Small Cabin

Small Cabin Forum
 - Forums - Register/Sign Up - Reply - Search - Statistics -

Small Cabin Forum / Off-Grid Living / Sun-Mar NE BROKEN
Author Message
Sayhey24
Member
# Posted: 25 Jun 2020 08:44
Reply 


We bought a Sun-Mar NE in Jan of 2007 and the fiberglass “body” at the back called the rear bearing plate part #EN 0111B has cracked and the steel shaft for the crank keeps falling out of its “keeper” hole.
This is for my wife’s use in inclement weather and for our older guests who dont want to or can’t use the outhouse. Has anyone drilled out the rivets and replaced this part? We paid $949 from Lehmans in 2007 and I see replacement is closer to $1,600. The capacity of the sun-mar is very good as we empty it at close up in October...so just once a year. The fiberglass body is flimsy and the overflow drain is poorly engineered at best....if I had to replace it....Id consider another brand....Nature’s head looks like it needs weekly emptying ? Of the urine at least. The sun-mar overflow is tied to the grease pit for the grey water currently ....any suggestions for something that doesn’t need attention once a week and or doesn’t look like you are riding a mechanical bull??

beachman
Member
# Posted: 25 Jun 2020 09:24
Reply 


We have the same unit (since 2011) and it seems to work very well so far. Ours is accessed with a Dometic 510 1 pint flush toilet so the toilet looks and feels like a regular bathroom fixture. I agree on the drain issues and if ours went I would replace it with maybe a sawdust unit underneath with some sort of rotation and a better drainage system. The current system works as long as you attend to it every few days and it is nice to rotate the inner barrel to promote the breakdown of matter (poop). Someone might have tried to rotate the drum during a freeze which could have broken the mechanism.

ICC
Member
# Posted: 25 Jun 2020 09:43
Reply 


Sun-Mar does sell parts. Have you contacted them to see if that is available?

Sayhey24
Member
# Posted: 25 Jun 2020 13:21
Reply 


I’m going to see if I can try and repair the elongated hole with a fiberglass kit....if its is beyond that I’ll call sunmar
Thanks

FishHog
Member
# Posted: 25 Jun 2020 14:19
Reply 


If you do go with a natures head, you could plumb the urine tank into the same spot you do now and not need to dump it. I have a Air Head in our campervan (almost the same as natures head, partners who split ways). The urine tank isn't that big, so we dump every couple of days. If I was stationary I'd remove the tank and run a permanent line.

Had a Sunmar at the cottage for a while, like the air head much more. Simple, easy to use and doesn't mix urine and #2 which if you ever have a smell is due to that.

Sayhey24
Member
# Posted: 25 Jun 2020 20:26
Reply 


Thanks FishHog, I was thinking the same about plumbing into the grey water.......I like the compact design on the Natures Head....but in an attempt to save $1000 I try and repair what I got

Peewee86
Member
# Posted: 28 Jun 2020 17:00
Reply 


If you are going to break out the fiberglass kit can you improve on the original design by glassing in a bronze bushing? Just a thought. Good luck.

Sayhey24
Member
# Posted: 29 Jun 2020 20:28
Reply 


the fiberglass worked great...i had a plastic nipple in my MacGyver box that threaded into the fractured hole and had the right ID for the crank shaft....turned out great........town is 45 minutes each way so you try and find something laying around that will kinda work...in this case I had the perfect MacGyver part....shed would be almost empty if I threw out all those boxes

FishHog
Member
# Posted: 30 Jun 2020 08:05
Reply 


Awesome. Love when I successfully macgyver a fix

Sayhey24
Member
# Posted: 30 Jun 2020 09:46
Reply 


Id post pictures but it says I not allowed to?
Broken
Broken


Sayhey24
Member
# Posted: 30 Jun 2020 09:48
Reply 


Not sure how I managed that!!!!
Fixed!!
Fixed!!


moneypitfeeder
Member
# Posted: 25 Jul 2020 20:16
Reply 


Great job! We have a circa 1980s Sunmar that was designed for a boat, you have to climb a step to get to the throne The overflow drain is awful, we plan on addressing that this fall, but it works pretty well for our situation too. Glad you were able to fix it!

Your reply
Bold Style  Italic Style  Underlined Style  Thumbnail Image Link  Large Image Link  URL Link           :) ;) :-( :confused: More smilies...

» Username  » Password 
Only registered users can post here. Please enter your login/password details before posting a message, or register here first.