Community Forums

Upinsmoke · 10-24-2017, 02:17 AM

My Shurflo 3200-200 Macerator pump is working intermittently and I'd like to have thoughts on rebuilding the unit with new impeller, and/or the blade. There are kits for both. OR, should I just replace the unit with new and keep the old for spare - after rebuild of course.
Second, does anyone know if the (21 gal) tank can be off loaded through a garden hose and into my residential sewer cleanout? It's only 1/3 full (or so it says

) and I'd have to drive 70 miles round trip to off load it through the regular sewer hose. Hate to do it if I don't have to.
Finally, anyone ever removed one of these off of the coach? It looks like it's attached with 4 screws at one end, but I have no idea how it disconnects from the plumbing at the other.
Obviously need to get it squared away so that I can winterize - shortly. Thanks.

brucev · 10-24-2017, 08:54 AM

I have the Flojet unit and just ordered a rebuild kit that includes seals, gaskets, impeller and impeller housing from Kleen-Rite at a very good price, $49. They carry car was supplies, but they had the kit for flojet. Take a look online. Flojet is a Jabsco pump, maybe Shurflo is also.

Good luck

vsheetz · 10-24-2017, 08:55 AM

Working intermittently - as in like it's clogged or not pumping well? But the motor is ok? Then yes, rebuild it.

Sure you can dump into home sewer cleanout. I do this with my diy macerator pump. It's about 150' from my coach parking spot.

brucev · 10-24-2017, 09:02 AM

I found the kit at Boat Parts & Accessories For Your Boat - iboats.com

Here is the parts list:

Roy1 · 10-24-2017, 10:52 AM

I would use the clean out. When I rebuilt my masserator pump it turned out more parts were needed then what came in the kit. In my case I would have been money ahead with a new pump.

Upinsmoke · 10-25-2017, 12:35 AM

Just an fyi, Shurflo is made by Pentair. Thanks.

Upinsmoke · 10-25-2017, 01:02 AM

Thanks for the helpful information. I'd like to confirm that it is okay to use a garden hose to dump the black water tank through a garden hose. I'm not worried about using the sewer cleanout in my yard (not sure the HOA is going to be so crazy about it

), I just want to make sure the tank contents are emulsified sufficiently as to make it through the hose. To the best of my knowledge there is nothing in the tank that shouldn't be in there. I'll post as to how it all works out.

twinboat · 10-25-2017, 04:42 AM

I use a 5/8" garden hose, but the manufacturer recomendes a 3/4" or larger hose.

My masserator started starting and stopping, while pumping about 75 feet. I found that if I kept the motor cool with a water spray, it ran longer. I did that a few times until it stopped working completely.

When that happened, I opened the motor and found a thermal circuit breaker down near the brushes. I jumped it out and its been running fine for the last 2 years. I still keep it cool, in the one situation where I need the extra hose and uphill pumping.

marjoa · 10-25-2017, 05:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Upinsmoke

My Shurflo 3200-200 Macerator pump is working intermittently and I'd like to have thoughts on rebuilding the unit with new impeller, and/or the blade. There are kits for both. OR, should I just replace the unit with new and keep the old for spare - after rebuild of course.
Second, does anyone know if the (21 gal) tank can be off loaded through a garden hose and into my residential sewer cleanout? It's only 1/3 full (or so it says

) and I'd have to drive 70 miles round trip to off load it through the regular sewer hose. Hate to do it if I don't have to.
Finally, anyone ever removed one of these off of the coach? It looks like it's attached with 4 screws at one end, but I have no idea how it disconnects from the plumbing at the other.
Obviously need to get it squared away so that I can winterize - shortly. Thanks.

I have the same exact unit as you do.

1) Can you describe in more detail what you mean by, "working intermittently"? But then again it really doesn't matter, as long as you have determined that it's not an electrical problem and it is in fact the pump.

Even though your existing pump is only 2 years old, I'd replace the pump with a whole new unit since you have to go through all these steps for either choice. Rebuild or replace.
Once old pump is out, and new pump is in, now you can see exactly what was wrong with the old unit, order proper parts, rebuild and store as a back up unit.

2) I don't know why you think you have to off load what's in the tank now. Just keep the valve closed right above the Macerator pump and then proceed to remove the pump. Yes there probably will be a little waste left right below the valve and the exit hose from the pump, but you can't do anything about that. You'll just have to have a couple of old towels there to soak up that little bit when you disconnect those two areas. Then disinfect the floor area good afterwards. But if you feel like you need to empty it first, I don't know how you'd attach a garden hose to do that anyway. No matter what, there is going to be somewhat of a small mess. As far as "it is ok to dump in the sewer, I don't know. You're right, the HOA or a planet saving neighbor may not be to happy. If you do that, I'd be discrete.

3) In order to remove this pump assembly, remove that black sheet metal shroud around the pump area. It will give you tons of room to perform this repair. I think it's about 8 screws or so.

4) Once you remove the pump assembly and plumbing that's attached to the back of the pump—as I described in the attached photo—those plumbing parts at the back of the pump will be able to be removed from the pump by unscrewing them.

5) Replace with new pump

6) Assemble back in reverse order

My advice to help the new pump, impeller etc. to last longer in the future would be the following:
After every time you've dumped that front black tank, close the dump valve, go back to the toilet and run about 3 or 4 more gallons of water into the tank.
2) Go back and open the valve again, go to the wet bay and pump out that water. This way you are cleaning out any residue that was left in the pump & impeller.
3) Close valve again
4) Go back to the toilet and add 1 cap full of Liquid Calagon (Walmart) and about 2 gallons of water.
5) Go back to the valve—open and close very quickly
6) What you've done here is—bathed—that impeller area with this Calgon water and it will help keep that area—lubed of sorts.

You're ready to go now.

Good luck my friend.

Upinsmoke · 10-26-2017, 01:30 AM

Marjoa, thanks for the informative answer.

To quickly answer your first question, after I free up the pump with the screwdriver slot on the end of the pump, it works fine, until the next time. In reference to using a garden hose, my sewer connection in the wet bay has a garden hose connection built into it. I suspect it's for using the maceration pump.
I will do exactly as you suggested. I'll likely also buy some of those absorbent pads they put under patients in hospitals - that way, anything that makes it through the towels won't ever touch the compartment floor. This compartment always smells like sewer every time I first open the compartment door, even though I've never seen even a hint of moisture. Since I'm the second owner, this may have happened previously?? Since you have a similar RV, does your compartment have any odor when you open it?
Also, your suggestion of adding Calgon sounds like it should work beautifully. After I've finished, I'll post an update.

Do you have a suggestion or favorite place to shop for this type of product (the pump, not the Calgon

). Otherwise, I'll just nose around and check for free shipping.

marjoa · 10-26-2017, 05:41 AM

Upinsmoke...
In reference to using a garden hose, my sewer connection in the wet bay has a garden hose connection built into it. I suspect it's for using the maceration pump.

If I'm picturing that connection correctly, I think that hose fitting is for back flushing with a hose. Because of it's angle, I'm not sure if that will work for your purpose, but I guess it's worth a try. You may end up with 2 messy areas though. Macerator bay & wet bay.

This compartment always smells like sewer every time I first open the compartment door, even though I've never seen even a hint of moisture. Since you have a similar RV, does your compartment have any odor when you open it?

When we first got our MH yes it did, but mine had a very small leak. But when I worked on my pump, and had that sheet metal shroud off, that opened up that whole area for a real good scrubbing. I made a soapy, bleach solution and sprayed & soaked, then sprayed & soaked again the whole area. Walls, fittings, everything. Then with that area soaked, took one of those 3M kitchen sink green scrubby pad things that you buy at the grocery store, and scrubbed everything real good. That got rid of 95% of it. Then I went to Walmart and bought some of these and put them in all my bays. Got rid of all the odors including the macerator bay and my wife now says I have the best smelling bays anywhere. It took using these "odor absorbers" about 2 applications over a period of about 3 months to get rid of all the odors.
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Citrus-Ma...Solid/16817422

Also, your suggestion of adding Calgon sounds like it should work beautifully. After I've finished, I'll post an update.

Yes please do.

Do you have a suggestion or favorite place to shop for this type of product (the pump, not the Calgon

). Otherwise, I'll just nose around and check for free shipping.

No, I think probably just Amazon. Quick and easy.

Upinsmoke · 11-09-2017, 02:43 AM

Whenever I ask a question here, I always try to follow up and close the loop. I've completed the removal of the old pump and the installation of the new one, and while I am able to confirm that the motor works, I can't verify the whole job because the RV has been winterized and I'm unwilling to go through that again just to check it. I'll find out when the time comes and hoping for a good out come. I did learn a couple of things along the way and I'd like to share those here, and if I can figure out how, I'll include a few pics.

Overall, I would consider the job an easy, albeit it smelly, one. There were two difficult parts of the job, getting the old discharge hose off (eventually I just cut it off) and getting the same hose back on the new pump. Luckily, I took that hose off prior to removing the pump et al. Marjoa's diagram/picture/instruction was spot on, remove the panel, loosening the one clamp, unscrewing the motor from the floor, lift the pump and the other end just fell off. I previously picked up a box of "chucks" (pads you put under bed ridden patients to absorb any accidents) because I knew I was going to "leak" a little. Turns out it was more than a little or, the amount in a 1" hose by about 2 1/2 high. The pd absorbed it all okay.

Also, prior to taking it apart, I already had the new pump/motor in hand to be sure they sent the correct one. They did.

In order to separate the old pump from the piping, I had to place the large pipe in a vice and use an oil filter strap wrench to twist the unit free of the piping. Once apart, I was surprised at what I found wrapped around the cutting blades. Large pieces of plastic some of which had also been ground into long plastic worms. My guess it that when the tank was drilled for the tank wash spray nozzle, the "plug" went into the tank and no one bother to get it out. The result of this should have been obvious to them.

I cleaned up all of the piping, but especially the female threads where the new pump will be inserted. I spoke to several plumbers and they all recommended resealing with pipe dope as opposed to Teflon tape. So, copious amounts of dope applied, and with the sewer piping level I screwed the pump all the way into the female connector.

To check for leaks, as best I could, I made up some colored red water and again, placed the unit on a chucks pad. I tired, unsuccessfully, to block off the discharge port but I did end up with a tiny leak there but that's unimportant. The threaded connection remained bone dry for several hours.

In order to facilitate the re-installation of the rubber connection to the tank, and more importantly, the discharge hose to the pump, I used a very slippery lube which is water soluble, hypoallergenic, and especially kind to soft tissue. It worked as designed, and allowed things to slide together, almost effortlessly. Reassemble everything else and fingers crossed.

Lessons learned:
1. Getting the discharge hose off, and especially on, is a itch. The barbs on the discharge work as they should, and the reinforced hose is as had as a woodpecker's lips.
2. Wash everything real good, several times, outside and then wash it again.
3. While working on the piping, I kept paper towels stuffed inside and on the advise of a friend (from personal experience) he said mark some way to remind you it's in there prior to reinstalling it. Oops.
4. I always take pictures along the way not only for documentation but also in case I forget how things came apart.

If you have any questions, let me know.

edge68474 · 11-09-2017, 04:00 AM

Nice work, very thorough. The repair world needs people like you!!

marjoa · 11-10-2017, 05:23 AM

Nice job. Good pic's. Glad I could help.

Man alive, can you believe all that plastic wrapped around that impeller? No wonder it didn't work. And to think...all this could of been avoided at the initial factory install with a little house cleaning. I'd like to see the face of the production manager (PM)....hey buddy...see this....this is what you guys left in tank and this is what happens Then maybe the PM will have a quick meeting with all his employees on the importance of cleaning out tank debris when installed. Jeeze!