Installation Advice

There are a few issues that the installer needs to know before commencing the installation of a Saniflo macerating system. First of all, the installation must comply with local Electrical and Plumbing Codes. A permit may be required to install a Saniflo toilet or pump. Refer to Product Certification documents.

Correct use of a macerating system

Saniplus, Sanipack, Sanicompact and Sanistar These regular household macerating systems are designed for the disposal of human waste, toilet paper and water ONLY. You may NOT dispose of acids, solvents, oils, paint, paint stripper, sanitary napkins, tampons, condoms, plastic bags, cotton buds, string, cat litter or anything that could halt, damage or corrode the macerator.

Sanibest and Sanigrind These more powerful grinder pumps can be used for the disposal of water from such pumped appliances as washing machines, as well as human waste and toilet paper. Designed for light commercial applications, Sanibest and Sanigrind can accept the occasional disposal of condoms, sanitary napkins, tampons or cotton swabs. You may NOT dispose of acids, solvents, oils, paint, paint stripper, plastic bags, cotton buds, string, cat litter or anything that could halt, damage or corrode the macerating pump unit.

Important Installation Notes

Venting for Macerating Systems

As per plumbing code all P-traps need to be vented. Therefore, even though macerating systems are isolated from the main drain system (by means of a check valve), the trap of the hand basin, shower, bathtub or bidet must be vented. The following external macerating systems MUST be vented: Saniplus, Sanipack, Sanibest and Sanigrind. Systems with built-in motors, such as Sanicompact and Sanistar need not to be vented (they are considered to be a forced main).

External macerating systems have a tapping on the lid, generally located on the right hand side and are 1½-inch diameter. To start one needs to saw off the cap and connect the provided 1½-inch accordion connector to it. Then a street-elbow can be pushed into the other side of the accordion connector and one can finish off the vent installation in 1½-inch pipe.

Vent pipes MUST slope upwards (¼-inch per foot) when running in the horizontal plane. If one cannot get at the house’s vent system, the vent pipe may run along the joists to the outside of the house. Do NOT use air admittance valve (also known as cheater vents) because these are one-way devices. Macerating systems need a two-way air movement, OUT when the toilet is flushing, i.e. water is running into the pump case, and IN when the macerating unit is pumping water out of the case.

Note: When connecting to a vent system, please push the provided plastic cap into the breather opening located on the left hand side of the lid. Otherwise there exists the possibility for odor (not sewer gas but odor).

Installing a Shower stall or Bathtub

External macerating systems have a 1 ½-inch connection on both sides of the case for connecting other fixtures. The pump does not suck in wastewater but instead flows into the case by gravity. The 1 ½-inch inlet is sufficient in size to drain away wastewater of a shower and or a bathtub. Outdated plumbing codes still state that the drain of a shower needs to be 2-inch in size. These are based on older showerheads which allowed higher flows of water to pass through it. With today’s low flow water concious showerheads, we believe that it is not necessary to install a 2-inch drain from the shower. You could for example, reduce the 2-inch shower drain with a 2-inch to 1 ½-inch bushing. From there continue with a 1 ½-inch p-trap and finish off the installation with 1 ½-inch pipe.

Furthermore, when installing a shower stall or bathtub, you will need to build a platform out of 2” x 6” lumber (on edge) to allow space for a P-trap. We also sell a 38 x 38 inch Neo-angle Showerbase with a suitable raised base. See Sanishower for details.

Water Spot Size

Our Saniflush toilet bowl for the Saniplus and the Sanibest, features a water spot inside the bowl that measures 6 x 5 inches. The water spot size is normal for this type of bowl and cannot be adjusted. If the water level is raised the water will simply drain away into the pump unit.

Trouble Shooting

Repeated starting of pump

Sometimes the pump will start up more than once after a flush. Please check the following:

• Overflow Tube. Lift the lid and check the overflow tube (typically a black hose running from the fill valve to the flush valve) to see if it is attached to the overflow tube in such a manner that water sprays into the overflow tube. If so, move the clip so that water now sprays into the reservoir. This type of toilet does not need to have the trapway refilled after a flush. Or, some silicone squirted into the tube will stop water from flowing through the tube.
  
  
• Flush Valve. Also check for leaking of the flush valve into the toilet. To easily check add a few drops of food dye into the tank until the water is slightly colored and then observe the back wall of the bowl for any colored water to drip down. If this happens it means that the flush valve is leaking and need to be replaced.
  
  
• Fill Valve. Observe the water level in the tank. It must be level with the water level mark. If the water level is above the watermark, the float of the fill valve needs to be adjusted down. Similarly, if the water level in the tank is too low, the float must be adjusted up.

Flush arm hanging up

If the flush arm (inside the reservoir) of the toilet hangs up on the insulation of the tank, please bend the arm inwards a bit. The end of the arm should be about ½-inch away from the insulation. If you do not wish to do this we will mail you a new (shorter arm). Note: Only toilets sold in Canada have an insulated tank.