SL 400 Toilet

[Hardley]

Started servicing my toilet today, some scale and gunge in the system, have most parts soaking in vinegar, but am concerned about any effects the vinegar may have on rubber parts.
Any advice gladly accepted.
Norm

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[snowleopard]

should be fine. if you're lucky you may still be able to find a spares kit which contains all the rubber bits and springs apart from the main diaphragm.

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[HeadMistress]

Soaking rubber parts in vinegar will cause them to swell and distort. However, if it's been at least 5 years since they were replaced, it's time to replace 'em anyway, so it hasn't cost you anything.

A cupful of white vinegar flushed down the toilet--provided it's flushed completely out of the pump--once a week will not hurt the rubber parts...and will prevent sea water scale and urine crystal buildup in the toilet and the head discharge hose.

<hr width=100% size=1>Peggie Hall
Specializing in marine sanitation since 1987

 

[Hardley]

Thanks for your advice, I was worried about the rubber as it is not possible to get spare parts for this toilet any more. Might try soaking in hot water and a gentle scrape.

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[Keith]

The best thing i ever did was to get rid of mySL400......keith

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[PuffTheMagicDragon]

Very true! When I had to replace the large nylon moulding, that had cracked near the flange, three or four years ago, the kit cost me just about a half of what a new Par, Rm69, or similar plunger type would have cost.
There is no doubt in my mind as to what I will do should there be a next time round.
Fair Winds!

<hr width=100% size=1>Wally

 

[simonfraser]

flush it lots , lots after use and you will have less of a problem next time

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[snowleopard]

if only i could get rid of mine but there's nothing remotely like it for fitting into tight spaces.

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[Keith]

Know what you mean, i had to rebuild the heads completely anyway as the boat was old enough not to have a holding tank, but those little springs were driving me insane, they reall are not quite up to liveaboard use IMO.......keith

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[snowleopard]

those little springs are a total pain. the last spares pack actually contained 4 of them so it puts off the day when i have to have new ones made.

the pump body wore out on one of mine (a pivot axle craked out of the moulding) so i bought a new one from yacht parts plymouth. £185, twice the price of a complete new par. at least i effectively have a new loo so it should be a while before they're scrap.

why can't other manufacturers make heads suitable for mounting close to the hull side?

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[Keith]

We broke the pump handle on ours seven o/c saturday evening harbour island in the Bahamas...........bloody nightmare!!!!!!!

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[snowleopard]

funny you shoud say that. ours broke in the azores. the welders put it back at the wrong angle. sitting down in a seaway became something of a gamble /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

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[trouville]

Ive had two other toilets on two other boat, and each time ive found them unreliable, and replaced them with second hand blake, and when i had my first baby blake i thought it was awful with two basic pumps! After the first day with a SL 400 i was down to the second hand shop where id seen a oval blake,which i bought foe £100 They seem to be very popular as mine was stolen just day after getting it and after removing the old one which i gave away, but not having fitted the new one! Still a buckets not that bad.
Im still hopeing to find another baby blake or large blake. In the mean time im not sure wether a bucket isent better than an easy modern boat loo

<hr width=100% size=1>liveaboard

 

[dickh]

I too think the SL400 is rubbish - apart from the fact spares are difficult to get hold of. On two boats I've replaced them almost immediately with a Par/Jabsco toilet - much better and you can at least get spares.

<hr width=100% size=1>dickh
I'd rather be sailing... /forums/images/icons/smile.gif

 

[Keith]

Isn't it funny some of the stories we can come up with concerning our sea toilets, had to smile at yours though....imagination ran wild.....but then with that many moving parts operating in an environment as hostile as the average heads!!!...what do we expect.........really nothing short of a miracle.......keith

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[Hardley]

Anyone looking for parts for SL 400 toilets should contact;
Trafalgar Yacht Services

http://www.westerly-yachts.co.uk/spares.html

Who tell me that they now have a new supplier and hold ample stocks.

I have no connection with this company.

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[celandine]

In my experience among the numerous things that can go wrong with the SL400 is that one of its 'heart-type' valves can turn it self inside out and start working in reverse - giving a whole new meaning to the phrase getting your own back
I'm told that rather than strip the whole thing down, you can force the valve back into its proper shape with judicious use of a marina water hose; which is why I never let such hoses get near my fresh water system without cleaning the bottom few feet vary carefully.

I would replace it with a Blake as soon as you can.

Mick

Mick

<hr width=100% size=1>. . . . . . .<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.marinersboatyard.co.uk>boatyard</A>