# Motorhome Toilet



## 128110 (Sep 21, 2009)

We have recently purchased a new motorhome, never having owned one before, we are a bit unsure about the toilet! 

Before we go away we refill our cassette with the required 3 Litres of water and 2 caps of the blue stuff. But once travelling for about 15 mins the whole van really smells, which comes from the toilet. 

When we get back from a trip i wash out the cassette and store empty until the next time. 

Could anybody advise what we can do differently or is this the norm? 

Thanks

DeanoNessie


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## neilbes (Oct 16, 2006)

i normally fill the toilet when i get to site,having said that i have travelled
with it ready to go and used and i don't get nasty niffs.
is the blade shut ? is the seal ok?
thats all it can be really..


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## clodhopper2006 (Aug 13, 2006)

Are you certain it's your toilet that smells and not your grey/waste water tank?


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## neilbes (Oct 16, 2006)

is it a chemical smell or a bad stale smell?


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## Rainbow-Chasers (Sep 2, 2008)

As just mentioned, check the blade and seal are working correctly. That is about all that can go wrong really! There have been issues with cassette seals, but these can be serviced with kits available from the caravan dealers.

I always advise to travel with an empty loo, top it when on site, and empty when you leave - not always suitable for every situation, but saves anything spalshing about when driving.

Another thing to look into, and probably is totally off the mark, but will tell you anyway - make sure the shower room is sealed tight! After a while some of the sealer detaches, which leaves access to the cassette tray. I have had this on one of our hire ones, that came back with a stinking loo and fluids (i dread to think what) in the cassette tray. This had actually come from the shower (thankfully!) Quick re-seal and problem was solved!


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## Alfa_Scud (Sep 27, 2006)

I was going to suggest the same as has just been said - we usually travel with some fluid in the loo either empty from home or with, erm shall we say, "other fluids / solids" if we're out & about. We never have a problem like that as long at the blade valve on the loo is closed.

As Clod says, it could be your waste tank, that'll kick out a fair pong if it gets greasy etc.

Just as a side point - 3 litres plus two capfuls of blu - how big is your tank? We have a Thetford C200 & I normally just put enough water to cover the bottom (maybe 1 litre) plus a capful, always more than enough there.


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## Wizzo (Dec 3, 2007)

As per Alfascud we have a C200 but I have found that half the recommended dose of blue stuff is sufficient (the halfway line on the cassete cap which I think is 60ml).

I will be trying the tip from a recent thread and using bio wash liquid or fabric conditioner instead of blue on our next outing.

JohnW


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## 128110 (Sep 21, 2009)

Thankyou for your comments. 

It does seem to be coming from the toilet. When I get back tonight I will check the seal to see if that needs replacing, the blades are all closed up so could be this. I have checked where the cassette sits and there is nothing between the shower unit and the van, so i guess this seal is ok. 

Maybe if i put less water / chemicals in that will help?? 

The smell isn't a chemical smell more like egg! Toilet is hardly used just for the kids in the night. I thought the smell was because they had done 'number 2's' so i banned that for campsite toilets only, but there still there is no difference.


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## neilbes (Oct 16, 2006)

thats not the toilet

sounds or smells more like grey waste smell
try rinsing the grey waste out and put some waste tank treatment in it and travel with all your plugs in sinks/shower tray..


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

A five page dicussion on this only last week here:
http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopic-72039-0.html

(Now wasn't that info alone wortha tenner subscription? :wink: :lol: )


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## pneumatician (May 1, 2005)

*Toilet*

Don't think our loo has ever smelt like bad eggs so it is probably the grey tank that is offending your senses.

One tip from my own expewrience is do not be content with just emptying the cassette giving it a quick swill and replenishing the chemical. 
Priodically give it a really good scrub out and rinse you will be surprised what comes out. I found a build up of a sort of black scale on the top inside surface of the tank, considering the tank has never been full ( other than clean water) this surprised me which made me delve deeper, literally.

Steve


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## Rainbow-Chasers (Sep 2, 2008)

If eggy then defo the waste tank as stated above - just done one of ours that we used last week and noticed it was a bit smelly when emptying the tank.

Use a tank cleaner, or a degreasing agent fill the waste tank up and let it soak for a while and drain, flush through thoroughly. You can if you wish use some disinfectant for a second soak, but usually one is enough. Fill and rinse three times. If need be get underneath, pop the cap off and have a poke inside in case it is full of gunge!


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## LisaB (Apr 24, 2009)

Never had an eggy smell? Clean the grey tank mid season and the cassette with cleaner at end of season. Never put that much water in just about a large mugful and when we did use chemical just a slug of Double green ( we have to use green, as we have a septic tank at home - if we ever need to empty here) Now using bio washing liquid and no pong! :wink: :lol:


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## BJT (Oct 31, 2008)

The routine :- Empty the toilet cassette, rinse it and have a cautious sniff of the interior.
If pongy add some water/washing soda solution (not too much) and give the cassette a good long vigorous shake, then turn it upside down and repeat. Empty and shudder on seeing what comes out, rinse with clean water giving more good shaking to clear all crud from the inside. Leave to drain, then go for a cuppa and rest. Have another sniff afterwards. Repeat until clean.
For the waste tank:-
Add hot water and bio washing powder via sinks and shower tray waste, a bucket full to each. Then go for a drive over any road that will slosh the water around in the waste tank thoroughly, stop for another cuppa (to let the bio in the washing powder have a chance to do its work on the crud in the tank); then drive home and empty the tank immediately, again shudder at what comes out. Rinse with more water to each sink etc. and watch discharge from tank until water is clean.
The routine is needed to clear all the deposits from the corrugated flexible pipe that manufacturers use to connect wastes where rigid pipe won't bend; which by Murphys Law is where you cannot see or get to it!!, and to remove the build-up of crud on the walls of the waste tank.
The crud is a mixture of food bits and fats from the kitchen sink waste, mixed with soap residue (scum) plus all the old and dead bits from your bodies that come off when washing or showering, etc.. Sounds nasty and it is not pleasant to deal with, but is an inevitable consequence of our lifestyle. 
I suggest this routine is needed every time the smell starts to offend your senses.
The water companies spend millions each year clearing the same crud from our sewers. I've seen it build up so thick in holding tanks that it has had to be chipped off using flattened scaffold poles as chisels!!


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## pneumatician (May 1, 2005)

*Waste Tanks*

On TV recently was a programme exploring Londons sewers one problem area shown was a build up of "Fat". Apparently they removed approx 5ton from this section using shovels.

We never drain cooking/washing up water into our grey tanks, only waste water from personal washing and showers. It is still incredible how quickly things can get nasty in there from just soap, human detritus and water. Fortunately I have acess to the top of my tanks so its both easy to inspect and clean.

Steve


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## cabby (May 14, 2005)

Yes it is the grey water tank that smells, you have been given lots of good advise previously so my tip is, when washing up or emptying the teapot etc, have a bucket just outside the door and empty all that waste into it. this can then be carried to the emptying point and is not contaminating your pipes.
So you can now let the Kids do their number 2's in comfort.
I do take it that you know the procedures for using the casset toilet.
No1's open blade and flush after.then close blade.
No2's keep blade closed, place a layer of toilet paper around the base of the bowl, after use, flush until there is a low level of water visible then open blade, then close. :roll: :roll: 

cabby


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## Jean-Luc (Jul 21, 2005)

Sometimes if the shower isn't used regularly and the weather is hot the water in the U-bent (trap) can evaporate, this will allow the pong from the grey tank into the bathroom area. That's assuming the MH has traps fitted in the first instance.
I regularly pour a little water with Detol in it down any of the plug holes which do not get regular use.


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## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

I had the same problem with a smell as well, it took me a few days to work out that its the grey water tank. As well as a bit of bleach etc down the drain get a universal plug for the drain. 

About 50p from B&Q sorted the problem instantly !!


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## annetony (May 1, 2005)

I always keep the plug in the shower, and regularly put a bit of Zoflora down all drains, no more nasty pongs 

We use the elsan green in our loo and prefer it to the blue stuff, we don't like the smell of the blue stuff, the green smells a bit like pine and is more enviromentaly friendly 

enjoy your motorhome 


Anne


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

> No2's keep blade closed, place a layer of toilet paper around the base of the bowl,


Cabby- with our no 2's we keep blade OPEN before putting layer of toilet paper over top of hole,

It all drops nicely into the cassette without "messing" the toilet bowl!   :lol: :lol:


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## neilbes (Oct 16, 2006)

telbell you run the risk of splashback i would not want that blue chemical up me bum


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## oldenstar (Nov 9, 2006)

On both our previous vans we have had a SOG fitted.

This time round I thought I would not bother and just use the normal chemical methods, of which I have been using the new concentrated '40 uses in each bottle' type, and the occasional Chem-something sachets.

However, having just returned from Shepton and Brean I will definitely be contacting Symonspeed again for a SOG.

Whereas there is absolutely no odour using the SOG, there is definitely a whiff of the chemicals at least when SOG-less.

Apart from not getting used to the total silence whilst enthroned and missing the quiet hum of the SOG. (No laughter please, I'm British)

Paul


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## Telbell (May 1, 2005)

> telbell you run the risk of splashback i would not want that blue chemical up me bum Embarassed


Nah- the bog paper prevents splashback-and we don't use the blue stuff :lol:


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## 128110 (Sep 21, 2009)

*Thanks*

We would just like to thank everyone for their comments. We went away at the weekend having put biological washing powder and a dash of comfort down the drains. We drove around then emptied. As well as driving with all of the plugs in the holes, we didn't get one eggy wiff!!

Problem solved.


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## Briarose (Oct 9, 2007)

neilbes said:


> is it a chemical smell or a bad stale smell?


Hi at one point we thought that ours was the toilet and it turned out to be the waste water.............so double check that it isn't that.


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## zappy61 (May 1, 2005)

Telbell said:


> > telbell you run the risk of splashback i would not want that blue chemical up me bum Embarassed
> 
> 
> Nah- the bog paper prevents splashback-and we don't use the blue stuff :lol:


Excellent method Telbell! How about a photo?

Graham


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## peaky (Jul 15, 2009)

funny that , we have just returned from an overnight trip and had the "niff of eggs " on the way home, although we knew what it was, its unusual cause i had recently given the whole system a good cleaning, the temps have been in the 50 s though, trouble is we have no where to dump our grey waste so have to put up with the smell till we get home, i know what i ll be doing tomorrow !!! (so glad i fixed that waste valve recently )


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