Community Forums

AKBrick · 02-12-2008, 06:07 AM

Hi all,
Well, I've been wondering when this was going to happen to us, hopefully never again. I was using our maccerator yesterday on the black water when I heard a screech and a high wine. Ohhhhh noooooo! Dang it all! It Jammed! I had to empty the short black hose that connects the pump to the black/gray water pipe. Luckily I was able to rince the black water out of it with gray water first as the pump wasn't quite completely jammed. Then I had to unscrew the two screws at the front of the maccerator from the bay's floor which was the hardest part of the whole project.

My wife looked up on the internet and found that there is a hole in the back of the pump. You can stick a screwdriver in it to spin the pump's shaft backwards to dislodge any objects that jammed the pumps impeller. Unfortunately you can't get to it without taking the pump out of the utility bay.

Okay, so I finnally got the long winded tough screws out (in a very awkward place) and I was able to pull the maccerator out. I found the hole in the back of it and was able to turn the shaft back and forth. I then shook it, (hose downwards) and out popped a small black screw. It came from the black tank but I'm not sure if it was from anything that was actually screwed down. Maybe the "Tank Flush"? I turned on the maccerator as it was still connected to power and had the hose in a bucket. It seemed to work just fine. I decided to put the whole thing back together and finished pumping out the black/gray tanks with no further problems.

I have a feeling that maybe the screw that went into the impeller was dropped into the tank by accident when it was being built and finally dislodged. At least that's what I'm hoping. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Now I'm just waiting for the LED lights on the tank guage to stop reading two thirds full. It may take awhile, I'm pretty sure that I got all of the black water out. The tank was completely full for the first time and I think junk hung up on the sensors. I hope nothing came loose inside of the tank and is getting in the way. Does the "Tank Flush" have any moving parts (spinner)or is it just a pressure wash spigget inside the tank? Of course there's always a possibility that the screw came from the insides of the maccerator itself.

Any ideas folks? I need to set my mind at ease.

Tom

AKBrick · 02-12-2008, 06:07 AM

Hi all,
Well, I've been wondering when this was going to happen to us, hopefully never again. I was using our maccerator yesterday on the black water when I heard a screech and a high wine. Ohhhhh noooooo! Dang it all! It Jammed! I had to empty the short black hose that connects the pump to the black/gray water pipe. Luckily I was able to rince the black water out of it with gray water first as the pump wasn't quite completely jammed. Then I had to unscrew the two screws at the front of the maccerator from the bay's floor which was the hardest part of the whole project.

My wife looked up on the internet and found that there is a hole in the back of the pump. You can stick a screwdriver in it to spin the pump's shaft backwards to dislodge any objects that jammed the pumps impeller. Unfortunately you can't get to it without taking the pump out of the utility bay.

Okay, so I finnally got the long winded tough screws out (in a very awkward place) and I was able to pull the maccerator out. I found the hole in the back of it and was able to turn the shaft back and forth. I then shook it, (hose downwards) and out popped a small black screw. It came from the black tank but I'm not sure if it was from anything that was actually screwed down. Maybe the "Tank Flush"? I turned on the maccerator as it was still connected to power and had the hose in a bucket. It seemed to work just fine. I decided to put the whole thing back together and finished pumping out the black/gray tanks with no further problems.

I have a feeling that maybe the screw that went into the impeller was dropped into the tank by accident when it was being built and finally dislodged. At least that's what I'm hoping. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

Now I'm just waiting for the LED lights on the tank guage to stop reading two thirds full. It may take awhile, I'm pretty sure that I got all of the black water out. The tank was completely full for the first time and I think junk hung up on the sensors. I hope nothing came loose inside of the tank and is getting in the way. Does the "Tank Flush" have any moving parts (spinner)or is it just a pressure wash spigget inside the tank? Of course there's always a possibility that the screw came from the insides of the maccerator itself.

Any ideas folks? I need to set my mind at ease.

Tom

Camelot Camper · 02-12-2008, 07:02 AM

Tom,
Wow, and I thought my scratches were bad news. Really sorry to hear about your pump issue and I know this isn't going to help you now, but it might help others that are purchasing a new rig.

When I read in the Sani-Con instructions that one should test the pump first with grey water for just a minute or so, then empty the black water followed by empting the grey water, I didn't have a real good feeling about what could happen. As a result, we didn't use or even connect the Sani-Con plumbing for the first four months of our coach operation. Our Camelot also has the tank flush system, which are just internal nozzel sprayers. So with any luck, if there was anything in our tank that could have jammed the pump, it should be gone by now.

You should also know that I've found a lot of FOD in our Camelot, even a drill bit that I've added to my collection. But a lot of screws and cut off cable ties that were never cleaned up under the bed, down by the water pump and system heater area, and under the pull out sofa. I believe a screw was just inadvertely dropped into your tank after it was installed, possibly when the toilet was being installed.

CC

MonacoMama · 02-12-2008, 07:03 AM

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> Does the "Tank Flush" have any moving parts (spinner)or is it just a pressure wash spigget inside the tank? </div></BLOCKQUOTE>As I am sitting at "CampMonaco"..I have access to the "best of the best"....so on good authority... I can tell you there are no moving parts!

MonacoMama

AKBrick · 02-12-2008, 07:31 AM

Thanks C.C. and M.M. for the quick responses! I'm feeling a little more at ease now. Let's just hope the Sani-Con holds together now.

M.M., I hope you get everything taken care of on your baby. They should treat you extra special!

Tom

GoneFishin · 02-12-2008, 07:42 AM

Tom, I just read your posting to Rick 'cause he's in the process of building a masserator system for our La Palma. He also concurs that "the wayward screw" was most likely dropped by someone during assembly. On our coach we found "the wayward screw" in the pipe in the flush-out system so when we turned on the flush, it sprayed water under the bathroom sink area. Luckily I was standing there when it started.

Robin_M · 02-12-2008, 12:30 PM

Tom,

I remember having a conversation with Lannie -the guy who used to own Sani-Con before Thetford bought it last year. He said that what happened to you is quite common. According to Lannie, Monaco builders have a habit of throwing (or dropping) thing into the black tank. He recommended that all new owners thoroughly flush both holding thanks a few times BEFORE hooking up the Sani-Con.

(No, I didn't follow that advice either.

)

Sixpack98 · 02-12-2008, 05:05 PM

Tom,
How many new cuss words did you come up with? I sometimes wonder if "tricks" like these are done by some bored employee(s) goofing with each other.

I didn't follow Lannie's advise either but lucked out - so far. I guess since the MH has been in operation for about 1.5 yr I dodged a bullet.

AkTrek · 02-12-2008, 05:43 PM

Hey Tom, Thanks for sharing the macerator info. Ours jammed about about four months ago late at night while emptying the black tank. Everything was going fine until 'thrrk!', it stopped pumping but kept humming. I knew we had a jam but it was too late and too dark to do anything about it. After talking with my wife we decided that a disposable baby wipe probably got dropped into the toilet by mistake. The SaniCon paperwork was very incomplete

and we were unable to locate anything on the web. Can you post the link to your info please? We were NOT looking forward to the crappy job in front of us so we waited till late afternoon to dive into the unjam process. With tools laid out I tried the unit one last time. It hummed for about a second and then whirred away as normal!! Hurray!

We think that whatever was causing the jam broke down in the night and made it easier for the macerator to do its job. We don't ever want another problem but it is nice to know that there is a way to unjam it if neccesary. Thanks!

Dutch Star Don · 02-12-2008, 06:10 PM

AKBrick......In your situation you probably needed to remove the whole system, but in the future you can often clean a plug or stoppage by removing the hose from the pump and reaching into the nose with needle nose pliers and pull out the debris.

A couple of handiwipes were thrown down the toilet when we first bought the coach and cuased the Sanicon to stop. I removed them with the needle nose.

Another secret....if you have the bypass for grey water, it can be unplugged by running the Sanicon with the grey valve open and then close it momentarily until you see the black corrugated Sanicon hose start to distort and then pull the grey valve open again. This sucks the junk out of the bypass.

AKBrick · 02-13-2008, 06:30 AM

Hi Denny,
Long time no see! The website is http://www.emptythetanks.com/order_online.htm.

Diplomat Don, I would have loved to have been able to diconnect the big hose from the maccerator for a quick cleanout but the hoseclamps were in the wrong position to get at them. Go figure.

Sixpack98,
I kept all of the cusswords to myself as there are people right beside us. I still ran out of them in my head though.

Thanks for all of the replies Guys and Gals!

Tom

Lukeaa · 02-13-2008, 07:41 PM

When my Sani-Con jammed, it was caused by the 3" plastic cut out disk where Monaco cut the hole for my toilet. They just let it fall into the tank and did not give it another thought. That was followed later by a small black knurled nob that came from who knows where.

I am on my second Monaco coach in two years and I am amazed at the number of screws, tie wrap ends, nuts, bolts, and other assorted stuff that their workers drop and never pick up. They could probably put another 1/2% on their bottom line, if they would pick them up and reuse them.

I would be willing to pay an extra $100k to have a motorhome manufactured by Honda. They understand quality control and how important it is to get it right the first time. On my current 07 Diplomat, Monaco failed to install the duct from the heater to the bathroom.