Leaky toilet around pedestal base

[aray]

I have a leak around the toilet where the toilet itself meets the floor. At first I thought my wife or I had been dripping water as we exited the shower, and just wiped it up, but I soon discounted that theory.

It doesn't leak all the time. Best I can tell, it only happens when we sit on the thing, and even then you have to rock it slightly to make it happen.

I tried to tighten the nuts on both sides of the toilet that holds it to the floor. I only turned them a quarter of a turn because they already seemed tight, and I didn't want to squash the plywood underneath the toilet.

FYI in the picture below, it looks like the water came from the foot pump. I felt all around that and it appears dry. The only water I could feel was on the very rear of the pedestal, and on the front where I think it seeped and pooled (we were on a slight incline towards the front of the TT).



What's the likely cause of this, and how should it be fixed? I'm not a plumber, so any thoughts or advice would be welcomed.

My RV is under warranty, for another 10 days or so, so I'll put in a request for warranty repair, but I thought I'd suggest the likely cause to the dealership when I call so that they're best prepared to quickly diagnose this and execute a repair.

Thanks,

Ray

[aray]

A closeup view. It's hard to see the water on the dark floor.



Ray

[HangDiver]

Question... Did you by chance just recently dewinterize your TT?

[aray]

Yes, about a month ago, however this was the first trip (2.5 weeks long) since I did that.

Ray

[HangDiver]

Originally Posted by aray

Yes, about a month ago, however this was the first trip (2.5 weeks long) since I did that. Ray

I'm almost certain the leak is not from around where the toilet mounts to the floor but instead is from the valve where the line comes into the toilet. These valves harbor water and often freeze and crack even after winterizing with antifreeze. It happens so often that you can buy replacements inexpensively from amazon. You could order one from amazon and have a mobile RV tech do the work. Parts are here: https://www.amazon.com/Durable-Plast...75456855&psc=1

[aray]

Good suggestion, but I'm sure it didn't freeze and crack. I keep the RV in an indoor climate-controlled storage unit. They have backup generators, so I'm sure that wasn't the cause. I didn't even need to winterize. I just did it for practice (this was the first year owning the RV) and because in a few years we may move & I might need to know how to do it for real.

Ray

[HangDiver]

Originally Posted by aray

Good suggestion, but I'm sure it didn't freeze and crack. I keep the RV in an indoor climate-controlled storage unit. They have backup generators, so I'm sure that wasn't the cause. I didn't even need to winterize. I just did it for practice (this was the first year owning the RV) and because in a few years we may move & I might need to know how to do it for real.

Ray

Well that adds to the puzzle. Please post what you find the problem to be so we can all learn. Hope it doesn't interfere with your travel plans.

[dalford]

Well I live in Florida and have never winterized and my valve failed and leaked water just like your pic.

Hold the foot pedal down and you will probably see it drip.

Order the part that was mentioned in a previous post. There are YouTube videos on replacing . Not hard if you remove the small screw that is nearly impossible to see that holds it in place..

[aray]

Originally Posted by HangDiver

Well that adds to the puzzle. Please post what you find the problem to be so we can all learn. Hope it doesn't interfere with your travel plans.

Will do. I'll report back when our RV dealer can get to it. Being warranty work they likely won't be in a big hurry I guess. I just posted here since I thought maybe someone else had seen a similar problem and knew what might be the cause.

And it won't interfere with any plans. We just got back from a 2.5 week trip to Florida to see our daughter graduate from college and to visit with other relatives. We have no immediate camping plans

Ray

[aray]

Originally Posted by dalford

Well I live in Florida and have never winterized and my valve failed and leaked water just like your pic.

Hold the foot pedal down and you will probably see it drip.

Order the part that was mentioned in a previous post. There are YouTube videos on replacing . Not hard if you remove the small screw that is nearly impossible to see that holds it in place..

Good suggestion. I'll give that a try before I take it to the dealer. However I did feel around the foot pedal and all around the pedestal, and didn't feel any water; the only water I could feel was on the floor. It seemed as if the water was seeping out from the bottom of the pedestal itself. But of course I'm not 100% sure.

Ray

[dalford]

Originally Posted by aray

Good suggestion. I'll give that a try before I take it to the dealer. However I did feel around the foot pedal and all around the pedestal, and didn't feel any water; the only water I could feel was on the floor. It seemed as if the water was seeping out from the bottom of the pedestal itself. But of course I'm not 100% sure.

Ray

No, I’m sure it’s the valve in the foot pedal. If water was seeping out from under the base it would be sewer water, not fresh water and it would smell....

[aray]

It was definitely fresh water. And it wasn't leaking from the external rear of the pedestal where the cold water pipe enters the pedestal. There was also a second pipe that left the rear and reentered. No water was coming from them either, unless it was leaking inside of the pedestal somehow.

Ray

[dalford]

The valve internal is what is leaking. When you press the pedal it presses the button valve in to allow water to flow (see circled valve in pic).

The water leaked around a defective seal on this valve while it is in...

[aray]

Thanks. Having a good diagnosis, and equally important the parts needed, will speed up my interactions with the dealer's service center, so that they'll be prepared to repair this immediately when I bring it in.

I appreciate all of the help!

Ray

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by HangDiver

I'm almost certain the leak is not from around where the toilet mounts to the floor but instead is from the valve where the line comes into the toilet. These valves harbor water and often freeze and crack even after winterizing with antifreeze. It happens so often that you can buy replacements inexpensively from amazon. You could order one from amazon and have a mobile RV tech do the work. Parts are here: https://www.amazon.com/Durable-Plast...75456855&psc=1

That's a really interesting reference. It's for a Sealand Marine toilet, but it looks exactly like the Dometic part here: https://www.amazon.com/Dometic-Sanit...e%2C157&sr=1-4

I was surprised at the price, because the Dometic part is always nearly three times as much. Is this one really interchangeable?

[kurtsont]

It’s the valve like others have said. Mine currently leaks there from time to time, I have two new valves but have not replaced yet because it doesn’t leak every trip. If you are still under a year give Dometic a call our old toilet had the same leak and they sent me a new valve under warranty.

[aray]

I looked at my build sheet and the set of installation/user manuals that came with the RV, and my toilet is a Tehtford Aqua-Magic Style II, not a Dometic. So the part # might be slightly different I suppose, unless all of the valves are interchangeable.

Anyway I contacted my dealership today, since I have 10 days remaining under warranty, and I figure I might as well have them look at it and pay for any costs. Alas they're booked until mid-July, and even then they won't pre-order any parts until they diagnose it with their own eyes. That's a bit disappointing, since I'll have to make two trips (and my dealer is about 90 minutes away) but I understand they have a business to run and need to keep costs low. I might try to book a camping trip in the area at the same time, and redeem one or both of the trips over there to make good use of the travel.

Thanks again for all of your very helpful comments!

Ray

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by aray

I looked at my build sheet and the set of installation/user manuals that came with the RV, and my toilet is a Tehtford Aqua-Magic Style II, not a Dometic. So the part # might be slightly different I suppose, unless all of the valves are interchangeable.

Anyway I contacted my dealership today, since I have 10 days remaining under warranty, and I figure I might as well have them look at it and pay for any costs. Alas they're booked until mid-July, and even then they won't pre-order any parts until they diagnose it with their own eyes. That's a bit disappointing, since I'll have to make two trips (and my dealer is about 90 minutes away) but I understand they have a business to run and need to keep costs low. I might try to book a camping trip in the area at the same time, and redeem one or both of the trips over there to make good use of the travel.

Thanks again for all of your very helpful comments!

Ray

Funny thing about RV warranties, Ray.

If you buy a car or truck, everything is warrantied by the manufacturer (except tires).

But if you buy an RV, only the assembly is warranted by the manufacturer. You have separate warranties for the microwave oven, the range, the furnace, the water heater, mattress, range hood, fans, and even the axle, frame, and brakes. Most of these warranties are at least two years long and some (Lippert frame, I think) is five.

And unlike the assembly, most of the manufacturers value their customers' good will and will provide replacement parts even after the warranty expires. Lots of threads about this on this site.

If you don't mind replacing the part yourself, just give Thetford a call and see what happens. Ask them to overnight the part to you.

And then report here what happens.

[bzac1954]

Originally Posted by aray

Good suggestion, but I'm sure it didn't freeze and crack. I keep the RV in an indoor climate-controlled storage unit. They have backup generators, so I'm sure that wasn't the cause. I didn't even need to winterize. I just did it for practice (this was the first year owning the RV) and because in a few years we may move & I might need to know how to do it for real.

Ray

Excellent advice from "HangDiver". However, if you know about how it is stored and because the leak does not show up until you rock the toilet, I would say it is the gasket between to the pedestal and the floor. Immediately call your dealer and get in on the last of the warranty period. If you miss the date a mobile tech can do the work very well.

[dalford]

The toilet you have is completely different from what I was discussing. Up until the last few posts I was thinking Dometic or Sealand...

Here is kit for yours... https://www.thetford.com/wp-content/...-Kit-42036.pdf