Thetford Aqua-Magic Style II Flush Pedal Flies Off
Another two-year failure occurred on our most recent trip. The flush pedal and its return spring shot off the side of the toilet when the pedal was used. I did not want to mess with the spring so just the pedal was put back on. Hand activation while pushing toward the bowl worked; my arm was the return spring. Actually, the waste ball and flush water can be made to work without the pedal.
On returning home, I used the Al Gore device to see if others had experienced something similar. Too many people talked of pedals breaking / coming off. Thetford may have been selling the toilet below cost and making their profit on the many replacement pedals sold. Sort of like my ink-jet printer and the expensive ink it requires.
Thetford had heard about this problem enough that they added a video to their Frequently Asked Questions showing how to replace the pedal.
http://www.thetford.com/HOME/CUSTOMERSUPPORT/FAQ/permanentfaq/tabid/282/Default.aspx#footPedal
This was a nice video, but as you see, their return spring is already installed. Installing the spring seems to be the hard part. I did not find this spring in the Owner’s Manual parts diagram or list.
I did not see any obvious damage to the spring, pedal, or related toilet parts. Without removing the toilet, I positioned the return spring as shown in the video; straight end down and trapped, and then had to figure out how to get the bent end of the spring into its detent. I placed a small diameter tube on the bent end of the spring with the tube heading to the shower curtain; to act as a handle. That did not work as well as I expected, so a water pipe section was placed over the small tube. This gave me more to grab. The spring end needs to be rotated counter clockwise in to its detent. Because of the force required to accomplish the move, in case something came apart, I wore gloves, goggles, and had my head over the closed toilet seat cover while moving the spring and finding the detent by “feel”. Then I was able to replace the pedal; somewhat like the video. Several test flushes worked, but I will be watching the pedal to see if it travels toward the shower curtain over time. The bent end of the spring poking into the plastic pedal may be what holds the pedal in its horizontal position. I do not want to take things apart to check this. :>)
Possibly related: Like others, after time the waste ball and seal did not hold water. Liquid oils and grease did not change things. Using the original Thetford holding tank deodorant, there was never a smell due to the non-seal so we just kept using it as was. Months later the seal was good again for many trips. Then leaking again. I worked through some possible reasons for the cycles. The chlorine used to kill the fresh water tank green stuff? The cleaning chemicals used? Sunlight into the bowl? The deodorant? Ambient temperature?
Before the pedal flew off, the waste valve was sealing. After replacing the spring and pedal it leaked again. Maybe the slop in the pedal system had been changing over time with the waste ball not closing all of the way for periods of time.
Chuck Sorensen
Buellton, California
2012 Excel TS
On returning home, I used the Al Gore device to see if others had experienced something similar. Too many people talked of pedals breaking / coming off. Thetford may have been selling the toilet below cost and making their profit on the many replacement pedals sold. Sort of like my ink-jet printer and the expensive ink it requires.
Thetford had heard about this problem enough that they added a video to their Frequently Asked Questions showing how to replace the pedal.
http://www.thetford.com/HOME/CUSTOMERSUPPORT/FAQ/permanentfaq/tabid/282/Default.aspx#footPedal
This was a nice video, but as you see, their return spring is already installed. Installing the spring seems to be the hard part. I did not find this spring in the Owner’s Manual parts diagram or list.
I did not see any obvious damage to the spring, pedal, or related toilet parts. Without removing the toilet, I positioned the return spring as shown in the video; straight end down and trapped, and then had to figure out how to get the bent end of the spring into its detent. I placed a small diameter tube on the bent end of the spring with the tube heading to the shower curtain; to act as a handle. That did not work as well as I expected, so a water pipe section was placed over the small tube. This gave me more to grab. The spring end needs to be rotated counter clockwise in to its detent. Because of the force required to accomplish the move, in case something came apart, I wore gloves, goggles, and had my head over the closed toilet seat cover while moving the spring and finding the detent by “feel”. Then I was able to replace the pedal; somewhat like the video. Several test flushes worked, but I will be watching the pedal to see if it travels toward the shower curtain over time. The bent end of the spring poking into the plastic pedal may be what holds the pedal in its horizontal position. I do not want to take things apart to check this. :>)
Possibly related: Like others, after time the waste ball and seal did not hold water. Liquid oils and grease did not change things. Using the original Thetford holding tank deodorant, there was never a smell due to the non-seal so we just kept using it as was. Months later the seal was good again for many trips. Then leaking again. I worked through some possible reasons for the cycles. The chlorine used to kill the fresh water tank green stuff? The cleaning chemicals used? Sunlight into the bowl? The deodorant? Ambient temperature?
Before the pedal flew off, the waste valve was sealing. After replacing the spring and pedal it leaked again. Maybe the slop in the pedal system had been changing over time with the waste ball not closing all of the way for periods of time.
Chuck Sorensen
Buellton, California
2012 Excel TS
