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Old 03-17-2015, 08:55 PM   #1
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Thetford Curve not flushing

Have gotten the rig ready to go. One of the tasks on the pre flight list was filling the Curve with water and checked to verify that the batteries were good. Pushed the button and heard the pump run but no water is coming out into the bowl or anywhere else that I can see or feel. The Curve was stored in the garage all winter there should be no freezing issues. Thought that it might be weak batteries but got the same non result with a new set. The Thetford site was no help nor could I find anything on the web. Anyone else have this issues or ideas?

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Old 03-17-2015, 09:14 PM   #2
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Re: Thetford Curve not flushing

Sorry Larrie, I have a manual one. I did look at the manual, it surprises me that there is no trouble shooting section. The manual does say it is SUPPOSED TO BE SELF PRIMING. Only thing I can recommend is filling the fresh water all the way to the top, if you haven't already, and see if that will get it to prime. I would also try tipping the unit towards the pump asm to try to get a little bit more pressure on the pump to get it 'self priming'. I would also try tipping the unit and pouring water into the bowl out let hose (ie: try back filling the pump). Good luck

Lot of people seem to own the electric pump units so maybe you will get a better answer.
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Old 03-18-2015, 02:19 PM   #3
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Re: Thetford Curve not flushing

I had the same issue last year and found out the battery pack with the printed circuit board was bad. It was going to cost me more money to buy the part that to buy a whole new one, I did the latter.
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Old 03-18-2015, 07:37 PM   #4
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Re: Thetford Curve not flushing

I had the same problem: pump runs but no water coming out. As with other pumps, sometimes, I put my finger over the outlet to plug it, and cycled it several times. It primed it self and no problem after that. I find that the same thing works with spray bottles that are stubborn to get working. I hope it works for you.
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Old 03-18-2015, 10:07 PM   #5
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Re: Thetford Curve not flushing

Thanks for the suggestions. Tried them to no avail. Will see if I dan figure out how to remove the pump from the unit. Would rather not buy a new one. This one has only been used a few times. May have to go back to a cup of water from a glass to flush it.
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Old 03-18-2015, 10:52 PM   #6
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Re: Thetford Curve not flushing

mine had the same problem,called company and she said the pumps go out, very common problem. they cost as much as a new one. mine was a week past warrenty would not honor.bought the manuel one from sportsmobil. better and cheaper.
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Old 03-18-2015, 11:50 PM   #7
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Re: Thetford Curve not flushing

I found several bad reviews for the thetford Porta Potti® Curve with electric flush . "can here motor run but no water " It was determined that the impellers are prone to detach from the electric pump motor Here is an image of the Electric Pump Assembly p/n 92402 Here is a description of the disassembly procedure from one of the reviews ....... "When the toilet arrived, the motor for the flushing pump was working as evidenced by the sound it made, but no water was coming out of the little spigot on the side of the toilet bowl. My husband and I decided not to send it back immediately.
My husband took off the seat to make it easier to work with. He took the battery pack out of the pump, and then figured out how to get the pump assembly out of its socket by putting a long screw-driver through the two holes that are visible in the top ring of the pump assembly, and turning counter-clockwise; it unlatched and then could be lifted out rather easily. Once the pump assembly was out, we could see the propeller in the bottom of the unit that sends water through the mechanism. It wasn't spinning, even though (with the batteries in) we could hear and feel the motor working. Then he discovered that there is just a sticker separating the battery pack seat and the pump motor mechanism. Once the sticker came off, he could take out the motor. Once the motor was out, he could see how the propeller and the mechanism should be joined -- somehow the propeller had come off the motor spindle. So it was simply a matter of making sure the propeller was sitting properly, while he pushed the motor spindle back down into the propeller. We made sure the propeller now spins when we pushed the pump button, and then we put the whole thing back together again"
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Old 03-19-2015, 06:44 AM   #8
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Re: Thetford Curve not flushing

She did a good descriptive write-up.
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Old 03-29-2015, 12:12 PM   #9
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Re: Thetford Curve not flushing

Had some time today so I took the Curve apart and wanted to share the process and what was found.



The first thing was to remove the seat and lid. To do that the cover over the fill and flush button needs to be removed. There is a pin on each side of the cover that holds the seat and lid in place. It is easiest to remove the left (as you sit) side first.



Then remove the pump power unit.



Once the power unit is out you can see two round holes in the pump housing. Insert a round tool through both holes and turn to the right about 1/8 of a turn until the housing releases. I used a phillips screwdriver. The pump assembly can now be lifted out of the unit.



When I got the assembly out I discovered that the hose had come loose from the discharge nozzle.



I fished the hose off the bottom of the unit with a screwdriver and grabbed it with pliers. Then held it in position with a Vise Grip.



When it was out I could see that the hose had split at the pump connection. Apparently Thetford does not use any type of clamp on the hose to pump connection. If they had this problem may have been avoided.



The repair was simple enough. Put the hose back on the pump and secure it with a tie-wrap located above the discharge nozzle barb end. As you can see in the photo this may not be a permanent solution because the split in the end of the hose continues up to the corrugated section. There is also a bulb between the corrugation and the barb caused by the tie-wrap. Am sure that there will be some water bypass in this area but for now that is the best that can be hoped for without replacing the hose.



Reassembly is the reverse of taking it apart. Once the unit was reassembled and filled with water the unit pumped as it should have.
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Old 03-29-2015, 05:28 PM   #10
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Re: Thetford Curve not flushing

Good followup and report
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