SL400 toilet problems

vidapura said:
Thanks for your time.
Well I didn't try it with 'foul' water just yet. So it could be either intake or outflow...
I'll pour some blue eco clean stuff I found in a bottle nearby through it and see if the blue shows under the base when I flush..

Thanks
Click to expand...

Apologies if its mentioned earlier in the thread but spares list and instruction manual at http://slspares.co.uk/
 
Hi

Whilst I don't have your exact problem, recently I seem to have a 'flow back' When I pump out, I get a return of water that flows right up to the top of the bowl.


Any ideas what the problem might be?

Many thanks for all replies


David
 
tarik said:
Hi

Whilst I don't have your exact problem, recently I seem to have a 'flow back' When I pump out, I get a return of water that flows right up to the top of the bowl.
Click to expand...

Are you sure it's a return and not just the bowl filling up? I guess "split diaphragm", by the way.
 
We bought a boat this year with a sl400, we then found it leaked water every time it was used. Having looked at the cost of a service kit at £75 we replaced it with a Jabsco at £89. The only drawback is that it's slightly higher, but young people can operate it who struggled with the spring on the sl400, we also replaced the hose, which was caked with timescale and lost its flexibility.

We did the same on the last boat as well with no regrets, and no need to dismantle the whole thing every year.

It may not last 30years like the sl40, but at that price when it's worn out we'll replace it.
 
Well, at last I've got it working. That nylon nut on the outlet needs to be tightened up well and I also used PTFE tape to ensure no leakage. I will give it a few more tests before it's proper christening!
 
vidapura said:
Can I ask a quick question here?

Recently bought a centaur with an SL400 in it.
Working ok, but when I flush it there is liquid seeping out the base of it.
Would people think I just need the base gasket or does it sound like a bigger problem?
Thanks
Click to expand...

One of my RM69s had the same issue. The seepage was whatever was lin the bowl, during and after flushing. I searched high and low for a replkacement with no luck. Just the pump service kit ran to about 60 quid and those are rarer than hen's teeth too,

Mine went in the skip, minus the pump parts which I will use to keep the other head going a while longer, and in went an electric, fresh water flush Dometic Orbit 360. A different world. No rotten egg smell, no risk of getting squirted in the eye through manic pumping, just a two-three second press to fill, and similar to empty.

Incidentally, the old loo disappeared from the marina skip in about 3 hours....
 
tarik said:
Hi

Whilst I don't have your exact problem, recently I seem to have a 'flow back' When I pump out, I get a return of water that flows right up to the top of the bowl.


Any ideas what the problem might be?

Many thanks for all replies


David
Click to expand...


David it sounds like you might not have a vented loop or syphon break on the outlet. Or thebreak has been somehow blocked.

Our old boat had the same issue - you pump it out, and then it syphons back in, the head being below the water line.

When we first had her a friend didn't turn the seacock off and we ended up with a forward bilge full of water.

Solution is to fit a syphon break that loops above the waterline - if its a yacht, the heeled water line, which will introduce air into your outlet and stop the ocean getting back in.

Isn't it odd how when two or three boat ownsers gather together, the topic always reverts to toilets....
 
NickTrevethan said:
One of my RM69s had the same issue. The seepage was whatever was lin the bowl, during and after flushing. I searched high and low for a replkacement with no luck. Just the pump service kit ran to about 60 quid and those are rarer than hen's teeth too,

Mine went in the skip, minus the pump parts which I will use to keep the other head going a while longer, and in went an electric, fresh water flush Dometic Orbit 360. A different world. No rotten egg smell, no risk of getting squirted in the eye through manic pumping, just a two-three second press to fill, and similar to empty.

Incidentally, the old loo disappeared from the marina skip in about 3 hours....
Click to expand...

Woo, now THAT sounds like luxury.. bout £400 ?? Mmm.. yeah.. I'm sure its absolutely the right solution really..
I've to replace the standing rigging come the winter..so.. will have to make choices..
Think I'll have to have a go at fixing this old SL400 for now...

Thanks for the suggestion.. will put it on my wish list.
Would you say the Dometic are a better job than the electric Jabsco's?
 
It was about 350 from Lee Sanitation.
I went for it for a couple of reasons - quieter than the Jabsco "quiet flush" one comment on that from another forumite I think was "If that's the quiet one I'd hate to hear the noisy version."

But the main reason was the ability to adjust the bowl to just about anywhere in relation to the base. The RM 69 is a skinny thing and ours sat on a plinth shaped like a coat hanger. I was very worried about space so wanted the flexibility to orientate any way I chose. Most give some adjustment but this was more. It also has stainless choppers, which I figure will deal with anything I am likely to throw at it;)

It is very wife and visitor friendly, with a residential size bowl.
and best of all, quite tall, even though ours is a low profile. means men who insist on standing (and there ought to be a law against it on a boat in my view!) have less chance of missing;)

For now its only connected to a 240-12v transformer on shore power. I need to sort out some heavier cable to our switch panel from the battery. It could do with renewing anyway, but I don't relish undoing half the boat to get the runs fed through. That's my winter project.

If we need to go while out and I haven't managed to fix the generator in the meantime, we have the other one.
 
"the other one".. heh heh.. thats luxury... on a 26 footer 'the other one' would probably have to be the transom...

Thanks for the considered info, the stainless choppers sound like a damn good idea having had to clear more than one old pump toilet in my time..
I wonder if you can use to wet-wipe type toilet papers with em. They're like a bidet in a packet... great stuff...
 
We have an sl400 and it didnt work because the tiny springs inside had corroded and no longer let the inlet diaphragm work properly. Fitted the service kit but then accidentally broke the big hex gland nut by overtightening while refitting. Replacements all came from slspares and it now works well but it still leaks a little and sometimes we get some siphoning of fresh water into the bowl ( no anti-siphon loops as its impossible within the hull design) so, we religiously close off the seacocks after each use. The leak seems to be fresh water, I cant quite work out where its coming from but rather than worry too much I plan to swap out for a newer design when we overwinter, if I can find anything small enough to fit in the existing space of course... its very tight.
 
vidapura said:
"the other one".. heh heh.. thats luxury... on a 26 footer 'the other one' would probably have to be the transom...

Thanks for the considered info, the stainless choppers sound like a damn good idea having had to clear more than one old pump toilet in my time..
I wonder if you can use to wet-wipe type toilet papers with em. They're like a bidet in a packet... great stuff...
Click to expand...

I wouldn't risk the wipes myself, especially into a holding tank. Stick them in a back - Dometic suggests using their own quick dissolve stuff. We use regular paper. Try ot avoid the extra thick blotting paper types, again more for teh holding tank's sake.

On a 26 footer, I'd probably go with a manual. especially a sail boat. power draw is low over a 24 hour period but limited battery banks on a smaller boat might be better deployed keeping the lights amd nav gear on;)
 
vidapura said:
Can I ask a quick question here?

Recently bought a centaur with an SL400 in it.
Working ok, but when I flush it there is liquid seeping out the base of it.
Would people think I just need the base gasket or does it sound like a bigger problem?
Thanks
Click to expand...
Strange, the Centaur I bought also had the same problem (it also had a complete spare SL400 in a box!). After various attempts to fix (and finding some SL400 gasket sets are incorrectly manufactured) I think I got it down to Out, replace gaskets and back in within 10 minutes, I gave up and fitted a Jabsco Manual. I was unsure of the sizing and fitted the compact. The Normal size would have gone in and I wish I had fitted that. Makes sense considering the cost of the spares for the SL400. Moved the pump to left hand side for ease of fitting.

Am considering buying a pump assembly to carry as a spare as recommended by others, £60 or thereabouts
 
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Very interesting.. so the SL400 wouldn't stay fixed eh?
Right well, I think its definitely going to be a case of give it one go to fix and then deep six it if it doesn't las
 
vidapura said:
Very interesting.. so the SL400 wouldn't stay fixed eh?
Right well, I think its definitely going to be a case of give it one go to fix and then deep six it if it doesn't las
Click to expand...
A gasket set I got had the holes about 1mm out of line, not obvious but when everything was clamped up it wouldn't seal, water everywhere when pumping. I got told to clean the flap valves etc with vegetable oil so that they regain there flexibility. It did work but I gave up because of the leaks. I think the plastic casing was also starting to crack.

Fitting the Jabsco was not a problem, all it needed was long arms to reach under the plinth for the fixing bolts. Moved the pump to the left hand side for convenience in fitting and it keeps most of the pipework conveniently against the saloon bulkhead.

Best of luck!
 
Drat... long arms I don't have... heh...

I'll just have to plan it to happen over the winter layup and take my time...

Thanks for the heads-up :^)
 
Vidapura (and I suppose anyone else) if you are in the South Hampshire area I have a SL400 bowl and mechanism in the garage, though no joker valve fitting. You're welcome to it if you can arrange to pick it up.
 
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