Toilet ball valve leakage

jdolb1 · 06-11-2011, 10:26 PM

Sealand-Dometic brand

Repeated ball valve seal failure. Water will not hold in toilet bowl resulting in sewer oder into couch.

Same problem with previous toilet which was replaced with new of same brand two years ago. Valve on new toilet replaced one year ago for same problem.
Attempts at cleaning ball with soft brush and vinegar soak/rinse has not helped.

We boondock about 6 months a year during which time the toilet is dry flushed. Urine is flushed and bowl sprayed with water that has small amount of dishwashing detergent in it and dry flushed again. Saved shower water is used in bowl for solid waste followed by the same detergent spray wash routine.

At this point it either is a new toilet that works better under boondocking conditions or another new valve which is getting expensive.

Solutions? Recommendations etc.

Thank you

**RV Wizard** · 06-12-2011, 04:07 AM

Try using some valve lube which is a coconut oil. The detergent and lack of water is allowing the rubber seal to possibly become more rigid and or deformed. This is the cause if there is no debris in the groove of rubber at the ball edge area. Clean the valve seal and ball edge well. After flushing put some valve lube in the bottom of bowl and let it stand on the ball valve and rubber seal.

John Hilley · 06-12-2011, 11:30 AM

It is easy to take apart and clean. You should be able to spare a small amount of water to keep the seal covered all the time. We also boondock. When we use hot water we collect the cold water when hot is turned on in a gallon jug we keep by the toilet and always keep the ball covered with water after flushing.

coburncliff · 06-13-2011, 02:30 PM

We too were having that issue. I cleaned the ball and sprayed with silicone and it worked for several months. Now it is doing it again but, the toilet is 14 years old. Guess it's time to overhaul it. I checked out the cost for parts and can't get the ball seal by itself. I'll have to buy a seal kit at about $40 to make the repair. Hopefully it will last several years.

Wanabee FTer · 06-13-2011, 02:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coburncliff

I checked out the cost for parts and can't get the ball seal by itself. I'll have to buy a seal kit at about $40 to make the repair. Hopefully it will last several years.

I had to rebuild my Sealand last year. First I tried lubing the ball valve seal to no avail. Then I disassembled it and found hard water deposits had built up on the seal. I thoroughly cleaned it and has been working perfect ever since. I agree the seal must be kept wet at all times.

jdolb1 · 07-10-2011, 08:15 PM

Thanks everyone for the information and suggestions. In the end we elected to replace the toilet with a different style which we are very satisfied with and will adhere to recommendations to use valve lubricant and keep water over the gasket. Here's to sweet smelling travel.

**JohnRR** · 07-10-2011, 08:56 PM

Thank you for the update, they are important

M&EM · 09-22-2011, 09:46 AM

After 8 years of frequent usage our Sealand occasionally will not seal well enough to hold water in the bowl. Additives and detergent materials have not corrected the problem. Cleaning of the rubber seal has not either.

What does work is a soaking with vinegar to remove calcium build up once a year or so. After soaking for an hour in vinegar I use a latex glove and rub the ball with a scrubby pad lightly. The ball becomes very smooth again and seals perfectly. The original ball and seal are still very viable.

njs42 · 09-22-2011, 10:38 AM

MY new SeaLand toilet (when the RV was new) came with a fine wood fingernail file looking piece very thin. The instructions said to take the file if the toilet seal leaked and close it in the seal and gently scrub completely around the seal. Had the situation once---did that---situation cured.

I still have the piece lurking in the bottom of the toilet cabinet. Worth a look?

GG1 · 09-22-2011, 10:47 AM

Mine was also leaking, I tried everything until I tried a suggestion found again on this forum, plumbers silicone grease on the seal and ball every few months works fine, NOT SILICONE SEALANT LIKE A SALESMAN AT LOWES WANTED TO SELL ME. It comes in a small round jar bought it at ace hardware.