Wow, you guys called it - Roadtrek now part of Hymer!

[booster]

Originally Posted by eric1514

The point is, you don't have to drive anywhere to empty the cassette. You can stay at your 'campsite' and just wheel the cassette to a toilet. It's not heavy and it has wheels. If you're on the road, any rest stop will suffice. Just pull the tank, which seals automatically and drag it to the toilets. It has a spout and a vent button. I don't think you'll be dragging a hose from the parking lot to the loo.

True, the capacity is small. I think it comes down to how you use your RV. For me, it would be ideal. For you, maybe not so much. It would be nice to have a choice.

The cassette toilet thing is interesting, but I really wonder if it will catch on with other than the young and fit crowd. 7 gallons is over 50 pounds that has to be lifted and held, while pushing a button to vent. I can tell you that probably 70% of my senior male acquaitances couldn't do that, and 99% of the female ones couldn't. I regularly fill the lawn tractor from a 6 gallon gas can, which is lighter than that, and by the time the 2.7 gallon take is full, my arms are tired. My wife can't get more than a 2.5 gallon can off the ground. I think the dealers mostly see seniors, as the youth market is looking more at used and basic, so their perspected is geezer oriented.

Popups are totally another story and the primary focus, it appears, of young families. Fit enough to dump, don't mind the hassle to be able to afford to camp, and most we have seen are in campgrounds with bathrooms so the cassettes are rarely used, except at night. Class B's that start at $80K are a totally different market, I fear.

[eurovanman]

Originally Posted by booster

The cassette toilet thing is interesting, but I really wonder if it will catch on with other than the young and fit crowd. 7 gallons is over 50 pounds that has to be lifted and held, while pushing a button to vent. I can tell you that probably 70% of my senior male acquaitances couldn't do that, and 99% of the female ones couldn't. I regularly fill the lawn tractor from a 6 gallon gas can, which is lighter than that, and by the time the 2.7 gallon take is full, my arms are tired. My wife can't get more than a 2.5 gallon can off the ground. I think the dealers mostly see seniors, as the youth market is looking more at used and basic, so their perspected is geezer oriented.

Popups are totally another story and the primary focus, it appears, of young families. Fit enough to dump, don't mind the hassle to be able to afford to camp, and most we have seen are in campgrounds with bathrooms so the cassettes are rarely used, except at night. Class B's that start at $80K are a totally different market, I fear.

Not sure it will catch on, but I do see the appeal living on the west coast. I have to drive 45 minutes to find the nearest dump station and its 15.00 to dump. I have to do this once a week. People from the midwest and east don't realize how few dump stations there are out west. Just check out Sanidumps.

[avanti]

Don't you still need to find a dump station to drain your gray tank?

[Boxster1971]

You can always use one of these to empty your tank in a public toilet.
Tote-N-Stor Portable RV Wastewater Tank - 6 Gallons Tote-N-Stor Plumbing TNS25951

There are also larger ones I've seen folks use when camping without full hookups and don't want to move their unit to the dump station.
Tote-N-Stor Portable RV Wastewater Tank - 2 Wheels - 11 Gallons Tote-N-Stor Plumbing TNS25606

Of course it then becomes something else you have to carry with you and store when not used.

- - Mike

[wincrasher]

I bought a 25 gallon Tote-N-Stor thinking I'll just wheel it over to the dump station.

LOL.

Math ain't my strong suit I guess.

[Jostalli]

Originally Posted by eurovanman

Not sure it will catch on, but I do see the appeal living on the west coast. I have to drive 45 minutes to find the nearest dump station and its 15.00 to dump. I have to do this once a week. People from the midwest and east don't realize how few dump stations there are out west. Just check out Sanidumps.

Really? LA and San Diego have plenty of free dump sites. I live 5 min away from two free ones.

[GeorgeB]

Originally Posted by avanti

Don't you still need to find a dump station to drain your gray tank?

Yes, you are right. Even if you can "save" your grey tank by using biodegradable soaps and detergents, taking outdoor showers at the back of your van and dumping your dishwater and water used for cooking in the woods, it's not always possible and appropriate to leave your "trace". Bear country and dense campings won't allow you to behave that way. So you have to drive to the dump station anyway.

I never used a cassette toilet, but I find that you will have to dump more often the cassette than the grey. Twice as often actually. We manage to dump every 3 days, almost always a 12 gal. of black and 24 of grey, using the shower, the sinks and the toilet in our van. We rarely use the camping facilities.

The big advantage of cassette toilets is during winter camping and boondocking. If your fresh water tank is inside you can use the toilet without worrying about heating your tanks. The Earthroamers use only cassette toilets in their 300K$ vehicles because it is easier to manage when you are wild camping. Dumping your grey water in the woods or in road sewers (hopefully with bio soaps) is the norm in those situations and finding a toilet in a gas station is easier than a dumping station. If you want more autonomy, simply buy extra cassettes and find a nice place to store them in your van

Safari Condo installed more cassette toilets that black tanks because they used to build very small campers. They are still offering the very popular cassette toilet hidden in a bench in the middle of the van, but most owners use them only at nighttime. I definitely prefer an enclosed space!

https://centrelab.smugmug.com/PERSO-...Gn/i-WrmzbNt/A




.

[eurovanman]

Originally Posted by Jostalli

Really? LA and San Diego have plenty of free dump sites. I live 5 min away from two free ones.

Where I travel, Nevada and norcal it seems hard, and I often have to go out of my way.

I had a cassette toilet in my Eurovan and gagged everytime I had to dump it, as convenient as it was using pit toilets etc.

I switched to a composting bucket and loved the thing. Smell free and easy to dispose.

Now I have a real RV and wish it had a composting toilet. I am fulltiming in San Francisco, so my situation may be unique.

JP
2000 Chinook Concourse 4x4

[mdoc]

I have no issue with the concept of a cassette toilet - I actually think it's a good idea, although I've heard there are campgrounds/rest stops that don't want the cassette toilets dumped there because of the chemicals therein.

My issue with the cassettes is the weight. It may not be a big deal for others, but I'm a small, physically weak female. It seems like a full cassette would weigh about what a large bag of dog food weighs. I have absolutely no problem wheeling a big bag of dog food through the store in a cart, but hefting it from the shelf to the cart and from the cart to my trunk is a different matter. Unless there's a way of leveraging a cassette out of the rig (I don't know exactly how they're set up), the wheels don't help in getting it out of the rig or into the toilet.

[BobB]

Originally Posted by mdoc

My issue with the cassettes is the weight. It may not be a big deal for others, but I'm a small, physically weak female.

I understand your concern with weight. We use a porti-potti in our VW Camper, so it is a lot like a cassette. I deliberately bought a smaller size to keep the weight down when emptying - a Thetford 320P - when the 3.2 waste tank is full it is only about 27#. And I am 6'2"and relatively fit, but my wife is much smaller. It is not just about an individual's physical size and condition - as we get older lifting weights is usually an exercise in caution. Doesn't take much, the shifting weight, a slight off-balance posture, etc. to throw something out. I am trying to imagine lifting out a 40+# tank.

So while a cassette toilet may simplify installation and save some $ for an Class B upfitter and be fine with young couples/families, I do hope the RV companies recognize some physical limitations for older RVers and offer the option of a tank. We are still a big part of their sales.

[Robert Ryan]

Originally Posted by tgregg

I think Cassette toilets are easier to keep clean (the 400 series, not the swivel bowl series) and more convenient to dump than any other system.

We've had cassette toilets in our last two RV's over the last 12 years. I purchased my most recent cassette toilet for a Promaster conversion at Camping World so their not some quirky European only device any more.

Builders of large custom semi sleepers install them for the convenience of dumping. Truck drivers can dump at any highway rest stop or truck stop.

We've been able to dump at any gas station, rest stop, national forest cg, state park, national park, private home, etc. Anything from a pit toilet to a flush toilet to a regular RV dump station. Quick, convenient and clean.


I liked the Hymer we saw at the Tampa RV show last year and are glad to see another option available. We wouldn't buy any commercial RV that didn't have a cassette toilet and Seitz insulated awning windows.

Pretty well sums up why they are liked in Australia

[tgregg]

Originally Posted by mdoc

My issue with the cassettes is the weight. It may not be a big deal for others, but I'm a small, physically weak female. It seems like a full cassette would weigh about what a large bag of dog food weighs. I have absolutely no problem wheeling a big bag of dog food through the store in a cart, but hefting it from the shelf to the cart and from the cart to my trunk is a different matter. Unless there's a way of leveraging a cassette out of the rig (I don't know exactly how they're set up), the wheels don't help in getting it out of the rig or into the toilet.

Understand your issue with the weight. I have a bad back and try to avoid lifting anything heavy and my wife is a small person like you.

The trick is not to let the cassette get full. We empty it every morning and it rarely weighs over 8 - 10 pounds. A little more than a gallon of milk.

The extra capacity is there just for those times when we can't empty it. Inclement weather, time commitment, lack of dump facility, etc.

We like the flexibility to dump anywhere and don't mind more frequent dumping to keep the weight manageable. If the weight issue is more important to you, then a more traditional black tank may be more appropriate.

[Robert Ryan]

Originally Posted by tgregg

Understand your issue with the weight. I have a bad back and try to avoid lifting anything heavy and my wife is a small person like you.

The trick is not to let the cassette get full. We empty it every morning and it rarely weighs over 8 - 10 pounds. A little more than a gallon of milk.

The extra capacity is there just for those times when we can't empty it. Inclement weather, time commitment, lack of dump facility, etc.

We like the flexibility to dump anywhere and don't mind more frequent dumping to keep the weight manageable. If the weight issue is more important to you, then a more traditional black tank may be more appropriate.

Correct do not try and give yourself a hernia

[mumkin]

After the last few pages, I can see that the cassette toilet isn't for me. LOL Too heavy...

[eric1514]

One other point. Cassette toilets have their own water supply. They don't use water from your fresh water tank.

[WJones]

We had a porta-potti in our pop-up trailer a few years ago. We only used it for liquid waste ... it's 2 AM and that extra beer you had wants to return to nature! I just couldn't imagine using it for solid waste, especially when dumping it in a regular toilet.
Since we use our own facilities 99% of the time, we would be dumping every day. Since we use our B to visit the area where we camp, stopping by the dump station every three days or so isn't too bothersome. I always pity the guys with the big rigs who have to drag a portable waste tank to the dump station because they don't want to move their RV.
We've also had quite a few occasions (music or hot air balloon festivals ... ) where we stayed in a field and we really couldn't move the camper for 3 or 4 days, and had to drive off site to access a dump station.
So, a cassette toilet might be fine for some, but for us, we really need a more long term option.

[GeorgeB]

Originally Posted by eric1514

One other point. Cassette toilets have their own water supply. They don't use water from your fresh water tank.

I didn't know that you have the option to buy some models with fresh water holding tanks. Usually the upfitters use the one that connects to the vehicle water tank. One less thing to worry about!

[ClassB4Me]

Originally Posted by tgregg

Understand your issue with the weight. I have a bad back and try to avoid lifting anything heavy and my wife is a small person like you.

The trick is not to let the cassette get full. We empty it every morning and it rarely weighs over 8 - 10 pounds. A little more than a gallon of milk.

The extra capacity is there just for those times when we can't empty it. Inclement weather, time commitment, lack of dump facility, etc.

We like the flexibility to dump anywhere and don't mind more frequent dumping to keep the weight manageable. If the weight issue is more important to you, then a more traditional black tank may be more appropriate.

So, what is the distinction between the casette toilets where one adds water and a packet of blue stuff VERSUS those who add nothng but their excrement.? There are disgusting cassette toilet videos on Youtube that would lead you to believe the process is very messy.

Can someone with experience please clarify?

[BobB]

Originally Posted by ClassB4Me

So, what is the distinction between the casette toilets where one adds water and a packet of blue stuff VERSUS those who add nothng but their excrement.? There are disgusting cassette toilet videos on Youtube that would lead you to believe the process is very messy.

Can someone with experience please clarify?

If you mean "nothing but their excrement" only solid waste, the only sanitary devices that do that are composting toilets (urine goes in separate collection device built into the composting toilet)

As far as I know, all cassette toilets accept (1) liquid and solid waste together (just like at home) and (2) have a water supply (built in tank or dedicated water line) for flushing. If used correctly, it is not that messy IMO. (I will decline from looking up the referenced YouTube videos). For sanitary safety, I do use disposable blue nitrile gloves when emptying at a dump station.

Now there are "toilets" that are basically a toilet seat on a bucket or a toilet seat with a plastic bag attached underneath. They nothing more than a pit toilet without the pit. Those IMO are not "cassette toilets".

[ClassB4Me]

Originally Posted by BobB

If you mean "nothing but their excrement" only solid waste, the only sanitary devices that do that are composting toilets (urine goes in separate collection device built into the composting toilet)

As far as I know, all cassette toilets accept (1) liquid and solid waste together (just like at home) and (2) have a water supply (built in tank or dedicated water line) for flushing. If used correctly, it is not that messy IMO. (I will decline from looking up the referenced YouTube videos). For sanitary safety, I do use disposable blue nitrile gloves when emptying at a dump station.

Now there are "toilets" that are basically a toilet seat on a bucket or a toilet seat with a plastic bag attached underneath. They nothing more than a pit toilet without the pit. Those IMO are not "cassette toilets".

In Europe, Ihave always seen / used Cassette toilets where the tank uses a packet of chemicals with a little water as a 'starter'. The toilet is connected to a water supply. When you dump the solids are broken down and there is no bad smell.

On Youtube many of the nobs don't use the chemical packet and dump without gloves. Many walked into the dump area with no shoes on.

Let's just say my lunch went uneatern today.

Does anyone get stares if you take your cassette toilet tank in the restroom or highway rest stop bathroom to empty?