Cleaning black gunk in toilet flush reserve

by MarieJ Wed May 17, 2017 12:38 pm

I am out in the rain trying to fix toilet. All is apart and there is horrible black gunk on everything. I would like to clean it as quick as possible using household items. Please advise a good quick solution. I have read about dishwasher tablets, bleach, milton, vinegar, baking soda.
Any anvice would be most welcome. I have the pump in a bucket to clean it.

by bikeralw Wed May 17, 2017 12:44 pm

Bio washing liquid is as good as anything for getting rid of the black deposits. Use it diluted in the flush tank whenever you fill it up.
Al.

by Peter Brown Wed May 17, 2017 1:06 pm

bikeralw wrote:Bio washing liquid is as good as anything for getting rid of the black deposits. Use it diluted in the flush tank whenever you fill it up.
Al.

I was just going to posts the same.

by MarieJ Wed May 17, 2017 2:12 pm

Thanks, back out into the rain. I also discovered that the drain system is pretty rubbish. I am trying to use a funnel attached to some pipe to direct the water out. My pump still fails to work in the bucket of water, tried checking the switch, fuse etc. Is it worth giving the pump some persuasion with a rubber mallet?

by bikeralw Wed May 17, 2017 2:24 pm

I've never had occasion to remove my pump, so far it's behaved fine. There is a thread on here somewhere about flush pumps. Can you get to the business end and turn the shaft with a cocktail stick or something, just to check it rotates.
Al.

by Alf Wed May 17, 2017 2:24 pm

The Black Gunk is Bio Film the only way to clear this is with a solution of bleach and warm water do a 25% solution and either soak items in this or rebuild the toilet and fill the flush tank with your mixture allow to stand overnight and flush the next day several rinses to clear the solution.
Bio Film is caused by standing water usually with the addition of a toilet flush product. Once Bio Film has occurred unless killed by bleach it will keep occurring as the water warms in hot weather.

Alf

by rogerblack Wed May 17, 2017 2:46 pm

Thetford Aqua Rinse pink fluid used to be a culprit for causing this. The latest composition is OK apparently - Aqua Rinse Plus on the bottle lets you know it's new, not old stock.

by MarieJ Wed May 17, 2017 2:54 pm

The shaft was stiff, I managed to free it and the pump worked for a short spurt of water. The shaft looks like it is sitting quite high on the metal needle/pin. Should I try to pull it down with long nose pliers or spray some lubricant in to free it?

by dbroada Wed May 17, 2017 3:02 pm

rogerblack wrote:Thetford Aqua Rinse pink fluid used to be a culprit for causing this. The latest composition is OK apparently - Aqua Rinse Plus on the bottle lets you know it's new, not old stock.

and I recently bought a bottle of Rinse Plus from Halfords which was even cheaper than Amazon.

by MarieJ Wed May 17, 2017 5:26 pm

I used a pair of long nose pliers to rotate the shaft a few times. The pump is now pumping water. I am soaking the water reservoir with a solution of laundry liquid and bleach.
Is it advisable to clean/soak the pump in laundry liquid to also clean it out properly or should this be avoided?
Thanks for help so far
Marie.

by Peter Brown Wed May 17, 2017 5:58 pm

Bleach is a very aggressive chemical, I really would avoid using it anywhere in/on your van. Now the pump is running the trick is to use it regularly. If your not using the van go in and give it a squirt every couple of weeks.

by bikeralw Wed May 17, 2017 7:46 pm

Bio washing liquid worked for me, no need for bleach, used regularly it's got rid of the black bits completely, and as a bonus it seems to act as a lubricant for the pump, it seems to run sweeter than ever. I won't be going back to pink fluid, new formulation or not.
Regarding your pump Marie, I wouldn't imagine soaking it in your solution will do any harm.
Al.

by MarieJ Thu May 18, 2017 11:44 pm

i have just been out, checked and pump is still working and reservoir tank nice and clean with no blackness. What I have noticed is that on emptying the flush reservoir via the rubber bung at the bottom some water enter the area below where the toilet cassette lives. Some water then disappears down the crevices. Should I be worried about this or will it find its way out?
I have been attaching a funnel and plastic pipe to direct the water away from the van but some still escapes.
Thanks for all of the wonderful help and advice on this matter which has helped a great deal.
Marie J

by bikeralw Fri May 19, 2017 10:02 am

This has been mentioned before, and a member came up with this ingenious solution. I still stick to the funnel method, but like you say, some water always escapes, it doesn't drain away in my cassette locker though, spillage has to be mopped out or it just stays there. Maybe a previous owner has drilled a drain hole in yours.
https://www.autosleeper-ownersforum.com/search?search_keywords=flush+tank+drain&sid=&q=&domains=www.autosleeper-ownersforum.com&sitesearch=www.autosleeper-ownersforum.com&client=&forid=1&ie=utf-8&oe=utf-8&hl=en&cof=GALT%3A%23105289%3BGL%3A1%3BDIV%3A%23ebeadd%3BVLC%3A%23105289%3BAH%3Acenter%3BBGC%3A%23ecf3f7%3BLBGC%3A%23ebeadd%3BALC%3A%23368ad2%3BLC%3A%23105289%3BT%3A%23575757%3BGFNT%3A%23105289%3BGIMP%3A%23105289%3BFORID%3A11&search_terms=all&search_author=&search_where=-1&search_time=0&show_results=posts&sort_by=0&sort_dir=DESC&google=

by PLOUGHLIN Fri May 19, 2017 1:55 pm

You can even get a FREE sample from here http://www.greatbearhealthcare.co.uk/our-products/libra-lever-catheter-valve

by MarieJ Sat May 20, 2017 12:33 am

When doing a final refit test today I poured 5 litres into the reservoir tank and then heard strange leaking type noises. I had forgotten to re insert the rubber drain bung. Water seemed to exit via the waste water drain tap but also collected in the cassette area.
The medical contaption looks like a good idea..

by PennyandDerek Sat May 20, 2017 3:57 pm

I am pleased to report that this drain valve mod has now done over four years in service.

https://www.autosleeper-ownersforum.com/t6359-c200cwe-flush-tank-drain-valve-mod?highlight=Search+++++c200cwe

Still getting a few black bits despite using bio liquid........must have a go at Alf's "...kill the bio film..." technique.

Derek

by MarieJ Mon Jun 05, 2017 12:48 am

Thanks for the latest information Derek.
We have just returned from a trip to Hertfordshire and the toilet flushed a treat with bio wash liquid. I will use up the remainder of the pink/black stuff and never use again.
Thanks for all of the great advice.
MJ

by MarieJ Thu Jun 08, 2017 12:34 am

Re: Re: Cleaning black gunk in toilet flush reserve

by PLOUGHLIN on Fri May 19, 2017 1:55 pm

You can even get a FREE sample from here http://www.greatbearhealthcare.co.uk/our-products/libra-lever-catheter-valve

_____________Free sample arrived a couple of days later, thanks a million!____

by Paramedic Thu Jun 08, 2017 8:46 am

Quite the opposite to the problem of a failed pump, ours appears to be over excited. More often than not even with the briefest touch, the rinse solution spills over the rim of the toilet bowl onto the floor. Eventually solved this problem with a strip of self adhesive draft excluder. allthumbz