Aktiv vs Travato 59g Black Water Dumping

[davedutah]

Hymer Aktiv has the five gal cassette for black water. Travato 59g has the 11-gallon black water tank.

I don't see myself wheeling the cassette into some public bathroom, and then gagging for a couple of minutes as I dump it into a toilet.

Being right "there" for dumping it into an RV waste dump also sounds very unpleasant.

The Russo's, on YouTube, say they don't use their cassette toilet for "solid" waste. But I want a toilet I can use. Is this as big of a deal breaker as it seems?

Any Aktiv owners out there who really use their toilet?

• What is the dumping experience like?
• How long does it take to drain the five gal cassette into a toilet?
• How much splashing is there?
• How much smell is there?
• How often do you have to dump the 5-gallon tank?
• How hard is it to remove and dump the full, 40 lb., cassette?
• Where do you dump? (Public restrooms? Gas stations? Rest stops? Dump stations, only?)

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by davedutah

Hymer Aktiv has the five gal cassette for black water. Travato 59g has the 11-gallon black water tank.

I don't see myself wheeling the cassette into some public bathroom, and then gagging for a couple of minutes as I dump it into a toilet.

Being right "there" for dumping it into an RV waste dump also sounds very unpleasant.

The Russo's, on YouTube, say they don't use their cassette toilet for "solid" waste. But I want a toilet I can use. Is this as big of a deal breaker as it seems?

Any Aktiv owners out there who really use their toilet?

• What is the dumping experience like? No Problems so far, you lug it over to the dump location and tip it into the place to dump and push the vent button. I then add some water to the cassette and swish it around and dump it again. Add about 4 oz of tank treatment and some water and done...
• How long does it take to drain the five gal cassette into a toilet? 5-10 seconds
• How much splashing is there? Not any if you are careful
• How much smell is there? Not much, we use a Thetford tank treatment chemical
• How often do you have to dump the 5-gallon tank? 3 days for two of us and we use it for both, not just pee, and we put RV toilet paper into the cassette.
• How hard is it to remove and dump the full, 40 lb., cassette? Not hard for me and ours is 5 ft off the ground and we have no wheels on one of our cassettes and I am an old geezer...
• Where do you dump? (Public restrooms? Gas stations? Rest stops? Dump stations, only?) So far, pit toilets, dump stations, rest areas, toilets at homes, sewer pipe at full service campsites. If out in the wilderness away from a spot to dump and we had filled both of our cassettes, I would dig a hole and dump it but only after confirming with the BLM or Forest Service that it was allowed and what the rules were in terms of distance away from water sources, etc.

We don’t have an Aktiv but we do have a cassette... See answers inserted into the quote...

[davedutah]

Thanks, this is very helpful. Addresses one of my three biggest concerns with the Aktiv vs. the Travato 59g. Now I just have to figure out if I can live the smaller shower and smaller, lower fridge.

[GeorgeRa]

I agree with Greg's comments. There are a lot of strong opinions about cassettes as you will see researching this subject. The bulk of RVs in NA have black water tanks, the rest of the World use cassettes exclusively; it is good to have a choice in NA.

I have the cassette toilet in my conversion of 144WB Sprinter. We use it primely for #1 but sometimes for #2. Having a spare cassette gives me 10-gal total volume. We only use the extra cassette if walking to a dumping place is too long. I found one place in UK selling cassettes for much less than in US.

After each camping trip I clean the cassette thoroughly and never had an odor issue with van in our garage.

Having experience with both systems I see dumping displeasure with both but having some bad experience with dreadfully dirty dumping stations I am finding that annoyance of dumping a cassette is more predictable.

The main benefit of a black tank is its volume and in consequence lower frequency of dumping.

The main benefit for cassette is availability of more dumping places from dumping stations to pit toilets.

For me the additional benefit of easy cleaning is important and it is not really possible with a black tank system.

The main disadvantage of a cassette is its weight, it is on wheels, but you still need to lift it to a toilet height so for some it could be a problem. My back is not in good shape but I have no issues. A cassette has ergonomically placed handles and vent pushbutton is within thumb's reach during dumping. There is a review on line of dumping a porta potty container with the fellow twisting his back while dumping to prove he didn’t like it, I think he was advertising a “composting” toilet.

[warpig]

I ask out of ignorance not humor, but when a cassette toilet is dumped, for example, in a toilet, do you actually see #2s or does it break down?

[GeorgeRa]

Originally Posted by warpig

I ask out of ignorance not humor, but when a cassette toilet is dumped, for example, in a toilet, do you actually see #2s or does it break down?

There is no macerator pump, so what you deposit in is what you see among toilet paper and a lot of fluid. But from a 3’ distance the resolving power of your eye is insufficient to diagnose what food was eaten and if it was digested properly.

[gregmchugh]

Yes, I purchased our spare C200 cassette on ebay from Jackson Leisure Supplies in the UK. Couldn’t find any for sale in the U.S. and the price from the UK for things these days is pretty good even with any shipping cost. It was the latest version with the wheels. The one that came with ours was the older cassette without the wheels.

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by warpig

I ask out of ignorance not humor, but when a cassette toilet is dumped, for example, in a toilet, do you actually see #2s or does it break down?

Depends on how long since you made the deposit

It does break down in most cases, at least it does using the Thetford tank treatment, but it takes a little while for that to happen...

I don’t recall seeing any solids, in any case, but you can notice that solids are being dumped by the sound and the feel. And when I rinse it out with some added water I have noticed on occasion that there is some solid matter that hadn’t dumped with the first dump. Second time always cleans it all the way out. I have never been bothered by a smell or by the process but that may just be me...

It is much less trouble than changing poopy diapers...

[warpig]

Thank you! I really appreciate your response. That makes me feel better about a cassette toilet. It's probably not nearly as bad as one's imagination can make it. Lol

I'm still searching for a rig and like the Aktiv. If Hymer would budge more from the msrp like WBO does, I might be able to own one. I like the slightly shorter length of the Aktiv VS the 59G. With the Aktiv, I believe they don't come off the price as much because they work in the cost of the 6 year warranty. Dealers use it as a selling point but it ain't free! If you buy a RT, you are paying for possible warranty work.

[gaiusgracchus33]

We have always had black tanks and dumping was no big deal. It was really simple and not messy at all to just attach the hose and pull the lever. We did wear gloves, but it just wasn't messy. We did not encounter dirty dump locations - maybe just lucky. There was very little odor, generally speaking.

[mumkin]

Originally Posted by warpig

If Hymer would budge more from the msrp like WBO does, I might be able to own one.

The thing is that it is Winnebago that is the outlier on discounts. It has nothing to do with EHGNA's warranty, as Class B's from Roadtrek, GWV, Pleasureway, and LTV since I have been following this market have consistently been in the 12-18% discount range - depending on the availability and popularity of the particular models. Right now, the Hymer Activ (and Zion/Simplicity) is very popular... so...

[davedutah]

Thanks for the reminder, Gaius. I had a 35-foot travel trailer 15 years ago with a black tank and didn't find it too troublesome. I'll have to dump gray, anyway. I suspect one of the reasons "We're the Russos" (Youtube) don't mind so much is that they don't shower in the unit, and "go in nature" a lot, so they aren't often looking for dumps for gray or the black cassette. I'm going to have to dump gray, so it's not a big deal for me to dump black. Dumping a cassette, however, did worry me. With the feedback here, it sounds like the only drawback is a cassette that is 2.5 times smaller than Travato GL (3x smaller than a G). And that may be offset somewhat by having more dump options with the cassette for times between gray tank dumps.

[Paul the Gardens]

Attached is a link to the Fit RV' s experience with a cassette toilet. https://www.thefitrv.com/rv-tips/cas...let-smackdown/

For me I do not see myself carrying a cassette to a rest area and dump into the toilet, makes me wonder that perhaps in Europe they have dedicated ''toilets'' for dumping cassettes?

At my house I have modified my sewer look out and made it handy to dump directly the black water tank when I return from a trip. While travelling I will use an internet applications to find the nearest dump station as North America is set up with plenty dump stations for RV,s . I do not know any practical way to find ''friendly'' places to dump cassettes. Surely one cannot walk in into a Mc Donald' s and dump the cassette.

[Davydd]

The main argument besides winter (freezing weather camping) is you have more places to dump. Of course you need more places when you have to dump four times to my one.

[GeorgeRa]

Originally Posted by Paul the Gardens

Attached is a link to the Fit RV' s experience with a cassette toilet. https://www.thefitrv.com/rv-tips/cas...let-smackdown/............................

Just to correct this review, this is not cassette toilet, cassette toilets are permanently mounted with access to cassettes very often from the outside of an RV. This correction has been made before. I think that FIT RV folks are advertising their composting toilet advantages over cassettes.

All systems have their advantages and disadvantages, but it is best to make a decision on the truthful info. I had both and have no love affair to neither one. In smaller vans cassettes will likely prevail. In larger RVs black tank volume will drive the choice.

[gregmchugh]

Originally Posted by Paul the Gardens

Attached is a link to the Fit RV' s experience with a cassette toilet. https://www.thefitrv.com/rv-tips/cas...let-smackdown/

For me I do not see myself carrying a cassette to a rest area and dump into the toilet, makes me wonder that perhaps in Europe they have dedicated ''toilets'' for dumping cassettes?

At my house I have modified my sewer look out and made it handy to dump directly the black water tank when I return from a trip. While travelling I will use an internet applications to find the nearest dump station as North America is set up with plenty dump stations for RV,s . I do not know any practical way to find ''friendly'' places to dump cassettes. Surely one cannot walk in into a Mc Donald' s and dump the cassette.

They do have dump stations for cassettes in Europe at campgrounds.

Someone posted a waste dump station for cassettes and porta potties at Theodore Roosevelt NP a few weeks ago on Facebook. It was inside a small building and had a large tub with a toilet type drain and toilet flush handle.

With a cassette you have the normal dump stations, plus pit/outhouse toilets at many campgrounds that don’t have dump stations or at rest areas or trailheads or elsewhere, regular rest area bathrooms which I have done with no trouble, and if you have the balls I suppose you could use a rest room at a McDonalds but I wouldn’t myself.

And, if you are really boondocking out in the wilderness, I wouldn’t hesitate to dig a hole to dump 4 gal of cassette waste after confirming with the BLM or USFS that it was allowed and following the rules on distance from water sources, etc. 4 gal of cassette waste isn’t much different from a group digging a hole for waste when tent camping for several days out in the wild. Follow the rules though...

If you don’t want to use one, that is understandable.

There are plenty of places to dump though...

[Storysrvwego]

Cassettes, conventional toilet system and bathrooms in general.

Conceptually I like the Cassette method. In practice, I think I am quicker with black and grey tank servicing. Never had any smells either. Back to the cassete; one reply asked about what you see while dumping the tank. Well, pretty much what you see before you flush. How many people don't look at the bowl content before you flush, raise your roll of toilet paper? Its not a big deal either way. I have seen a few goofs on dumping the cassettes and I think two on You Tube. I imagine once you have done it wrong, your not going to do wrong again. My back is farming-worn out. lifting 40-ish pounds of murky water and poo if the cassette is full or about full is do-able but the semi ok state of my back clamors a bit more these days.

Dump stations afour our USA traditional RV waste system always seem to be found on our travels. To me, it's a quick and relatively clean process. I have not come across a dump station that someone missed the whole with their dump hose yet but I suppose I will someday.

The Black tank in the Travato has a spray head washer thingy. I forget the technical name but it is a nice feature that I think is working well.

If you do go the Cassette route and it's a brand new RV, it might be a good idea to practice dump with plain water before the bathroom gets used. Easier to make corrections to your technique with plain old water before you mess with the real stuff.

If my wife and I had decided to get an Activ, I would have bought a spare cassette. And my wife and I would have done the practice dump so we both knew what we were doing before going "live". Ultimatelyh the Activ was crossed off our purchase list because of quality control issues, bed size and way to small bathroom. We are both skinny but tall. Even though the toilet swivels around, the standing room is awkward for her, more awkward for me who is a bit taller at 6'-2". The rather large in comparison, rear bath of the Travato 59K was a big selling point. Oh, and the covered toilet holder (no shower wet paper) that also self-feeds the paper was a hit. The swinging bar roll holder in the Activ was laying on the floor of the 1st one we toured. Almost falling off in one of the others we saw at another dealer. Something I surely could come up with a fix for but why should I was my thinking. Certainly no room in that particular wall for the clever unit that WB inset into the panel on the rear door of the Travato 59K.

By the way; At first we worried about how much of a nuisance it was going to be to snap the WB Travato-provided shower curtain in place along with a few magnets. Surprising to both of us that it's no big deal. And whatever the material is for the curtain, it dries fast. Almost (not quite) drip dries completely clean of soap too. It gets hosed off when we return from trips but pretty impressive how clean it stays by itself so far.

The actual medicine cabinet in the 59K is excellent. That includes a quality mirror. Many other of the Class B RV's have a terrible quality mirror and a number of those, no medicine cabinet to store soap, shampoo, toothbrush and paste and you name it.

59K shower drain is simply an uncomplicated drain. 59G has a screen mesh and a pump, I assume because of the path the drain has to take. the screen needs to be cleaned occasionally. I never did check to see how the drain is done in the Activ. Extra screeened drain is do-able, but another task that must be done erst your feeties will be surrounded by a bit of water when the drain screen is clogged.

Our 2018 does not come with wood shower floor insert they have now. The Pro's is the water is passing through the slats. The cons I think are; hair will lay on the slats. Hair that goes through the slats is probably hiding on the shower floor. And if you do not remove the slat and clean the shower floor under it from time to time, then hair/soap/suds and things that grow will start their own system of life under the wood slat thing. My vote goes for just the bare shower floor to wash down and clean regularly. Not sure what other people have experienced with the new 2019 slat floor insert or aftermarket types.

Maybe my vision of the wood floor slat things value would be proven wrong if I actually had one. Standard on the '19, it could be ordered from WB parts for the 2016-2018 59K's.

Hope this helps. Activ definitely has some real neat things about it. And their quality control despite my ding above is WAY better than a lot of others on the market. The Travato on the RAM chassis just clicked with us for a number of reasons so we went-that-away.

[Davydd]

Out in the wild tent camping with infinite locations is different than boondocking in places that can accommodate an RV which are much more confined to location. Dumping cassettes in the ground would quickly create a cesspool of a location.

McDonalds and now most services stations you access a toilet room inside walking through food eating areas. You might get thrown out if you wheeled a cassette in those locations.

[GeorgeRa]

Originally Posted by Davydd

Out in the wild tent camping with infinite locations is different than boondocking in places that can accommodate an RV which are much more confined to location. Dumping cassettes in the ground would quickly create a cesspool of a location.

McDonalds and now most services stations you access a toilet room inside walking through food eating areas. You might get thrown out if you wheeled a cassette in those locations.

Do you have any direct experience with a cassette system, based on your, “know how” sounding, persistently negative comments it seems you have? Just wonder if you will maintain the same position once the ARV company will start building some smaller vans with cassettes.

[Davydd]

Originally Posted by GeorgeRa

Do you have any direct experience with a cassette system, based on your, “know how” sounding, persistently negative comments it seems you have? Just wonder if you will maintain the same position once the ARV company will start building some smaller vans with cassettes.

You don't have to have any know how of a cassette system in commenting about digging holes in the ground for 5 gallons of waste and trudging through a McDonalds. I do know, by simple math you have to dump four times to my one and thus need to find more dump opportunities more frequently than I do.

As for Advanced RV they have already installed both composting toilets and cassettes for customers. In designing my short 144 Sprinter I already know I can get a black tank toilet at least 12-15 gallon capacity.