Vacuflush leaking vacuum

S

Shake n Bake

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16525
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My 9 year old Vacuflush system is running every 10 or 15 minutes to restore it's vacuum. Since the water stays in the bowl, I'm guessing the repair is going to be replacing the duckbill valves. Is there anything else I should be looking at while I have this thing apart?
 
Evy 10 minutes isn't too bad but if the duckbills are original it is time to replace them...

You could do th bowl seal too if original , although I'd do it separately so that if something happens during repair you know where to look first

When installing duckbills I use liquid soap on the flanges so that the fitting slides over the flange instead of pinching it
 
Good tip on the liquid soap Pascal, thanks. My local store only stocks 2 duckbill valves so I'm waiting for 2 more to arrive before I tear this thing apart.
 
The various places where hoses connect to fixtures, pumps, etc are also suspects, though if the valves have nine years on them that is certainly suspect # 1. You are not losing water or said you had any water leaks, so the bowl seal is a less likely suspect. A properly functioning system should never cycle between flushes. We have one (of three on the boat) that is beginning to cycle once a day, it's been a few years of almost full time live aboard, several-times-a-day use, so it will probably be due in another year. Haven't done anything to the two other systems in the six years we have had the boat, one of them gets a ton of use and neither cycles between flushes. Sealand makes a handy vacuum gauge tester that makes troubleshooting the source of vacuum leaks pretty easy.
 
quote:
Originally posted by PascalG

Evy 10 minutes isn't too bad but if the duckbills are original it is time to replace them...

You could do th bowl seal too if original , although I'd do it separately so that if something happens during repair you know where to look first

When installing duckbills I use liquid soap on the flanges so that the fitting slides over the flange instead of pinching it

Click to expand...
Just curious, are all DuckBills the same for the various models.. or does one need the model number off the unit to order them?
 
quote:
Originally posted by caltexfla

The various places where hoses connect to fixtures, pumps, etc are also suspects, though if the valves have nine years on them that is certainly suspect # 1. You are not losing water or said you had any water leaks, so the bowl seal is a less likely suspect. ....
Click to expand...


I do lose water from the bowl but assumed it was evaporation. The system does not cycle. If I did have a bowl leak, where would the water go?
 
Ours will hold water (and vacuum) over the entire winter.. (inside heated storage) Occasionally, some tissue will get stuck on the ball and it will cause it to loose both water and vacuum... I have no idea where the water goes if it leaks out other than thru the system..
 
When I had a VF system I had a small water leak at the pedal plunger assembly it would trickle water onto the heads floor and then end up through the floor drain into the shower sump.
If the bowl was leaking the water would end up in the holding tank.
Bill
 
I really thought the duckbills would solve my issue. They sure looked like you could throw a dead cat through them. Unfortunately, not any noticeable improvement. What should I check next?
 
Which vacuum series is your pump the J, M or S series?
Bill
 
The vacuum gauge George mentioned is a very handy diagnostic tool to have around. Another good tool is a can of shaving cream. You can spray some or any suspect fitting and see if it gets sucked into the fitting indicating a vacuum leak.
 
The pump itself is unlikely to be the cause of the problem although I would reinstall the duckbills just to be sure and try to listen for leaks around the fittings. If there was an issue with the bellow, they d leak out. Btw I ve seen a couple fail at 10 to 12 years, and it s messy failure because they skirt...

Another source for vac leaks is an aging vac switch.

Personally I ve never used the vac gauge tool. If there is enough vacuum the switch will click... If there isn't, it won't click so you know you have to look somewhere... If the pump cycle it means there is a leak. I don't see the point of the gauge, unless I m missing something.
 
I asked about the style VacuFlush pump he had so I could see where the vacuum switch was located not to point fingers at the pump itself.
That's why I posted the manuals for the various VacuFlush systems above.
I wonder why SeaLand would even make the vacuum gauge being there is no obvious need for one?
Bill
 
The pump is an S series. I rechecked all the fittings around the pump yesterday and I'm headed back to the boat with shaving cream today to check for leaks elsewhere.

Is there any benefit to capping the plumbing just before the pump to see if the leak is closer to the head?
 
Another place where air can get into the system is the clamp ring/ hose between the base of the head and the pump, a clamp could get loose or the hose could be chaffed or have a pin hole. This would leave water in the bowl (if the bowl seal is good) but still take a considerable amount of time to recharge the vacuum or cause frequent pump cycling.
I would look at the vacuum switch.
Using shaving cream to look for vacuum leaks is a good idea.
Bill
 
"I wonder why SeaLand would even make the vacuum gauge being there is no obvious need for one?"

$$$$

Actually, it s probably because some of the vac switches can be adjusted / tampered with, sometimes improperly, and the gauge will show if the switch shuts off the pump too early. This doesn't affect cycling but if there isn't enough vacuum, solids may clog the system
 
Another tip make sure the bellows in the pump is operating properly. If not check the set screw on the pumps actuator arm it might need tightening.
Bill
 
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