Several months ago the float arm in my Thetford C200 cassette dropped out as I attempted to free it up.
In the intervening time I spent many frustrating efforts trying refit the float arm back in. The problem being that while holding the float hinge it was not possible to feel where it was supposed to go. And yes, I tried a mirror, also tried a bore scope through the pressure relief valve hole. Nothing seemed to work.
Then earlier today I had the bright idea of using a small piece of double sided adhesive tape in the hollow of the hinge.
IT WORKED ON THE FIRST GO! The float hinge stayed stuck to my finger while it was moved onto the slot and clicked home.
I give the details of this break through to the world.
Murray
PS: There is a you-tube of how to fit the float arm into a half shell of a cassette. If you look closely you will see that the person fitting the float arm actually cheats - he leans over to look to see where the hinge goes! So much for doing it blindly by feel.
Possum3 said
04:51 PM Feb 24, 2020
Murray, you have activated the grey matter.
Thetford cassettes are almost impossible to carry out any work inside; Has anyone ever fitted an inspection hatch (hand sized) into side-wall? If so, how did they do it?
Long Weekend said
05:28 PM Feb 24, 2020
Actually, Possum3, I had worked out in my mind how Thetford could fix their cassettes so that it would be simple to replace a C200 float.
Basically, it would involve a M3 or M4 nylon screw fed through the top of the cassette, that then screws into a tapped hole in the bottom of the hinge hollow. But the beauty of it all is that to fit the float a thread is passed through the top hole into the cavity, that thread is then taken up through the round opening, passed through the hole in the base of the hinge and secured by tying a knot around something like a small piece of match. To fit the float arm simply pull the thread through, align the base into the slot, cut the thread and secure with the nylon screw.
Now, if I could get Thetford interested I could be on my way to my first million!
Apart from the screw I had thought that if there was any way of drilling a hole through where the hinge was seated then I would have used the thread idea to seat the float arm. The hole would have been simply sealed with a dab of silicon.
Anyway, I couldn't wait for all that so used the double sided tape.
Murray
blissonwheels said
06:05 PM Feb 24, 2020
Gooday,
My guess is it is the float that alerts you when the Cassette is full before overflowing into the space where it is stored?
Yes, have shaken ours out by shaking it too vigorously when flushing after emptying it. It appeared at the outlet when I was tipping the water out. Hmmmmmmm.
Well it took me several attempts using most of the methods outlined, then one day when I decided to have another go, and after feeling where it fitted into the place it belongs on the inside, after a few tries I managed to get it to sit back into place where it sits between the couple of Plastic Fins or such, when you get it in position you push it gently into place.
Best of luck, yes it is possible, when you get frustrated and angry put it away and have another attempt tomorrow, you will win. Did not find the U-tube videos to be terribly helpful for this exercise
I am Very Very careful when I now empty ours and shake it VERY gently.
-- Edited by blissonwheels on Monday 24th of February 2020 06:06:42 PM
Long Weekend said
08:29 PM Feb 24, 2020
Well, Bliss On Wheels, having the float arm secured with a nylon screw would stop it coming adrift when shaken too vigoroulsy. Would probably cost around three or four dollars to incorporate in production versus around $20 for replacement floats. Hmm - obviously, lost profits would take precedence.
Murray
Chrisco said
09:09 PM Apr 19, 2022
I rang Thetford. The whole circular lid is removable. No trick to getting your gloved hand in there.
The float hooks up in the right hand corner above the wheels, there will be two hinges where you can clip it in to. Hope this helps.
Why do you need a float? If you look down the hole, you can see the level.
Also, why is there a microswitch that stops flushing if the cassette is removed? After a couple of failures, ours is gone.
The slide thingy over the seals. It serves no purpose. That is gone too.
And those stupid expensive pumps. I replumbed ours to use the onboard pump and water tank. The top tank is empty.
These products are much more complicated than they need to be. That leads to more things to go wrong and more cost for no benefit.
Cheers,
Peter
oldbloke said
02:10 PM Apr 24, 2022
Chrisco wrote:
I rang Thetford. The whole circular lid is removable. No trick to getting your gloved hand in there.
The float hooks up in the right hand corner above the wheels, there will be two hinges where you can clip it in to. Hope this helps.
My cassette is a C200 one. The one that came with the van didn't have wheels - and while I shouldn't admit it, I damaged it trying to take the circular part out.
On our first trip away in our 'new' van the full warning light failed to come on and the cassette overflowed. Welcome to caravaning! Luckily, I had a packet of disposable gloves in the bathroom kit and having a strong stomach, lots of cleaning cloths and half a bottle of Pine o Clean, got it cleaned up. On checking found that the internal swing arm was missing.
The replacement cassette was still called a C200 and came with detachable wheels - detachable because they keep coming off whenever trying to wheel it!
In the next couple of days I'll go out to the van and check if the circular part does come off as per the video.
Murray
Keith P said
08:57 PM Apr 24, 2022
That clip is not quite complete hey.
To make the job easier.....slide the sliding gate right out and insert it in the opposite end of where it goes....and use it as a lever to unscrew the top plate. I like to use both hands so I have 2 of the sliders...one on either side makes it easier.
Hope this helps.
Several months ago the float arm in my Thetford C200 cassette dropped out as I attempted to free it up.
In the intervening time I spent many frustrating efforts trying refit the float arm back in. The problem being that while holding the float hinge it was not possible to feel where it was supposed to go. And yes, I tried a mirror, also tried a bore scope through the pressure relief valve hole. Nothing seemed to work.
Then earlier today I had the bright idea of using a small piece of double sided adhesive tape in the hollow of the hinge.
IT WORKED ON THE FIRST GO! The float hinge stayed stuck to my finger while it was moved onto the slot and clicked home.
I give the details of this break through to the world.
Murray
PS: There is a you-tube of how to fit the float arm into a half shell of a cassette. If you look closely you will see that the person fitting the float arm actually cheats - he leans over to look to see where the hinge goes! So much for doing it blindly by feel.
Thetford cassettes are almost impossible to carry out any work inside; Has anyone ever fitted an inspection hatch (hand sized) into side-wall? If so, how did they do it?
Actually, Possum3, I had worked out in my mind how Thetford could fix their cassettes so that it would be simple to replace a C200 float.
Basically, it would involve a M3 or M4 nylon screw fed through the top of the cassette, that then screws into a tapped hole in the bottom of the hinge hollow. But the beauty of it all is that to fit the float a thread is passed through the top hole into the cavity, that thread is then taken up through the round opening, passed through the hole in the base of the hinge and secured by tying a knot around something like a small piece of match. To fit the float arm simply pull the thread through, align the base into the slot, cut the thread and secure with the nylon screw.
Now, if I could get Thetford interested I could be on my way to my first million!
Apart from the screw I had thought that if there was any way of drilling a hole through where the hinge was seated then I would have used the thread idea to seat the float arm. The hole would have been simply sealed with a dab of silicon.
Anyway, I couldn't wait for all that so used the double sided tape.
Murray
Gooday,
My guess is it is the float that alerts you when the Cassette is full before overflowing into the space where it is stored?
Yes, have shaken ours out by shaking it too vigorously when flushing after emptying it. It appeared at the outlet when I was tipping the water out. Hmmmmmmm.
Well it took me several attempts using most of the methods outlined, then one day when I decided to have another go, and after feeling where it fitted into the place it belongs on the inside, after a few tries I managed to get it to sit back into place where it sits between the couple of Plastic Fins or such, when you get it in position you push it gently into place.
Best of luck, yes it is possible, when you get frustrated and angry put it away and have another attempt tomorrow, you will win. Did not find the U-tube videos to be terribly helpful for this exercise
I am Very Very careful when I now empty ours and shake it VERY gently.
-- Edited by blissonwheels on Monday 24th of February 2020 06:06:42 PM
Murray
The float hooks up in the right hand corner above the wheels, there will be two hinges where you can clip it in to. Hope this helps.
www.youtube.com/watch
Chrisco
Also, why is there a microswitch that stops flushing if the cassette is removed? After a couple of failures, ours is gone.
The slide thingy over the seals. It serves no purpose. That is gone too.
And those stupid expensive pumps. I replumbed ours to use the onboard pump and water tank. The top tank is empty.
These products are much more complicated than they need to be. That leads to more things to go wrong and more cost for no benefit.
Cheers,
Peter
Do you know if they,are all the same?
I have one without wheels
On our first trip away in our 'new' van the full warning light failed to come on and the cassette overflowed. Welcome to caravaning! Luckily, I had a packet of disposable gloves in the bathroom kit and having a strong stomach, lots of cleaning cloths and half a bottle of Pine o Clean, got it cleaned up. On checking found that the internal swing arm was missing.
The replacement cassette was still called a C200 and came with detachable wheels - detachable because they keep coming off whenever trying to wheel it!
In the next couple of days I'll go out to the van and check if the circular part does come off as per the video.
Murray
To make the job easier.....slide the sliding gate right out and insert it in the opposite end of where it goes....and use it as a lever to unscrew the top plate. I like to use both hands so I have 2 of the sliders...one on either side makes it easier.
Hope this helps.
Cheers Keith