# When to empty chemical toilets



## duetto96 (Jul 6, 2006)

Another typical newbie question I suspect. I intend to use campsite toilet facilities on the whole (no pun intended) so it could conceivably take several months to fill my Thetford cassette toilet's 20 litre tank. If this
is the case, do I really wait until the cassette is full or should these types of toilets be emtied after a certain duration regardless? Obviously see the need to do something about it when winter arrives but is it desirable to empty/clean the cassette fairly regularly?

Thanks, David


----------



## artona (Jan 19, 2006)

Nature will take control of you. If you enter your bathroom and you smell unpleasant smells its time to empty mate

stew


----------



## 88927 (May 10, 2005)

Hi there and welcome to the site.....
Please keep asking all your questions, we all had to start somewhere and some of took years to get it right (if in fact we have got it right at all) :lol: :lol: :lol: 
Regarding your loo emptying, I would advise that you empty it at the earliest opportunity for a number of reasons, the first being... Do you really want to cart around that sort of load? Second being that if you leave it and it becomes say half full and you decide to do some wild camping or use a site with ne loo emptying facilities it will very soon fill up and then you will be in a desperate rush to empty it :roll: :roll: 

Good luck with your new motorhome

Keith


----------



## Detourer (May 9, 2005)

I will bet anything you like that after just a few days, at around 03.00 in the morning and you need a ### or whatever your Thetford will look very attractive.....Nice and snug early evening...chucking it down outside, Nice campsite but rubbish loo's......Rush to the loo and find "closed for cleaning"...........etc etc. :? 

I think there is no chance that you will not get into the Thetford habit pretty soon :wink:


----------



## putties (May 18, 2005)

If its in your motorhome use it. We use toilets on main sites but when you got to go youve got to go, the nearer the better. 
We empty ours at least after two ventures out if they are only weekends.

Putties


----------



## Fatalhud (Mar 3, 2006)

last job before leaving campsite regardless of wether its only been used a little or nearly full


----------



## tattyhead (Mar 21, 2006)

do any of you know anything about SOG system not sure what the benefits would be if any
Pauline


----------



## Steptoe (Nov 8, 2005)

Interesting question to hang my comment on; if I don't empty my cassette I get, what shall I say, a fruity smell wafting in through the open drivers window.

This happens once the contents have matured for a couple of days, and been shaken gently during the journey but the real puzzlement is that it has happened on both my vans, first one with a rear compartment and a knackered seal ( I have only met the subsequent purchaser once, at the local caravanning dealers, he was buying a new seal  ) , and the current van with a front comparment and newish airtight cassette.

It is obviously connected to aerodynamics and airflow, as I only notice the whiff when the window is open, but the other half blames it on my stingyness with the toilet fluid as I am the only common denominator between the two vans :roll:


----------



## DABurleigh (May 9, 2005)

Bit of an aside but the reference to airflow reminded me. In these high temperatures and humidity the loo can get a bit uncomfortable spending any time in. So when this happened recently I stretched up and punched the turbovent/omnivent (can't remember which) buttons to extract the hot, humid air from the loo ASAP.

It was on for just a few seconds when I was almost overcome by an overpowering stench! In an instant I shut the loo seal and as my retching subsided and my mind cleared it was obvious what had happened - the omnivent had overpowered the SOG fan!

So I fired up the vent again but in sucking-in mode, opened the loo seal, and in a few more seconds I continued my activities while being bathed in cooler air 

Dave


----------



## 2point (Jun 10, 2005)

I empty ours every day, never use any chems. I just swill out with the pink stuff before putting the cassette back in. Even in this heat (and 3 weeks in France at 30c+) we don't have a problem with smells.


----------



## 96827 (Nov 30, 2005)

Every two days on a long stay and before I leave site on a wek-ender!


----------



## tattyhead (Mar 21, 2006)

*SOG*

Hello anybody out there ? We are going to Germany in September and have heared that there is a toilet system called I think SOG do you know anything about it please help
Pauline (tattyhead0


----------



## Motorhomersimpson (May 9, 2005)

Hi david,

not a lot more to add to the good advice given except some people will leave any solids for a couple of days, to break it down, easier to empty then 

Detourer has probably highlighted exactly what will happen, you will use it and why not, you have paid enough for the motorhome use everything. 

Hi Pauline,

sometimes these questions get missed when they are asked within a thread, two things you can do for more info than I will give, 1. start your own thread asking your question. 2. There is plenty of information in MHF on the SOG if you search the forums entering "SOG".

one of which I have exampled here...click the links.

http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopic-16686.html&highlight=sog

Also our own website outdoorbits have info

http://www.outdoorbits.com/product_info.php/cPath/13/products_id/26

MHS...Rob


----------



## xgx (Oct 14, 2005)

In these high temp days we find that nasty niffs can happen after about 3 days...

just a personal preference (from the bloke who has to empty it) ... use the site loos for solids... and liquids at your convenience :lol:


----------



## Motorhomersimpson (May 9, 2005)

sng said:


> just a personal preference (from the bloke who has to empty it) ... use the site loos for solids... and liquids at your convenience :lol:


Yes Graham, that's a good point :wink: I forgot to say that's what we do 

MHS...Rob


----------



## 99184 (May 13, 2006)

I forgot to empty the loo in my boat once, left it for three months thinking I hadn't used it. The result was pretty horrible, the chemicals eventually stop working and what's in there turns into the worst possible goo. 

Get it out as often as possible!


----------



## Suenliam (Mar 22, 2006)

Thoroughly agree with sng and motorhomesimpson - MH loos should only be used for liquids! At least that is what my husband says as he is the one delegated to empty it :wink: 

We too use sites with toilet blocks but the luxury of being able to use the loo at 3am without worrying about weather etc. is one of the reasons we moved up from small vans. I still appreciate it after 5 or 6 years with MHs with toilet compartments.

Even with liquids only, we (at least he....) find it fills up quite quickly - couldn't possibly have anything to do with the amount of liquid drunk the night before :lol: :lol: I am told emptying every two or three days is less nasty than leaving it until it "needs" to be emptied - that would have to be in the middle of the night anyway! 

Sue


----------



## DubPaul (May 10, 2005)

On my recent trip to France I stayed at Camping Fayolan at Clairvaux Les Lacs (Jura). My toilet showed the red full light (first time ever!) and I went to the shower block unit to find the chemical toilet.... but couldn't find it. I went to reception and they said it was there so I looked again but couldn't find it.

The site was busy so there was always a half dozen people using the facilities, even late at night, so I didn't want to use a normal toilet. The cassette was full and it had been close to 40 celsius... not nice for anybody nearby.

So I asked again at reception and this time they were more clear. It turns out there was a very large sink on the OUTSIDE of the block, beside the entrance door with NO protection whatsoever. I refused to use this.

Luckily I figured out that the waste water drain used the same pipes so I parked the van so I was hidden and emptied there.

I cannot believe that anybody would empty their cassette in plain view of everybody, right beside the door for the toilets and showers!!!

I'm new to all this so perhaps it's normal practice??


----------



## spykal (May 9, 2005)

Suenliam said:


> Snip: Even with liquids only, we (at least he....) find it fills up quite quickly - couldn't possibly have anything to do with the amount of liquid drunk the night before :lol: :lol:


I could be that :roll:

or more likely too much flushing water....instead get a hand spray* filled with water and something that smells nice, dont flush, spray clean it ....the cassette will need emptying far less often.

mike

* Trigger spray bottle with the nozzle set to jet, it does the job.


----------



## xgx (Oct 14, 2005)

You're never alone with a portaloo :lol: 

I wouldn't worry about the lack of privacy Paul... it's France! 

You'd have loved one small CL site we were on ... the open urinoir was in full view of the patio outside the kitchen door... about 3m away :? 

If it's a problem use one of the loo cubicles

Mike, thanks for the tip about using a sprayer 8)


----------



## xgx (Oct 14, 2005)

I'm just a little concerned that the doyenne of dunnies, the head man (Pusser) hasn't made a contribution yet... is he away?


----------



## carol (May 9, 2005)

*Re: SOG*



tattyhead said:


> Hello anybody out there ? We are going to Germany in September and have heared that there is a toilet system called I think SOG do you know anything about it please help
> Pauline (tattyhead0


Pauline this is a system that is fitted (and can be DIY fitted I believe) to your cassette - it has a pipe which then subsequently fits into a vent that is added to the Thetford door and extracts smells when the thetford is opened and closed. (via a small fan). No chemicals are used at all.

We have one in our current van, http://www.motorhomefacts.com/advert-view-details-240.html which is for sale ! (hint someone - just been reduced!). I would certainly fit in in out next motorhome, one of the better add-ons you can buy, as it means you can empty anywhere at all, if necessary dig a hole and bury it, but public loos etc., are OK, as after all - you are only doing a 'bulk' delivery.... 

Buy one, you won't regret it.

Carol


----------



## sallytrafic (Jan 17, 2006)

We used biomagic for the first time this year and we thought it was very good, much less odour than thetford green also less to carry around. We use our loo for solids and emptying was a far better experience than before. We normally find that the loo is getting fullish after about three days so that tends to be the limit but on occasions when we didn't use it much we went out to five days without problems. Note that biomagic doesn't work if there is only urine (urine is more or less sterile so no bacteria). 

Frank


----------



## klubnomad (Mar 6, 2006)

sallytrafic said:


> We used biomagic. Note that biomagic doesn't work if there is only urine (urine is more or less sterile so no bacteria).
> 
> Frank


If only used for Urine then you need to put a spoonfull of live yoghurt or a spoonfull of earth down it. That way the BioMagic starts to work.

Dave

656


----------



## 94639 (May 1, 2005)

We have just returned from a 16 day trip to France staying mainly on Aires. We emptied our cassette on a daily basis. We used Biomagic in the cassette and also in the flush tank, we also had a 50/50 mix in a trigger spray and used this for keeping the bowl and surrounds fresh and clean. Temperatures hit 104 degrees on several days, Biomagic worked really well, no nasty smells chemical or otherwise. We also found that a drop of Biomagic down the sink drain kept the waste tank odourless as well.


----------



## Suenliam (Mar 22, 2006)

All the good ideas are simple ones, Mike - should have thought of it before - I do use a spray for general cleaning, particularly as our flush comes from the ordinary water supply and does not have cleaning chemicals in it. Thanks very much (particularly from Liam who is in charge of emptying!). 

Must get around to ordering some Biomagic - another brilliant idea to put it in the spray bottle. 

I wonder how many years MHing you have to do to know all the answers?


----------



## Detourer (May 9, 2005)

If only used for Urine then you need to put a spoonful of live yoghurt or a spoonful of earth down it. That way the BioMagic starts to work.

Dave

656[/quote]

Then add, a table-spoon of salt, 2oz of sugar, 8 oz of flour and I egg......drive around for 15 mins and leave to stand........place on a greased....... :?


----------



## Grizzly (May 9, 2005)

No-one has mentioned the dreaded blow- back effect that all new motorhomers should be warned about. I think that newer Thettfords have valves to prevent it but it you have an older van BEWARE ! It nearly put our younger son off motorhoming for life when it happened to him.

Before you start driving up and down alps etc leave the trap at the bottom of your loo a tiny bit open. That way the air pressure inside the cassette remains the same as the air pressure outside as you go up and down. This means that the first person to use the loo and open the trap when you stop does not finish up with what they have just done sprayed neatly all over them and embedded in the ceiling of the loo.

Not nice !

G


----------



## spykal (May 9, 2005)

Detourer said:


> Then add, a table-spoon of salt, 2oz of sugar, 8 oz of flour and I egg......drive around for 15 mins and leave to stand........place on a greased....... :?


This is not just FOOD...this is Motorhomefacts food :lol:


----------



## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

spykal said:


> This is not just FOOD...this is Motorhomefacts food :lol:


 :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:


----------

