Tecma toilet firmware update ?

[BartW]

Our day toilet is a Tecma,
Annoying thing is that after you have flushed, and you want to flush a second time, for using the brush and rinsing,
One has to wait for about 15..20 seconds,
Our retrofit unit always’s had this sort of a time out

Is this normal, why is that ?
is there any update or a modification, to be able to flush a second time immediately after the first ?

advice from Tecma owners would be great, thanks!

 

[MapisM]

B, the title of your thread almost made me spill my coffee on the keyboard.
I understand that nowadays we are used to have firmware updates in just about anything we use, but I for one can live with a not-so-clever toilet bowl, as long as it works reliably!
And Tecmas are excellent in this respect, thanks God.

Back to your Q, I'm pretty sure that it's possible to regulate both the duration of the first flush and the interval between it and the final flush.
There are some trimmers that you can tweak, but I can't remember exactly where they are located.
Possibly behind the control panel, I'm not sure - been a long time since I regulated them...

 

[jimmcgee]

fook me ! I have read it all on here now :disgust:

 

[BartW]

There are some trimmers that you can tweak, but I can't remember exactly where they are located.
Possibly behind the control panel, I'm not sure - been a long time since I regulated them...

trimmers? how old fashion!

I'll have a look tomorrow, but if you happen to remember or have a manual, pls let me know,
tweeking on or around the unit is not my favourite job

 

[MapisM]

LOL, I like old fashion, in a toilet bowl.
I don't dare thinking what sort of features a young programmer could think to incorporate in an electronically controlled version...

Happy to check what I've got onboard, but I'm afraid I'll only be able in a couple of weeks.
Coming to think of it, I believe that jfm mentioned that he tweaked those trimmers for some reason.
Maybe you can get in touch with him, if he doesn't see this thread.

 

[jfm]

Haha! Alas the trimmer only adjusts the initial water injection time so you can control the water level when you first fill the bowl. The rest is non adjustable including the 20 seconds wait for the final pump burst

The new touch control panels have firmware but the final burst is still there

Way to fix this (if it bothers you badly!) is install a momentary switch to break the power supply to the control box. This rests the memory and it forgets that it has not done the final burst. Remember it is 35 amps at 24v. This upgrade is not on my to do list!

The latest thing of course is Planus. Company owned by ex tecma team who have left thetford. Same exact technology as tecma pretty much, and same look, and even more powerful motor afaik. Someone told me the final burst of thr motor has been eliminated though I have not seen this first hand. Anyone at BMYS please try this on thr princess 82 and report back. I think the boat has Planus (current builds do). Looks excellent product and I would spec these next time.

 

[Andrew M]

Yes , as mentioned above the little rotary trimmer on the back face of the control panel just regulates the fill level via the timer for the fill solenoid, simple to do, just remove the control box (the front trim panel gently unclips then remove the 4 small fixing screws and the panel just slides out) and use a small screwdriver to rotate the trimmer one way or t'other, I've reset all of ours as they were allowing too much water in.

That final burst from the loo pump is a bit of a surprise at first when you don't know how it all works.

We are going to the show on Sunday John so if we can get on the 82 I'll ask if they could show me a loo working, probably won't be their most favoured request of the weekend but I'll give it a go !

 

[BartW]

Haha! Alas the trimmer only adjusts the initial water injection time so you can control the water level when you first fill the bowl. The rest is non adjustable including the 20 seconds wait for the final pump burst

The new touch control panels have firmware but the final burst is still there

Way to fix this (if it bothers you badly!) is install a momentary switch to break the power supply to the control box. This rests the memory and it forgets that it has not done the final burst. Remember it is 35 amps at 24v. This upgrade is not on my to do list!

The latest thing of course is Planus. Company owned by ex tecma team who have left thetford. Same exact technology as tecma pretty much, and same look, and even more powerful motor afaik. Someone told me the final burst of thr motor has been eliminated though I have not seen this first hand. Anyone at BMYS please try this on thr princess 82 and report back. I think the boat has Planus (current builds do). Looks excellent product and I would spec these next time.

just like a I-Phone, everything is disposeable nowaday's

I'll continue to do my nr2 work on the very old fashion analog Sanguineti's in the cabins

 

[MapisM]

Haha! Alas the trimmer only adjusts the initial water injection time so you can control the water level when you first fill the bowl. The rest is non adjustable including the 20 seconds wait for the final pump burst

Now, that's interesting. I would have sworn that I fiddled with two trimmers on my boat right after the Tecmas were installed, the second of which being for the delay before the final pump burst.
Maybe they made different versions of the thing? Mind, I'm talking of stuff that was fitted at the very beginning of this millenium (pre-Thetford)...
...anyway, now you made me curious, will definitely check that out!

 

[ontheplane]

Hmmm, now I am worried.... Perhaps on my next boat I will need to re-flash my loo from Portapotty7.0 to Flushloo8.6.....


Eeee gadds, computer controlled bogs, what the heck will they think of next! lol

 

[jfm]

Now, that's interesting. I would have sworn that I fiddled with two trimmers on my boat right after the Tecmas were installed, the second of which being for the delay before the final pump burst.
Maybe they made different versions of the thing? Mind, I'm talking of stuff that was fitted at the very beginning of this millenium (pre-Thetford)...
...anyway, now you made me curious, will definitely check that out!

Possible MM, but I can see zero logic in making the delay time user-adjustable. In contrast, the user-adjustable fill-time is needed because different boats have different fresh water pressure and flow rates

 

[BartW]

but I can see zero logic in making the delay time user-adjustable.

I don't understand why there is this delay ?

 

[JumbleDuck]

B, the title of your thread almost made me spill my coffee on the keyboard.
I understand that nowadays we are used to have firmware updates in just about anything we use, but I for one can live with a not-so-clever toilet bowl, as long as it works reliably!

I wonder if these high tech toilets keep a log file? I certainly hope they sanitise the input stream.

 

[bozlite]

I don't understand why there is this delay ?

I've just had a Tecma installed and this delay made me think that there was something wrong! I'd be interested to know what exactly is happening between the two flushes.

 

[jimmcgee]

here you go , even a wee cartoon , literally lol https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQ5x4OURmNk

 

[MapisM]

Possible MM, but I can see zero logic in making the delay time user-adjustable. In contrast, the user-adjustable fill-time is needed because different boats have different fresh water pressure and flow rates

Agreed, the latter is more relevant than the first, but I sort of remember being annoyed by a too long delay and having shortened it a bit.
Not sure that my memory serves me well, though - will check asap.

 

[MapisM]

I'd be interested to know what exactly is happening between the two flushes.

Nothing at all.
During the first flush, the fresh water valve is opened and the pump runs.
When the fresh water is closed, also the pump stops running, therefore a bit of fresh water still flows down and stays in the bowl. The final pump burst just gets rid of it.
I suppose it's done this way in order to keep the bowl cleaner, but tbh I think that the toilet would work just fine also without the delayed pump burst...

 

[paul salliss]

I have tecma, they are excellent and yes there is a time cycle, say no more

I just don't see why it's an issue, not sure I can contribute any more but yes I want all the latest firmware updates for my gadgets, but that is phone, iPad, chart plotter, Sonus System , SKY TV etc it does not include the shitter

 

[MapisM]

I just don't see why it's an issue

Well it isn't, TBH. It's just that sometimes you want to flush the thing twice, and to do that you must wait for it to complete its cycle.
First world problem anyway, not the faintest doubt about it!

 

[Andrew M]

Haha! Alas the trimmer only adjusts the initial water injection time so you can control the water level when you first fill the bowl. The rest is non adjustable including the 20 seconds wait for the final pump burst

The new touch control panels have firmware but the final burst is still there

Way to fix this (if it bothers you badly!) is install a momentary switch to break the power supply to the control box. This rests the memory and it forgets that it has not done the final burst. Remember it is 35 amps at 24v. This upgrade is not on my to do list!

The latest thing of course is Planus. Company owned by ex tecma team who have left thetford. Same exact technology as tecma pretty much, and same look, and even more powerful motor afaik. Someone told me the final burst of thr motor has been eliminated though I have not seen this first hand. Anyone at BMYS please try this on thr princess 82 and report back. I think the boat has Planus (current builds do). Looks excellent product and I would spec these next time.

JFM, Well I had a good look around both Princess 82 and 88 at the show last weekend and neither had the Planus loos you mention, they were both fitted with Dometic systems, or at least that was the name on the control panels, and they were a completely different style to the Tecma panels.

Andy