Ok... Lets talk about it...

Lingo: A Vacuum Generator is the Vacuum Pump and Accumulator tank paired together to generate and hold a vacuum up to the toilet. The accumulator tank has a vacuum switch attached to it that triggers the pump to turn on with loss of vacuum in the system, and off when enough vacuum is built.

What's going on with your system?

You flush the toilet and nothing happens...

  • Of course first make sure the vacuum generator is getting power

When you step on the pedal and there is no vacuum, so the waste is just dropping into the line or backing up in the line up to the toilet, and the pump does not turn on, generally means you have a clog between the toilet and the vacuum generator. When you step on the pedal, it is supposed to release the vacuum in the accumulator tank. But if there is a clog, the vacuum built in the system is being held at that clog (instead of the toilet). Therefore flushing the toilet will not cause loss of vacuum in the accumulator tank to turn the pump on. Here Are A Few Things You Can Try:

1. Manually turn the vacuum pump on to pull the clog through.

  • Turn the water off to the toilet & prop the pedal/ball on the toilet open.
  • Go to the accumulator tank... This will have the vacuum switch attached to it that should be in "full Vacuum" position, pulled away from the little white trigger that activates the pump. This means your pump and tank are satisfied with the level of vacuum in the system (up to the clog). The resistance of the coil on the vacuum switch is factory set: DO NOT SPIN THE DIAL ON THE SWITCH, it is factory set to the exact amount of vacuum the system needs to turn the pump on and off. Adjusting the switch will loosen or tighten the coil, losing the calibration to not enough or too much vacuum needed.

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  • We are now going to manually manipulate your pump to turn on, hopefully sucking the clog towards and through the pump. Use a small tool to press that little white trigger in. Your pump should start to run immediately, pulling against the clog. With the toilet propped open, it allows air displacement behind the clog, so it is able to transfer.

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If the pump did not turn on after pushing up on the white micro switch, you have a power issue or a bad switch.  

2. Try a plunger... NOTE: You do not want to use the plunger in the up and downward motion. You want to PUSH, break the seal, PUSH... If you do not break the seal and pull up, you will invert the duck bills and they will need to be replaced.  This method isn't the most effective, as you don't get much pressure on a single downward plunge.

3. Last resort, try a snake... NOTE: Vacuum systems have 90° elbows in the lines. It may be very difficult to manipulate the snake through the line.  WARNING: You can cause damage to the duck bills if you get the snake in that far.  Be careful not to scratch the ball in the toilet or damage the tapered bowl seal. 

Your pump is continuously running & NOT transferring waste or building a vacuum...

When the Pump is running continuously and not creating a vacuum or transferring waste (the waste is just dropping into the line or backing up in the line): You could have a clog AFTER the accumulator tank. If the pump can't push the waste, it can't pull the waste. Therefore not creating a vacuum to satisfy the accumulator tank switch.

1.  The issue could be in the vent line on the holding tank. It's like blowing on a straw with your finger on the end. If there is no air displacement in the tank, the pump cannot fill the tank to empty the waste line.  If you have a vent filter, remove this from the line from it to see if that is the cause of blockage. If your vent has a screen on it, that could also get gunked up and cause air displacement issues. If you do have a screen, I suggest popping it out and continuing on without a screen.

2. The second place to look for the clog will be the outlet of the accumulator tank, before the pump. If that portion of the system is clogged, the pump cannot pull the waste out of the accumulator tank, therefore not creating a vacuum in the accumulator tank.

3. The pump could be so gunked up that nothing can get through it.

4. The clog can be in the discharge line after the pump all the way to the holding tank, causing the pump to just push against a blockage.

Pump is continuously running & is building a vacuum. This could be many things...

First... I like to suggest isolating the Toilet from the Vacuum Generator to see what side of the system is losing the vacuum, causing the pump to cycle or not turn off.

1.  Go to the Accumulator tank and detach the line coming from the toilet into the accumulator tank.

2.  Use a vacuum testing gauge (we sell them) OR my preferred method, use a plug or anything you can build vacuum against and plug the INLET of the accumulator tank (a racket ball can work).  Run the vacuum generator against the plug and see if it turns off and holds vacuum... If the vacuum generator holds vacuum during this isolation, we know the vacuum generator is good and we need to focus on the toilet.

NOTE: If your vacuum switch is out of calibration, it may not register that a vacuum is being built. Isolating the Vacuum generator and confirming it is that side of the system that is causing the continuous running of the pump will help us determine if the switch may be a factor. It is seldom the issue, but it is not ruled out until diagnosed.

Pump Cycling by itself. This could be many things...

We like the Vacuum Generators to hold vacuum for at least 6-8 hours. If it is cycling on it's own, this means there is a loss of vacuum somewhere in the system, causing the switch on the vacuum tank to tell the pump to turn on.

 Possible reasons the pump is losing vacuum... NOTE: There are MULTIPLE exposure points in the system, I will only be naming the most common.  Below are common wear parts that can create the cycling.

* #1 cause - The Duckbills are worn out and cannot pinch closed enough to hold the vacuum that is being created.  Change them if it's been 5 or more years since last time they were new.  This will eliminate this as a possible problem. 

* The bowl seal is worn; if the toilet is losing water over time, it will allow air into the system.

* The bellows is cracked and is now an exposure point... Turn off power to system, go look at the pump and remove safety cover (if you have one) to see if you have waste coming out of the top of the pump, or resting inside the bellows. If it is clean, it is most likely not the bellows.

* A seal or o-ring is worn out.

The isolation method below can help you know where to focus your attention.

Again... Let's isolate the Toilet from the Vacuum Generator to see what side of the system is losing the vacuum, causing the pump to cycle or not turn off.

1.  Go to the Accumulator tank and detach the line coming from the toilet into the accumulator tank.

2.   Use a vacuum testing gauge (we sell them) OR my preferred method, use a plug or anything you can build vacuum against and plug the INLET of the accumulator tank (a racket ball can work).  Run the vacuum generator against the plug and see if it turns off and holds vacuum... If the vacuum generator holds vacuum during this isolation, we know the vacuum generator is good and we need to focus on the toilet.

NOTE: It is rare that the vacuum switch is bad if the pump is cycling, as the pump is cycling because your switch told it there was not enough vacuum. A way to eliminate the switch of this issue is to look at the diaphragm on the inside of the switch (the portion inside the tank being pulled by the vacuum) to make sure there is no damage to the rubber. If the rubber that is being pulled into the tank is getting old or decrepit, it will allow air into the system - thus your system will lose vacuum and the pump will turn on.

THE ABOVE SUGGESTIONS ARE ONLY THE MOST COMMON ISSUES AND THEIR COMMON CAUSES. This page is only suggestions and tricks of the trade. We are not held responsible for any actions taken by an individual that may result in damages to the system.

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