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Post by Deleted on May 20, 2017 12:48:45 GMT
I put a Lavac toilet in my barge a couple of years ago. Its plumbed to a holding tank and flush water is drawn from a small header tank with float switch and solenoid valve which I designed myself.
Anyway it works really well but as it has water sitting in it after flushing (like a domestic toilet) the bowl has become a bit scaled and discoloured. I don't use any toilet chemicals as I don't wish to kill the "good bacteria" in the tank. I'd like to descale the bowl with Spirits of Salt (30% hydrochloric acid) but I wonder if that will mess up the bacteria situation.
Or is there another more common solution. The transfer pump is a manual Lavac diaphram pump more or less the same as a Henderson pump. This is also slightly scaled as the flap valves leak a bit. Not a big problem but the discolouration of the ceramic bowl is a bit naff.
What do others do aboat this.
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Post by lollygagger on May 20, 2017 12:51:48 GMT
Take it pieces, clean with what works, rinse. You know it's the answer.
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Post by Deleted on May 20, 2017 13:03:15 GMT
Rubber gloves, some Jiff, a scouring pad and some elbow grease.
Sitting here smugly happy that I haven't had to pay anybody to take my effluent away (or carry it away myself) for the last 10 years.
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Post by Saltysplash on May 20, 2017 13:06:50 GMT
If you hadnt wanted to use chemicals i wouldve recomended Harpic Power Plus Max.
Its the Donkeys Cock which is simialr to the dogs Bollox only bigger
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Post by Deleted on May 20, 2017 13:09:00 GMT
Rubber gloves, some Jiff, a scouring pad and some elbow grease. Sitting here smugly happy that I haven't had to pay anybody to take my effluent away (or carry it away myself) for the last 10 years. I don't pay extra for pumpout. I was a dedicated porta potti man until I went on a mooring (woman and kids issues) with pumpout included, hence my fitting the Lavac. I'll go back to the shit suitcase when I eventually get off the mooring. I've cleaned it with a scourer before (no rubber gloves though) but it can scratch the enamel a bit.
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Post by Deleted on May 20, 2017 13:21:45 GMT
Spirits of salt will mess up the bacteria situation. Scrubbing with slightly scratch the enamel and cause more scaling/dirt to collect in the future.
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Post by JohnV on May 20, 2017 14:01:11 GMT
the only thing I know that might help without causing too much distress to bacteria, is soaking in white vinegar. soak for as long as possible then use a brush. It seems to soften the scale even if it does not remove it completely on it's own.
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Post by smileypete on May 20, 2017 18:36:25 GMT
Or phosphoric acid - cheap diet coke?
Failng that Kilrock 'big k' kettle descaler, ISTR it's based on formic acid, probably not too harmful to metals and septic tanks.
Citric acid is another one, used it on coffee machines, but very slow unless hot water is used.
Would have thought the chlorine/chorides in hydrochoric acid may damage any metals and kill bugs.
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Post by Deleted on May 20, 2017 19:16:03 GMT
Or phosphoric acid - cheap diet coke? Failng that Kilrock 'big k' kettle descaler, ISTR it's based on formic acid, probably not too harmful to metals and septic tanks. Citric acid is another one, used it on coffee machines, but very slow unless hot water is used. Would have thought the chlorine/chorides in hydrochoric acid may damage any metals and kill bugs. Good idea about the cola. I'll try that! I can empty the bowl completely by not closing the lid as its a Lavac. then pour a couple of litres of tesco finest cola in. Worth a go. I also think the hydrochloric might be the wrong thing for a toilet with a holding tank.
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Post by Deleted on May 20, 2017 19:17:18 GMT
the only thing I know that might help without causing too much distress to bacteria, is soaking in white vinegar. soak for as long as possible then use a brush. It seems to soften the scale even if it does not remove it completely on it's own. Will give it a go. .
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Post by Deleted on May 20, 2017 19:33:33 GMT
Or phosphoric acid - cheap diet coke? Failng that Kilrock 'big k' kettle descaler, ISTR it's based on formic acid, probably not too harmful to metals and septic tanks. Citric acid is another one, used it on coffee machines, but very slow unless hot water is used. Would have thought the chlorine/chorides in hydrochoric acid may damage any metals and kill bugs. then pour a couple of litres of tesco finest cola in. Worth a go. I'm no expert but this does seem a bad idea to me. Might be ok if all fittings/tank are plastic and/or you gave the system a good flush out afterwards. How big is the tank and how often does it need emptying? I could go for a swim in mine and if it gets a bit smelly a dead sheep gets added so I'm trying to scale my thoughts down a bit.
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Post by bargemast on May 20, 2017 19:35:20 GMT
I put a Lavac toilet in my barge a couple of years ago. Its plumbed to a holding tank and flush water is drawn from a small header tank with float switch and solenoid valve which I designed myself. Anyway it works really well but as it has water sitting in it after flushing (like a domestic toilet) the bowl has become a bit scaled and discoloured. I don't use any toilet chemicals as I don't wish to kill the "good bacteria" in the tank. I'd like to descale the bowl with Spirits of Salt (30% hydrochloric acid) but I wonder if that will mess up the bacteria situation. Or is there another more common solution. The transfer pump is a manual Lavac diaphram pump more or less the same as a Henderson pump. This is also slightly scaled as the flap valves leak a bit. Not a big problem but the discolouration of the ceramic bowl is a bit naff. What do others do aboat this. Lavac's always used to be supplied with the Henderson MK-V diaphram pumps, did that change ?
for the descaling without messing up the bactria situation, if everything else fails, give it a go with a needle hammer, that will get rid of any scaling and most likely of your lovely toilet bowl at the same time, you can't win them all, can you ?
Peter.
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Post by smileypete on May 20, 2017 19:40:51 GMT
Or phosphoric acid - cheap diet coke? Failng that Kilrock 'big k' kettle descaler, ISTR it's based on formic acid, probably not too harmful to metals and septic tanks. Citric acid is another one, used it on coffee machines, but very slow unless hot water is used. Would have thought the chlorine/chorides in hydrochoric acid may damage any metals and kill bugs. Good idea about the cola. I'll try that! I can empty the bowl completely by not closing the lid as its a Lavac. then pour a couple of litres of tesco finest cola in. Worth a go. I also think the hydrochloric might be the wrong thing for a toilet with a holding tank. Give the coke overnight at least. Hydrochloric attacks everything, not just the limescale! OK with glazed porcelain but that's about it...
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Post by Deleted on May 20, 2017 19:45:59 GMT
then pour a couple of litres of tesco finest cola in. Worth a go. I'm no expert but this does seem a bad idea to me. Might be ok if all fittings/tank are plastic and/or you gave the system a good flush out afterwards. How big is the tank and how often does it need emptying? I could go for a swim in mine and if it gets a bit smelly a dead sheep gets added so I'm trying to scale my thoughts down a bit. All fittings and tank are plastic. Its a tiny tank only 100 litres (deliberate strategy as pumpout is included with the mooring and when boat leaves mooring it is back to the shit suitcase). Pumped about every 3 or 4 days so there is good turnover.
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Post by Deleted on May 20, 2017 19:49:07 GMT
I put a Lavac toilet in my barge a couple of years ago. Its plumbed to a holding tank and flush water is drawn from a small header tank with float switch and solenoid valve which I designed myself. Anyway it works really well but as it has water sitting in it after flushing (like a domestic toilet) the bowl has become a bit scaled and discoloured. I don't use any toilet chemicals as I don't wish to kill the "good bacteria" in the tank. I'd like to descale the bowl with Spirits of Salt (30% hydrochloric acid) but I wonder if that will mess up the bacteria situation. Or is there another more common solution. The transfer pump is a manual Lavac diaphram pump more or less the same as a Henderson pump. This is also slightly scaled as the flap valves leak a bit. Not a big problem but the discolouration of the ceramic bowl is a bit naff. What do others do aboat this. Lavac's always used to be supplied with the Henderson MK-V diaphram pumps, did that change ?
for the descaling without messing up the bactria situation, if everything else fails, give it a go with a needle hammer, that will get rid of any scaling and most likely of your lovely toilet bowl at the same time, you can't win them all, can you ?
Peter.
I think its a Henderson pump but it says Lavac so not entirely sure its identical which is why I said more or less the same. I assume its the same thing but rebranded. But, Assumption is the mother of all "awkward situations" as they say. Interesting idea about using a needle gun for the cleaning - do you think a rotating blaster would do it? I expect a pressure washer would be effective but might make a bit of a mess.
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