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Headhunter Royal Flush Toilet Clogged… Ideas?
I have a 1997 Liberty Prevost conversion. My wife attempted to flush a tampon in the toilet (she knows not to, but we’ve been away from the bus and she’s gotten used to “normal” toilets) and it just didn’t finish the job of flushing. The water just kept raising and I ended up turning off the water pump to prevent it from overflowing.
After doing that, we’ve tried to use a plunger (which Liberty told us to do the one other time it wouldn’t flush). This was a mega plunger like you’ve never seen (ergonomic grips, amazing seal system, central red thingie to help push crap down, etc.). That didn’t change a thing. Whenever we attempt to flush, we never get to the point of hearing the normal stream of water pushing things along and instead mainly notice the water lever in the bowl raising. Once it gets near the rim, we shut down the water pump and then use a bucket to bail the water down to a managable level and then try again.
Any ideas on what we should try next?
If it was Monday, I’d just call Troy at Liberty and he’d tell me what to do. But, alas, it’s Sunday and we’re parked in a ghetto RV park where we’d rather drive somewhere instead of using the bathrooms here.
-Ben
P.S.: If you want to see just how far toilet plunger technology has advanced, check out the plunger we used:
http://www.amazon.com/Roto-Rooter-RRWP01-Instant-Plunger/dp/B00919TXRM
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11 Replies
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Ben,
There are toilet plungers that are like a large diameter bicycle pump.
Unlike what we traditionally think of as a plunger with the wooden stick and big round rubber half round cap on the end these plungers have a multiple end configurations that can literally fit into and seal in the toilet outlet, then pull back on the handle and push down hard and the device pumps water or air into the toilet discharge.
Camping World? Lowe’s? Walmart?
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Ben,
Here’s what I am talking about. The object is to extend the handle filling it with water or air, then seal it into the hole in the bottom of the toilet and push as hard and fast as possible.
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Where’s
Jdub when we need him!Ben
– You may have to use a plumbing snake probably from the bottom
(Holding Tank) and work your way up. It’s not going to be a pleasant
job, but if the tampon and paper have the pipe clog lodged at the 90
degree bend, it may take a snake to punch through. Here’s a
picture of what your flush valve looks like and it is upstream from
your clog. Liberty did a good job of fastening the pipe to the
holding tank with a rubber connectors, so you should be able to have
access for the snake.
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I have been unable to locate the Johnny Jolter Power Toilet Plunger that Jon mentioned anywhere locally. Home Depot has it on their web site, but it’s not an in store item. I’ve also tried Lowes, Ace, Menards, Target, Walmart and a few others. Looks like something I’d have to order and the soonest I could receive it would be Tuesday… that’s a long time to go without a toilet (especially in this ghetto RV park (only one within the city limits of Minneapolis). First time I’ve run into a RV park toilet that uses a shower curtain for the “door” on it’s only stall!
Would it be of any use to call a plumber, or are they going to mess up this marine style toilet? If it needs to be snaked from the tank side, then that’s not something I’d do myself. Or, should I possibly find a boat place since they might be more used to a Headhunter Royal Flush? This is the land of 10,000 lakes, so there might be a few places to choose from.
Note: I do overly simple stuff maintance-wise and am not used to taking things apart, especially when it comes to this part of the plumbing system.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated.
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Ben,
Get creative in the absence of the plunger type I showed.
first find something that you can press against the hole in the bottom of the toilet such as a foam rubber ball. Punch, drill, or otherwise create a hole in it. Go to NAPA and get an air gun that you can stick in that hole and have it seal around the nozzle reasonably tight. Then on your Liberty you should have an air hose quick connect fitting in the steer compartment into which you can attach a 50 foot length of air hose, run the hose through the driver’s side sliding window to the toilet. Connect it to the air gun anbd squeeze the trigger.
Now before this turns into a three Stooge comedy realize that the air can built pressure in your pipes pretty quick. Also realize if the air cannot go downstream, it is going to blow back on you so you need to be holding the ball against the base of the toilet pretty tight and you only want to squeeze the trigger slowly so only enough pressure is created to free the blockage. I’m sure there are other alternatives such as a similar arrangement but using a garden hose, but if the blockage resists movement the water is going all over. I am almost certain with a little blast of air or water prressure that tampon is going to act like the wadding on a black powder rifle and when it lets go your toilet will drain rapidly as soon as the ball blocking the drain is removed.
You are making memories.
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Behind the toliet there is a small door (maybe accesed through a cabnet) that if you open you will see a red handled ball valve and the back of the toilet. You can control the water flow and water level in the bowl with this valve. It’s not that hard to take the toliet off and axcess the drain pipes too. I bet the blockage is right at the first or second turn in the drain pipe and you can clear it with a snake or even a old coat hanger. Don’t ask me how I know this I don’t even know Jdub!
Fred
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Our toilet backs up to the ice box…I had to pull the ice box out in order to tie it down as it was tipping on turns…When I did I noted our toilet aparatus could be accessed thru the compartment the frig is in if you pull the frig out…I like the idea of accessing the toilet and taking apart whatever needs to be taken apart to pull that nasty ol party favor out…
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Jon,
Your idea of using air to push thing through worked. I ended up using a KONG dog toy, which looks as if it was designed for the task.
If any one else needs to do this, I’d just suggest you blow the air in at the same time as attempting to flush the toilet so it can move it all the way down the line once it gets moving.
Thanks Jon!
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Now that you are out of trouble and life is good can we start teasing?
Good idea to flush at the same time because that provided water to carry the offending blockage downstream.
How is that new old coach coming Ben? We need some photos.
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Not sure which toilet you have, but if it is like mine, a Headhunter Neoclassic, there is a 90 degree turn ball valve just inside the left side rear which should be shut (90 degrees to flow direction) when using a plunger, otherwise using the plunger mainly just short circuits the plunger pressure you create to the water flow flush holes under the inside rim of the toilet bowl at the top. You may still work up a sweat, but keep at it until the water level drops reasonably quickly (30 seconds?) to let you know you are getting there.
I dare not get into the discussion that you should have with the other half about what is a reasonable amount of TP, either. I was never here, and you never got this tip from me.
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Sounds like Ken is a very smart man. And has been a husband for a long time.
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