Vacuflush and vinegar

E

ErikE

Well-Known Member
Dec 26, 2020
459
Northern Michigan
Boat Info
1986 Sea Ray 340 SD
Engines
Twin 454
Probably old news and I am the latest to learn it...

Had to replace the ball valve and seal in my vacuflush toilet due to it leaking constantly and never being able to leave the head on.

I was all excited after replacing the parts that the new ball and seal were working and golding vacuum.

Unfortunately 2 minutes later rhe pump came on meaning I had another leak somewhere. I had replaced the duckbills late last year and dreaded the search for the leak.

A fella at the clubhouse said he uses vinegar twice a season to keep things working.

I shut the water off, dumped in half a gallon of vinegar in, flushed and ran the pump for just a couple seconds to get it in the system.

Let it sit for the day and overnight. Flushed it normally and it is working great. Holding vacuum after flushing several times and now for 6 hours. I call it a success and didn't have to go yanking more things apart.
 
I may have to do this just to keep it working normally.
 
Sounds like a darn good idea!
 
I’m glad the vinegar worked, but before you go much further or everybody starts doing this, maybe just check out a little more info on it. Leaving it in your system too long might come back to haunt you.
There is a marine sanitation expert named Peggie Hall who has covered this.
Google “Peggie Hall headmistress” if you don’t know who she is.
You might then try her name coupled with vinegar in marine sanitation device.
I have one of her books.
Just an fyi that’s all. Happy boating.
 
Agreed, I am not a fan of putting anything into the holding tank/sanitation system that wasn't meant to be there.
 
my3sons said:
I’m glad the vinegar worked, but before you go much further or everybody starts doing this, maybe just check out a little more info on it. Leaving it in your system too long might come back to haunt you.
There is a marine sanitation expert named Peggie Hall who has covered this.
Google “Peggie Hall headmistress” if you don’t know who she is.
You might then try her name coupled with vinegar in marine sanitation device.
I have one of her books.
Just an fyi that’s all. Happy boating.
Click to expand...

I live on my boat 5 out of 7 days a week. Get my tank pumped every 2-3 weeks if it needs it or not.

Vinegar has been used for so many purposes over hundreds of years. In particular for cleaning. Especially good at removing crystallized minerals.

Ever use vinegar to clean a coffee pot and other items with hrd water impacts?

Vinegar is about the least problem we have putting into a waste system that gets emptied often.

If I am wrong...the worst thing will be me having to replace the same parts and cleaning the same system I would have had to without it.
 
Peggie’s post from another cruiser forum:

Don't leave vinegar sitting ANYwhere in the system

Use only a cupful, and flush it all the way through the system. It's a "rinse," not a "leave in." As long as the vinegar is flushed all the way through the system, it won't harm anything. It's only when rubber is allowed to sit and soak in vinegar for a while that it can damage them...they absorb it, swell up and distort. That's why I'm careful to say, flush it all the way through...don't leave it sitting in the bowl OR the hoses.
 
ErikE said:
Probably old news and I am the latest to learn it...

Had to replace the ball valve and seal in my vacuflush toilet due to it leaking constantly and never being able to leave the head on.

I was all excited after replacing the parts that the new ball and seal were working and golding vacuum.

Unfortunately 2 minutes later rhe pump came on meaning I had another leak somewhere. I had replaced the duckbills late last year and dreaded the search for the leak.

A fella at the clubhouse said he uses vinegar twice a season to keep things working.

I shut the water off, dumped in half a gallon of vinegar in, flushed and ran the pump for just a couple seconds to get it in the system.

Let it sit for the day and overnight. Flushed it normally and it is working great. Holding vacuum after flushing several times and now for 6 hours. I call it a success and didn't have to go yanking more things apart.
Click to expand...
If you want to keep your vacuflush toilet and holding tank in top-notch condition, I highly recommend giving big orange holding tank filters a try. They are the best choice, especially if you want to save time and effort in the long run.
The Big Orange holding tank filter is designed with high-quality materials that provide exceptional filtration efficiency. Its long lifespan saves you the hassle of frequent replacements. The filter is designed for simple and straightforward installation. You won't have to worry about frequent cleaning or replacements, making it a convenient and hassle-free solution for your marine sanitation system. It's the perfect choice for boat owners looking for a reliable and efficient solution to maintain their onboard toilet and holding tank.
Fig 1 (1).png
 

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bigorangefilter said:
If you want to keep your vacuflush toilet and holding tank in top-notch condition, I highly recommend giving big orange holding tank filters a try. They are the best choice, especially if you want to save time and effort in the long run.
The Big Orange holding tank filter is designed with high-quality materials that provide exceptional filtration efficiency. Its long lifespan saves you the hassle of frequent replacements. The filter is designed for simple and straightforward installation. You won't have to worry about frequent cleaning or replacements, making it a convenient and hassle-free solution for your marine sanitation system. It's the perfect choice for boat owners looking for a reliable and efficient solution to maintain their onboard toilet and holding tank. View attachment 147852
Click to expand...
An advertisement is not what the OP (or any of us) was looking for. Your orange vent filter is certainly NOT going to help him fix a leak in his vacuum system.
 
brewster16 said:
An advertisement is not what the OP (or any of us) was looking for. Your orange vent filter is certainly NOT going to help him fix a leak in his vacuum system.
Click to expand...
It's the panacea for everything boat related...I am pulling one of my CATs out and replacing it with one, or two, or...
 
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