Saniflo Sanitop macerator foaming up

[HUMANZEE]

Hi all😉

I have a Saniflo Sanitop which has worked fine for around 12 months.
It is currently connected to a toilet and washbasin.
If the toilet is used and flushed everything works fine.
It is only when we try to add bleach to clean the toilet or have just washed our hands in the sink with soapy water that the macerator continues to run on. When I reflush the toilet, foam pours out of the top of the fresh air filter inlet where the carbon filter sits. I am guessing high pressure water is re-entering the unit causing the foaming. I have had the unit apart and cleaned it out whilst also checking that the jubilee clip holding the tube from the motor outlet is not loose but it is still foaming. Have I missed something here. Also, should the pipe prior to the non-return flap sit loosely in the vertical pipe just after the high pressure outlet of the motor? I am guessing this is a pressure release just in case a blockage happens down the line? Many thanks.

 

[fagsanbooz]

Only thing i can think of is that the 'foam' caused by detergents and soaps are keeping the 'float switch on' therefore continually pumping.

 

[noleaksihope]

from saniflo

Saniflo Ltd manufacture an own branded descaler, please ask your local Saniflo supplier for details. For general cleaning purposes normal wc cleansers are also ok to use with a Saniflo product In general, normal regular cleaning may be done using any non-foaming cleaners. High foaming brands should be avoided as the agitation could cause temporary difficulties in the pumping operation. Both for descaling and general cleaning the following procedure is useful 1) Remove fuse or switch off power to unit Pour a strong dose of descalent, bleach or disinfectant (say a 1/3 or ¼ bottle) into the WC pan. 2) Flush the WC. 3) Leave to stand for 1 to 2 hours. 4) Switch power back on, allowing unit to pump out and flush WC.

 

[M H W]

Do not put bleach into the Saniflo, as the foaming action of bleach causes the unit to continue "pumping" as the foam activates the unit's float level thus the unit assumes it is full of water.

It also important not to use bleach as this can cause damage to the rubber seals inside the unit. Only use a macerator descaler such as [DLMURL="http://www.saniflo.co.uk/Sanidescaler.aspx"]Saniflo's own brand[/DLMURL].

It is also very prudent to renew the carbon filter every year.

 

[HUMANZEE]

Just to let you all know.

The early Saniflo Sanitop obviously had a design flaw with it as the vertical exit pipe that sat in the pump outlet pipe inside the unit has been redesigned.

Basically the old design of the vertical outlet pipe (located just after the pump outlet inside the unit) was "jumping off the pump outlet pipe causing high pressure water back into the unit. Therefore anything like toilet cleaner or even liquid soap entering the unit caused it to foam up and spill out into the unit. It seems that the old design allows for wear of the vertical outlet pipe allowing the bypass of high pressure water to happen.

Since fitting the new component I have not had any trouble at all even when using toilet cleaners. Annoying as Saniflo never suggested this could be the case. Luckily for me an kind engineer with experience of this advised me. I personally won't be buying a Saniflo product again.

If you are having these issues order the new pipe from Pumpmaster (around £10-12) and refit yourself. Obviously you would have to safely disconnect from the power supply and plumbing before starting but I found it quite a simple task. If you do this it is also worth fully cleaning out, especially checking the membrane switch has not started to scale up.