Bounder: Black tank leaking from top? Cup from install found at top.

[mrsportys]

Fleetwood bounder 35k 2014.
I’ve discussed previously that my dometic flush system no longer goes to green. We can flush if we leave it on then turn it off and it gives us enough vacuum for flushing”.
My wife said, “ put the fans on in the bathrooms” that only seemed to draw the smell.
Bingo, at our latest stop I saw a small drip puddle out back, smelled like toilet.
As I put my hand above the black tank there was a “mega” drink cup left there/put there when tank was raised. It’s been “ banging around up there since new”. Not metal nor plastic but also not soft enough to disintegrate.
6 years later Do I let Fleetwood customer service know this as I now have a leak in that area?
Thoughts on cup and looks like tank needs to come down to get repair done?
Thanks in advance

[computerguy]

I have a '16 35K. A few months after my warranty was up I found a leak from above the LR window. I diagnosed it and found the install instructions for the window. There is supposed to be a bead of caulk above the window before installation to prevent leaking from the top. I brought this to Fleetwood/REV's attention and asked them if they would repair the problem under warranty as it had been leaking from day one and there was mold under the window.

They said no I should have found it while under warranty

My problem is now a sticky in this forum and can be found here if you want to read more about it.

Good luck getting them to do anything with your 7-8 year old issue and do let us know what they say.

[mrsportys]

Originally Posted by mrsportys

Fleetwood bounder 35k 2014.
I’ve discussed previously that my dometic flush system no longer goes to green. We can flush if we leave it on then turn it off and it gives us enough vacuum for flushing”.
My wife said, “ put the fans on in the bathrooms” that only seemed to draw the smell.
Bingo, at our latest stop I saw a small drip puddle out back, smelled like toilet.
As I put my hand above the black tank there was a “mega” drink cup left there/put there when tank was raised. It’s been “ banging around up there since new”. Not metal nor plastic but also not soft enough to disintegrate.
6 years later Do I let Fleetwood customer service know this as I now have a leak in that area?
Thoughts on cup and looks like tank needs to come down to get repair done?
Thanks in advance

I guess I should have enunciated about the dometic seal and pump. I know I’ll go round and round with Fleetwood not going there.
BUT , if sealand pump not turning green and fully sealing ( turned green once this morning!!!) ( just keeps pumping and we can still flush)
Does the black tank have to come down to do this leak repair, assuming leak coming from dometic sealand pump?
Any advice appreciated

[z3406]

Sounds like you most likely have a bellows issue, the plastic bellows most likely has split somewhere and that is the leak source and also why the pump does not function at full efficiency. The vacuum pump is in a very inaccessible spot on your coach but the vacuflush pump unit itself should be mounted on floor next to the tank. If you do have to work on it make sure you also get the flapper valves to put in the pump when it's out. Making sure the pump is solidly mounted to the floor on reinstallation will go a long way to reducing the noise level the pump makes. I did a pump replacement on my 2017 Bounder a long time ago but that pump is in a different location than a 2014 is.
also to the OP, I don't understand what you mean when you say the "tank was raised"?

[Fiesta48]

I never took my 15 Discovery back to Fleetwood.
1. Nearest repair facility 100 miles.
2. Dealer bought it from 1000 miles.
3. Didn't want to schedule service weeks out.
4. Didn't want to drive it and the car multiple times. Fuel and time lost.
5. Didn't want a rookie or oil change trained employee to work on it.
6. Didn't want poor workmanship.
7. Didn't want to wait weeks so they could work it in their schedule.
7. WANTED THE JOB DONE RIGHT THE FIRST TIME, GUESS WHO CAN DO THAT.........

[computerguy]

Yeah I would agree with z3406. I read the problem being the tank leaking because of the cup. But if the leak is at the pump it most likely is the bellows.
Have you done ANY maintenance to the Vacuflush system? Such as replace the duckbills? replace the bellows? Condition the seals? I recall the life of the duckbills is about 2 years. Not sure of the life of the bellows. My bellows lasted 4 years until it cracked and was leaking. I noticed it during a duckbill changed and replaced it also.

[mrsportys]

Originally Posted by z3406

Sounds like you most likely have a bellows issue, the plastic bellows most likely has split somewhere and that is the leak source and also why the pump does not function at full efficiency. The vacuum pump is in a very inaccessible spot on your coach but the vacuflush pump unit itself should be mounted on floor next to the tank. If you do have to work on it make sure you also get the flapper valves to put in the pump when it's out. Making sure the pump is solidly mounted to the floor on reinstallation will go a long way to reducing the noise level the pump makes. I did a pump replacement on my 2017 Bounder a long time ago but that pump is in a different location than a 2014 is.
also to the OP, I don't understand what you mean when you say the "tank was raised"?

“Tank was raised” the leak is coming from above the tank, looking at rv from rear, on the left side drips. I mean by that, when installed the black tank was raised ( unless that tank back there is both grey and black divided) and held in place by metal straps and bolts on both sides of the tank. My comment on the cup was that someone, on purpose during install left that cup up there to roll around. Only will come out if destroyed.
So, the vacuum pump and vacuflush pump are two different units. I’m assuming tank has to be dropped to access one or both units?
Until I get home I can’t go under and do repairs, just inconvenience now having to put pump on and off to flush.
Thanks for advice, appreciated

[z3406]

There is a motor, bellows and two duckbill valves built into a unit that is rebuildable. The tank does not have to be removed to work on the pump unit. If you have a leak coming from above the tank it is most likely the seal on the bottom of the rear toilet. The duckbill valves are one way valves that maintain the vacuum in the pump and black water plumbing between flushes. I had a rear toilet flange seal leak on my 2014 35K. Look behind the toilets there should be a owners manual for the Vacuflush system there in a bag attached to the toilet with a rubber band.

https://images.search.yahoo.com/sear...g&action=click

[mrsportys]

Originally Posted by z3406

There is a motor, bellows and two duckbill valves built into a unit that is rebuildable. The tank does not have to be removed to work on the pump unit. If you have a leak coming from above the tank it is most likely the seal on the bottom of the rear toilet. The duckbill valves are one way valves that maintain the vacuum in the pump and black water plumbing between flushes. I had a rear toilet flange seal leak on my 2014 35K. Look behind the toilets there should be a owners manual for the Vacuflush system there in a bag attached to the toilet with a rubber band.

https://images.search.yahoo.com/sear...g&action=click

See bold print:
There is a motor, bellows and two duckbill valves built into a unit that is rebuildable. (THE MOTOR, BELLOWS ARE ACCESSIBLE WHERE? BELOW THE BACK TOILET TANK? AS STATED IN FOLLOWING SENTENCE) THE tank does not have to be removed to work on the pump unit. If you have a leak coming from above the tank it is most likely the seal on the bottom of the rear toilet. The duckbill valves are one way valves that maintain the vacuum in the pump and black water plumbing between flushes. (DUCKBILL VALVES ARE PROBABLY THE CULPRIT, THESE ARE ACCESSIBLE SPECIFICALLY WHERE?) I had a rear toilet flange seal leak (SEALS BOTH GOOD NOT LOSING WATER EITHER TANK.)on my 2014 35K. Look behind the toilets there should be a owners manual for the Vacuflush system there in a bag attached to the toilet with a rubber band. (NO BAG IN EITHER TOILET. I’LL CHECK ALL THE ORIGINAL MANUALS.)
Thanks for taking the time.....

[mrsportys]

Originally Posted by computerguy

Yeah I would agree with z3406. I read the problem being the tank leaking because of the cup. But if the leak is at the pump it most likely is the bellows.
Have you done ANY maintenance to the Vacuflush system? Such as replace the duckbills? replace the bellows? Condition the seals? I recall the life of the duckbills is about 2 years. Not sure of the life of the bellows. My bellows lasted 4 years until it cracked and was leaking. I noticed it during a duckbill changed and replaced it also.

When you buy your new motor home and get a 40 minute walk around, no one says you have to do maintenance on the bellows, duckbills and seals every two years. So no, aside from keeping seals / ball clean in toilets nothing else done. You never realize that unlike a home toilet you’d have to completely disassemble a toilet to look for / maintain bellows etc.
don’t mind doing work if I know exactly where how to access.
Is it located behind “wall” on utilities access panel? Is it located below rear toilet and you have to disassemble and take out rear Toilet and replace bellows that way?
Appreciate the comments

[lfdeluca2]

I had the same issue with my 2015 Bounder 35K. The first real indication of a problem was a black water drip under the chassis in the area of the vacu-pump. The first RV Technician did a "rebuild" of pump by replacing the bellows; it was cracked. Eight months later I again had a problem with a foul smell in the front bathroom. I pulled the vaccu-pump compartment cover and sure enough, there was crap everywhere; the pump was again spewing black water on every flush. I ordered a new pump from Seacoast and had a different RV technician install it. The old pump was cracked at the point where the motor joined the bellows chamber and the bellows was again cracked. Immediately we noticed two things with the new pump; it was much quieter than when we purchsed the Bounder new from the factory and the vaccuum seemed greater. The issue of the "not ready to flush" light staying red is related to a relay in the near the pump; I replaced it and problem solved. Fleetwood support is horrible at best; and almost totally useless at worse. It is a bit of a pain to locate parts but you can find them and for far less then REV charges.

[z3406]

The vacuflush pump unit should be plugged directly into the black tank with a rubber grommet/gasket. Do you or do you not know where the black tank is? As I recall there is a access panel inside the rear pass thru basement compartment for access to the pump unit, it is not an easy component to access.. A quick internet search should provide you with a source to purchase parts.
Duckbill valves would account for a loss of vacuum, pumping action, not a leak of black water.
Is the link to the schematic I attached to my post not appearing to everyone else?

[computerguy]

Originally Posted by mrsportys

When you buy your new motor home and get a 40 minute walk around, no one says you have to do maintenance on the bellows, duckbills and seals every two years. So no, aside from keeping seals / ball clean in toilets nothing else done. You never realize that unlike a home toilet you’d have to completely disassemble a toilet to look for / maintain bellows etc.
don’t mind doing work if I know exactly where how to access.
Is it located behind “wall” on utilities access panel? Is it located below rear toilet and you have to disassemble and take out rear Toilet and replace bellows that way?
Appreciate the comments

z3406 gave advice as to where the pump might be on your year unit.
Some friendly advice. The selling dealer sold you the unit then they basically do not care after that.
What I did was download all the manuals from the product manufacturer website. Read them then I know what sort of maintenance I am up against.
Vacuflush Manual
Vacuflush toilet manual can be found here. Your may be the same or might be different I don't know.
Attached is the Maintenance section.
Once you know where to look things become easier. Good luck!

[Tha_Rooster]

Originally Posted by computerguy

I have a '16 35K. A few months after my warranty was up I found a leak from above the LR window. I diagnosed it and found the install instructions for the window. There is supposed to be a bead of caulk above the window before installation to prevent leaking from the top. I brought this to Fleetwood/REV's attention and asked them if they would repair the problem under warranty as it had been leaking from day one and there was mold under the window.



They said no I should have found it while under warranty



My problem is now a sticky in this forum and can be found here if you want to read more about it.



Good luck getting them to do anything with your 7-8 year old issue and do let us know what they say.

Windows should have butyl tape between window and wall.