Top 10 Saniflo & Saniplus& Macerator Pump Questions & Answers

sorry Fran,that is what they run.thats just for the unit don't forget install cost too.good luck with this project.

take the pump out and haul it outside and spray it off and check in the bottom of the pump to make sure there isn't anything stuck in there. then shop vac the bottom of the tank out to make sure there isn't anything funky in there that would get clogged in the pump. sometimes the out let line gets clogged as well you can buy a drain king ( it's a rubber deal that hooks on the end of a hose and when you turn water on it swells up and sprays water out) then stick it in the outlet pipe and let her rip and see if it lets the water through.

if the unit is properly clean and you have checked the fuse - then i suggest it is the microswitch that needs replacing. these tend to go (break) within 5 years on the sanivite 3 models. If not the swich then it could be the capacitor (try this first - although as the swich is located next to the capacitor you can test this for operation at the same time). if none of this works then its time for a new unit.

hi could just be that the overload switch has poped out try that first

It could be one of a number of things:

1. Full of gunk and will get quieter if it gets cleaned out - two ways of doing this ..

a) Try the saniflo descaler / cleaner product http://www.sanifloproducts.co.uk/products/Saniflo-Products-Saniflo-Descaler.html

b) If you are comfortable with it, to clean:

1. Turn off the electricity to the unit (should be on a fused spur)
2. Disconnect the pipes (inlet and discharge) - you may get a bit of surplus water coming out so have some sponges and a bucket ready.
3. Disconnect the wiring and take the unit out
4. I clean my Saniflo's outside with warm bleach water ..
- Wear rubber gloves to keep germs out of any cuts you may have / get on your hands
- Put the elextrical cable in a taped up plastic food bag or similar to keep dry
- undo the 'star screws'
- Flip up the plastic retaining tabs with a flat blade screwdriver and gently ease the lid up.
- I put bleach and warm water in, leave it for a while (30 mins) and then swish it around and empty out into an outside drain etc
- If you want to use an old toothbrush to get into the areas by the float switch and under the motor it does help. I also used a hosepipe in the past which did the trick.
- Also pay attention to the inlet port and the actual pipes under your sink for gunk

put it back together, aligning the seal and plastic clips should just pop on (may need a firm push). Do up star screws and you are ready to reconnect the pipes and electrics.

I use some tissue paper to check for any leaks around the pipes just to be sure!

2. The bearings in the motor for the pump may be going (i.e. have play in them) and be causing noise. This normally means a replacement unit

3. Something is in there that should not be! ... i.e. toy soldiers etc etc (see cleaning)

Hope this helps

Typical saniflo costs about 500 quid incl vat from plumbase, prices vary according to what you need it to do.

It keeps making noise becasue the pump is still trying to get rid of the water inside.

it can't get rid of the water most likely because their is a blockage in the waste water pipe.

if possible follow where the waste pipe runs to. if it goes in to a loft or somewhere else VERY COLD there is a good chance that it has frozen somewhere along the pipe.

If you are tying to pump the toilet waste vertically (upwards) then as soon as you turn the power off to the saniflo, the waste will fall back down and in to the toilet - or over the top in your case, sorry!

You might want to accept the inevitable and get a bucket and start removing the waste water from the bowl. Make sure that you have rubber gloves and I suggest goggles and something protecting your mouth - in case you get splashed.

Easiest solution, is to remove the excess waste water, turn off the saniflo, pour some bleach in to the toilet bowl, then cover the bown securley with cling film to keep the rank smell at bay.

Other wise, start tring to follopw the waste water pipe and warm it up, either by directly or indirectly (warm air gun) or by warming the area around it.

Personall;y i am using the easy option. the cold werather won't last forever, but can you use a toilet elsewhere in the meantime.

In the meantime, Saniflo claim about 15 years as the lifespan, but i have never know a saniflo to make it past 3! they are not ideal, but may be your only option.

consider whether you could get a proper toilet waste pipe put in, as it WILL save money in the long run...

Hope this helps a little bit.

Mark

is it pumping against gravity? if so there is a non-return flap in the outlet spigot could be stuck or worn.

Water pressure makes the unit turn on and off. It will only activate on it's own when enough water pressure is present. Most likely it can be water leaking from the toilet tank into the bowl, and from the bowl into the pump. Or could also be that waste water is slowly draining back into the pump through the check valve on the discharge elbow, creating enough water pressure that it will make the unit kick on and off.

The problem with the smell is that the macerator air switch manufactured by Lafoo has a diaphragm in it that tends to sag with time. The switch is mounted vertically instead of horizontally on the circuit board, which is the preferred method of operation. Huge mistake by Saniflo. This prevents the macerator from switching on properly and the unit tends to fill up to high causing the smell. The Lafoo air switch is 5.5mbar and actually has a built in adjustment dial that can be seen when one removes it from the circuit board. The solution (besides putting in a 3.5mbar Lafoo switch) is to unsolder the original switch, solder two 2" pigtails onto the switch and soldier the pigtails back onto the board. This will give you enough room to have the switch hang horizontally and allow gravity to help assist in triggering the diaphragm in the switch. Also, you will also now have the benefit of being able to adjust the sensitivity of the switch if need be depending on the atmospheric pressure where you live. The pressure side (air tube) should be on the top and not the bottom. After you make this modification, your Saniflow will work better than new and the smells will immediately dissapear. The switch will now trigger every time your flush the toilet or when the water level in the unit reaches the proper height. An enzyme type cleaner (used in RV's) will help descale any sludge in the unit but the main issue is with the air switch and how it is mounted. If you need pics of how the unit should look after it is modified, e-mail me at [email protected] My wife now has her own bathroom back!

sounds like the trap is not holding water and allowing the septic/sewer odors and bugs access into the toilet. This can be caused by an object being flushed that got lodged in the trap. frequent problem when small children are around. If this is the case then the only solution is to remove the obstruction. More often than not you have to remove the toilet, flip upside down (best to do this in the tub) and locate and remove the obstruction.