Vacuflush pump cycling

dkasprzak · Feb 13, 2016

I am in the middle of trying to determine why the Vacuflush pump is short cycling for the forward head. The back story is this.

Originally the pump jammed, and due to a combination of not knowing how the pump is designed along with the way it is installed (could not see the cam eccentric) I inadvertantly loosened the main body clamp. At that point I realized what I had done so I just removed the pump assembly so I could better work on it to put it back together. I reinstalled the assembly then it started cycling about every 10 minutes. Thinking I may have a loose hose clamp or something along those lines I tightened the nipples on both sides where the duckbills are installed along with the main body clamp and all hose clamps. After that....it cycled about every two minutes.

Thinking I may have damaged an o-ring or a duckbill I removed the assembly again, ordered a rebuild kit with all new duckbills, o-rings and bellows assembly. Put all the new parts in the pump and just completed reinstalling it. I still have the exact same issue, the pump cycles about 4 strokes every two minutes or so.

Now, I am looking for troubleshooting advice. Logic tells me that since it WAS NOT cycling before it jammed and now does after I took the pump apart I still don't have the pump put together properly. My only hesitancy with that scenario is the pump is very simple and all of the work was done on a bench with no problems. Any advice on which way to go with troubleshooting and what to look for next...

rochepoint · Feb 13, 2016

In the library last June I uploaded a trouble shooting guide to for Vacuflush, download a copy and maybe it will help.........

dkasprzak · Feb 13, 2016

rochepoint said:
In the library last June I uploaded a trouble shooting guide to for Vacuflush, download a copy and maybe it will help.........

Thanks Mike,

The "in the library" part is where I'm hung up....I don't see a link to a library, am I misinterpreting...?

RNL · Feb 13, 2016

look at the library button at the very top right aspect of the trawler forum page

dkasprzak · Feb 13, 2016

dkasprzak said:
Thanks Mike,

The "in the library" part is where I'm hung up....I don't see a link to a library, am I misinterpreting...?

Disregard the former "stupid" post of mine...I found it. Thanks again.....

Hawgwash · Feb 13, 2016

You did a leaky head repair a couple weeks ago. Has it worked ok since then or is this a different head?

Also, you said you Google so you probably saw this:
http://www.dometicsanitation.com/International/PG-6985-VacuFlush-Toilet-Systems

dkasprzak · Feb 13, 2016

Hawgwash said:
You did a leaky head repair a couple weeks ago. Has it worked ok since then or is this a different head?

Same head....same issue. Just this morning reinstalled the pump after putting all new parts in it....

Hawgwash · Feb 13, 2016

dkasprzak said:
Same head....same issue.

It was a water leak before the repair, right? Now a vac leak?

dkasprzak · Feb 13, 2016

No, it was originally a jammed pump, I inadvertently loosened the main body clamp and then realized what I had done.......after releasing the stuck bellows (disassembling and reassembling the pump) I had a leak...hence rebuilding the pump.

I still have the leak so am trying to determine the best way to locate it.

Hawgwash · Feb 13, 2016

dkasprzak said:
No, it was originally a jammed pump, I inadvertently loosened the main body clamp and then realized what I had done.......after releasing the stuck bellows (disassembling and reassembling the pump) I had a leak...hence rebuilding the pump.

I still have the leak so am trying to determine the best way to locate it.

Ok. I went back to your previous thread and see it was the aft head with the water leak. Sorry to waste your time.

HeadMistress · Feb 13, 2016

Where was the water leak? That's the first place to look for the air leak that's causing your pump to cycle.

It's highly possible it isn't in the pump, but in a fitting connection. You can spend all day using a vacuum tester gauge to take every connection apart to check for it, or you can do it the easy way: squirt a LITTLE shaving cream on every hose connection, then flush the toilet. The shaving cream will just sit there on any connection that is NOT leaking...the suction will pull it into any connection that is.

Or it could be in the bowl...to find out, fill it half full with water, then go away for a couple of hours, or at least longer than the time between pump cycling. If the pump doesn't cycle, the water has blocked the leak--at least until it's all leaked out...if it does, the air leak is somewhere else, However, that doesn't rule out another one in the bowl, so give it plenty of time to make sure the water level in the bowl isn't dropping.

The trouble-shooting guide should provide you with other things to check...if you still can't find it, give SeaLand (they now answer the phone "Dometic") a call on Monday: 800-321-9886

djones44 · Feb 13, 2016

I recently had the same issue with my Vacuflush, and when I changed out the vacuum valve? right behind the toilet bowl everything was resolved. Make sure you get the exact same fitting before proceeding, not one with an optional water outlet.

Alaskan Sea-Duction · Feb 13, 2016

Good place for parts:

Marine Sanitation - Marine toilet experts

Hawgwash · Feb 18, 2016

dkasprzak said:
I still have the leak so am trying to determine the best way to locate it.

Anything to tell?

HenryD · Feb 18, 2016

What model vacuflush? If you had a leak prior...where are you noticing the liquid?

sbu22 · Feb 22, 2016

Thanks, Mike! Only been on TF for 4-5 years - never noticed.

Alaskan Sea-Duction · Feb 22, 2016

dkasprzak said:
I am in the middle of trying to determine why the Vacuflush pump is short cycling for the forward head. The back story is this.

Originally the pump jammed, and due to a combination of not knowing how the pump is designed along with the way it is installed (could not see the cam eccentric) I inadvertantly loosened the main body clamp. At that point I realized what I had done so I just removed the pump assembly so I could better work on it to put it back together. I reinstalled the assembly then it started cycling about every 10 minutes. Thinking I may have a loose hose clamp or something along those lines I tightened the nipples on both sides where the duckbills are installed along with the main body clamp and all hose clamps. After that....it cycled about every two minutes.

Thinking I may have damaged an o-ring or a duckbill I removed the assembly again, ordered a rebuild kit with all new duckbills, o-rings and bellows assembly. Put all the new parts in the pump and just completed reinstalling it. I still have the exact same issue, the pump cycles about 4 strokes every two minutes or so.

Now, I am looking for troubleshooting advice. Logic tells me that since it WAS NOT cycling before it jammed and now does after I took the pump apart I still don't have the pump put together properly. My only hesitancy with that scenario is the pump is very simple and all of the work was done on a bench with no problems. Any advice on which way to go with troubleshooting and what to look for next...

OK so what was your solution? Don't leave us hanging....

Hawgwash · Feb 22, 2016

Alaskan Sea-Duction said:
OK so what was your solution? Don't leave us hanging....

Larry M · Mar 21, 2016

Maybe this was dkasprzak's problem. Two days ago our Vacuflush started cycling every 4 hours or so.

First thing I did was check for leaks. I tightened all the clamps and changed the duck bills (4) and it still cycled. The one part that hadn't been changed since we've owned Hobo (9 years) was the vacuum switch on the vacuum tank. Bingo! Pictures are of the new and the old.

RT Firefly · Mar 21, 2016

Greetings,
That'll buff out...

Vacuflush pump cycling

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