That will teach me..... (1 Viewer)

Feb 27, 2011
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A couple of weeks ago there was a thread about thetfords. I said I never cleaned mine and it hadn't been a problem in almost 4 years..

Well..... :Doh::Doh::Doh::Doh::Doh:

Tonight it jammed in the closed position after making a deposit.

To cap it off the internet went down and the card I used for internet transactions didn't have any funds on it to pay for 3g payg...

So no reference material and no forum assistance I had to strip down the thetford in the dark (no way am i doing this inside the van).

2 hours later I am happy to report that it is working again.

It had a layer of limescale on it which was anywhere from 2mm - 5mm thick. I gave it a good soak in white vinegar and used a soft scrubbing brush a bit like a tooth brush but tougher.

Got all the limescale off and rinsed and oiled it. Not as good as new but will do me until I can afford a replacement slide mechanism.

The rubber however was in excellent nick.

From now on I will be stripping down and soaking in white vinegar every 6 months or so. (rinse it off thoroughly after though)

This also explains why the rod that the handle attaches to sheered last year maybe....

Lesson learned though. Never tempt fate on the forums :ROFLMAO::ROFLMAO:
 
OP
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Gromett
Feb 27, 2011
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Jut found out the full replacement kit is only £38 :thumb:
Got one on order...
 

movan

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Are you supposed to put 'oil' in the toilet basin every so often to keep the the rubber shutters flexible? Sorry if daft question.
 
OP
OP
Gromett
Feb 27, 2011
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Are you supposed to put 'oil' in the toilet basin every so often to keep the the rubber shutters flexible? Sorry if daft question.

Yes it does help. I have always put a rotating dose of;
Bleach,
Vinegar,
Oil.

Not all at the same time though. The vinegar gets rid of limescale, the bleach cleans and breaks down other nasties and the oil lubricates.

Having said all that it wasn't the rubber seal that was bad on mine it was the mechanism underneath the disk bit. Also under the green knob used to move the blade. These were all caked in a thick layer of limescale. It was not reachable from inside the bowl.

Removing the blade assembly though is very easy. If you look at the cassette when it is out of the toilet you will see that there is a circle going all around the blade area. If you look closely you will see two 0 - 0 and a little arrow. All you need to do is rotate the whole assembly anticlockwise and it will lift out. Might be a bit still but it does go. Be careful when lifting it out as the float arm is attached.

Once you have it out a quick soak (1 hour or so) in vinegar and a rinse will clean off all the limescale if done regularly.

While it is out you can clean the rubber seal and apply the oil all over...

I am going to be doing this once every 6 months or so from now on to prevent it jamming up or causing it to be so stiff it puts stress on the rod. In the attached image at the end of the rod there is a little finger that sticks out. This snaps off if the cassette gets too stiff to open easily. It has only clicked for me that this is what has caused my previous issue. I didn't notice that the cassette was getting harder to open and close because it happened gradually over time.

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OP
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Gromett
Feb 27, 2011
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PS Joy. The round disk/shutter you mention is made of solid plastic.
The rubber seal is in the cassette and I think on the bottom of the toilet.
 

FULL TIMER

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May 31, 2012
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silicon grease is the best stuff to use on the rubber seal, as you have found out that vinegar is good stuff I also use it in my water system every now and then, descales the boiler and cleans the pipework in the process, be carefull with that bleach though Thetford warn against using it in/on their toilets at it can make the plastic components brittle.one of my old mates used it instead of chemicals in the flushing tank, when his pump packed up I removed it and it virtually disintergrated in my hands and the pipe leading to it had gone rock hard and split the pump is easy enough to change but the pipe is a right sod. By the way you can get a complete freshen up kit consisting of cassette, seat assembly, and some cleaning products for around £80 http://www.thecaravanshop.co.uk/toilets-chemicals/thetford-cassette-fresh-up-kits/cat_50.html
 

GJH

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PS Joy. The round disk/shutter you mention is made of solid plastic.
The rubber seal is in the cassette and I think on the bottom of the toilet.

The rubber seal is part of the cassette and seals against the underside of the toilet bowl. It is removed by first removing the retaining covers (different ways depending on model but explained in Thetford's manuals). I normally remove it twice a year or more, give it and the inside mechanism a good clean and then use olive oil on the seal when replacing it.

Thetford say
We advise cleaning the seals and valve blade with Thetford Bathroom Cleaner.
Note! Never use household cleaners (bleach, solvents or other powerful cleaning agents). These may cause permanent damage to the seals and other toilet components.
If the toilet will not be used for a long period, it is advisable to clean the seals and coat them lightly with Thetford Seal Lubricant. This will ensure that they remain in good condition (supple).
Note! Never use Vaseline or any vegetable oil. These may cause leakage.

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