the is air getting in the head some way and the most likly is an air leak i the sat seal
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When working correctly, you can pump it with the lid open and the bowl will empty.
This isn't happening at the moment.

I'll investigate the valves on the pump. We have a second heads so I can procrastinate a bit and think of more pleasant things to do with my afternoon.
 
Sea Change said:
When working correctly, you can pump it with the lid open and the bowl will empty.
This isn't happening at the moment.

I'll investigate the valves on the pump. We have a second heads so I can procrastinate a bit and think of more pleasant things to do with my afternoon.
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The longer you leave it the more foul it will become.
.
 
geem said:
If that was the case, it would be obvious as you would here lots of hissing from the leaking seat seal
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Yes up to a point

On mine the edge of the seat / lid seal was a little damaged and would seal and pump when my knee was placed on the seat. If the seal was just closed with only the weight of the seat the seat /lid would not seal correctly and would not create a vacuum to draw the flush water in

The lack of vacuum could also be caused by an air leak into the connection of flush water into the bowl of a split in the feed pipe and as some suggested the air leakage bend but IMHO the OP would hear the hiss of the air at that point . Also if the OP put his finger over the hole the pump would prime.

All I am doing is relaying my experience when I had similar issued with my Lavac
 
Over the years when I had a problem with pumping out the contents of a lavac bowl the pump needs a good service or even just a clean out. Sometimes just opening the round lid on the pump and then poking at either valve can dislodge an item causing a problem. Doesn't matter what leaks there are on the fresh water supply or the lid not shutting properly, the lavac should always pump out.
 
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