Vacuflush is tripping the breaker

[MaSnaka]

I spent the night on my boat last week and when I flipped the breakers on the vacu pump started cycling. I thought that was strange because that doesn't usually happen. When it stopped I didn't think much about it until I used the toilet and tried to flush...nothing. The breaker tripped. Tried resetting it and after 30 seconds of the pump cycling again it trips. No solids (#2's) go down the toilet only liquids (#1's). A month or two ago I had the holding tank emptied by a service company and the toilet has had little use since so the tank isn't full and it worked fine after the pump out.

Do you have any ideas on what I should do? I am having it hauled out on Monday for outdrive service. I'll see what the mechanic says but I know it will be $$$$ for him to fix.

Thanks,
John

 

[bahamabreisus]

You have a clog in the line, I know you say, no #2, but something has stopped it up. The pump could be bad also.

 

[Korkie]

When a breaker trips it is due to either a short in the electrical system or the motor / appliance it is sending power to is trying to pull to many amps, hence a motor that is running hot, not getting enough amps to satisfy its needs to function and asking for more than the breaker will allow. This can be something as simple as poor, loose or dirty connections.
I would start at the pump. With the breaker off. Disconnect it from the power source and see if your breaker trips. It probably will not in reading your explanation above, but you need to know you do not have a short between your breaker and the power supply for/at the pump. Next, if you have another 12vdc appliance such as a 12vdc fan, bilge pump, somethiing m0re than just a light that will pull a few amps - temporarily hook it to the power supply for the vacuflush pump and turn on the breaker. (Be sure to cover your connections). If everything runs fine, then your breaker is most likely fine as well. Now clean up the connections at your pump and re-attach to the power and see what happens. If the pump runs, see how long it runs and feel the motor and see if it gets unreasonably hot. If it does shut down again you will need to remove the pump from the system and try it without any resistance from the plunger it runs. It needs to run freely with no resistance. If it does not shut down, you need to clean the system where the plunger goes, then reinstall and try again. It may just have gotten dirty /crusty creating enough resistance to trip the breaker.
Don't just start throwing parts at it until you know the part you are replacing is causing the problem. If you are just a little mechanically inclined, you can troubleshoot this and fix it for very little cost.

 

[Lakeside Attraction Ohio]

I had the same problem with breaker tripping off. I replaced the 12V motor on the vacuflush unit and it fixed the problem.

 

[Korkie]

Not a fan of throwing parts at problems until I am sure the actual part is the problem. Sometimes you may replace something such as a motor, sensor, switch, etc and in the process of removing the old part and installing the new you may just have inadvertantly resucured a loose or dirty connection or replaced a functionaing sensor that is just dirty with a clean one. Cannot count the times on both hands that I repaired fellow Sea Ray owners vent window actuator failures. Take it apart, check for power at the source, clean and resecure the connectors and good to go. In this day and age, especially with the cost of anything marine, you need to be able to troubleshoot things to be sure you are not replacing a perfectly good part. Not saying that this motor isn't bad, but it must prove bad by ruling out the simple things before I will replace it.

 

[ttmott]

There's not a lot in the switches and wiring that can trip a circuit breaker - nothing really that can cause excessive current demand. Really two things - the circuit breaker is failing or the motor is beginning to draw excessive current.
Circuit breaker issues are becoming more and more common on our boats as they age - I've replaced several over the years. Also, I seem to remember some posts on the vacuflush motors as the gear box wears it tends to jamb up the motor causing it to trip circuit breakers. The fix was to reverse the motor wires and running it backwards gave some more life to the gearbox. But, it's a self-eating watermelon and will require replacement eventually, no doubt when you need it most...

 

[Korkie]

Hence: Investigate - Repair if possible - Replace. Even though I am able to get windshied actuators repaired, I do have a brand new one in cabin floor compartment. Same goes for fresh water pump, IAC, a coupe of breakers adn rocker switches, etc.

 

[MaSnaka]

Thanks all for your wisdom. I haven't had a chance to really get into the repair. When I do I will update my findings. Hopefully in the next week or two.

John

 

[MaSnaka]

Well I have been dreading this repair. I was on the hard for a couple weeks and now back in the water I am determined to get this toilet fixed. Ill go through the steps taken. I disconnected the wire at the pump to check the breaker and wiring for a short. No trip...good. Next while the power was still on I plugged the pump wires back together and about 3 labored cycles then whatever obstruction there was cleared and the RPMs of the pump increases and cleared the way making vaccuum and cycling off after about a minute. Pump motor never got hot or even warm. Back to normal operation. May have been the electric terminal wasnt making good enough contact so in re-attaching it, it improved. Yes I'm HAPPY!!

Thanks for your helpful advise on keeping it simple first.

 

[Korkie]

Glad to see it was something simple and it cost you $0. You will find these poor connections will come up from time to time especially in our older boats being in the invironment the are in. I have learned to always start with the connection any time I am troubleshooting and elctrical related issue, I disconnect, clean and reconnect the connections that are associated. I then know that system has clean and secure connections.

 

[mrsrobinson]

No solids (#2's) go down the toilet only liquids (#1's).

BTW, you want #2s in your holding tank

 

[Joakim Arnesson]

Had the same issue, but mine started tripping the breaker again after a while.
It was the motor.

Open the cover where the motor is a look for black oil around the "gearbox"
I pulled the motor and tried rotate by hand. Could feel heavy restistance at 1 point during the rotation.

New motor solved it.