How does a macerator toilet work?

[holstein13]

My new MH came installed with a Dometic 8700 Master flush macerator toilet. I am very familiar with a macerator that you hook up to your sewer to pump uphill but I am not at all familiar with a macerator toilet.

They are obviously not the same. The sewer macerator is very slow but this macerator toilet acts like a home toilet. When you flush the toilet, it moves the bowl contents out quickly and quietly.

The thing that concerns me is that I'm afraid it will eventually get clogged like my old sanicon. I live with a wife and two daughters and I find their long hair absolutely everywhere including floating around in the toilet.

I'm hoping to hear from those of you who have lived with a macerator toilet for a while or are very familiar with them. Is this thing easily clogged and if it does get clogged, how hard is it to clear?

[holstein13]

jimroach wrote:
I have a dometic vaccuflush system in our Southwind. It includes a pump and the macerator. replaced it 4 times so far. we don't flush any toilet paper down it at all. I would never get a built in macerator in a rig ever again. Clogs in a heartbeat. I know this sounds very negative, but it is a horrid system, and a money pit, not to mention, you can't get the waste smell out from underneath your rig after it breaks.

Seeing how Dometic makes both the Vacuflush system and the Master Flush, I have to believe they are two completely different systems: http://www.dometicsanitation.com/International/PG-6985-VacuFlush-Toilet-Systems

[jimroach]

I have a dometic vaccuflush system in our Southwind. It includes a pump and the macerator. replaced it 4 times so far. we don't flush any toilet paper down it at all. I would never get a built in macerator in a rig ever again. Clogs in a heartbeat. I know this sounds very negative, but it is a horrid system, and a money pit, not to mention, you can't get the waste smell out from underneath your rig after it breaks.

[wa8yxm]

ScottG wrote:
I have this scary image in my mind of sitting on something with a grinder that close to my gentleman thingys.

The grinder is well removed from the area of concern, looking down into the bowl you could think you were sitting on the one at your house. Thus your... Parts,,, Are in no danger at all,

The macerator is far more powerful. My rig came with one, my wife used it almost exclusive got the rig new in 2005, went full time in 2009 (I think) and she died in 2013, Still works, but I use the Sea-land job in the other room.

[C-Bears]

The motor yachts we have had over the years always had macerators. You still need to use RV toilet paper though as has already been stated. The reason for them on a boat was because when you pump out your black holding tank you used a vacuum type suction hose at the docks. You didn't empty your black tank by gravity, or at least not legally.

[mlts22]

Sportsmobile has this as an option, if one wants to place the black tank in an easier spot for a unique floorplan. Were I to go with SMB, I'd definitely look at a macerator toilet, because it allows more flexibility with locating tanks... and that all the contents in the black tank would have been well shredded so I don't have to worry about solid TP.

[justlou]

Very common with 1 1/2 bath model MH's. Ours is located in the rear bath and has an adjustable water level. When we are on full hookups for extended periods I bump up the water level to get more water moving through the system. The advantage for these models is it only uses a 1 1/2 inch pipe (much easier to route) to move the waste into the black tank. Ours has functioned trouble free for as long as we have owned the coach. Keep the lid down to avoid hair from getting into the bowl. The toilet in our center bath is a conventional RV toilet that flushes directly into the black tank.

[YC_1]

Make sure no paper other than tp is ever flushed. We have been using ours since new in 2008 and it has never clogged. Check your manual for programming the buttons. I can set the water level on mine and can flush with little water or normal water.

[Mike_and_Trish]

ryegatevt wrote:
Add some extra water before you flush. Should not only help the flush but also the solids in the tank. Our macerator works when we dump, but we always add extra water.

Adding more water is always helpful for the tank, but of course makes the black tank fill faster, and uses more fresh water (only matters if you're dry camping). Our rig (w/bath and a half) actually has two macerating toilets, of different kinds for some reason, but both add water as they flush (on the "big job" button anyway), so I don't think any extra would be needed. And as someone said, if you have only macerating toilets, there's no "pyramid" buildup in your black tank. I find that my tank drains more thoroughly (and rinses clear faster) than on my previous rig, and as a bonus, there's no paper left to get stuck on the sides of the tank or wherever.

[prichardson]

It does the same thing as the one you hook to your drain connection only it is in the bottom of the toilet.

[Veebyes]

Very common on boats. Sounds like a blender on steriods.

If you are thinking of installing one look at a marine supplier like defender.com for models & links to makers for more information.

My boat has macerators at the toilet & on the discharge side of the holding tank.

[ryegatevt]

Add some extra water before you flush. Should not only help the flush but also the solids in the tank. Our macerator works when we dump, but we always add extra water.

[holstein13]

Thanks Old Biscuit. That's a good find on the diagram. I had read the manual but the only clue I found was a vague reference to foreign objects in the pump. They mention that we should close the seacock before clearing them. Obviously a reference to a marine installation.

Looking at the diagram, it appears as if the macerator is very similar if not the same as a regular macerator. There are two things that comfort me. 1) this is only one of two toilets in the MH and the kids toilet is a regular gravity fed device. and 2) the grey water tanks are not going through this. I suspect that the showers end up with more hairs in them than does the toilet.

[Chris_Bryant]

holstein13 wrote:
They are obviously not the same. The sewer macerator is very slow but this macerator toilet acts like a home toilet. When you flush the toilet, it moves the bowl contents out quickly and quietly.

I believe they are more alike than you think- the toilet is dealing with *far* less 'material' than pumping out the whole tank, plus the discharge is likely to be larger for the toilet- I would bet 1 1/2".

[Bumpyroad]

ScottG wrote:
I have this scary image in my mind of sitting on something with a grinder that close to my gentleman thingys.

I don't care who you are, that one was funny. (but true)
and the older you get, the closer it becomes.
bumpy