Saniflo Repairs
We no longer take machines in for repair. What we do now is sell the spare parts and tell you which one you need, which for most faults is all it takes.
We spent years stripping and rebuilding Saniflo and Turboflush macerators. The same three parts accounted for nearly every unit that came through the workshop. None of them are expensive and none of them need a plumber.
The Three Parts That Fix Most Machines
- Microswitch – £11.99
- Membrane – £24.99
- Capacitor – from £17.99
All three together comes to under £60. That is the entire switching and starting side of the machine replaced, for a fraction of what a new macerator costs.
What Is Your Machine Doing
It runs on and will not switch off
The membrane has shrunk or hardened. It sits under the paddle that works the microswitch and once it stiffens with scale the switch never releases. Heavy bleach use is usually behind it. Change the microswitch at the same time while the unit is apart.
It hums or buzzes but will not turn
Check the blade turns freely by hand. If it does, the capacitor has gone. They drift out of tolerance with age and a weak one will not start the motor. If the blade is solid, clear the obstruction before buying anything.
It starts on its own, sometimes at night
A faulty microswitch or a distorted membrane. Rule out a dripping tap or an overflowing cistern first. Water trickling in sets the machine off exactly the same way and no part will cure that.
It cycles in short bursts
The non return valve is leaking back. On newer machines it pulls out of the top once the jubilee clip is off. On older ones it sits inside so the unit has to come out.
It trips the electrics
Water has reached the motor windings. The motor is not a repairable part. The unit is scrap and no switch or membrane will change that.
All Saniflo spare parts by symptom
Not Sure Which Part You Need
Get the model name off the plate on the machine then contact us with that and a description of what it is doing. We will tell you which part to order.
Parts are model specific and getting it wrong wastes your money. A Sanivite takes an 8uF capacitor rather than the 10uF that most of the range uses. Fit the wrong one and the machine starts weakly or not at all. We would rather point you at the right £11.99 part than sell you three you do not need.
Can A Saniflo Be Repaired
In most cases yes. We have worked on a unit over twenty years old that was still going strong. All it needed was a new switch.
Most plumbers will not touch a macerator because of what is inside one. Plenty of people have been told they need a new unit by someone who never took the lid off. Often it is an £11.99 switch.
Repairing the machine you have is cheaper than replacing it and it keeps a working unit out of landfill. That is why this business exists.
When It Is Not Worth Repairing
We would rather tell you to stop spending than sell you parts that will not help.
- If it trips the breaker the motor has failed and the machine is finished
- If the blade turns freely with a new capacitor fitted and it still will not start, the motor has failed
- If the body is cracked or the outlet spigot has perished through, parts will not save it
Never remove the dielectric oil from a Saniflo motor. It needs it to run. There is nothing inside the motor to repair.
Before You Start
Once the parts are fitted, set the machine up outside on an RCD adapter and fill it with water before plumbing it back in. Point the outlet into a drain or a bucket then let it run for a few minutes. If something is not seated correctly you will find out there rather than under the bathroom floor.
More detail on faults is in our Saniflo troubleshooting FAQ.