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Old 05-12-2014, 06:25 PM   #1
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Thetford Toilet Won't Hold Water

Just started using my fifth wheel after having it winterized. As far as I can remember it was still holding anti-freeze after having it stored. Now after using it a few times it won't hold water in the bowl. It slowly drains out. I might be wrong, but it looks like the ball is not going back the whole way to seal it off correctly. It seems to go back, but not the whole way. It's a 2010 so not really that old. I also checked for debris but it looks clean. The toilet is the kind with the pedal. Please help.
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Old 05-12-2014, 06:48 PM   #2
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Mine doesn't have a ball, but just by the sounds of it. It sounds like something is either bent or broken. You can try putting some water resistant grease on the seal, but that wouldn't help if it doesn't connect properly.
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Old 05-12-2014, 08:02 PM   #3
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Whether you have a ball type valve or just the simple slidding plate, they both have a seal they make contact with. It's possible the the seal dried out over the winter if you didn't leave any antifreeze in the bottom of the toilet.

There is a product that IIRC either Thetford or Valtera makes for lubricating the seals on your black tank and grey tank valves. Maybe a little bit of that in the bottom of your toilet will freshen the seal enough to stop the leak. If not, replacement seals are available from many RV parts dealers.
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Old 05-12-2014, 08:38 PM   #4
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Im not familiar with the ball type but I have had a pc. of debri get caught in the slide type before which will cause it to leak.
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Old 05-12-2014, 11:50 PM   #5
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We have the same toilet and sometimes I have to use a stiff plastic brush to clean the area around the seal. That has worked for me in the past. You might also use your toe and lift up on the lever to help it seal.
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Old 05-13-2014, 06:28 AM   #6
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We never throw an old tooth brush away before putting some plumbers silicone on it and wiping the seals while holding the valve open.

Be sure to throw it away afterwards.
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Old 05-13-2014, 07:41 AM   #7
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I just read a tip on this a few days ago. Wipe seal clean ( wear gloves) then spray with lemon pledge and let sit for 30 minutes. I will try and find the link where i read this.
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Old 05-13-2014, 07:42 AM   #8
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Found it.
RVing Tip of the Day

Take the (lemon) toilet pledge
by Jim Twamley

A lot of "old school" RVers keep a spray can of Pledge in their cleaning supply closet. After all, your rig can accumulate a lot of dust on the road. But the Professor keeps a can for more than just dusting — it also helps with the toilet. I know you are eager to know why Lemon Pledge is good for the RV toilet.

I was at an RV dealership and was talking to a knowledgeable RV tech about the leaking water seal on my RV toilet. I have a Sea/Land-type toilet that uses a rubber gasket and a foot-operated ball lever. The plastic ball moves back and forth across a rubber donut-shaped disk and is supposed to trap the water in the bowl when closed. The trapped water prevents noxious odors from entering the RV — which is a very good thing. He told me that if the seal was not cut or the ball not gouged, then I may be able to clean around the rubber seal and treat it with Lemon Pledge. He says that years ago, before Dometic bought out the Sea/Land toilet company, they used to tell you this in the owner's manual.

I turned off the water, opened the ball and pushed the rubber seal down about one-quarter inch with my fingers (I recommend using rubber gloves for this procedure). I used the blade of a screwdriver and carefully scraped all the Arizona hard water buildup off the top of the rubber seal, being careful not to puncture or tear the seal. Soaking it with Lemon Pledge was easy — just push down on the seal and spray it. Let it set for five or ten minutes and then turn on the water and test it. Now my toilet retains water and my wood is happy to get the Lemon Pledge leftovers. Next I'll show you how to make plutonium out of household chemicals. —Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing
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Old 05-13-2014, 09:30 AM   #9
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I have a Thetford Aqua Magic® Style II. I full time so mine is used every day. The first one failed because the foot pedal fell off of the housing and could not be installed properly. The plastic wasn't formed properly.

This replacement has been in service for about 2 1/2 years and it has become hard to push the foot flush and it won't hold water unless you pull up on the pedal with your toe after flushing. I thought it might be hard water issues and might need a gasket, but my dealer said the flush mechanism was the problem.

My dealer is expecting a new replacement via UPS today. 3 of these in just under 4 years? Not good odds. I'm sure glad at this point I have an extended warranty.
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Old 05-13-2014, 11:59 PM   #10
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I just remember another thing that will cause our toilet to not shut off. Lack of water pressure. When my city filters are plugged the toilet will run and the sinks have low flow or pressure.
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Old 06-02-2014, 07:04 PM   #11
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Changed the Seal!

Update: Thetford Aqua Magic II China Toilet (side pedal) wasn't holding water so I changed the seal. Turned out the fix is not that big of deal. Just followed the step-by-step instructions that came with the new seal. They also give you a new one for the drain connection instead of a wax ring. In cost me $11. From start to finish it took 20 minutes. The toughest part was getting the screws in the floor flange back into the holes in the base of the toilet as they float around. Needed a helper to line up the screws as I was lowering the toilet to the floor. Toilet now works good as new!
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