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10-14-2019, 11:26 AM
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#1
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,510
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Tecma toilet fails to flush
Trying to help a friend with a 2016 American Coach Revolution LE 43’ with two toilets. Toilets are Thetford Tecma. I cannot find a model number anywhere on the unit. It is a two-button control plus an indicator that glows green if tank is not full and red if it is full.
His FRONT toilet works normally. When flushed, it adds water, the macerator pump turns on and empties the bowl, then it refills with a small amount of water.
The REAR toilet failed to flush this morning. At first, for only a short time, the RED “tank full” light was on. It later changed to green. His tank is almost completely empty. It filled with water as normal, but it does not empty. I do not hear a sound like the pump running (or trying to run), so I don’t think it is clogged. I think the pump could have failed, but it seems more likely it is not being activated. I cannot locate any sort of contactor in the vicinity. Also, it seems the motor wiring would be protected by a circuit breaker or fuse which I cannot locate, either.
Strangely enough, no battery disconnect or fuse I can find on this coach will extinguish the touch-button panel. And while trying to diagnose what is happening, the two buttons on the panel were BOTH BLINKING GREEN. I have tried holding one or both buttons for 6-10 seconds. In either case, it only adds water and does not flush.
I’m hoping someone can suggest something short of removing the toilet. There are no removable panels near the toilet that reveal any wiring other than the control wires going to the touch-panel. I will remove the toilet if necessary. We are presently in the Colorado mountain wilderness near Westcliffe.
TIA
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10-14-2019, 12:10 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 26,692
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The 'controller' is inside the toilet
12VDC/40A fused dedicated circuit feds power to the controller
*Red & Black 8ga wires.....separate wires.
Wall Panel
*Red & Black 14 ga wires....sheathed cable
Level sensors plug into the controller
*4 wire sheathed cable (Red/Black and Green/White wires)
Pump Motor
*Black & Brown wires
No Light --------indicates OFF or NO Power
Green Light......indicates Power to controller to panel
Yellow Light.....indicates tank at least half full
RED ....indicates full tank/lockout
*Over-ride lockout----Push/hold FLUSH button for 8 seconds
Push/hold BOTH buttons..water level control
__________________
I took my Medication today. HAVE YOU?
Dodge 3500 w/Tractor Motor
US NAVY---USS Decatur DDG-31
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10-14-2019, 03:20 PM
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#3
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,510
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Thanks, Old Biscuit! I guess I'll have to pull the toilet. Hope it has a reusable seal.
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10-14-2019, 05:06 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2015
Posts: 26,692
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Vanwill
Thanks, Old Biscuit! I guess I'll have to pull the toilet. Hope it has a reusable seal.
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There is NO floor Flange seal because it uses a macerator/pump with hose
https://www.thetford.com/wp-content/...enceRV-Eng.pdf
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I took my Medication today. HAVE YOU?
Dodge 3500 w/Tractor Motor
US NAVY---USS Decatur DDG-31
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10-14-2019, 10:48 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Posts: 160
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Van. I just pulled mine sunday some one had put a wipe in rear toilet jammed up pumppulled off hose and pulled pump and motor out removed wipa and reassembled all work great now
Duane L
2016 American Eagle 45A
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2020 Cornerstone
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10-15-2019, 09:33 AM
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#6
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Senior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club American Coach Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,760
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I'd call Thetford before I pulled the toilet.
__________________
2014 American Eagle 45T
DD 13, 500 HP
Pulling a Honda CRV
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10-15-2019, 10:42 PM
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#7
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Registered User
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,510
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Problem solved!
Thanks for the help from all you guys. It turns out it was a paper towel flushed down the toilet that clogged the macerator. My bad and my mis-diagnosis. Removed the toilet, disassembled the macerator and removed the clog. Everything OK now. But helping my friend sucked up almost a day of my trip.
Maybe it's just that I've become an old fart, but the idea of replacing a toilet with a simple flush valve and handheld rinser that uses less than a pint of water for a #1 and not much more than a quart for a #2...with something that uses a lot more water, uses electronic controls, and is subject to frequent clogs and electronic malfunctions...Is that technological advance, or just using technology for technology's sake and making a simple function become less reliable and a bear to service?
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12-05-2019, 06:18 PM
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#8
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Junior Member
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: SW Louisiana
Posts: 13
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I've thought about replacing the electric Tecma toilets with a manual model. Sometimes technology is not an improvement.
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12-05-2019, 06:25 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Cen Il.
Posts: 710
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Tigerfred
I've thought about replacing the electric Tecma toilets with a manual model. Sometimes technology is not an improvement.
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That will work if your toilets sit on top of the black tank. The tecma toilet is the only reliable non gravity ones available. Yes there are vacuum toilets but they have a lot of problems too.
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2014 Fleetwood Providence 42p
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12-06-2019, 06:11 AM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 531
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I like my Tecma so much that if I owned a house, I'd put one in it.
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12-06-2019, 05:55 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Fleetwood Owners Club American Coach Owners Club
Join Date: Mar 2011
Posts: 6,760
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Tecma works fine as long as used as described in the manual.
__________________
2014 American Eagle 45T
DD 13, 500 HP
Pulling a Honda CRV
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12-06-2019, 10:33 PM
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#12
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Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2019
Posts: 5,653
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pointrow
That will work if your toilets sit on top of the black tank. The tecma toilet is the only reliable non gravity ones available. Yes there are vacuum toilets but they have a lot of problems too.
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Yup, my Tecma is in the mid 1/2 bath because the fluids need to be pumped to the rear black tank.
Ray
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2020 Forest River Georgetown GT5 34H5
2020 Equinox Premier AWD 2.0L/9-speed
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01-01-2020, 11:14 AM
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#13
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Junior Member
Spartan Chassis
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 5
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had same problem wet wipe clogged lucky nothing hurt just didn't work not fun but removed disassembled put back in all good no more wet wipes
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