SENTOA.org

Webmaster's Note: The following exchange that took place on the SENTOA listserv in February, 2006, documents procedures for the replacement of the bowl seals on a VacuFlush marine toilet.

From: "Alan Smith" <omega32@earthlink.net>
To: "sentoa" <sentoa@lists.samurai.com>
Subject: [Sentoa] Tank watch connections/Vacuflush

. . . To make matters more in keeping with Murphy's Law, the return spring on the flush pedal failed . . . . Since I had a rebuild maintenance kit left over from the great loop cruise (Thanks to advice from Al Cassanova) I put in all new parts. Now, I thought, I am ready to go the rendezvous! Not so fast. The toilet bowl to pedestal has two large seals to keep the water in the bowl. They leak badly. I spent four hours trying to align the pedestal, seals and the bowl to no avail.

Can anybody who has been there before shed some light on how to get this thing back together? I really hope you haven't had to do this. It is a nasty job. Al and a few others have done it. Please help if you can.

I have emailed SeaLand and Environmental Marine in Ft. Lauderdale asking for help. If I get any answer I will let you all know.

Alan Smith
Omega 32-234
Tampa Bay, Little Harbor Villiage Marin

From: "Alan Smith" <omega32@earthlink.net>
To: "sentoa" <sentoa@lists.samurai.com>
Subject: [Sentoa] Installing the potty bowl seal on a Vacuflush unit

Following the instructions below I had a dry potty in 10 minutes flat! . . . I was making two mistakes on the potty seals: 1. I had aligned the small holes on the two seals and 2. I had moved the large "hose clamp" to the side for convienience sake. That is a NO NO, it goes in the back!

Alan,
Omega 32-234

From: John Hopkins <info@environmentalmarine>
To: omega32@earthlink.net
Subject: RE: Environmental Marine Information Form

When you install a new seal, the thin seal goes on first aligned with the indexing pin and the hole lined up with the hole in the rear of the base. The second seal, the thick one, aligns with the indexing pin, but it should be flipped over so it covers the hole in the base and thin seal. The half ring clamps should be installed with the seam centered in the front, with the space at the rear of the bowl. The large clamp must be positioned with the worm screw at the rear bridging the space between the 2 clamps. Tighten as much as possible using a nut driver. Be sure the bowl is centered over the bowl. We hope this solves your problem.