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Rebuilding Sealand Traveler 500 plus toilet

July 27, 2012, 10:55:45 am

I guess I can't put it off any longer.  Pat has bought the kit and wants it fixed.  It won't retain water even after the usual cleaning around the seal.  I found what appears to be a good set of directions on-line:

How to Understand and Repair a SeaLand Marine RV Toilet | eHow.com

But I would appreciate any tips from those that have done this previously.  Searching "toilet" yielded lots of hits, but nothing that I could see on rebuilding this toilet.  A photo from the web of this model is shown below. 

Thanks in advance.

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Re: Rebuilding Sealand Traveler 500 plus toilet

Reply #1 – July 27, 2012, 11:43:47 am

George- there is really nothing to mess up on them, but do make sure all parts are very clean and no scratches on any surface. I have repaired a few for friends ( and ours), in fact mine I did not have to put the new parts on as I just polished the valve face with fibreglass cut polish (had a couple of scratches on it) and all is well. Lubricate the parts on install.
I might add that you should first drain any water out and pour some CLR (calcium, lime,rust remover) in bowl and let it sit for an hour then operate the valve to allow a bit to run around the sealing area then let that sit. You may find that does the trick as many of them have a problem with calcium in the water. I use this stuff on all my taps etc even though we have very soft water here.
John H

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Re: Rebuilding Sealand Traveler 500 plus toilet

Reply #2 – July 27, 2012, 11:53:41 am

George, once you get below the valve you will find "stuff" adhering to everything. I recommend using one of those short flush wands with the hole directing the water all around as you rotate the wand. Amazing what you can then wash down. Makes it easier to keep hands and tools clean.

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Re: Rebuilding Sealand Traveler 500 plus toilet

Reply #3 – July 27, 2012, 11:56:46 am

It's been a while since I've rebuilt one but it's easy to do. The link has some good instructions but your model may be slightly different. You won't have any problem. Dump your holding tank 1st and rinse out. That will help keep odor to a minium  . Be sure to turn off the water and disconnect the water supply hose to the toilet 1st. Have some towels to clean up the water that will spill out. Use some CLR to clean mineral deposits from the ball so it will be smooth. If the ball is pitted get a new one. While your there check the base seal on the floor that the toilet sits on. Better to fix everything now so you won't have to go back later. Use some 409 and lysol to help clean and disinfect the area when finished. Actually the worst thing about it is paying what they want for the parts. 

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Re: Rebuilding Sealand Traveler 500 plus toilet

Reply #4 – July 27, 2012, 12:09:52 pm

                             A tech at an Rv dealership in Asheville told me a trick to keep that bowl seal good is to clean it best you can and then wipe a layer of petroleum jelly around it on both sides (with latex gloves on of course).
                I just replaced the valve kit on ours because it didn't stop running a couple times and we nearly had a flood. Easy change.

                    If you do split the upper bowl from the lower base make sure you seat the bowl back on correctly. Otherwise it will leak behind the trim. Leave the trim off for a day or two to check for water. I had to reset mine twice.

                                        Dean

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Re: Rebuilding Sealand Traveler 500 plus toilet

Reply #5 – July 27, 2012, 12:26:40 pm

Waterproof silicone paste also works very well on those seals. I apply it with a acetone brush.

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Re: Rebuilding Sealand Traveler 500 plus toilet

Reply #6 – July 27, 2012, 04:47:34 pm

George, I just got through putting new seals in mine. The old ones were only 18 months old but the edge of the seal had become encrusted with crystals from both hard water and urine stone. The new seals have a teflon edge that I really don't like. I installed an old, all rubber seal that I had in my parts inventory. The idea given to pour CLR or Limeaway in the bole may work if the teflon edge is not too damaged but if you do have to replace the seal, its a piece of cake. You don't even have to remove the ball so you are not exposed to the black side of the valve.

I too recommend polishing the ball and I even used Rejex to wax the surface. I do not recommend Vaseline or other petroleum jelly for lubrication if you have an all rubber seal. Use Silicon grease to protect the life of the rubber. I get mine a Leslie's Pool Store in the large tube. I use it all of the time for rubber lubrication.

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Re: Rebuilding Sealand Traveler 500 plus toilet

Reply #7 – July 27, 2012, 07:44:49 pm

Thanks for all the advice!  I think I dodged the bullet again.  I turned off the water and used CLR in the bowl for about an hour.  Then I moved the flush lever slightly (back and forth) about every 15 minutes to allow fresh CLR to flow around the ball.  After each movement of the lever I could see tiny bubbles coming from the edge of the ball for a few minutes...  I assume CO2 from dissolving hard water deposits.  I finally flushed out the CLR after 2 hours.  Then filled with some water.... it has held for 4 hours now and that is good enough. 

The forum comes through again!

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Re: Rebuilding Sealand Traveler 500 plus toilet

Reply #8 – July 28, 2012, 10:06:49 am

So now the question becomes, how do you keep it that way.  I've been pondering, maybe a box of powdered laundry soap nearby to drop some in each time it's used?  I'll try the other ideas mentioned in this thread too.

My experience with repairing, 16 years old, couldn't budge the shaft to remove the ball, (the ball had a groove wore in it).  Checked on just buying the whole base, For another $100 or so I could get the whole toilet (is there a name for repair jobs escalating costs, besides Murphy's law?)

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Re: Rebuilding Sealand Traveler 500 plus toilet

Reply #9 – July 28, 2012, 10:55:02 am

I'm not sure soap/detergent would keep the hard water deposits from building up.  I may treat the toilet with CLR every other month and see if that helps keep it away.  CLR's active ingredient is mainly lactic acid, which shouldn't be too hard on the toilet gaskets (http://mfc.engr.arizona.edu/safety/MSDS%20FOLDER/CLR_Cleaner.pdf).

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Re: Rebuilding Sealand Traveler 500 plus toilet

Reply #10 – July 28, 2012, 11:41:28 am

Goerge- glad the CLR did it as I thought it would. I have been putting a small amount if it in the bowl for 2 yrs now and it has kept it working good. Just do what you did but use only a small amount next time for maintenance.
John H

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Re: Rebuilding Sealand Traveler 500 plus toilet

Reply #11 – July 28, 2012, 02:29:44 pm

Softened water or RO water will remove mineral deposits with regular use. The walls and fixtures in our S&B home (hard well water) came clean with normal use after we installed a softener. All the water we use in the coach is RO filtered. The RO water has cleaned up some fixtures and left no new deposits. I recommend softened water for a whole house RV system.

I regularly put Dawn in the toilet. I think it helps clean the surfaces it touches.

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Re: Rebuilding Sealand Traveler 500 plus toilet

Reply #12 – July 29, 2012, 09:21:43 pm

Went round and around with mine a couple of years ago with a "new and improved one piece seal". Finally called SeaLand with the model # got the right seal kit all is good for the last 2 years. Do yourself a favor call Sealand and get the right parts the first time, along with a new clamp kit.

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Re: Rebuilding Sealand Traveler 500 plus toilet

Reply #13 – July 30, 2012, 12:50:19 am

Our Sealand Traveler toilet is mounted to a wooden box, instead of being mounted to the floor. Inside the box is an above-floor slanted drain pipe that connects toilet to holding tank. So our manual pedal Sealand has a short base.

We decided to replace the whole toilet, but found that Sealand changed the ceramic toilet height, so when installed on our box, the toilet was uncomfortable. After talking with Sealand, we decided to reuse our ceramic bowl and discard the new bowl.

We filled our bowl overflow passages with a lot of silicone from the bottom and top. Sealand gave us some plugs for the two overflow holes in the back of the bowl, which we also siliconed in place. Overflow can be source of smells and the new base does not accommodate the overflow passages.

I thought I wrote up our installation with photos, but could not find them.

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