By Bryan Couch
Motor Coach Industries

Passengers typically don't give motorcoach lavatories much thought - unless they have a reason to complain.
In Customers for Life, author Carl Sewel points out that bus passengers will often think, "if that's how they will take care of their restroom, how will they take care of me?"
Knowing this, many operators take great pride in having a well-maintained restroom. And there's no excuse not to.
That's because it's easy to keep the paper stocked, the lock working, and even the mirror clean. And new products, such as hand-wipes and hand sanitizers from Celeste, offer good quality and utility for passengers.
But increased lavatory use during the summer season also calls for increased mechanical maintenance.
Rule No. 1 is to always observe local ordinances when dumping. Following the tips below will result in a clean, well-maintained lavatory.
Flush waste-storage tanks after dumping. Drain the waste-holding tank by opening the dump valve (slide). Flush to release the solution in the pump. Close the dump valve. Attach a fresh water (ideally warm or hot) hose to charge the tank, and flush two or three times to circulate and rinse. Repeat the dump-and-rinse cycle until waste water runs clear.
Obstructions can sometimes be cleared by cycling' the dump valve a few times. If necessary, the cleanout plug should be removed for clearing the dump valve. A solution of one-third pint (.5 liter) disinfectant should be used for the final rinse.
Follow the instructions listed in your coach maintenance manual and refill the tank with fresh water/chemical solution to the fill mark. Flush the lavatory a few times to circulate the solution and fill the pump. Recheck the fluid level; top off if necessary.
Fresh water storage tanks (if equipped) should be inspected and cleaned and disinfected as needed.
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The lavatory ventilation system should be inspected and serviced as needed. This ventilation system draws air from the lavatory into the engine's air intake system while the engine is running. Inspect the air hose for splits or tears. Breaks in the air-routing hose will reduce fresh-air flow through the lavatory and can allow unfiltered air to enter the engine inlet box.
Some coaches use a 24-volt fan to ventilate the lavatory. With the ignition key in the ACC' or RUN' position, the fan is powered and discharges stale air from the lavatory area into the engine air intake system.
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Inspect the sink drains (if equipped), which may hold water and allow odors to re-enter the coach.
MCI always recommends consulting the maintenance manual for detailed troubleshooting information on your particular lavatory system.
Bryan Couch is vice president of product development and technical support at MCI.