Roadtrek macerator failures--solutions?

[dchristaortiz]

We have a 2006 Roadtrek 210P, and the macerator will not work and we need to empty the tanks, any suggestions? Also, it's a factory installed macerator and like you, due to age feel that we probably need to have it replaced. Do you know if we can replace with a Shurflo? Every repair place asks for the model no. - don't know how to get that and they say tank needs to be empty - how do I do that if macerator not working??? Not to mention repair places are running 3-4 weeks before they can even look at it - UGH!!

[tlillard23]

Originally Posted by booster

There is no way you can use either pump or rotate the head, to get the inlet at the bottom, and not wind up with the discharge going in the opposite direction than it is stock. They only use one pump head, so you are stuck with that. The 180* pump just puts the mounting flange on the opposite side so you can have the pump head correct when mounted with the mounting flange up like Roadtrek does.

Booster, I am confused, are you interchanging words? "pump head" and "inlet at the bottom". Are you are saying the 180* pump would put the inlet (slot in the stainless plate) at the bottom when mounted upside down?

*Unfortunately my pump just failed (thought the impeller broke - CLANG-CLANG-CLANG) and I already bought and cut the standard pump. And even more unfortunate, when I pulled the pump off, I found a piece of hard plastic in the "blender", if I would have just pulled the macerator and looked, this might have been a $0 repair.

[booster]

Originally Posted by tlillard23

Booster, I am confused, are you interchanging words? "pump head" and "inlet at the bottom". Are you are saying the 180* pump would put the inlet (slot in the stainless plate) at the bottom when mounted upside down?

*Unfortunately my pump just failed (thought the impeller broke - CLANG-CLANG-CLANG) and I already bought and cut the standard pump. And even more unfortunate, when I pulled the pump off, I found a piece of hard plastic in the "blender", if I would have just pulled the macerator and looked, this might have been a $0 repair.

I don't recall offhand which pump they call 180*, but the bottom line is that the pump Roadtrek used was made to be mounted with the mounting flange on the bottom. That would put the inlet opening in the plate at the bottom of inlet pipe where it belongs and also put the seal leak drain hole in the intermediate chamber pointing down, where it should be.


The pumphead doesn't change between the two pumps, so when you get the pump with the mounting flange that is made for hanging the pump the outlet fitting switches to pointing the opposite direction than the OEM pump so you have to reroute the discharge hose under the van.

[dicktill]

IIRC when I flipped the head on my Roadtrek macerator I had to reverse the black and red wire connections to get the correct rotation.

[booster]

Originally Posted by dicktill

IIRC when I flipped the head on my Roadtrek macerator I had to reverse the black and red wire connections to get the correct rotation.

I didn't recall for sure, but went back to the earlier part of the discussion that tlillard23 quoted to look at what I found back then. Here is the section on indirectly clocking the pump but actually doing the clocking on the motor end which is two bolts so easy to clock it as long as you don't drop the brushes by pulling out the armature too far. So you just clock the motor 180* in relation to the pump and then flip the whole assembly over and you have the 180* pump that they sell, but it will wire backwards as dicktill says. That would say the Shurflo just assembles them with a clocked motor and swaps the wire colors to get the reversed model that has everything in the right place, but exit port moves to the opposite side at the top. Here is a cut and pace of my old post.

Our pump is over 6 years old, so I figured, no big risk, and attempted to rotate the output end of the motor, which would also rotate the pump 180*. Good news was that it was two screws so 180* was easy, no studs or pins to clear, so the brushes didn't appear to have moved out of place. Put the screws back in and hooked it up to a battery with no pump on it. It ran, but backwards, which does make sense I think (it has been a long, long time since 12v motor theory class) as the brushes are in the end it appears (wires go in right there) and turning the brushes 180* effectively flips their polarity. Hooked up backwards, it runs well, but couldn't check under load. This will be another question to ask Shurflo, when I finally manage to get a hold of someone there.

[tlillard23]

just replaced the pump. it's really not that hard 4 bolts and a couple hose clamps. and there's maybe gallon and a half of liquid that comes out when you pulled the pump. easy enough to catch with a pan. in hindsight I should have just separated the pump from the rubber flange and inspected it with a flashlight. could have dumped the piece of trash/plastic out and not had to replace anything. but since I had already pulled the pump and cut the wires I replaced the pump. drilled the new drain hole, because the back side of My pump had absolutely been wet, showing corrosion all over the motor face. also cut the 1-in barb off the pump as directions stated. ordered a new outlet hose just because everyone says you should replace, but the old ones still pretty good shape we'll see what happens.
I was thinking with the inlet of the pump up, (because the upside down mounting )it might actually save you if something hard like a chicken bone or rocks or whatever kids want to throw into the toilet ends up down there. might just sit on the pump face and never get sucked in?

[booster]

AFAIK, when the pumps jam it is always in the macerating section with something jamming the blades. The slot in the inlet plate should be sized to let anything that will fit between the pumping fins through as they should find their way out if the discharge hole is also sized to let that happen. I would worry more about gunk buildup in that dead area that could thicken over time and stick the pump eventually. The biggest issue in the north might be getting adequate antifreeze to that area that would get the water pumped out well.

[tlillard23]

I just replaced the macerator and it's leaking out of the the back of the case between the plastic part and the motor. I did look in my pump before I installed it appears to have the same grease or goop or goo in it that was talked about in boosters post
https://www.classbforum.com/forums/f...ssue-3429.html
so be warned when you replace the macerator, you might just need to replace it again.


shurflo 3200-001


edit* just pulled the pump apart. the gasket between the stainless plate and the rubber squeegee is damaged. looks like it's leaking through the bolt hole. anyone know if that gasket is a part that can be ordered??

[tlillard23]

if you need new gaskest for the 3200-001

SHURFLO 94-570-04 LIP SEAL KIT 9457004