Embarrassing Situation

[Rollin101]

Originally Posted by dcphil_98

some observations from the op:
1. The wealth of information on this blog is incredible---some good....some not so good.
2. Some have provided very useful information even by e-mail and private message.
3. Some posters don't read the original post. To be clear, i have a 1 inch plastic bottle top floating in the top of my black tank. Somehow that has morphed into a metal lid, or fork and now even a coffee pot lid stuck in the impeller of the macerator pump. It reminds me of a game we played as a kid called "gossip."
4. Some posters were very informative. While trying to be helpful, other posters4 either didn't read the original post or didn't understand the plumbing configuration of a 2018 entegra cornerstone 45x with a single bath with a nonmacerator toilet but with a sanicon disposal system plumbed by entegra.
5. After extensive research, i am convinced that i will not have a problem if i use the macerator by-pass and the 3 inch conventional dumping system. As a precaution i will close the 1 1/2 inch macerator discharge valve.
6. This subject was so interesting it spawned another thread. Never new black tank dumping was so interesting.

Got to get this done. Will report later.

Going dumping....the old fashion way.

👍👍👍

[Gary.Jones]

JH

I was first charged $1,700 for this job (!!!!????!!!!!!!!!!), until I complained loudly that the overall cost was outrageous. It was reduced from $1,700 to a mere $1,200 because I was charged for the complete Sanicon system and I only got the tank and motor.

The $600 was for roughly 4 hours at $150/hour.

Now, I was still not a happy camper, but I was happier than I was before I got the $500 refunded. And that is exactly why I posted my lengthy post so that people would know what they are getting into and the risks of moving forward willy-nilly with just continuing normal use and assuming that all would be OK............. Believe me, I will ring you up if this ever happens again and would be happy and grateful if you would do it for free or even for half that money (if done for free, I will magnamiously agree to pay gas for travel ----). And as I said in an earlier post, if it happens again and you have a good excuse, I will be rolling up my sleeves.

Also related, I believe the problem was produced while the coach was in Entegra's possession (as they exercise all these systems during the PDI) or maybe while at S&S paint and think they should be paying for the whole repair, but I am, of course, getting the usual run around and denials, so I just gave the repair facility my Amex card and said I would guarantee the work and I am now arguing with Entegra about the whole business. I can't prove where it happened but it happened while it was not in my possession.... that I know!

I did not get the opportunity to cut the whole damn tank and motor unit apart and really get to see what is inside, and Thetford was not helpful at all, so I don't know if the aperture of the intake opening to the pump is large or small..... I'll bet it is not too small. Pat, you still got your unit that we can dissect and get a clearer idea of how it works?

So, everyone be aware of the problems and potential costs.

Gary

[Mr_D]

Originally Posted by AZ RV'r

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I bought one of them, then found out the app wouldn't work on my Android phone, even though it was an Android app. Now that I have a new phone I should try again.

[F4Gary]

Originally Posted by dcphil_98

Some observations from the OP:
1. The wealth of information on this blog is incredible---Some good....some not so good.
2. Some have provided very useful information even by e-mail and private message.
3. Some posters don't read the original post. To be clear, I have a 1 inch plastic bottle top floating in the top of my black tank. Somehow that has morphed into a metal lid, or fork and now even a coffee pot lid stuck in the impeller of the macerator pump. It reminds me of a game we played as a kid called "Gossip."
4. Some posters were very informative. While trying to be helpful, other posters4 either didn't read the original post or didn't understand the plumbing configuration of a 2018 Entegra Cornerstone 45X with a single bath with a NONmacerator toilet but with a Sanicon disposal system plumbed by Entegra.
5. After extensive research, I am convinced that I will not have a problem if I use the macerator by-pass and the 3 inch conventional dumping system. As a precaution I will close the 1 1/2 inch macerator discharge valve.
6. This subject was so interesting it spawned another thread. Never new black tank dumping was so interesting.

Got to get this done. Will report later.

Going dumping....the old fashion way.

To be fair, you didn't tell us it was only a 1" bottle top until post #14.
The OP only said a lid.
Not sure you will be able to see a 1" bottle top go through a clear elbow.
Could be obscured by other "stuff".
Good luck.

[Rollin101]

Originally Posted by Gary.Jones

JH

I was first charged $1,700 for this job (!!!!????!!!!!!!!!!), until I complained loudly that the overall cost was outrageous. It was reduced from $1,700 to a mere $1,200 because I was charged for the complete Sanicon system and I only got the tank and motor.

The $600 was for roughly 4 hours at $150/hour.

Now, I was still not a happy camper, but I was happier than I was before I got the $500 refunded. And that is exactly why I posted my lengthy post so that people would know what they are getting into and the risks of moving forward willy-nilly with just continuing normal use and assuming that all would be OK............. Believe me, I will ring you up if this ever happens again and would be happy and grateful if you would do it for free or even for half that money (if done for free, I will magnamiously agree to pay gas for travel ----). And as I said in an earlier post, if it happens again and you have a good excuse, I will be rolling up my sleeves.

Also related, I believe the problem was produced while the coach was in Entegra's possession (as they exercise all these systems during the PDI) or maybe while at S&S paint and think they should be paying for the whole repair, but I am, of course, getting the usual run around and denials, so I just gave the repair facility my Amex card and said I would guarantee the work and I am now arguing with Entegra about the whole business. I can't prove where it happened but it happened while it was not in my possession.... that I know!

I did not get the opportunity to cut the whole damn tank and motor unit apart and really get to see what is inside, and Thetford was not helpful at all, so I don't know if the aperture of the intake opening to the pump is large or small..... I'll bet it is not too small. Pat, you still got your unit that we can dissect and get a clearer idea of how it works?

So, everyone be aware of the problems and potential costs.

Gary

Gary, best I remember there’s like a half inch opening all the way around, not just one big opening.

[Gary.Jones]

F4Gary

A fork was mentioned in post #2..... No one made that up.. It was added to the discussion early. The "round lid" was mentioned in Post #1.... I think that is why lids and forks crept into this discussion. Not sure though .............

Sure as hell a lot of Garys who own Entegra Coaches..... HHHhhhhmmmmmm !

Gary

[Darrowman]

Here are some pictures of our new macerator, and a picture of the old macerator with the top removed. You can see in the view port the intake of the pump. The other picture shows the space below the pump and the bottom of the tank. There should be plenty of room for a cap to pass through the housing to the slinky outlet.

[Gary.Jones]

Thank you Darrowman.... those pics really help me understand what is in that tank.

However that fork or cap might still be a big problem jamming the motor/pump now that I see the arrangement. JH, it looks like its open at the bottom all the way around with no simple inlet port.

Gary

[Darrowman]

The tank is very simply a plastic box with three 3" openings, and one 1.5 " opening for the pump discharge. The bottom of the 3" openings are flush with the bottom of the tank. The 1.5" opening is at the bottom of the pump housing, roughly 1.25 to 1.5" above the tank bottom.

I can measure the inlet diameter to the pump tomorrow at my shop.

I hope this helps.
Darrell

[Darrowman]

A clarification to my earlier post. There are four 3 inch ports, not three.

Here are some better pictures for inquiring minds.
Darrell

[dcphil_98]

So I dumped yesterday using the conventional 3 inch hose. Couldn't view the lid coming out. Uneventful except how difficult it was to hook up and clean up the stinky slinky. A real PITA.

Several observations:

I got some conflicting advice because I did not accurately describe the problem. A picture would have helped. The lesson learned is you will get better information/advice if you correctly and specifically describe the problem.

Pictures really help. The pictures provided by Darrowman were very helpful. He provided the pictures to me earlier by PM.

If you know that an object has dropped into the black tank, I recommend the conventional 3 inch system be used to drain.

A final note. Last week while I was doing research, I called Ted Cook at Entegra. As most of you know Ted probably knows more about these machines than any other single person. He was busy last Friday but returned my call today.

I explained my solution and he said that is what he would do. He asked me to describe the lid....1 inch diameter, about 1/2 high, hard plastic, typical bottle cap. He said the macerator would probably just eat the lid up.

After all of this, that's exactly what happened when I dumped using the macerator today!

[Gary.Jones]

Good to hear.

Now, can either of you, in words, describe the path that liquid or whatever moves through that macerator pump? I see what look to be impeller "blades" that appear to be mounted a half inch or so above the bottom of the tank but I don't understand the path of liquids or lets say toilet paper in the tank/pump. Does the impeller pull the liquids up into the motor (seems unlikely) and force contents out into the 1.5" line or does it simply "throw" liquid and contents in some direction???? I don't see how it channels contents into any of those outlets. The passive 3" path is simple enough to understand (it bypasses everything?).... there is no need for a motor or impellers, but the paths into the 1.5" pipe and hose is not obvious to me.... Anyone know?

Gary

[Turbojack]

Here is a question. It looks like the bottom of the pump is 1 1/4" off the floor of the box so there will always be crude (lack of better word) that will be on the floor. If you let the coach sit for a period of time without using it, is it not likely for the crude to dry and and then block the bottom of the pump housing?

In looking at these pictures I think it would be good practice to every few uses to dump the old fashion way with the 3" hose to drain and clean the bottom of the box.

I have clear plastic fitting where the 3" hose goes into the campground sewer. In watching, it seems like always when the flow almost comes to a stop all kinks of crude trickles out that if I had the box would be sitting in the bottom of the box.

[Turbojack]

After looking at the pictures of the used one, I guess crude drying on the bottom is not a problem.