RV toilets are essential to any recreational vehicle, providing a convenient and hygienic way to dispose of waste while on the road. However, one of the common issues they may encounter is a malfunctioning foot pedal, which can be rather frustrating.
Problems with the RV toilet flush pedal can occur without warning. Fortunately, you can learn how to repair RV toilet foot pedal to flush the contents inside the commode.
In this article, we’ll share how to troubleshoot a problematic RV toilet foot pedal and propose solutions. Please read on.
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Instruction to Repair RV Toilet Foot Pedal
1. What to prepare
Fixing RV toilet problems requires resources (i.e., tools and materials) specific to the issue. In most cases, you’ll need hardware to remove fasteners. We’ll identify these materials in the following section.
2. Detailed steps
RV toilet troubleshooting is easy if you’re systematic in your approach. It would also be wise to check your manual for recommendations and guidelines.
Note that manufacturers might feature proprietary technologies in their RV toilet foot pedals. As such, Thetford units might require a different troubleshooting approach than a Dometic toilet.
Reading the manual will help you identify the issue with a toilet foot pedal specific to the RV toilet brand and model.
Solution 1. Fix the leaky RV toilet foot pedal.
An issue you’ll encounter is an RV toilet foot pedal leaking. You’ll notice moisture or a water puddle around the pedal’s base. This issue often results from pipe obstructions, deteriorating gaskets, or faulty seals.
Here’s how to fix an RV toilet leaking at foot pedal.
- Use a pipe wrench to loosen the nuts and hose connections and remove these fixtures from the RV toilet.
- Inspect the components – seals, O-rings, and hoses or pipes – and determine whether they require a replacement or repair.
- Insert a drain snake into the hoses or pipes if you notice clogs or obstructions.
- Replace worn-out or defective gaskets and seals, ensuring you use only the right products for the toilet.
- Reposition the components into their correct placements and test the RV toilet. Replacing the RV toilet foot pedal might be necessary if the leak persists.
Solution 2: Address the stuck RV toilet foot pedal
Suppose you can push the RV toilet foot pedal down, but it won’t rise back up. In that case, you might want to remove RV toilet foot pedal and check for obstructions.
The lever or spring mechanism inside the RV toilet foot pedal can also malfunction. These events can prevent the RV toilet foot pedal from operating normally. Here’s how to fix it.
- Turn off the water supply to the toilet.
- Place rugs or towels on the floor next to or around the toilet base.
- Get a screwdriver to loosen the nuts securing the fixture to the floor.
- Scoop out water from the tank to make your work less messy.
- Remove the toilet foot pedal, and then check the spring mechanism.
- Assess the RV toilet foot pedal for gunk or debris.
- Brush the obstructions off and clean the component using a soft-bristled cleaning brush.
- If you suspect a broken spring mechanism or lever, replace it with a new piece.
Solution 3: Clean or replace the RV toilet flapper.
Sometimes, the problem is not with the toilet foot pedal but the flapper—a valve that opens when you depress the pedal to flush the contents into the black water tank.
Unfortunately, a faulty or damaged toilet flapper broken beyond repair will not flush the toilet’s contents, no matter how much you push the RV toilet foot pedal. So how do you fix RV toilet flapper?
- Check your manual for instructions on addressing a flapper or ball valve sticking.
- Assess the ball or flapper gasket for signs of obstruction, such as debris. Remove the obstacles and clean the seals. It could be the only solution you’ll need if an RV toilet valve won’t open.
- If the previous step doesn’t resolve the issue, cut off the water supply to the RV toilet and switch off the water pump.
- Wear gloves and open a one-piece RV toilet’s flapper valve. Remove the seal and replace it with a new one.
Solution 4: Replace the damaged RV toilet foot pedal.
If none of these fixes solve the problem, you might want to replace a defective or broken RV toilet foot pedal. Note that this RV toilet foot pedal repair is your last option.
- Close the water supply to the RV toilet and turn off the water pump.
- Perform the first three procedures in Solution #2 (i.e., place rugs, loosen hardware, and empty the tank).
- Place the components and materials on a workbench.
- Lift the broken foot pedal from its position.
- Buy the correct replacement for your commode and insert it through the pedal arm.
- Secure the toilet foot pedal arm to the bowl, ensuring proper alignment, and screw it in place.
- Reassemble the toilet bowl.
- Turn on the water pump and re-establish the water supply to the toilet.
- Test the new foot pedal.
We found this YouTube video from Tom Watkins, which you can watch to learn more about repairing an RV toilet foot pedal.
Conclusion
Learning how to repair RV toilet foot pedal devices enables you to retain the full functionality of your RV toilet. Although the procedures require a bit of elbow grease, the steps are easy enough to allow you to complete the project in less than an hour.
However, we must emphasize the value of assessing the symptoms to zero in on the problem. You might think the foot pedal is the issue when it’s another component. We recommend a reputable RV plumber to diagnose the problem if you’re unsure what to do.
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