Hi all just purchased a van with a combo and have been told to use Napisan as an alternative to other chemicals. Wondering how much I would use and if you need to dissolve it first and I am assuming it goes only into the collecting tank and what is best to use in the top tank? Also should you use the Thetford t/paper or is there a cheaper alternative?
Hi there :) you will find lots of info on this and heaps of other interesting stuff if, on the blue toolbar above here you see "search" I hit that and go into advanced search. You can put in words like toilet etc, I just put " toilet chemicals " in to try it and a really good lot of answers came up to help you.
Napisan, I sprinkle a capful in to the toilet. It dissolves in to the matter below. So easy, use homebrand.
Toilet paper you buy from the supermarket, didn't know Thetford made their own.
Use any except the thicker 3ply, they will take longer to break down.
this is probably one of the most discussed subjects on this Forum and suggest you take goobas advice and search for the previous posts.
Everyone has their own thoughts about the subject. Napisan does not hide the smell and a lot of people add various essential oils - some would cause me the abandon ship - the smell would be too strong for my delicate olfactory organs lol
We use a product made in the USA and distributed by Camec (most van shops, BCF's have them). Called Porta Pak - they come in little pods in a zip lock air proof bag. Put about 1.5 litres of water in your cassette, throw in a pod (only use the blue ones - NOT the other colours as they don't wont very well) and it will dissolve everything, including 4 ply toilet paper. They've been around for ages and Camec is a major RV parts distributor, so it wont damage your toilet or cassette. Depending on how long you use them, a packet well last about 6-8 weeks. 20 pods = $19 (from BCF). The little pods (or capsules) dissolve in liquid
Heaps of people have used napi-san for many years and had absolutely no problems and you buy the home brand type from the supermarket = very cheap. But I emailed Thetford before changing to napi-san and got a reply saying they did not recommend it and it would void your warranty. Typically of manufacturers, they want to limit their warranty, so napi-san is a good one, even if its perfectly safe
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Cheers Bruce
The amazing things you see when nomading Australia
this is probably one of the most discussed subjects on this Forum and suggest you take goobas advice and search for the previous posts.
Everyone has their own thoughts about the subject. Napisan does not hide the smell and a lot of people add various essential oils - some would cause me the abandon ship - the smell would be too strong for my delicate olfactory organs lol
We use a product made in the USA and distributed by Camec (most van shops, BCF's have them). Called Porta Pak - they come in little pods in a zip lock air proof bag. Put about 1.5 litres of water in your cassette, throw in a pod (only use the blue ones - NOT the other colours as they don't wont very well) and it will dissolve everything, including 4 ply toilet paper. They've been around for ages and Camec is a major RV parts distributor, so it wont damage your toilet or cassette. Depending on how long you use them, a packet well last about 6-8 weeks. 20 pods = $19 (from BCF). The little pods (or capsules) dissolve in liquid
Heaps of people have used napi-san for many years and had absolutely no problems and you buy the home brand type from the supermarket = very cheap. But I emailed Thetford before changing to napi-san and got a reply saying they did not recommend it and it would void your warranty. Typically of manufacturers, they want to limit their warranty, so napi-san is a good one, even if its perfectly safe
Just looked at the MDS of this product, see here :- http://camec.com/cameccatalogue/documents/MSDS_Porta-Pak_RVExpress_WAL-110.pdf
It appears to be 60% approx Magnesium sulphate (Read Epsom Salts) and a deodorizer and surfactant.
The worrying item which is not listed, but states as a company trade secret, of 20%, I would hesitate a guess at being the good old nasty chemical that is in most portable toilet chemicals and is highly toxic, called Formaldehyde, or one of it's derivatives.
There is no way epsom salt alone would ingest toilet waste and paper in a cassette, even though it does contain a little oxygen and water when breaking down so would have a slightly similar effect to Sodium Percarbonate, but in much lower levels.
Maybe my skeptic mind, but I wouldn't touch them apart from being expensive at almost a $1 a go.
I have read extensively on this subject, from what I have read and checked, you need to use the Coles or Woolies own brand soaker as the Napisan has bleach in it which is no good for septic dump points we come across. Otherwise just use the soaker plus essential oils and all is fine.
You can use the more expensive chemicals if you want.
Thank you all. I didn't know about "Search" so shall have a look in future. Still learning as I still haven't embarked on putting an Avatar, signature etc.
We have been using a nappy/clothes soaker in our loo for three years - we usually use the "home brand" from Woolworths, however, they have changed the percentage of the active ingredient - sodium percarbonate - from 34% down to 28%, and you need to use more to get the same effect. Haven't checked the Coles one, as haven't been near a Coles for ages.
I found one in the Reject Shop called Supreme, blue container, which contains 34% PC, which works well in breaking down all solids. They have a 1kg container for $6 - good value when travelling. The PC content is usually in minute letters, somewhere on the container, whatever brand you buy. The nappy soakers do keep the odours down, but I often add a couple of drops of pure eaucalyptus oil.
If you are only using your cassette for "No. 1's" the only thing to break down is the paper, so not a lot of product is needed, and, as a lady I met does, put your used paper in a plastic bag, dispose of that in a bin, and there is nothing to break down, so you only need an odour disguiser, such as oils (pure).
Our loo is clean, has no scale inside, and the "product" usually comes out very liquefied.
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jules "Love is good for the human being!!" (Ben, aged 10)