I stalled the fresh water Raritan elegance toilet 6 months ago. After the install I found the toilet would backfill after emptying. Raitan informed me the initial heads had a check valve that was weak and they redesigned it. They sent me the redesign and it worked fine for 6 months then the backflow started back. I am in a Marina so have never used the toilet for any solids of any kind. Only ko used in the system. Raritan is sending two new check valves to fix the problem. It seems to be quite an inconvenince to pull the toilet and replace the valve every 6 months of weekend occasional usage. Has anyone experienced a similar problem? The lift distance to the holding tank is only 4-5 feet. Thanks
raritan elegance check valve
- Thread starter delaney1142
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Problems with the Elegance are RARE! And I agree that it shouldn't be necessary to replace anything every 6 months, or more often than every year or two.
I emailed a "mayday" to Vic Willman, tech services mgr at Raritan who helps out here as "Headmaster." He should be along shortly.
I emailed a "mayday" to Vic Willman, tech services mgr at Raritan who helps out here as "Headmaster." He should be along shortly.
I see you're in the Houston area, and I'd bet a good cigar that your toilet flushes with raw water. I don't think it's a parts failure at all. The Gulf has in it, in additon to all the recent oil, dissolved calcium which settles out and forms white deposits inside all the plumbing that is exposed to it, that have the consistency of concrete. These deposits coat the inside of all the plumbing that is exposed to the raw outside water. In your case, my guess is that the deposits are hampering the proper action of the joker valves in the toilet (the referenced check valves - it has two). They are supposed to be self-cleaning, but a mineral buildup can stop them from operating properly. The Gulf is notorious for having these deposits, and they usually accumulate in six month intervals. First, 1) try flushing the toilet for a longer period of time each time it is flushed, then 2) As Peggie has been suggesting for years, a cup of white vinegar added to the toilet weekly (no more often than that) will retard the buildup of the calcium deposits and help to keep things working smoothly.
If the toilet flushes with pressurized water from your onboard pressure system, I'm not sure what's going on. But I'd have to think it also has something to do with the water that is going through it.
If the toilet flushes with pressurized water from your onboard pressure system, I'm not sure what's going on. But I'd have to think it also has something to do with the water that is going through it.
I have an Elegance freshwater model that I installed in early 2009 which has been working flawlessly for me. As a liveaboard I use it consistently. The toilet is a dream, and I have no backfill problems at all. It must be something else.
Denise
mv Hannah B
Portland, OR
Denise
mv Hannah B
Portland, OR
Thanks for the replies. I have the freshwater model. Maybe just got a couple of weak check valves. The run from the toilet is up about two feet then horizontal another two feet then up 2-3 more feet before entering the holding tank. Thanks again
You have a lot of uphill plumbing...
And it's funny thing about liquids...they all insist on running DOWNhill...right back to your toilet! After a couple of months , the slit in the joker valve gets stretched a micromilimeter...and a little slow seepage starts that increases as the wear on the joker opens up the slit more. So the answer may be to figure out how to eliminate all that waste or flush water in the plumbing between the toilet and the tank.
Do you have the the 4 option "smart flush" panel? If so, using the dry mode more and longer should help move bowl contents all the way to the tank.
Or...the answer may be to reroute the discharge hose so that you have a loop (not necessarily vented, just an arch) immediately after the toilet that's higher the tank. You'd only have to flush long enough to move bowl contents over the top of the arch...gravity will get it the rest of the way to the tank. That can really increase the number of flushes a tank can hold 'cuz it really cuts down on the amount of flush water needed.
The Elegance has a very powerful pump, so either solution should work.
And it's funny thing about liquids...they all insist on running DOWNhill...right back to your toilet! After a couple of months , the slit in the joker valve gets stretched a micromilimeter...and a little slow seepage starts that increases as the wear on the joker opens up the slit more. So the answer may be to figure out how to eliminate all that waste or flush water in the plumbing between the toilet and the tank.
Do you have the the 4 option "smart flush" panel? If so, using the dry mode more and longer should help move bowl contents all the way to the tank.
Or...the answer may be to reroute the discharge hose so that you have a loop (not necessarily vented, just an arch) immediately after the toilet that's higher the tank. You'd only have to flush long enough to move bowl contents over the top of the arch...gravity will get it the rest of the way to the tank. That can really increase the number of flushes a tank can hold 'cuz it really cuts down on the amount of flush water needed.
The Elegance has a very powerful pump, so either solution should work.
Peggy, Thanks for the response. I have only used the empty water button by holding the button down until the water leaves the bowl ,thinking pumping while the bowl was dry would damage the pump. If I follow you I don't have to be concerned with pumping for a longer time after the bowl appears dry. This may help.
Don't get carried away with dry-flushing it - no more than 15 seconds at a time. Otherwise the motor shaft spinning inside the rubber seal will heat up from friction, and you will get premature seal failure. The plumbing run you've described certainly isn't a layout made in heaven! Peggie is correct in suggesting that you go straight up coming out of the head, to a point higher than any other point in the sanitation lines, then go off from there. Any way you can simplify the way the hoses are being run, the better.
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