Replace float magnet in C200 (yellow) toilet cassette
Long Weekend said
11:50 AM Dec 31, 2019
Does anybody know how to refit the float magnet in a C200 Yellow cassette?
The warning light has never worked since day one when we bought the van second hand two years ago. To date we have had a number of overflows - messy to clean up!
Shortly after buying the van I replaced the reed switch, checked the fuse (15Amp!! - looks like the previous owner went for an overkill), found the light had actually blown and replaced it with a nice large LED from Jaycar. (The light works perfectly when a magnet is held against the reed switch.) Then on checking the inside of the cassette discovered that the float arm was missing altogether.
Due to the age of the original cassette I bought a brand new one - with wheels and pull along handle - expecting that would solve the problem. It didn't. Fiddling inside to check the swing of the float arm I accidently dislodged it!
Caravans Plus have a 'how to' manual on fitting the float arm - a lady (painted fingernails - see page three) is shown fitting the arm base into a socket, but as it is an open half shell it is useless in trying the same thing blind by feel.
Heading south tomorrow and was hoping to have the warning light working - maybe I'll have to end up taking the cassette to a specialist. Anyone know of one in Geelong?
Anybody have any tips of how to line up and insert the float arm into its base?
Murray
-- Edited by Long Weekend on Tuesday 31st of December 2019 10:23:16 PM
mischief said
04:15 PM Dec 31, 2019
most of those arms just clip into the holder. lift float as high as possible in cassette, then press it down,,a sort of spring clip affect to get it in. easy as after first go..used to remove and replace in general cleaning ..sometimes small pieces of toilet paper get stuck in that area,causing malfunction of float. keep trying not that complicated.
Long Weekend said
04:54 PM Dec 31, 2019
Thanks Mischief:
Sort of tried that, but not being able to see and with the float arm in hand unable to feel where it goes, I found it impossible. There is a slot in the base hinge which I presume goes into a tab - somewhere it was mentioned that it snaps into place with an audible click.
Given that the magnet arm is easily lost with heavy shaking and require replacing, I really think that it is a design flaw by Thetford. I imagine that the magnet arm is fitted in the factory before the two halves of the cassette body are joined, leaving field repairs impossible. It would have been nice to have a removable hatch or window in the body.
In any case, as one of the hinge eyes has just broke I'll have to wait until arriving in Geelong to buy another float arm.
I'm really tempted to cut into the body of the cassette then use epoxy to glue the bit back in. Might do that if I get another overflow!!!
By the way, the 'manual' at Caravans Plus shows how to replace the pressure relief valve, the slide control button and the gasket over the slide. Not shown is exactly how to fit the magnet float arm.
Murray
-- Edited by Long Weekend on Tuesday 31st of December 2019 10:25:32 PM
Cupie said
11:02 PM Dec 31, 2019
mischief wrote:
most of those arms just clip into the holder. lift float as high as possible in cassette, then press it down,,a sort of spring clip affect to get it in. easy as after first go..used to remove and replace in general cleaning ..sometimes small pieces of toilet paper get stuck in that area,causing malfunction of float. keep trying not that complicated.
My experience too.
I put a small mirror on the floor of the tank & shone a tiny led pencil torch on to it to enable me to see up to the fitting.
I then used the mental image to visualise the 'hinge'. Edit .. I suppose that you could take a photo of the fitting .. didn't think of that at the time.
I had a bit of practice too because on the first go I had the hanger on the wrong side of a ridge and as a result it couldn't ride up as the tank filled. Had to redo it.
BTW .. It's a long time since my 'full light' has come on as I empty the tank after 3 days ... it never gets even close to full & I don't like an almost full tank slopping about as I drive.
-- Edited by Cupie on Tuesday 31st of December 2019 11:04:19 PM
Long Weekend said
12:58 AM Jan 1, 2020
Thanks Cupie.
Hadn't thought of using a mirror, although pondering the problem over a couple of hours I thought of putting a small LED torch on the floor of the cassette. But then my hand in the hole blocks out seeing anything, so I'm back to where I was - that is trying to do it by blind feel.
I'll be closing down for two weeks while we are away. While in Geelong I'll consult caravan places to see if they can point me to some specialists in Thetford toilet systems.
Gooday had this problem a couple of years ago, fortunately have a spare Cassette which I used until I got the magnet back into place on the old one.
I must have taken it out of the shed 5 times over several weeks and tried each time until I gave up, tried all the hints that have been listed.
I eventually managed to put it back in place purely by feeling for the mounting lugs, what a relief.
I found mine in the outlet spout one day when rinsing it, so now when I rinse it I put a couple of litres of water in it and "GENTLY SLOSH" for side to side before emptying it. Must admit a more secure fixing would be good.
Just keep trying you will win.
Greg 1 said
02:07 PM Jan 1, 2020
There is an actual Thetford rep in Melbourne. Fixed a couple of issues with our vans toilet. Great guy, very knowledgeable. I have lost his details but you could probably find him with a bit of a search.
Tony Bev said
01:55 AM Jan 2, 2020
Hi Long Weekend (Murray)
My C200 Thetford cassette overflowed once, and I found it easy to clean it up With the slide valve closed, there is only liquid in the bowl, I used paper towels to soak up all the liquid in the bowl I put the now wet paper towels in a plastic bag, and binned them I then emptied the cassette in the usual manner
Are you sure it is a Thetford C200, because my C200 is a greyish colour, and not yellow, (unless you are talking about the yellow colour of the cap)
I repaired my float, after the float material had broken and fell out
There is no easy way to do it, I held the latch part (which pushes in) with two fingers, and eventually pushed it home
If yours has never worked, then have a look at the picture below
If someone (even in the factory), has put the latch on the pivot the wrong way, the magnet may be out of its radius, to be powerful enough to work the reed switch
Does anybody know how to refit the float magnet in a C200 Yellow cassette?
The warning light has never worked since day one when we bought the van second hand two years ago. To date we have had a number of overflows - messy to clean up!
Shortly after buying the van I replaced the reed switch, checked the fuse (15Amp!! - looks like the previous owner went for an overkill), found the light had actually blown and replaced it with a nice large LED from Jaycar. (The light works perfectly when a magnet is held against the reed switch.) Then on checking the inside of the cassette discovered that the float arm was missing altogether.
Due to the age of the original cassette I bought a brand new one - with wheels and pull along handle - expecting that would solve the problem. It didn't. Fiddling inside to check the swing of the float arm I accidently dislodged it!
Caravans Plus have a 'how to' manual on fitting the float arm - a lady (painted fingernails - see page three) is shown fitting the arm base into a socket, but as it is an open half shell it is useless in trying the same thing blind by feel.
Heading south tomorrow and was hoping to have the warning light working - maybe I'll have to end up taking the cassette to a specialist. Anyone know of one in Geelong?
Anybody have any tips of how to line up and insert the float arm into its base?
Murray
-- Edited by Long Weekend on Tuesday 31st of December 2019 10:23:16 PM
Thanks Mischief:
Sort of tried that, but not being able to see and with the float arm in hand unable to feel where it goes, I found it impossible. There is a slot in the base hinge which I presume goes into a tab - somewhere it was mentioned that it snaps into place with an audible click.
Given that the magnet arm is easily lost with heavy shaking and require replacing, I really think that it is a design flaw by Thetford. I imagine that the magnet arm is fitted in the factory before the two halves of the cassette body are joined, leaving field repairs impossible. It would have been nice to have a removable hatch or window in the body.
In any case, as one of the hinge eyes has just broke I'll have to wait until arriving in Geelong to buy another float arm.
I'm really tempted to cut into the body of the cassette then use epoxy to glue the bit back in. Might do that if I get another overflow!!!
By the way, the 'manual' at Caravans Plus shows how to replace the pressure relief valve, the slide control button and the gasket over the slide. Not shown is exactly how to fit the magnet float arm.
Murray
-- Edited by Long Weekend on Tuesday 31st of December 2019 10:25:32 PM
My experience too.
I put a small mirror on the floor of the tank & shone a tiny led pencil torch on to it to enable me to see up to the fitting.
I then used the mental image to visualise the 'hinge'. Edit .. I suppose that you could take a photo of the fitting .. didn't think of that at the time.
I had a bit of practice too because on the first go I had the hanger on the wrong side of a ridge and as a result it couldn't ride up as the tank filled. Had to redo it.
BTW .. It's a long time since my 'full light' has come on as I empty the tank after 3 days ... it never gets even close to full & I don't like an almost full tank slopping about as I drive.
-- Edited by Cupie on Tuesday 31st of December 2019 11:04:19 PM
Hadn't thought of using a mirror, although pondering the problem over a couple of hours I thought of putting a small LED torch on the floor of the cassette. But then my hand in the hole blocks out seeing anything, so I'm back to where I was - that is trying to do it by blind feel.
I'll be closing down for two weeks while we are away. While in Geelong I'll consult caravan places to see if they can point me to some specialists in Thetford toilet systems.
Murray
Gooday had this problem a couple of years ago, fortunately have a spare Cassette which I used until I got the magnet back into place on the old one.
I must have taken it out of the shed 5 times over several weeks and tried each time until I gave up, tried all the hints that have been listed.
I eventually managed to put it back in place purely by feeling for the mounting lugs, what a relief.
I found mine in the outlet spout one day when rinsing it, so now when I rinse it I put a couple of litres of water in it and "GENTLY SLOSH" for side to side before emptying it. Must admit a more secure fixing would be good.
Just keep trying you will win.
Hi Long Weekend (Murray)
My C200 Thetford cassette overflowed once, and I found it easy to clean it up
With the slide valve closed, there is only liquid in the bowl, I used paper towels to soak up all the liquid in the bowl
I put the now wet paper towels in a plastic bag, and binned them
I then emptied the cassette in the usual manner
Are you sure it is a Thetford C200, because my C200 is a greyish colour, and not yellow, (unless you are talking about the yellow colour of the cap)
I repaired my float, after the float material had broken and fell out
There is no easy way to do it, I held the latch part (which pushes in) with two fingers, and eventually pushed it home
If yours has never worked, then have a look at the picture below
If someone (even in the factory), has put the latch on the pivot the wrong way, the magnet may be out of its radius, to be powerful enough to work the reed switch