Commode (closet) Flange

klindgren

Retired Virginia Chapter Leaders
We were having problems with our camode not shutting off when the foot pedel was released. We had a local RV Mobile Repair service come out and they said our plastic flange was broken. They installed a "flange repair kit" but said it was only a temporary fix. It raised the toilet about an eighth of an inch so now the camode definetely does not shut off without putting your foot under the lever and pulling up. If you don't stand and watch that the water stops, you end up with an overflowing toilet and a flooded floor (don't ask me how I know :) )

Has anyone else experienced this problem? Is what the mobile repair guy said, that the original flange was plastic and how do you repalce that so the camode can sit flush on the floor?

Thanks
 

cookie

Administrator
Staff member
Re: Camode Flange

Wow, Keith, I'm not a plumbing expert but it sounds more like you need to replace the water valve.
What brand of toilet to you have?

Peace
Dave
 
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Gaffer

Well-known member
Re: Camode Flange

It is the toilet not the flange. Put a shutoff valve on it no matter what else you do, repair or replace.
 

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travelin2

Pennsylvania Chapter Leaders-retired
Re: Camode Flange

Ok. Keith said it won’t shutoff unless you lift up on the pedal so I don’t think it’s the valve. My guess is the “kit” has twisted the toilet base and not allowing the pedal/ball to close. That mechanism is spring loaded and follows a groove. Again I think it’s torqued and binding in said grooves which means removal inspection lubrication and likely adjustments especially when reinstalling.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

danemayer

Well-known member
Keith,

If it's a Dometic, you might just give them a call. Before calling, see if you can position your phone to take a picture of the model/serial label. I think it's on the side.
 

klindgren

Retired Virginia Chapter Leaders
Re: Camode Flange

It is the toilet not the flange. Put a shutoff valve on it no matter what else you do, repair or replace.
Your picture looks like our toilet (sort of) but when we had this problem a couple of years ago, the dealer just tightened the toilet to the floor and the problem went away. He said it was not tight to the flange, that's why I'm inclinded to believe the mobile repair guy that was here.

I like your idea of the shut-off valve, but I don't really want to turn the water off and on every time one of us needs to use the toilet.

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Ok. Keith said it won’t shutoff unless you lift up on the pedal so I don’t think it’s the valve. My guess is the “kit” has twisted the toilet base and not allowing the pedal/ball to close. That mechanism is spring loaded and follows a groove. Again I think it’s torqued and binding in said grooves which means removal inspection lubrication and likely adjustments especially when reinstalling. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thanks Lyle. I'm not sure about the twisting, but I will sure ask them to check that out when we get home.

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Keith,

If it's a Dometic, you might just give them a call. Before calling, see if you can position your phone to take a picture of the model/serial label. I think it's on the side.
Dan, I think it's a Thetford. I do not see any markings on the side or back of the toilet, but the toilet seat clearly says Thetford, therefore........

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What brand of toilet is giving you problems? If it’s a thetford i might have some insight.
I think so RoadJunkie
 

danemayer

Well-known member
I helped someone with a Thetford where the pedal would not return without help. He talked to Thetford support and had to replace the bottom half of the toilet. The plastic channel the parts moved within was worn. IIRC he spent nearly as much as the price of a Dometic 310 on Amazon.
 

travelin2

Pennsylvania Chapter Leaders-retired
Keith I’ve had some first hand experience, not with our toilet but, with Hank’s. Remember Hank?
Anyway for him, after he flooded his rig one night at a rally, I removed the toilet, then removed the bowl from the base, cleaned all the moving parts, using some vaseline lubed the moving parts, reassembled, and added a shutoff valve in the line for insurance. To my knowledge it worked forever after and Hank was forever grateful.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 

porthole

Retired
We were having problems with our camode not shutting off when the foot pedel was released. We had a local RV Mobile Repair service come out and they said our plastic flange was broken. They installed a "flange repair kit" but said it was only a temporary fix. It raised the toilet about an eighth of an inch so now the camode definetely does not shut off without putting your foot under the lever and pulling up. If you don't stand and watch that the water stops, you end up with an overflowing toilet and a flooded floor (don't ask me how I know :) )

Has anyone else experienced this problem? Is what the mobile repair guy said, that the original flange was plastic and how do you repalce that so the camode can sit flush on the floor?

Thanks

Hey Kieth, if your plumbing is the same as our Cyclone then the adapter on the floor that the toilet bolts down to, AKA closet flange, may very well be plastic and broken.

That is 3" ABS stuff and the repair might be a challenge, less so if you can get to the plumbing from below.

If you need repair parts for your Thetford, and the parts are more then $75-$100, I would replace the toilet. And if you go the Dometic route.
The 320 is ADA height compliant. And it has an elongated bowl and wood seat, two main differences between the 320 and 310.

You would most likely need a couple of plumbing parts, the Thetford's and Dometic's sometimes have opposite side water connections.
And skip the bowl with the sprayer as part of the kit. Instead buy a sink sprayer and tee it in above the shut off valve you are going to add.

The bowl with sprayer needs to foot pedal to be pressed for the sprayer to get water, as a result it has less pressure.

See

https://heartlandowners.org/showthread.php/11365-And-so-it-begins?p=414073&viewfull=1#post414073

And

https://heartlandowners.org/showthread.php/11365-And-so-it-begins?p=414078&viewfull=1#post414078
 

klindgren

Retired Virginia Chapter Leaders
I helped someone with a Thetford where the pedal would not return without help. He talked to Thetford support and had to replace the bottom half of the toilet. The plastic channel the parts moved within was worn. IIRC he spent nearly as much as the price of a Dometic 310 on Amazon.
Thanks Dan. After reading all of the responses, I think that's what I'm going to do. Just replace the Thetford with a Dometic 310 or 320 if that is possible. I'm just concerned about the clearance to the wall behind the toilet (I don't have a whole lot in the Newport.).

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Keith I’ve had some first hand experience, not with our toilet but, with Hank’s. Remember Hank?
Anyway for him, after he flooded his rig one night at a rally, I removed the toilet, then removed the bowl from the base, cleaned all the moving parts, using some vaseline lubed the moving parts, reassembled, and added a shutoff valve in the line for insurance. To my knowledge it worked forever after and Hank was forever grateful. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Thanks Lyle. I'm going to try to replace the whole toilet.

- - - Updated - - -

Hey Kieth, if your plumbing is the same as our Cyclone then the adapter on the floor that the toilet bolts down to, AKA closet flange, may very well be plastic and broken.
That is 3" ABS stuff and the repair might be a challenge, less so if you can get to the plumbing from below.
If you need repair parts for your Thetford, and the parts are more then $75-$100, I would replace the toilet. And if you go the Dometic route.
The 320 is ADA height compliant. And it has an elongated bowl and wood seat, two main differences between the 320 and 310.
You would most likely need a couple of plumbing parts, the Thetford's and Dometic's sometimes have opposite side water connections.
And skip the bowl with the sprayer as part of the kit. Instead buy a sink sprayer and tee it in above the shut off valve you are going to add.
The bowl with sprayer needs to foot pedal to be pressed for the sprayer to get water, as a result it has less pressure. See
https://heartlandowners.org/showthread.php/11365-And-so-it-begins?p=414073&viewfull=1#post414073
And
https://heartlandowners.org/showthread.php/11365-And-so-it-begins?p=414078&viewfull=1#post414078
Thanks Duane. My water supply line is almost directly behind the toilet, so hopefullly I won't have a problem switching to the Dometic. That's the route I'm going to explore when we get home. Really appreciate everybody's assistance.
 

mlpeloquin

Well-known member
Thanks Dan. After reading all of the responses, I think that's what I'm going to do. Just replace the Thetford with a Dometic 310 or 320 if that is possible. I'm just concerned about the clearance to the wall behind the toilet (I don't have a whole lot in the Newport.).

- - - Updated - - -


Thanks Lyle. I'm going to try to replace the whole toilet.

- - - Updated - - -


Thanks Duane. My water supply line is almost directly behind the toilet, so hopefullly I won't have a problem switching to the Dometic. That's the route I'm going to explore when we get home. Really appreciate everybody's assistance.

Replaced my Thetford toilet with the Dometic 310. The Thetford had about 3/4" clearance from the wall. The Dometic 310 ended up with 1/4" clearance. The water line to the Thetford was perfect for it, but had to move about 1/2" forward for the Dometic. There was plenty of slack in the PEX line for distance, but it is stiff and the connection is close to the floor. PEX will and is bendable with heat. So I heated it up carefully and formed it to attached to the Dometic inlet.
 

Gaffer

Well-known member
Re: Camode Flange

It is the toilet not the flange. Put a shutoff valve on it no matter what else you do, repair or replace.

The 310 as shown in my post with the shutoff valve photo needs 10 inches from the wall. The 320 needs 11 inches.
 

porthole

Retired
Nice. I didn’t know Hank long but he certainly left an impression with me


My sentiments exactly.

Some of my fondest rally memories was time spent with Hank & Phyllis.
Many times it was a post rally dinner, helping him with his latest dilemma or just discussing the ways of world through two far apart but significant military positions - The captain/commander and the chief.
 
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