# Thetford C-250 Toilet



## kezbea (Jan 5, 2008)

Can anyone tell me if they have had trouble with the Thetford C-250 toilet ?
The C-250 we have in the van had been repaired twice and then the complete toilet was changed by Thetford.

The problem we are having is that urine keeps overflowing the container
and filling the bottom of the tray, so when you empty the container you have to soak this up with toilet pappier 
I am not talking about a few drops it can be half a pint sometimes and yet the container is only half full. 
As i have said before Thetford have been good about this and changed the whole toilet but after a week it starts again.


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## boringfrog (Sep 22, 2006)

*Weee*

It does happen sometimes but not to the extent you describe. Have you oiled the rubber seal on top of the cassette, we put a drop of olive oil on once in a while.


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

is this previous post any help?

www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopic-52510-days0-orderasc-0.html


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## kezbea (Jan 5, 2008)

That is one of my post about this


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## rayc (Jun 3, 2008)

kezbea said:


> That is one of my post about this


Your original post in the linked query was dated 23-09-2008 and said that there was blue fluid in with the urine. Was that problem resolved - it was a year ago ? Is this a completely different form of leak?


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

Though we don't have the "posh" thetford on wheels, our Thetfoird handbook tells us NOT to use olive oil or similar on valve.

WE had what we thought was a very slight leak from the valve. I took it to pieces with my best screwdriver (hope HappyCampers isn't reading this-private joke :wink: ) gave everything a good clean with hot water and old (that bit's important :lol: ) toothbrush, re-assembled it and since then it's been fine.


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

> here was blue fluid in with the urine


so more in need of a GP than MHF?? :lol:


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## kezbea (Jan 5, 2008)

Hi Rayc 
i can only assume it was a different leek and it was thie blue in the tank leaking.


Boringfrog hi,
take a look at the photo the bits in the tank are grass cuttings as i left the door open looking for my camera . Dave


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## pete4x4 (Dec 20, 2006)

I've had that when the cassette doesn't engage properly with the toilet slide.
I found that the wiring and the flush pipe dropped down slightly and stopped/hindered the cassette from slotting into its slide.
Easiest way to tell is to put water in the bowl and if you see air bubbles then you know it is not seated properly. You have to add a couple of litres of water anyway.
Normally pushing the pipe back up into the clips allows it to seat properly.
Incidentally Thetford sell a seal lubricant in an aerosol.

Pete


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## kezbea (Jan 5, 2008)

Hi pete4x4
yes know what you mean, but as you see its gone on for so long and we have tried ot all. Dave


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## pete4x4 (Dec 20, 2006)

I only had it happen once and that was definitely due to the pipe hanging down, since I make sure the pipe is out of the way it's been fine but I still check for the bubbles. Cant think what else would cause a leak.


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## gizmo26 (Aug 27, 2006)

We also get the occasional leak of urine into the locker area. There does not seem to be any set rule for when this happens - toilet can be only half full yet sometimes when it is very full and you might expect a leak, it is bone dry.
The Thetford spray for lubricating the seals is used every few trips, but makes no real difference to the leaking.

Peter


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## trek (May 1, 2005)

I too have had a couple incidents with my C250 leaking 

In my worse case I think the fluids sloshed up past the vent float inside the cassette whilst driving, then across under the arm that activates the vent , down the vent tube and over the inside floor of the toilet .

It was also going out under the toilet & onto the floor but I have sealed up a hole in the base that was provided for the optional electrical extractor fan, so now it is just pooling in the base 


As a matter of interest in an attempt to prevent this fluid that appears to be coming up past the float & then running down the air vent tube 
I have used some sealant to create a wall underneath the vent lifter, a bit like a dam, (its the white sikaflex mess in the photo)
so that the fluid will hopefully run back in to the holding tank rather than down the vent onto the floor


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## CatSailor (Sep 17, 2008)

Hi Kezbea

We had this happen the first time we used our Bolero back in March.

It seems to me that the height between the floor of the housing and the bottom of the toilet bowl is slightly too large and it is possible to slide in the cassette tank unit without it engaging on the lugs on the bottom of the bowl and making a good seal.

Everytime I replace the cassette now I ensure that I tip the front of it up to ensure engagement. Haven't had any problems since I started doing this. I also flush the loo with the cassete flap closed to ensure that the seal is holding properly and not draining out. Rather clean up some clean water that the yellow stuff if it's leaking!!

Adrian


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## gromett (May 9, 2005)

I have a similar problem with my C2 cassette bog. If the cassette is over 1/3rd full and I drive I end up with the nasty stuff around the base.

I finally discovered that it is escaping from the venting valve when I corner or brake too much. I now empty before I drive anywhere. This may not apply to the C250 cassettes but may be worth looking into?

Karl


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## hymerbeliever (May 8, 2009)

I had same problem and after replacing the main o-ring, the vent seal (under that push down thingy on the top) and spraying Thethord lube everywhere, I eventually traced the fault to the fact that i wasn't screwing the empting cap on tight enough and of course the spout fills when 3/4 full and drips. duh!


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## kezbea (Jan 5, 2008)

We always empty the loo before travelling so its not that.
we have now been waiting for two weeks for Thetford to come back to me
about this problem, it seems its something to do with the tork of the screws that hold the bottom of the tank to the floor, but we will see.
My next course will be is it fit for purpose . 
Dave


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## taz (Sep 28, 2005)

Hi All
Well I wish I had read this thread before our first trip away in shiny new van fitted with shiny new Thetford C250!!
4 days into our trip to France we noticed that the bathroom was a bit wiffy - further investigation found the source to be....... yes a leaking cassette. Unfortunately by this time the leak had left the white tray and was exploring the outer reaches of the locker and was soaking its way up the woodwork. Not a pleasant clean up - fortunately OH took on the task all be it a bit grumpily!! The leak had also caused the wiring to the electric flush and blade opener to corrode and break meaning we had to manually open the blade and flush with a jug of water.
Initial thoughts on the new toilet:-
1. Flush (when working) does not clean the whole bowl
2. Electric blade open/close does not seem man enough to do the job and after closing fluids still drain past the blade
3. The manual blade opener on the cassette is very notchy and the last part of the turn is extremely stiff
4. The cassette leaks even when there is next to nothing in it

We have been emptying the cassette every day and travelling with it completely empty which was OK this time as we were on aires but normally we wildcamp . If this is a problem that cannot be fixed on the C250 it will be a real pain. Have reported back to Lowdhams so wait and see!!

Has anyone got a definitive solution yet?


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

We too have a Thetford C250 in our van which is 18 months old. When it was new the cassettes were faulty, Thetford were little help. They had no parts and we would just have to wait. The fault in ours was that the blade velves did not close tightly and so when carrying then they emptied into my shoes. Eventually we got new blade valves which cured that problem.

The toilet seems flimsy to me. It does not flush at all well, most of the time we end up wiping the bowl with toilet roll. The whole toilet is difficult to clean because there are little nooks and crannies you cannot get a cloth into.

All in all, by comparison to the toilets fitted in previous vans, I think the C250 is cheaply made, nasty, badly designed and barely fit for purpose. I have tried discussing this with Spinney, our dealer and direct with Thetford, neither are interested.

I got a bit upset with Thetford on this Forum and demanded help so that we would know when we could have the parts which would allow us to use our new van. They telephoned me and quite literally told me to Pi.. off and posted a similar but milder reply on the forum. They, quite simply, do not care about customers, Alan.


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## taz (Sep 28, 2005)

Thanks Alan
Although we have only just bought our van, it has been a demonstator and is a 2008 model. I guess that means that it may have one of the original cassettes. 
On the positive side hopefully that means that it will be a quick fix for us as far as the leak is concerned.
Is the poor flush a common problem - our flush water seems to completely miss at least half of the bowl!
Sally


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## ambegayo (Jan 7, 2007)

*C250*

Taz, we too had a leak caused by the wrong flap on the cassette, as I recently told you. I agree it is not as good quality as previous thetford and the electric flush is a bit like Arkwrights Till, don't put you hand anywhere near it. Very disappointed and the sog is broken, both my laptops are playing up and the cursor jumps with a will of its own. (this is second attempt to post this) So I'll quit while I am ahead.
Wendy


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## erneboy (Feb 8, 2007)

Taz, the flush on ours always has been very poor and the electric push botton which operates it used to come apart inside every few days till I glued it together. The circuit board is a little too small for the clips which hold it. All in all a badly made toilet. Made down to a price I suspect.

That is made worse by the attitude Thetford take to customer service and their very patchy network of service centres, some of whom would not even try to get parts for me unless we had bought the van from them, Alan.


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## pete4x4 (Dec 20, 2006)

*Re: C250*



ambegayo said:


> both my laptops are playing up and the cursor jumps with a will of its own. (this is second attempt to post this) So I'll quit while I am ahead.
> Wendy


If its an Acer laptop change the battery, that will cure the cursor!!


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## neilbes (Oct 16, 2006)

when i was looking for my new van i was dissapointed that it did not have the new style thetford.
guess i have had a lucky escape!!


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