My Dometic 975 MSD no longer pumps water into the bowl and has sprung a leak between the bowl and the holding tank. I'm looking for suggestions for a new porta pottie with an MSD pump out. I'm hoping to hear from those who have owned a relatively issue free model
Looking for recommendations for Porta Pottie with MSD
- Thread starter Project_Mayhem
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Wouldn't it be far easier and cheaper to repair the Dometic and replace the leaking sanitation hose ?
How old is your 975 MSD? The 976 MSD has been the current version for a couple of years. Dometic equipment is pretty good quality...I rarely here of the kind of problems you're having with their MSD potties...which is a good thing, because they're the only US mfr left who still makes MSD potties.
Plan B might be to buy a portable you like and install the pumpout and vent vent fittings in the tank yourself. It's not hard to do, thanks to a li'l gizmo called the Uniseal UNISEAL
--Peggie
Plan B might be to buy a portable you like and install the pumpout and vent vent fittings in the tank yourself. It's not hard to do, thanks to a li'l gizmo called the Uniseal UNISEAL
I'm pretty sure there is no hose between the bowl and the tank in a portapotty, Ralph.
--Peggie
I had one that stopped pumping. The problem was a check valve (little marlbe in a cone type). I think I found the replacement part for less than $5 on Amazon.
Here is a link to the parts list guidebook
Here is a link to the parts list guidebook
I've contacted over half a dozen dealers for parts but none of them ever got back to me with pricing and availability. Previously this model would only leak if it was over filled. Now it leaks whenever someone takes a leak unless the valve to the tank is open. The level indicator doesn't seem to work and when it did, it was difficult to read. There's no longer any flush water coming into the bowl. There is no sanitation hose between the bowl and the holding tank. It's simply a seal.
There's simply too many issues, especially for a unit that's only three years old. I'm hoping someone can recommend something that's been reliable for them
There's simply too many issues, especially for a unit that's only three years old. I'm hoping someone can recommend something that's been reliable for them
Thetford 550P MSD. They are no longer in production, but you can still find them out there.
The one on Amazon is NOT the MSD version. You don't see any fittings on it. And if you "visit the Thetford store," you won't find it the 550 MSD or portable.
However, if you like that one, buy it and install the pumpout an vent fittings in it yourself. I'll guide you through doing it.
--Peggie
However, if you like that one, buy it and install the pumpout an vent fittings in it yourself. I'll guide you through doing it.
--Peggie
A Brazilian years ago one of my product lines was Thedford sanitation. Their Porta potties were great. I bought a SeaRay with one connected to a macerator which was illegal to operate in Canada. I hooked it up to the deck outlet sitting unused. After 3 pump outs I bought a toilet and holding tank. Thedford eventually start to loose shape and the seal between tank and water tank go. They were ABS so the less sunlight and temperature changes they got the longer they would last.
I decided it was best to wait until spring time to replace the head. I store the boat at one of the yards on the south Chicago river. The city opens up the bridges as we travel through downtown all the way down to the South side. It's a lot of fun and a very unique view of the city. Inevitably someone has to go during that hot whiskey cider fueled adventure. Unfortunately there are no pump out stations on the river or at the yard. It seemed like a better idea for urine to sit in an old head over the winter than a new one. Last year the yard put some West Marine ExterminOdor in there. Zero smell! So last week I bought some and dumped it into the head alongside the undiluted urine. As of two days ago it smells minty fresh. So far this is working way, way better than Odorlos
I'm still interested in more recommendations for heads with MSD
I'm still interested in more recommendations for heads with MSD
Thanks to a li'l gizmo called the Uniseal UNISEAL, if you're at all handy with a hole saw "bit" on a power drill--and I'm pretty sure you are--It's actually fairly easy to turn any portable portapotty into the MSD version. You'd need to make 2 holes in the top of the tank--one for the vent (which I'd make 1" for better air exchange...you'd also need to replace the vent thru-hull with a 1" bulkhead fitting) and one for the pumpout line (1.5"). Your hose fittings will be sched 80 PVC--a short piece for the vent (you don't want it to be long enough inside the tank to ever be "under water") and a piece long enough to be "diptube" for the pumpout line. If you want to be able to dump at sea, a y-valve and manual or electric pump in the pumpout line.
Pick the potty you like best, use the best hose (SaniFlex.). Done deal for the cost of a couple of Uniseals, a little PVC pipe and some new hose.
--Peggie
It depends on how fancy you want to go. But doing something basic out of metal or even wood would not be difficult. The problem with the brackets as supplied is that they are plastic and far too flexible. I did not want a 5 gal. tank full of effluent flying across my cabin!
You can stand on the Thedford bracket. There is a permanent mount. I’ve seen them in drawers under V berths in small boats locked down with a flex pump out hose. They are way too cheap to reinvent the wheel and make one.
Not sure what bracket you have in mind, but the one that came with my 550P was totally inadequate and flexed alarmingly, particularly the aft bracket. No way would it securely hold a full porta potty in a seaway.
I tossed those forthwith and replaced the aft bracket with a solid wooden block and the forward bracket with one made out of stainless.
Unfortunately Thetford discontinued both their 550 and their 550P several years ago. The Dometic/SeaLand is the only MSD portapotty still sold in the US and I''m seeing enough complaints about it to continue recommending it.
However, if you're even slightly handy with a hole saw, it's not that hard to turn any portable portapotty into an MSD version. Note the location of the vent and pumput fittings on the Dometic tank...you can use a Uniseal and schedule 80 PVC pipe for the pumpout and vent hose fittings. I can walk you through the details.
AS for the brackets issue....Alan said,"No way would it securely hold a full porta potty in a seaway."
The solution for that: install a y-valve and an overboard discharge pump in the pumpout line and dump the tank the minute you reach waters where that's legal, reducing the stress on the brackets.
--Peggie
However, if you're even slightly handy with a hole saw, it's not that hard to turn any portable portapotty into an MSD version. Note the location of the vent and pumput fittings on the Dometic tank...you can use a Uniseal and schedule 80 PVC pipe for the pumpout and vent hose fittings. I can walk you through the details.
AS for the brackets issue....Alan said,"No way would it securely hold a full porta potty in a seaway."
The solution for that: install a y-valve and an overboard discharge pump in the pumpout line and dump the tank the minute you reach waters where that's legal, reducing the stress on the brackets.
--Peggie
I have mine plumbed through a macerator and dump when I'm 3 miles or more offshore. That is how I always empty it. Still, I don't consider that a solution to the flimsy brackets that come with the Thetford. The brackets are simply inadequate, and if it's blowing 30 knots when I'm leaving Avalon I don't want to worry about some tank breaking loose and effluent flying around the cabin before I can get myself 3 miles offshore to dump it. It's not as though fabricating some metal brackets is an especially difficult task. My view is install it once and install it right. Much better to overengineer it than under, especially when you are talking about potentially 40+ pounds of crap!
Anyway, as the sage Stu Jackson might (or might not) say, "Your cabin, your choice."
While technically true, I continue to see old stock for sale.
Other than the miserably inadequate brackets, which is an easily corrected problem, the unit itself is great.
I assume you meant that you no longer can recommend these units?
Thank you for your recommendation. I plan on buying a new, old stock 550. Also, thank you for removing the tracking part of the amazon URL