Portapotti leak!

[PurpleLizC789]

We just had a portapotti leak and I was wondering if anyone else had experienced the same as I’m struggling to work out what caused it and if I actually need to replace it or replace a part.



I’ll try to add an image – basically a LOT of liquid had leaked out into the section marked O in the diagram. We keep it in the portapotti carry bag to make it easier to carry in and out of the house to empty at the end of weekend trips as well as to cover it up a bit while it’s sitting in the body of the van and it had also leaked out in dribs and drabs into the bottom of the bag.



I can’t work out if perhaps we had just not properly closed the valve handle, in which case there’s nothing wrong with it and it’s our fault. The handle does still click in and out easily enough and I have to say that I don’t think it would be easy to leave it unclosed, especially as it has to fit inside the bag. Alternatively, maybe it’s possible to mount the top part in a way that is somehow opening the release valve?



I’ve cleaned everything and carried it about, sloshing clean water around inside it and it hasn’t leaked again but I’m really not sure how to fully test it out so that I can be confident to take it on another trip!



Has anyone else experienced anything like this?

 

[ChrisTravel]

Yes some Minor leaks around the K section very reluctant to use

 

[MyrtleMoo]

Yeah, we had something similar on our first (and thankfully still unused) outing with it. Same situation, where I kept it in the bag and in the boot and noticed the leak when getting it out after travelling. I only assumed that I'd maybe overfilled the flush tank or something since the breather cap isn't water tight.

I tried the same as you, filling the cassette with water and sloshing it around vigorously and never managed to repeat the leak. That at least gave me a bit of confidence that it wasn't an obvious fault anywhere.

It's been fine ever since too, though it's made me wary of it. I tend to only charge it with water when we set out and only add any chemicals if we end up using it since we tend to take it as a "just in case" or if it's too grim weather/distance to make it to other facilities. That way if it does leak again, it's not too problematic. Happy with the water resistant bag too!

 

[jeff]

Yes some Minor leaks around the K section very reluctant to use

Try some silicone grease around the gasket, you can also bye replacement ones.

 

[Alan Andrews]

What I would do is close the flap and fully fill the container with water via the main spout.

Turn the toilet on to its end and look to see where the water is leaking.

Then decide whether to replace the leaking seal or totally replace the toilet.

Or is water leaking from the top container in to the void in the lower container?

 

[secret lemonade drinker]

Silicon oil spray liberally sprayed on rubber seals to stop them drying out and perishing if dry stored,

cheap from CPC (mail order) or expensive from Thetford

Amazon.co.uk

 

[PurpleLizC789]

Thanks for the advice and hints. I did download the manual from the Thetford site - I don't think I ever had a paper version of this, just an A4 page with instructions for filling/emptying - which was leaked on, hence my need to find a replacement on their website! I notice that this does suggest lubricating the seal, so I have ordered some of their silicon spray as I needed to get some tank cleaner (not that this has ever been dry stored).

The manual also indicates that the seal is the weak point that gets most wear and might need replacing. However, it does have a 3 year warranty and it's currently not much more than 1.5 years old!

I have tried tilting and tipping the lower part with water in to see if anything comes out and it doesn't appear to. I don't think it is leaking from the top part as that water is pink (treated with the flush fluid) and the water that collected in the 'O' area definitely looked to have come from the bottom tank!

 

[PurpleLizC789]

Yeah, we had something similar on our first (and thankfully still unused) outing with it. Same situation, where I kept it in the bag and in the boot and noticed the leak when getting it out after travelling. I only assumed that I'd maybe overfilled the flush tank or something since the breather cap isn't water tight.

I tried the same as you, filling the cassette with water and sloshing it around vigorously and never managed to repeat the leak. That at least gave me a bit of confidence that it wasn't an obvious fault anywhere.

It's been fine ever since too, though it's made me wary of it. I tend to only charge it with water when we set out and only add any chemicals if we end up using it since we tend to take it as a "just in case" or if it's too grim weather/distance to make it to other facilities. That way if it does leak again, it's not too problematic. Happy with the water resistant bag too!

Interesting that other people have had similar leaks and maybe encouraging that you didn't have the problem again.

I really hope that's going to be the case for us too, as I rely on having that in the van (both for wild camping and also on sites where I don't want to get out of bed and walk across a dark campsite to the toilets in the middle of the night, even on nights where it isn't freezing and raining)!

 

[ChrisTravel]

This worse than leaky bellows

 

[Polly69]

Maybe you can use this manual for repair. We had some problems with the pump. With this manual you have important information for repair

 

[PurpleLizC789]

Maybe you can use this manual for repair. We had some problems with the pump. With this manual you have important information for repair

Ah that's great, thank you, very useful (although I hope we don't actually have to use it and that somehow I just hadn't closed the valve properly, fingers crossed ...)