How to use the toilet in the van

deverall11 · Guru

How to use the toilet in the van

dazz49 · Senior Member

Flap open there Larry. Drop the load straight thru to the tank.

Landfall · Guru

Don't forget to lift the lid first.

Ken biggrin

gooba53 · Guru

This is our process. with the flap shut lay 4 little squares of toilet paper around the hole. This keeps mess to a minimum. Sit, open flap. Do job. Flush. Close flap. Don't open flap till you sit, or yuck!!!

deverall11 · Guru

Thank you all for replying. This makes sense. Pity we weren't explained this by the dealer from the outset.
Larry

jules47 · The Happy Helper

That is one of the most sensible questions I have seen on this site!!!!!!!!!!

Flap open, drop load - clean - or flush - close flap, close lid - all done!!!!

Use home brand nappy soaker only - it works!!!!!!!!!

sandsmere · Guru

We use "Happy Bowl" liners as well .

Buy them online . They cost less than 10cents each . The bowl always stays clean .

dorian · Guru

The following might be useful for future reference:

http://www.google.com/search?q=dometic+toilet+cassette+filetype%3Apdf+OR+filetype%3Adoc+%22manual%22+OR+%22guide%22+OR+%22instructions%22+site%3Adometicsanitation.com

-- Edited by dorian on Monday 30th of December 2013 06:59:55 AM

Plendo · Guru

Thanks Dorian for the link to the Dometic manuals etc. I then went back and checked our van, and it is going to be built with a thetford system, so I searched for thetford hints, and found two items of interest.

The first is a how to use a van toilet video from from a reputable victorian dealer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-bAXYAQQOqY

The second is a series of three videos on thetford cassette maintenance, well worth viewing just for the understanding, this is a link to the first of the three:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nMijkBRhUmY

Bunkerbob · Senior Member

Cheers Larry for starting this link. I went to the videos that Plendo (Thanks Plendo) put up and very interesting. Its a subject that doesn't illicit much discussion but an essential part of our life. Learnt heaps.

Wirroff · Senior Member

Rule Number One: Don't do Number Two's in Mobile Home/Caravan/Motorhome/Campervan....... biggrin

rockylizard · Guru

Gday...

Thanks Plendo - I learnt much from the 'triple' video.

Thanks Dorian - good info.

Goes to show one is never too old to learn;

and why isn't this sort of thing either included by the dealer/manufacturer of the van - of provided through Thetford for users.

Cheers - John

Mr B2 · Senior Member

gooba53 wrote:
This is our process. with the flap shut lay 4 little squares of toilet paper around the hole. This keeps mess to a minimum. Sit, open flap. Do job. Flush. Close flap. Don't open flap till you sit, or yuck!!!

Those bits of paper in the bowl first work great, No mess to clean up, Its a straight flush,

03_troopy · Guru

which can only be beaten by a royal flush....

Ontos45 · Guru

Thanks for the links dorian and Plendo, very informative.

Dunmowin · Guru

Wirroff wrote:
Rule Number One: Don't do Number Two's in Mobile Home/Caravan/Motorhome/Campervan.......

Sorry to disagree with you on this one Wirroff, the chemicals in your toilet work better with solids, rather than just liquid. The "liquid" will start to smell long before the solids do.

Also, food for thought is the fact that most purpose made chemicals (not talking about napisan etc) have a shelf life of 3 - 4 days in the cassette, after that, regardless of number ones or number twos. If only used in thee 3 - 4 days for number ones, you will start to get a smell.

Delta18 · Guru

gooba53 wrote:
This is our process. with the flap shut lay 4 little squares of toilet paper around the hole. This keeps mess to a minimum. Sit, open flap. Do job. Flush. Close flap. Don't open flap till you sit, or yuck!!!

I have to dis-agree there, if you are actually travelling and it has been a few days since emptying the cassette I recommend cracking the flap open before even opening the lid. The cassette can be pressurised and cracking the flap released the pressure harmlessly rather than it spurting up in your face.

We use the paper as gooba said above but don't open flap until job is done otherwise the paper is gone before the job is finished.

hako · Guru

sandsmere wrote:
We use "Happy Bowl" liners as well .
Buy them online . They cost less than 10cents each . The bowl always stays clean .

G'Day Sandsmere,

I can only find them for just under 30c each on Ebay - do you have a link to where you get them online please.

Regards

macy517 · Newbie

Just looked at the three you tube videos. I am one of those who swished the cassette around with water to rinse it a couple of times. Now I am worried that I have damaged the float inside. There was unfortunate overflow in the cavity where the cassette sits in when I went to empty it the other day but I put that down to the kids using the toilet overnight and not taking any notice if the 'full' light was on. I must say, I didn't check for the light in the morning, I just went straight outside and got the cartridge out which is when I noticed the overflow. Rather than wait and check for the full light or next overflow, is there any other way of checking that the float is damaged??

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

macy517 wrote:
Just looked at the three you tube videos. I am one of those who swished the cassette around with water to rinse it a couple of times. Now I am worried that I have damaged the float inside. There was unfortunate overflow in the cavity where the cassette sits in when I went to empty it the other day but I put that down to the kids using the toilet overnight and not taking any notice if the 'full' light was on. I must say, I didn't check for the light in the morning, I just went straight outside and got the cartridge out which is when I noticed the overflow. Rather than wait and check for the full light or next overflow, is there any other way of checking that the float is damaged??

try filling the toilet with a garden hose (water) and watch to see the gauge move.

Macy517

Delta18 · Guru

_wombat_ wrote:
macy517 wrote:
Rather than wait and check for the full light or next overflow, is there any other way of checking that the float is damaged??
try filling the toilet with a garden hose (water) and watch to see the gauge move.

KISS! The simple ways is still best...lol

Macy, I can't see how "swishing" would do damage, that is the only way to dislodge all, ummm, things.

rockylizard · Guru

Delta18 wrote:
KISS! The simple ways is still best...lol
Macy, I can't see how "swishing" would do damage, that is the only way to dislodge all, ummm, things.

Gday...

Guess ya need to watch the video.

It is explained how "swishing" with half a cassette of water has the potential to dislodge the magnets which operate the 'light' and often does dislodge/break the 'float' that operates the magnets.

Cheers - John

-- Edited by rockylizard on Thursday 2nd of January 2014 11:08:18 AM

macy517 · Newbie

Thanks Wombat. I gather you mean filling it with a hose while it is still connected to the toilet. We have a light that is supposed to come on inside the van when the cartridge is near full. I will give this a try after I have emptied it (and given it a gentle swirl with water)

Delta18 · Guru

rockylizard wrote:
Delta18 wrote:

Macy, I can't see how "swishing" would do damage, that is the only way to dislodge all, ummm, things.
Gday...
Guess ya need to watch the video.
It is explained how "swishing" with half a cassette of water has the potential to dislodge the magnets which operate the 'light' and often does dislodge/break the 'float' that operates the magnets.
Cheers - John

MMMM yep, just watched the video. Cassettes have changed, the one in the PortaPotie that we just sold was without the magnet float system.

The one in the new van is the "Red Light" style. I have only emptied it twice, both times with 'swishing'. Oops!

I better do the 'hose in the tank' test to see if it still works.

navynurse · Senior Member

Thank-you for this, I didn't think of the toilet use when buying the van.
The videos have really helped.

Allan

Wirroff · Senior Member

Dunmowin wrote:
Wirroff wrote:
Rule Number One: Don't do Number Two's in Mobile Home/Caravan/Motorhome/Campervan.......
Sorry to disagree with you on this one Wirroff, the chemicals in your toilet work better with solids, rather than just liquid. The "liquid" will start to smell long before the solids do.
Also, food for thought is the fact that most purpose made chemicals (not talking about napisan etc) have a shelf life of 3 - 4 days in the cassette, after that, regardless of number ones or number twos. If only used in thee 3 - 4 days for number ones, you will start to get a smell.

My reply was a little 'tongue in cheek' initially...get it, cheek?