After 7 years the seal in our toilet is leaking a bit and the bowl drains. Before I get a repair guy to rebuild it...thought I might try lubricating the rubber seal with something...the seal doesn’t appear torn or falling apart. 

Whats the best thing to use...Vaseline, dielectric silicone grease, or something else? Or is it just time to throw money at the problem?

That's what I was thinking it most likely needs…but I'll get the repair guy to do the installation for me. I learned a long time ago that plumbing and I don't get along. Electricity…mechanical…carpentry…IT…I'm fine with all of those but a plumber I'm not.

The rig is going on 7.5 years old now and the toilet gets a lot of use since we're full timers…so no real surprise that the seal might need replacing.

Neil,

If you are not already using a dishwasher detergent boosting agent to periodically help remove hard-water build-up on the seal/toilet, you may want to try that before replacing the seal. I clean the toilet with the detergent boosting agent, when the seal starts to leak, and it fixes the issue every time. Similar to you, we also use a water softener, but I also find periodically using the boosting agent in the toilet helpful. However, our toilet seal is 4.5 years old versus 7 years old so YMMV.

We use: https://www.amazon.com/Finish-Water-Booster-Powder-Sparkle/dp/B007Z48F56/ref=sr_1_20_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1545419781&sr=8-20&keywords=Finish

Another similar product: https://www.amazon.com/Lemi-Shine-Dishwasher-Detergent-Glassware/dp/B07CMTVH38/ref=sr_1_3_a_it?ie=UTF8&qid=1545420196&sr=8-3&keywords=lemon+shine+booster

Lynn

Lynn...thanks. I will try that product and also the vinegar first, it also removes hard water scale As well...and ive already got that on hand. 

Vaseline will work in the interim. Put some rubber gloves on first.

edit: the newer 510's use a two bolt mount and require an adapter to attach to a 4 bolt mount.  Plus only a few suppliers carry the 510 these days.  We fixed/cleaned ours when it got gunked up by hard water, which is a reason we now have a water softener in addition to water filters.

Not suggesting you do as I did ... but my RV tech (same guy I use each year when we winter in Texas) ... he told me it was just about $100 difference between replacement of the seal (due to labor costs) and replacement of the whole toilet. His point was that the old toilet spring, pedal rotating point, water valve and bottom gasket are all nearing end of life and replacement of the whole toilet was a better (slightly more expensive) short term choice, but was a much better long term choice. So that’s what I did, just replaced the toilet and didn’t repair the old one. Just adding some info to the conversation. What I did was the expensive repair short term, but I’m hoping it’s a less expensive long term choice (by avoiding the nickel and dime repairs down the line). YMMV.

-- Edited by RonC on Sunday 23rd of December 2018 01:43:43 PM

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Rubber gloves on first  

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Yeah...good idea. 

Regarding the suggestoin about replacing the whole thing maybe being a better idea...

Probably a good point. Some more troubleshooting has revealed that if I flush then press the pedal up just enough to get the water to start running and then stop largely reduces the leakage...indicating that the shaft and/or ball valve might be slightly worn. I.  heckling on Amazon, comptetely rebuilding the lower end is something over $200 just in parts. Haven’t checked the price of a new one... it that might just be the better long term fix anyway. 

I could do it myself...except for my “l don’t do plumbing rule”.  so I will either buy the parts or a new one and get the mobile repair guy to install. 

bjoyce wrote:

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Some reports say that some new 510's have a modified foot pedal that does not allow you to put press up to add water so people are keeping the old pedal (just the metal part) just in case.

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 I've also not seen the spray attachment on the ones I've seen on the web so far…which you definitely need in an RV installation…between the two of them that might tilt the scale back to repair parts rather than new.

We have a 510 in our rig. Replacing the seals isn't a big deal. You just remove the seat and the bowl, replace seals (after cleaning all around the 'ball'), etc., put the bowl back on and tighten the band around, etc. Replacing the 'ball' assembly is a little more work - especially if one is left-handed (as Dave is) and is angry about having to do it.   

We also found that the spring action is helped by (1) taking a Q-tip soaked in vinegar and cleaning out the intake screen (where the water line goes into the toilet) and (2) spraying silicone spray around the spring so you get a good snap back.  

Barb

Thanks Barb…does removing the bowl as you've described allow the gasket between the bowl and ball to be replaced or does that require taking the rest of the base apart.

At this point…I'm still working on trying to make sure the ball is fully clean of mineral deposits that might be causing the leakage…visually the bowl to ball seal doesn't really look worn out…no tears or falling apart edges that would indicate it needs replacing.

I could actually do the work myself…it's not really that hard…but I hate plumbing and would rather toss money at the problem and have the mobile tech do it…as I said before I'm fine with just about any other maintenance but I have a distinct hatred for plumbing

Neil and Connie wrote:

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Thanks Barb…does removing the bowl as you've described allow the gasket between the bowl and ball to be replaced or does that require taking the rest of the base apart.

At this point…I'm still working on trying to make sure the ball is fully clean of mineral deposits that might be causing the leakage…visually the bowl to ball seal doesn't really look worn out…no tears or falling apart edges that would indicate it needs replacing.

I could actually do the work myself…it's not really that hard…but I hate plumbing and would rather toss money at the problem and have the mobile tech do it…as I said before I'm fine with just about any other maintenance but I have a distinct hatred for plumbing

 

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 Once the bowl is off you have access to the seals.  They are the easiest to replace.   And you can’t really see how the seals are underneath until you remove the bowl, at which point put in the new seals!  

Thanks again Barb. If the cleaning with the powder Lynn recommended doesn’t work I will order the seals and replace tgem. Although I don’t do plumbing...this repair looks more mechanical than plumbing anyway. 

Neil,

If you find the vinegar and/or dish washing detergent booster makes a difference, you may want to follow Barbaraok's suggestion going forward (i.e., regularly using white vinegar and baking soda in the toilet, and other drains). Barb suggested something similar numerous years ago, on an older thread, and I have been following her suggestion ever since ... although not weekly, it likely is part of the reason we are not having an issue with the seal (as well as the vinegar/baking soda has other helpful benefits, such as keeping the plumbing cleaner).

Lynn

I already do the bleach and baking soda down the drains trick...not at the same time of course...rinse well between...to keep them from smelling bad. The leakage has stopped for now...perhaps there was some...let’s call it debris...stuck in there that finally washed itself away. 

Vinegar is different than the bleach. Bleach will not do a thing about mineral deposit, vinegar will. Vinegar will also help buffer the black tank, which keeps the bacteria happy and doing it's job, so everything stays in solution and flushes away. In fact, bleach will kill bacteria.

Bleach is more effective against mold, which is why I have some in the rig to use on 'discolorations that clear up with bleach'. That is literally the term we used at one of the universities I was at when the huge mold scare was sweeping the country. 

Thanks Barb...I knew that but my reply was unclear. 

So we should get rid of our toilet that has been working fine for 16 years (it is original equipment) and we've been using for 13 years? Can do a lot of easy maintenance for ~$200 without having to replace the whole unit.

The toilet bowl chronicles. You gotta love it!!

Rickl wrote:

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🍿🍺

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 Ha ... and agree.

bjoyce wrote:

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Cummins12V98: I have to humbly disagree. The 510 is a low rise porcelain toilet, the 320 is a standard height plastic toilet. The 320 would be too high for many of us as a replacement and being plastic, would scratch easily, while porcelain can be scrubbed on.

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Not taking sides here, but the 320 (which is porcelain with a sturdy seat) is offered in both standard height and low rise.

-- Edited by RonC on Tuesday 1st of January 2019 12:19:56 PM

OK here's what I see, everyone seems to be talking about high-rise, standard height, ergonomic height and low rise, none of which provide any useful information to me. I have just measured the toilets in my house, which I consider to be "standard" height as I wouldn't have them if they were the same height as the toilets in the handicapped (for lack of a better word) stalls at public restrooms. From what I measured the height from the floor to the top of the porcelain it about 13.5 inches which equates to a Dometic 321. However please note that the Dometic web site also states that the 321 is 15.5 inches high which is what I measured the seat height at on my "standard" sticks and bricks toilet, but see the discussion below about the hump in the back. The Dometic web sit also states that the 320 is a "standard" 18 inches tall which I take to mean that standard has now been changed from what it was 50 years ago when my toilets were made. The same description for the 320 states that the product is 19.75 inches high, but maybe that's to the top of the little hump on the back. My guess is that it is. In my world the long and the short of it is, if you're happy with your current toilet's height, buy one that height, if you think it's too short buy the taller one, or maybe the best solution is fix what you have and be fat, dumb and happy and maybe save a little money. They do say that ignorance is bliss and God knows in that case I should be as blissful as they come.

Just a FYI a standard chair seating height is 18" so one can compare what 18" feels like.  For some it's a much easier height to set down to or get up from.