Cassette Toilets - Why Not?

[Mike]

Gotta go tank and hose on this one, too. Unless there was some otherwise indisputable reason for going composter, cassette, or porta potty, I can't see designing a class B without tanks and hoses. It's the easiest way to deal with it, IMO. I'm sure any of us could do one of the other options if absolutely necessary, because we've adapted to all the other idiosyncrasies of motorhomes in the past. However, I'm a fully tanked "hoser", given the choice.
Also, I think many of the mainstream on demand RV water heaters run on propane as their heat source, so it's almost the same as heating your 6 gallon tank in your example, just takes less time. I have no idea how energy efficient they are, but suspect they may be comparable to a water heater tank, in that it may actually take only slightly more fuel to heat 6 gallons in 20 minutes in an insulated water heater tank, as Davydd suggested, than to "fire up the blowtorch" to heat it as it passes through the on demand water feed system to the faucets for the duration of the demand. As I said, I'm not sure whether on demand water heating gains you much in the long run, because the 6 gallon motorhome tank is just a slower on demand system. Most people don't leave their motorhome water heater tanks on all the time, using fuel to maintain temperature, as you would in your house, so the difference may not be that much, IMO.
Europe sounds absolutely primitive, as described. Shame, as it's always sounded so romantic historically, and exotic, and interesting, until you start to talk about RVing and camping in general. Dumping troughs? Wash water down storm drains? Hmmmmmmm????

[accrete]

Greetings,
I realize this is an older thread and also noticed the OP has basically never posted since the first one he started here! LOL... well that said, since i have personal experience with the Thetford C402 cassette toilet in a prior rig i thought i'd share some personal thoughts.

The cassette toilet idea IMO can be convenient for some situations. I think they can shine if you are a single and have access to a public toilet/dump about every 4 or 5 days. I think that would be the limit on a single cassette as my wife and i would fill ours by the 3rd day. As others have mentioned you can buy extra cassettes which we were thinking of doing. At the time, ~2009, the price in Oregon was just under $100. A bit steep but it would have allowed us more time between having to find an appropriate dump. For us, we never had issue with taking it into state rest stop & camp-ground toilets and also pit toilets at forestry camps. We even had a ranger ask us what was going on and when we explained (as others above) we were using non-chemical agents in the cassette we got the thumbs up.

Now for any who may come this way, another thing to research is the new composting/separating toilets. There are even commercial RV conversions that have these as an option. And for our current rig(s) this is the way we went. No fuss or mess. And up to a month between _dumps_ depending on usage and models. Try a google search, and as just one example...Nature's Head is a popular install on some cutting edge RV's and boats.

Cheers,
Thom

[Glamper]

Aren't you supposed to empty cassette toilet frequently??? Like at least every other day?

[DUTCH in Atlanta]

Originally Posted by Glamper

Aren't you supposed to empty cassette toilet frequently??? Like at least every other day?

It depends on the size of the cassette, and how often it's used.

[MsNomer]

Oh, my. Threads like this make me soooo glad I didn’t go either route—tank or cassette. With bucket and bag, I never ever have to clean a toilet, nor do I need to add anything or smell anything. The 5-quart bucket stores easily. The seat is a regularly used folding stool. I can dump anywhere, often at McDonalds when we go there for breakfast, without raising an eyebrow. In the boonies, dumping is no worse on the environment than finding a bush. It doesn’t get any easier.

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by MsNomer

Oh, my. Threads like this make me soooo glad I didn’t go either route—tank or cassette. With bucket and bag, I never ever have to clean a toilet, nor do I need to add anything or smell anything. The 5-quart bucket stores easily. The seat is a regularly used folding stool. I can dump anywhere, often at McDonalds when we go there for breakfast, without raising an eyebrow. In the boonies, dumping is no worse on the environment than finding a bush. It doesn’t get any easier.

I want to understand how you dump? The waste is combined solid and liquid and toilet paper in a trash bag? You dump the contents into a toilet a McDonalds and then throw the trash bag away? In the boonies you dig a hole and dump the contents into the hole and fill the hole and then dispose of the trash bag with your other trash?

[Glamper]

@msnomer you said "I can dump anywhere, often at McDonalds when we go there for breakfast, without raising an eyebrow. In the boonies, dumping is no worse on the environment than finding a bush. It doesn’t get any easier."

Seriously? poop in a bag and bring it into a restaurant? Or just dump it behind a bush? Suggest you, and anyone else who thinks this is a good solution, read this article https://www.doc.govt.nz/parks-and-re...f-human-waste/

Leave no trace!!! https://lnt.org/learn/principle-3

[ClassB4Me]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

i want to understand how you dump? The waste is combined solid and liquid and toilet paper in a trash bag? You dump the contents into a toilet a mcdonalds and then throw the trash bag away? In the boonies you dig a hole and dump the contents into the hole and fill the hole and then dispose of the trash bag with your other trash?

i don't want to know!!!!!

I don't want to know!!!!!

I don't want to know!!!!!

[MsNomer]

Then I’ll keep it a secret. I will say, though, that I don’t take poop into McDonalds and I leave no trace.

[richpress]

Been there;done that. Nope, no way. Give me a holding tank and a full hookup any time. I am long past dumping a porta-potty or a cassette. Its a big enough pain to hook up to a septic connection!

[bigfelipe]

Once my tiny house is set up on a septic system, I'm considering using the composting toilet in my RV and ditching the flush toilet. Less waste water, plenty of capacity, and no worries with the tanks...

[rowiebowie]

The Fit RV couple swears by their composting toilet. They tried and HATED a cassette toilet. Me, I'm very happy with my black tank and macerator pump.
.

[bigfelipe]

I have not had a problem with my tank and macerator but having a mixed tank, I'd like to eliminate the black side of it for ease of dumping options...

My composting toilet has been a very pleasant experience in all. I was worried initially but it's been super easy for 6months now.

[GeorgeRa]

Originally Posted by rowiebowie

The Fit RV couple swears by their composting toilet. They tried and HATED a cassette toilet. .....................
.

As far I recalled from their video, they hated the Porta Potty Curve they tested, I am not aware of they ever tested a cassette toilet. They were questioned in their comments section about testing porta potty not a cassette toilet but they didn’t like the question. I wouldn’t be surprised they are "ambassadors" for the manufacturer of the composting toilet they have.

There is nothing wrong with any of the systems, black tanks, cassettes, fluid from solids separators – quasi composting, bushes, buckets, bottles, restrooms - they all fit folks’ different needs.

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by MsNomer

Then I’ll keep it a secret. I will say, though, that I don’t take poop into McDonalds and I leave no trace.

Well, I was actually interested in finding our how you dump your waste...

[MsNomer]

Originally Posted by gregmchugh

Well, I was actually interested in finding our how you dump your waste...

If we are seriously boondocking, poop goes in the ground ala backpacking, TP goes in a sealable separate bag, and urine goes on the ground—preferably on gravel. If we are at a campground, everything in the bag can go in the toilet, but poop is rare. If I’m going to McD, I poop there. The bag is in a one-gallon bucket, so relatively discreet. No one has ever raised an eyebrow.

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by MsNomer

If we are seriously boondocking, poop goes in the ground ala backpacking, TP goes in a sealable separate bag, and urine goes on the ground—preferably on gravel. If we are at a campground, everything in the bag can go in the toilet, but poop is rare. If I’m going to McD, I poop there. The bag is in a one-gallon bucket, so relatively discreet. No one has ever raised an eyebrow.

Thanks for the info, sounds like a reasonable way to handle it...

[ks@yvr]

We traveled throughout South America with a cassette toilet and it is no problem to dump down a regular toilet when nearly full. Don’t wait until its full and you won’t get that un-necessary anxiety. A suggestion is to not put the loo paper down the toilet and it really makes the dumping even easier (in South America loo paper does not go down the loo as local sewers cannot handle so it has its benefits especially for ease of dumping).

Another point that has not been made is that you can dump the cassette easily at home easily (no finger pointing if you are worried, not that I have ever had anyone complain about my cassette dumping). Weight is not really a problem and I have come across a few travellers that carrying a spare cassette and everyone has never ever used the spare cassette. Its no different from a full black tank - once its full you got to dump. It is much easier to find a regular bathroom to dump the cassette from my experience. Our new RV has a black tank and although we work around the dump issues, if I had a choice I would take the cassete over the black tank.

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by ks@yvr

We traveled throughout South America with a cassette toilet and it is no problem to dump down a regular toilet when nearly full. Don’t wait until its full and you won’t get that un-necessary anxiety. A suggestion is to not put the loo paper down the toilet and it really makes the dumping even easier (in South America loo paper does not go down the loo as local sewers cannot handle so it has its benefits especially for ease of dumping).

Another point that has not been made is that you can dump the cassette easily at home easily (no finger pointing if you are worried, not that I have ever had anyone complain about my cassette dumping). Weight is not really a problem and I have come across a few travellers that carrying a spare cassette and everyone has never ever used the spare cassette. Its no different from a full black tank - once its full you got to dump. It is much easier to find a regular bathroom to dump the cassette from my experience. Our new RV has a black tank and although we work around the dump issues, if I had a choice I would take the cassete over the black tank.

We do carry a spare cassette stored in a Rubbermaid tote and actually had to use it when our truck broke down on the park road in Denali NP on the way out from the Teklinika Campground. We were 3 miles from Teklinka and 27 miles from the park entrance and it took 2 days to get a tow out of the park. We didn’t dump the cassette before leaving Teklinka since we were going to the park dump station on the way out and the cassette filled up the first night by the road. Next time I will always dump it before leaving...

It was not a bad spot to be broken down though, went hiking every day while waiting for the tow...

[Glamper]

I think for us (being glampers), we will be at campgrounds hot showers and toilets. We would primarily use Camper toilet during the night, so would expect 'light use' and the reason we want a short Class B (<20 ft) is so that we can bring it into campgrounds that exclude RV's and do not have hookups, like Ventana Campground in Big Sur (which is gorgeous BTW) so the cassette toilet would likely be best option for us. But considering the recent 'issues' (aka execs cooking the books) at North America Hymer and the mess with the Thor acquisition, Hymer may no longer be an option for us, and I believe they are only class B with cassette (?).