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Old 04-16-2017, 01:17 PM   #1
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Should toilet bowl hold water?

Hey gang...should the toilet valve seal tight enough so that water is held in the bowl?

Ours is loose enough that water drains right through..and I think it's making smells come up too.

How do I fix?
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Old 04-16-2017, 01:20 PM   #2
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Yes, most definitely it should seal and hold water. That's the primary way it should be setup to flush to ensure a clean flush.

I don't know if you can replace the seal since this has never happened to me. Hopefully you can without replacing the toilet.
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Old 04-16-2017, 01:23 PM   #3
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Yes - you need water in the bowl to prevent unpleasant odors from rushing up in to thebtrailer. Is yours a Dometic porcelain toilet? If so, I had one that failed and they sent me a new one. I was able to install myself (and trust me if I can do it, anyone can). Yours should still be under warranty if a 2016, yes? Try calling your dealer and get it fixed asap. If you're not camping for a while, you could seal it with plastic just to keep odors at bay while waiting for the repair.
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Old 04-16-2017, 01:24 PM   #4
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Yes it should. Was this problem gradual or all of a sudden. If it slowly developed the gasket is probably worn. There used to be a product which would improve the seal but I don't know what it is called. There could be some debris blocking complete closure. Reach right in there and clean the male and female edges of the slider valve. The valve could be replaced but if I was doing the work of removing the toilet I would consider replacing the toilet. The smell may also be due to a clogged vent, I don't think it likely that if the bowl is clean you would get much odor feedback from a leaky slide valve.
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Old 04-16-2017, 01:41 PM   #5
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It is common to get something stuck in the groove in the seal. You might need to clean the groove out with a piece wire. Be sure tie a long string on anything you use to clean the groove. Tie the string to something before you start. Then lubricate it with some lubrication from a camper supply place and try it again. If that does not work then you need to change the seal. But yes, it needs to hold water and you will be a lot happier with it when it does.
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Old 04-16-2017, 02:05 PM   #6
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Your unit is probably under warranty. If not there are seal kits you can order to repair yourself.
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Old 04-16-2017, 02:40 PM   #7
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Replacing seal ring

Our unit in a 2014 and the toilet started to leak. Tried several things to solve the problem but in the end it still leaked. Paid $32.00 for a new seal, pulled the old one out in less then a minute. We did not need to take toilet apart. With gloves on cleaned the area up really well - maybe another 10 minutes. Installed the new seal with no trouble - another minute. The folks at Camping World directed me to a pool service business for a product named "Pool Lube". Everything is working very smoothly - no leaking no smell. We have a Dometic 300 series toilet.
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Old 04-16-2017, 04:08 PM   #8
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As a preventative measure I think you never want to let the seal dry out at any time. Am I remembering that correctly?

Keep some water in the bowl in short term storage or put some lube on it. In the winter time keep some antifreeze in the bowl.

I'm hoping the above is correct and that I'm not leading anyone astray.
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Old 04-16-2017, 05:08 PM   #9
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when I took mine out of storage two weeks ago it wouldn't hold water. after a few days I tried Thetford toilet seal lube and it worked.
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Old 04-16-2017, 05:30 PM   #10
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As a preventative measure I think you never want to let the seal dry out at any time. Am I remembering that correctly?

Keep some water in the bowl in short term storage or put some lube on it. In the winter time keep some antifreeze in the bowl.

I'm hoping the above is correct and that I'm not leading anyone astray.
Correct but be careful with what type of antifreeze. Do not use alcohol based RV Plumbing winterizer as it will dry out the seal; but instead use a -40 or so windshield washer fluid that is Ethylene glycol based.

Funny thing is, yesterday my wife stormed into the house swearing that someone had pee'd in the AS loo. I told her that I had seen a racoon around during the winter. I use a yellow coloured Rain-X washer fluid.

Cheers
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Old 04-16-2017, 06:39 PM   #11
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Try a few ounces of plain old vegetable oil from the pantry. Water off, oil in, work the valve a few times...
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Old 04-17-2017, 12:46 PM   #12
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I wold be surprised if the gasket on a 2016 would be worn out .. but it could be defective.

But let's hope that it's just dried out and simply needs to be "rehydrated"... This happened to us a few times with the original toilet in our 06 Bambi. We try to keep water in the bowl but a few times it evaporated during storage...then the seal gets dry and doesn't seal well.

With the war pump and the city water off and using gloves, open the slider and feel the under edge of the toilet side of the seal and also the underside of the slider itself...chances are you will feel calcification... Or perhaps there is some toilet paper stuck in the groove where the slider meets the toilet. you can clean these areas with your finger and using a toothpick (don't drop it) to clear the groove. If it's really crusty, you may have to use a little Bon Ami or other cleaning powder on your finger to rub and get the calcification removed. (I'd avoid cleaners containing bleach.)

Once everything is clean, use some kind of lubricant you have handy like thick hand lotion or even vegetable oil to lubricate the gasket ... test the seal .... if it still leaks, add a bit of vegetable oil in the bowl and let it sit for a while to "soak in". Hopefully with a little time the seal with be pliable again and you're good to go. Clean any lubricant residue off the area surrounding the hole at the bottom of the toilet.

To prevent this, leave some water in the bowl when in storage and check it periodically to make sure it hasn't evaporated. You can also cover the toilet opening with plastic wrap to prevent the water from evaporating ... just remember to remove it before you use it!

By the way, we have since replaced the toilet with a porcelain one, which has a different slider mechanism ... and seems to be less prone to this problem.
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Old 04-17-2017, 01:07 PM   #13
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Try a few ounces of plain old vegetable oil from the pantry. Water off, oil in, work the valve a few times...
Definitely recommend not using any vegetable oil for this or most other lubrication projects, depending. It will dry out and leave a gummy residue over time, especially after repeated applications.

Like putting linseed oil on antique furniture.



How about this stuff intended for RV toilet seals?

https://www.amazon.com/Thetford-Toil.../dp/B002NSU0ZW
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Old 04-17-2017, 01:20 PM   #14
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Or you could use a toothbrush. Tie a string to it so if you drop it in you can retrieve it and not have to buy a new one.
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Old 04-17-2017, 01:43 PM   #15
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Or you could use a toothbrush. Tie a string to it so if you drop it in you can retrieve it and not have to buy a new one.


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Old 04-17-2017, 02:52 PM   #16
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Tissue,etc. Can prevent the valve from sealing. Use your towelette bowl brush to clean in and around the seal. Use caution to prevent dropping brush!!!
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Old 04-17-2017, 03:22 PM   #17
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Looks like lubrication may be my best first move here...
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Old 04-17-2017, 03:48 PM   #18
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Or you could use a toothbrush. Tie a string to it so if you drop it in you can retrieve it and not have to buy a new one.
Only if it is an Oral B....they are worth saving
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Old 04-17-2017, 04:32 PM   #19
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Only if it is an Oral B....they are worth saving
You do NOT want any toothbrush in the toilet; or anything that you have not eaten first..
Just imagine a toothbrush getting stuck in the slider valve in the dump tube.
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Old 04-17-2017, 04:33 PM   #20
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Dare we revisit the "Fork fell into black tank" thread?

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f444...nk-146797.html

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