Shower/ Sink very slow to drain to macerator

[Richard Shaw]

I have a macerator which does a toilet, sink and shower in our basement, it has worked fine for 2 years then water started backing up into shower tray so I took the macerator out (3 hr job due to location) and the non-return valve had come a bit loose. Repaired that, gave it a good clean out and put it all back. Since then the toilet flushes fine but the sink and shower take, literally, an hour to drain. When they have water in air gurgles back up when I flush the toilet, before I strip it all out again, is there anything else it could that doesn't involve taking it out again (please, please please let it be so!!!)?

 

[WC1]

Very well done on your proactive attitude. Many people are unaware they even have a macerator (until it goes wrong)
If anything is returning then sorry to say non return valve is suspect.
Buy a couple and replace it. Have 1 in hand, they're cheap.
Flushing while the shower and basin are running as you seem to suggest, while not perhaps harmful, will push any domestic unit to its limit.
There's very little maintenance you can do without opening the box except descaling which I hope you do.

 

[Rickshaw]

Very well done on your proactive attitude. Many people are unaware they even have a macerator (until it goes wrong)
If anything is returning then sorry to say non return valve is suspect.
Buy a couple and replace it. Have 1 in hand, they're cheap.
Flushing while the shower and basin are running as you seem to suggest, while not perhaps harmful, will push any domestic unit to its limit.
There's very little maintenance you can do without opening the box except descaling which I hope you do.

Hi and thanks for the quick response, I'm pretty confident that the non return valves are ok because when I cleaned the unit out I reseated them and they were really goo and there is no for back into the shower now. I'm wondering if I've got the fall of the drains wrong and so I'll have a look at that tomorrow. If the drains into the unit go below it then rise up to it, even a cm or so, would that cause the issue?

 

[rpm]

Make n model?

 

[heeleyc]

I'm assuming that the non-return valve that you are referring to is the one at the bottom of the casing serving the shower/basin pipework, rather than the one connected to the outlet of the Saniflo. If the former then it certainly sounds like its restricted in some way, and unfortunately sounds like a unit out job again. If you had one you could try a wet and dry machine set to blow on the shower waste...just to see if it re-seats or clears anything.

 

[rpm]

I'm wondering if I've got the fall of the drains wrong and so I'll have a look at that tomorrow. If the drains into the unit go below it then rise up to it, even a cm or so, would that cause the issue?

Depends if the rise is on the shower side or the basin side or if the two join before entering the tank but easy to check without removing the whole unit.
`The answer to the original post is to do with what activates the motor if incoming pipes are clear.

 

[Richard Shaw]

Thanks for the comments chaps, this morning it stopped working completely so toilet filled (only clean water fortunately!) so I switched it off and left it alone. Couple of hours later switched it back on and it emptied the toilet properly. So tomorrow I will take the unit out and report back. I've already removed the waste pipe from the shower and from the sink and cleaned those out but actually they were pretty clean anyway. So, it must be inside!! Woo-Hoo!

 

[rpm]

Thanks for the comments chaps, this morning it stopped working completely so toilet filled (only clean water fortunately!) so I switched it off and left it alone. Couple of hours later switched it back on and it emptied the toilet properly. So tomorrow I will take the unit out and report back. I've already removed the waste pipe from the shower and from the sink and cleaned those out but actually they were pretty clean anyway. So, it must be inside!! Woo-Hoo!

Make and model if known?

 

[Rickshaw]

Sorry, meant to post this earlier. The label is badged as Sanitary Pumps Model P441 400w
Also goes under name of Homac.

 

[Richard Shaw]

Make n model?

Sanitary Pumps Model P441

 

[rpm]

That is a Homac and a copy of another brand. Will most likely need a rubber membrane, easily found on fleabay.

 

[Richard Shaw]

That is a Homac and a copy of another brand. Will most likely need a rubber membrane, easily found on fleabay.

Well, I took the pain and took the wretched unit out and the membrane looked fine but the microswitch wasn't operating so I took it apart, eventually and sorted it. Thanks everyone for your help!

 

[rpm]

How? Sorted what?

 

[Richard Shaw]

How? Sorted what?

Well, I cheated I guess but as it is a cheap model I am anticipating further issues in the future I bought another one and swapped the units out but have rigorously cleaned the old unit and taken it apart for spares. Expensive option but will hopefully make life easier next time!

 

[rpm]

Well, I cheated I guess but as it is a cheap model I am anticipating further issues in the future I bought another one and swapped the units out but have rigorously cleaned the old unit and taken it apart for spares. Expensive option but will hopefully make life easier next time!

😆