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Macerator not working?

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SweetWaterSurprise

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Macerator not working?
« on: September 22, 2015, 08:34:56 am »
So I tried to run the macerator the other day.  Hit the switch and Nothing.  NO sound, no movement, zip.  My 2350 is new to me, so does anyone know if a fuse location for this unit possibly? It seems like it may not be getting an ounce of power. 
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Ron Dittmer

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Re: Macerator not working?
« Reply #1 on: September 22, 2015, 10:18:31 am »
Hi S.W.S

Your macerator could be jammed.  On the end of the pump, there is a rubber or plastic cap (as Tom Hanlon noted....I never had a cap).  Pry off the cap and use a flat blade screwdriver to move the shaft of the motor to the right and left to make sure it spins.  It will have some resistance because of the rubber flaps inside the pump portion, but you should be able to spin the motor regardless.  If it spins, you can then rule out a jam.  When doing so, make sure the switch to the pump is off.

On our 2007, the pump gets power from the chassis battery, not from the house batteries as I would have expected.  If that is common practice across all PCs, then you'll want to check the fuses in the van portion instead of the house portion.  Also, at the pump, pull away the split black slinky-looking wire tubing and make sure the electrical connection above the pump is in good condition, not corroded and not disconnected either.  A quick fix would be to disconnect and reconnect, but you would want to clean or replace the connections if badly corroded.

This is the Split Black Slinky Wire Tubing Material I mentioned.


If you determine your pump is dead and needs to be replaced, I just went through that this season detailed HERE.

Oh, reading the next response from 9X-David.....that too  2o2
« Last Edit: September 22, 2015, 10:39:02 am by ron.dittmer »
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9X

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Re: Macerator not working?
« Reply #2 on: September 22, 2015, 10:35:49 am »
I had the same problem with my macerator earlier this year.  I took the cap off and was able to turn the macerator with a screw driver.  I called the factory and spoke with Kermit and he told me that it is rare for the macerator to fail and it was probably the switch.  I traced the wires and took the switch out of the circuit to test if the switch was bad and the macerator worked.  The switch was a rocker switch which the factory replaced with a toggle switch.  I hope this helps!

David
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SweetWaterSurprise

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Re: Macerator not working?
« Reply #3 on: September 22, 2015, 12:30:43 pm »
Thanks for the info.  Yes I still have the rocker switch on mine.  I am not sure where the house fuse panel would be on my rig.
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9X

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Re: Macerator not working?
« Reply #4 on: September 22, 2015, 04:49:02 pm »
I forgot to mention that as i recall Kermit told me that the macerator is protected by a self resetting relay not a fuse.  I don't recall where he said it was located, but his first guess was that the switch was bad.

David
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SweetWaterSurprise

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Re: Macerator not working?
« Reply #5 on: September 23, 2015, 08:33:45 am »
I've got to do a bit more research as to where the house fuses are located.
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Ron Dittmer

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Re: Macerator not working?
« Reply #6 on: September 23, 2015, 10:48:06 am »
Quote from: SweetWaterSurprise on September 23, 2015, 08:33:45 am
I've got to do a bit more research as to where the house fuses are located.
My rig is two years older than yours, but my "house" fuses are located under the fridge as shown here.  They are in the black thingy on the left side with the name IOTA on it.  The 110V circuit breakers are on the left.  The colorful 12V fuses are on the right.  The plexi-glass covers pop off to access them.  But as 9X David mentioned, you might have a resetable fuse/relay located elsewhere.  Phoenix does change things from one year to the next in an effort to improve them.  Lots changed when they placed the fridge in the slide out in 2010.
« Last Edit: September 23, 2015, 10:53:48 am by ron.dittmer »
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SweetWaterSurprise

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Re: Macerator not working?
« Reply #7 on: September 24, 2015, 09:00:25 am »
Yup, found the switches and fuses.  See no issues there, so it's back to taking the macerator apart and testing those wires.
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Ron Dittmer

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Re: Macerator not working?
« Reply #8 on: September 24, 2015, 09:12:50 am »
Quote from: SweetWaterSurprise on September 24, 2015, 09:00:25 am
Yup, found the switches and fuses.  See no issues there, so it's back to taking the macerator apart and testing those wires.
And the screwdriver turning process, and the switch that turns it on.

When checking everything, make sure your rig is powered up, something easily over-looked.  Also consider that our macerator gets it's power from the chassis battery.  Not the house batteries.  Or maybe it gets it from the house batteries, but bypasses the kill-all switch by the main entry door.  Yours might be the same.  You may need to check the van fuses under the dash board and under the hood.
« Last Edit: September 24, 2015, 09:18:11 am by ron.dittmer »
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TomHanlon

Re: Macerator not working?
« Reply #9 on: September 24, 2015, 03:11:46 pm »
I think ours is powered my the house battieres and the kill switch by the door will stop it from running, unless we are plugged in.

Call Kermit at the factory and talk to him. It does not matter if you bought it new or used to him.
« Last Edit: September 24, 2015, 03:13:35 pm by TomHanlon »
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racephoto

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Re: Macerator not working?
« Reply #10 on: October 22, 2015, 11:14:07 pm »
Mine is NOT controlled by the kill switch. Here's how I know.

My macerate pump wouldn't turn on last month. The day I was arriving at the Balloon Fiesta.  I flipped the switch about 50 times, jiggled wires, peered hopelessly at fuses etc. I finally threw up my hands in disgust and decided I didn't need to deal with it as I wasn't pumping uphill.  I kept sayin, I'll deal with it in December when I'm in FL for a month. So, yesterday morning after a night at the Gallup Walmart, I went in and got coffee. When I came back out, I stood next yo the rig sipping my java and surveying camp Walmart. I noticed a weird noise coming from the older class A on the other side of me. I wondered what it could be.....if it was a genset it sounded odd.  It sounded like....a water pump.  With trepidation I walked around the rear of my rig and realised it was me!! WTF.?? I realised it was the sanicon, and I had water spraying out around the sewer cap like an evil sprinkler. I leapt for the compartment, and of course only one latch will open. The one on the switch side (of course) is jammed. I run back around and hit the Store switch. Nada. Great. Of course the pliers are buried so I grabbed a towel and managed to get it open.  Apparently, during the 50 shades of switch flipping, I ended on on. And a month later it decided to arise from the dead in the Gallup Walmart parking lot. I couldn't believe it. Thank god it was gray water.  Unreal.
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