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Old 01-21-2025, 11:39 AM   #1
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Trouble with macerator pumps

I have been through six macerator pumps. I keep ordering them from Amazon. They are all different brands, but look identical as if they're made in the same factory in China.

They generally work ONCE, and then the next time they just make a loud click and then hum without spinning the impeller. I can sometimes get them to work by attaching an electric drill to the motor shaft to help it along until it starts pumping under its own power.

I just took a brand new one out of the box, plugged in the power cord and flipped the switch. It did not spin at all.

I can't be the only one experiencing this. Does anyone have the same problem? I see a lot of reviews with people saying that they've been using theirs for months or years, but I don't see how that's possible.
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Old 01-21-2025, 12:53 PM   #2
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I don't know how much you're spending on these pumps, or with how much "love" you're treating them. But FWIW, we bought a Flojet 18555 7-1/2 years ago and it's still going strong. Granted, we don't use it on a daily basis, but it's well built and does the job. Three times the cost of the majority of the models that pop up first on an Amazon search, but there are times when your grandpa's mantra "you get what you pay for" rings true.

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Old 01-21-2025, 01:11 PM   #3
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Buy a Thetford Sani-Con Turbo pump, its expensive but it will be the last pump you buy.

I went thru the Flojet type pumps, have 2 non working in my shed. I have had to remove hair around the shaft, over temp failure, just jammed up and blowing fuses.

Bought the Sani-Con Turbo back in 2018 and use it for every dump since then. Gray water just runs thru it, if you leave the valve open at full hookup, and I run it to pump the black tank.
Check it out !
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Old 01-21-2025, 01:12 PM   #4
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Although buying from AMZ can be risky in the quality of the merchandise, 6 bad pumps is too unlucky and the problem may be power source, specifically the volts and amps on the circuit vs the pump's rating.

Is it an AC or DC circuit and is it a 'good' circuit, no short. Second, read the volts and amps on the circuit w/a voltmeter, or if it's a 'protected' circuit, read the amps on the fuse (DC) or breaker (AC). Third, ensure the pump meets or exceeds the circuit's amperage rating. Example: If it's a 5-amp circuit, don't connect a 4-amp (or less) pump since you'll fry it. Last, ensure + to + and - to - (for DC).

Good luck
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Old 01-21-2025, 01:31 PM   #5
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Welcome to the forum.

You most likely have a power problem. It is unreasonable to have that many failures.

Spinning with the drill gets the thing over the huge inrush needed to start.

Find or make a good ground for your meter. Or grab an extension cord and plug that in, then use the ground hole for your meter.

Then measure the voltage on each wire that feeds the pump as it is turned on. If you see any voltage on the ground/negative side, you have a bad ground. If the voltage does not hold above 11 volts on the hot side, you have a bad power feed.

Take the macerator to your batteries and use some wires for a temporary test to verify the pumps are working.

There is likely a "pump controller" between your power and the pump. A poor connection or bad contacts in that controller could easily cause your issue.
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Old 01-21-2025, 09:28 PM   #6
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I bought a cheap one off of Amazon and paid $60 fo it. I ran heavy gauge jumper cables from my house batteries under the motorhome. I hook the Alligator clips directly to the jumper cables. I have been using it every three days for almost a month without issues. I am pumping through a 3/4 hose 100 ft. I have felt the motor many times and it doesn't even get warm.

So maybe the suggestions that it is a power issue may be correct.
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Old 01-22-2025, 08:14 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by twinboat View Post
Buy a Thetford Sani-Con Turbo pump, its expensive but it will be the last pump you buy.
I had a Sani-Con Turbo seize up several years ago. The shaft seal failed allowing water into the motor. I installed a Sani-Con Turbo in my current coach last year. The hoses that come with it will fail unless they are put in a sleeve.
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Old 01-22-2025, 01:48 PM   #8
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Quote:
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I had a Sani-Con Turbo seize up several years ago. The shaft seal failed allowing water into the motor. I installed a Sani-Con Turbo in my current coach last year. The hoses that come with it will fail unless they are put in a sleeve.
I carry the Sani-con hose as a spare. I use 10 foot, 1 inch, reinforced hose with cam lock fittings. I have 2 of them.
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