Toilet Upgrade

Hunter11

Well-known member
The Thetford Aqua Magic toilet in our Landmark is beginning to leak water at the ball seal and the flush pedal hangs from time to time. Since it is one month out of warranty and we will have to buy a new one we want to look at installing a Dometic 310. Just wondering if anyone has made this swap and if so is it as straight forward as removing the old one and setting the new one in its place with a new seal and hooking up the water supply. Thanks for any help.
 

rxbristol

Well-known member
I'm curious what some of the responses are to your inquiry. I do know that removing the toilet is just like a house one...two nuts and a water supply, but it weighs A LOT less. You will need a new seal. Since you will have it disconnected, go ahead and install a shutoff valve to the supply line.
 

Hunter11

Well-known member
Rex, After doing a little more research I think they would swap out and the bolts line up. The new toilet comes with a new seal and I agree with you on installing a shutoff valve while the toilet is out of the way. Maybe we will get some responses from those that have made the swap.
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
Just curious. Being only one month out of warranty, have you tried calling Thetford for some assistance? Sometimes, a manufacturer will bend the rule a little. Worth a shot, at the least.
 

oldmannj

Well-known member
JUST replaced the thetford with a Dometic and IT IS that easy!!! Took longer to unpack the new toilet than to install it. Your new should come with a seal as ours did. Only wish I had thought about the shutoff when I put the toilet in. Now I'm thinking I should go ahead and put in the shutoff as well. Forge ahead my friend no problems EVERYTHING lined up perfectly!!!! ED.
On edit I did have to put in an elbow as the dometic is supplied from the other side of the toilet on our application. $3 at home depot for the fitting and 6" of pex tubing. Good luck with it but a really easy upgrade. ED.
 

danemayer

Well-known member
X2 on calling Thetford. Even if it's out of warranty by a month, they may very well ship you a free replacement.
 

MCTalley

Well-known member
Another successful swap story. We've replaced three Thetfords with Dometic 320s. Not sure if the 310 has the same footprint as the 320, but be aware that the 320 at least is more oval in shape (looking straight down from the top) than the Thetford.

What that means is that if the back of your Thetford is very near the wall already (within less than, say, an inch and a half), the Dometic may or may not just drop in. It fit fine in our previous rig (Big Country 3690SL) and in the half bath of our current rig (3950FB). However, our front/main bathroom toilet sat at a 45 degree angle to the wall and was rather close already. The 320 ended up pushed into the wallboard and adjusted to less of an angle to make it fit.

As someone else mentioned, the water line won't line up with the Dometic. Be prepared to add a 90 and a few inches of pex to get it back in line. I added cutoffs to ours while I was doing that adjustment.
 

JohnD

Moved on to the next thing...
Interesting . . .

Our 2013 Heartland Trail Runner bumper pull had a shut-off valve on the toilet from the factory, yet our new 2015 Heartland Prowler and apparently many other Heartland 5th-wheelers, don't have the factory installed toilet shut-off valve.

Maybe it is because of the black tank back flush feature, Heartland figures we don't need the shut-off valve.

I always wanted to put a shut-off on the outside shower, and will probably do both on our new Prowler.
 

Hunter11

Well-known member
Already called Thetford and no dice on warranty on it. That is fine as the Thetford Aqua Magic is just an entry level toilet according to the support person I talked to and their web site.

On the difference between the Dometic 310 and 320 the Sealand person I talked to yesterday said they are the same except the 320 has a wood seat (the seat on the 310 can be swapped for one later). I expected to have to add and elbow or two and have some PEX tubing and fittings from installing a home facet on the bathroom sink. I guess we will try and get one on order. Thanks for all the helpful hints!
 

TravelTiger

Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
I believe the 310 has a round bowl while the 320 is elongated.

There are a few other differences between the 310 and 320, the bowl's rinse flow pattern is different and supposed to be more effective. It also feels slightly taller.

The bases, however, are the exact same, so the flush ball, seal, water valve and pedal components are the same.

We plan to upgrade to 320, since our 310's flap that holds the water in the bowl has cracked.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

danemayer

Well-known member
I talked to the Dometic Rep at the rally this morning. The 320 is 3 inches longer. 1" at the back and 2" at the front. So when you mount it to the floor, you'll need an extra inch in back. You know the old saying: "measure twice...."
 

Hunter11

Well-known member
The 320 is 3 inches longer. 1" at the back and 2" at the front.

This is the reason we ordered a 310 last night. In our bathroom layout the extra 2" in the front would have cut down the room between the front of the toilet and the sink cabinet.

We did not get the spray option, the wife did not want it.
 

porthole

Retired
We swapped for a 310 Dometic but make sure you get the spray option .

You can add that option yourself before the toilet and not lose pressure by having to open the toilet valve.
Less then $20 at Home Depot.

Toilet spray nozzle

Dometic 320 upgrade
 

Hunter11

Well-known member
Installed the new Dometic 310 yesterday. So far we feel it is a much better toilet than the Thetford unit that was factory installed and twice the warranty. The total install time was about an hour due to having to reroute the water line. We wish we could have gone with the 320 but we could not afford to lose 2" between the front of the toilet and the bathroom sink cabinet due to the oblong bowl.
 
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