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Delicate toilet question

ejmoore

ejmoore

2016 California Ocean 2.0 TDI
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690
Vehicle
T6 Ocean 204
We have a Porta-potti, which is very handy and stands in the van with a discreet cover over it. It gets regular use and is fine. But it needs emptying fairly regularly, every couple of days at least if we are not on campsites. We've just come back from Orkney, where options for emptying the loo were pretty limited, which meant that we had to go to campsites every couple of days. Obviously al-fresco toileting would be possible if you're somewhere in the wild, but it's not an attractive idea when it's raining and windy, and not a great prospect for more than a pee. It occurred to me that having something into which the toilet cassette could be emptied temporarily and stored in the boot until we get somewhere with facilities would be useful, but I can't think what it might be. Thetford don't sell spare waste-holding tanks. A bigger Porta-potti is available with double the waste-tank capacity, but it's a few centimetres wider as well as higher so would take up more space (though we don't keep it in the kitchen cupboard).

I know Bog-in-a-bag and other options exist, but the Porta-potti works well generally so I'd like to see if I can find some way of increasing potential capacity. Otherwise it might be worth carrying a Bog-in-a-bag for back-up when wild camping for longer.

Any thoughts? Hope I haven't put anyone off their lunch.
 
Can you just purchase the collection part of the toilet second hand or new
 
Thanks Mowbotman. Thetford don't sell them separately, but it might be possible to get a second-hand one & just use the bottom bit.
 
Thanks Wesel - discreet enough, but a bigger opening would make things easier
 
We have a Porta-potti, which is very handy and stands in the van with a discreet cover over it. It gets regular use and is fine. But it needs emptying fairly regularly, every couple of days at least if we are not on campsites. We've just come back from Orkney, where options for emptying the loo were pretty limited, which meant that we had to go to campsites every couple of days. Obviously al-fresco toileting would be possible if you're somewhere in the wild, but it's not an attractive idea when it's raining and windy, and not a great prospect for more than a pee. It occurred to me that having something into which the toilet cassette could be emptied temporarily and stored in the boot until we get somewhere with facilities would be useful, but I can't think what it might be. Thetford don't sell spare waste-holding tanks. A bigger Porta-potti is available with double the waste-tank capacity, but it's a few centimetres wider as well as higher so would take up more space (though we don't keep it in the kitchen cupboard).

I know Bog-in-a-bag and other options exist, but the Porta-potti works well generally so I'd like to see if I can find some way of increasing potential capacity. Otherwise it might be worth carrying a Bog-in-a-bag for back-up when wild camping for longer.

Any thoughts? Hope I haven't put anyone off their lunch.
@ejmoore , we purchased a Thetford C220 waste-holding cassette tank with wheels (18 L) that stays in the boot. The PP can be emptied into it without any issues and increases the usage to about 3 times the normal. Did consider getting an additional PP holding container, but this one was more secure and double the capacity. The additional advantage with the 220 was the wheels to roll it to the dumping station.

We picked up one of these. Yes the seat base is useless, but we were able to give it away to a friend.
 
@ejmoore , we purchased a Thetford C220 waste-holding cassette tank with wheels (18 L) that stays in the boot. The PP can be emptied into it without any issues and increases the usage to about 3 times the normal. Did consider getting an additional PP holding container, but this one was more secure and double the capacity. The additional advantage with the 220 was the wheels to roll it to the dumping station.

We picked up one of these. Yes the seat base is useless, but we were able to give it away to a friend.
That's an idea, thank you! Good to be able to wheel the thing to empty it.
 
We have a Porta-potti, which is very handy and stands in the van with a discreet cover over it. It gets regular use and is fine. But it needs emptying fairly regularly, every couple of days at least if we are not on campsites. We've just come back from Orkney, where options for emptying the loo were pretty limited, which meant that we had to go to campsites every couple of days. Obviously al-fresco toileting would be possible if you're somewhere in the wild, but it's not an attractive idea when it's raining and windy, and not a great prospect for more than a pee. It occurred to me that having something into which the toilet cassette could be emptied temporarily and stored in the boot until we get somewhere with facilities would be useful, but I can't think what it might be. Thetford don't sell spare waste-holding tanks. A bigger Porta-potti is available with double the waste-tank capacity, but it's a few centimetres wider as well as higher so would take up more space (though we don't keep it in the kitchen cupboard).

I know Bog-in-a-bag and other options exist, but the Porta-potti works well generally so I'd like to see if I can find some way of increasing potential capacity. Otherwise it might be worth carrying a Bog-in-a-bag for back-up when wild camping for longer.

Any thoughts? Hope I haven't put anyone off their lunch.
Lots of campsites will let you do a service stop.
Fill fresh water tanks empty grey and loo. Use shower too if your lucky. Costs £5 up £10 normally
Braemar and ballater do it so does camping in the forest sites new forest are cool (aviemore one won’t now they stopped).
I just stop at any site I’m passing and ask, maybe different peak season (school hols).
 
If you can wee in an alternative vessel then that will increase the holding period by a surprising amount. Urine is sterile and easily emptied anywhere and the holding tank will smell much less too :thumb

Also if you use bio washing tabs then the holding tank can be emptied into a normal public toilet, you just need to be discreet in carrying it and take a bottle of water as well to ‘rinse it out a little’. The bio tabs are not harmful to septic tanks.
 
We use a thetford 365 plenty of storage
Comparing the 365, an additional 335, and the fresh-up kit, I think the 365 might be the answer - it would take up a bit more space, but not as much as the other options, and it's a simpler solution.
Lots of campsites will let you do a service stop.
Fill fresh water tanks empty grey and loo. Use shower too if your lucky. Costs £5 up £10 normally
Braemar and ballater do it so does camping in the forest sites new forest are cool (aviemore one won’t now they stopped).
I just stop at any site I’m passing and ask, maybe different peak season (school hols).
Yes, we've done that elsewhere; but in Orkney campsites are few & far apart, and there were some lovely wild camping opportunities!
 
If you can wee in an alternative vessel then that will increase the holding period by a surprising amount. Urine is sterile and easily emptied anywhere and the holding tank will smell much less too :thumb

Also if you use bio washing tabs then the holding tank can be emptied into a normal public toilet, you just need to be discreet in carrying it and take a bottle of water as well to ‘rinse it out a little’. The bio tabs are not harmful to septic tanks.
Yes, good tips, thank you.
 
If you can wee in an alternative vessel then that will increase the holding period by a surprising amount. Urine is sterile and easily emptied anywhere and the holding tank will smell much less too :thumb

Also if you use bio washing tabs then the holding tank can be emptied into a normal public toilet, you just need to be discreet in carrying it and take a bottle of water as well to ‘rinse it out a little’. The bio tabs are not harmful to septic tanks.

Yep, we use a chaps alternative, in the form of a 5l bottle of water from Tesco. Usual tip the contents into a bush or drain each morning.
I’ve had the Thetford for about 4 years and never used it once. It’s there for the wife only, she’s not confident aiming into our 5l bottle…
 
Sorry to "butt" in - anyone know if the Bog in a Bag is still made?
eBay is your friend here, search for Disposa-John

s-l1600.jpg

I bought mine from Anchor Supplies a few years ago, but they're currently out of stock. I keep one of these in my fishing kit and in the van if I'm caught short.
 
I don’t dilute the Thetford blue liquid and put it in the cassette neat if we know lots of wee is going in, cheap solution but it increases capacity a bit.
 
I don’t dilute the Thetford blue liquid and put it in the cassette neat if we know lots of wee is going in, cheap solution but it increases capacity a bit.
I just found the Thetford instructions and it says to add 3 litres of water to the waste tank! We only add about half a pint, so we're more or less following your tip anyway :)
 
Must admit, we don’t put any of the dilution liquids in the Thetford.
It’s only been used for number 1s, emptied every 3/4 days. Wash out with water and a small amount of bleach.
So far never had any issues with smells and believe I’m being environmentally friendly…
 

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