Cassette toilet/shower

JimK-NY wrote:
This is an old thread. If anyone is still interested, I will give a quick summary of cassette toilets.

Many of us are very happy to have a cassette toilet and would never want to exchange it for a black tank. There are advantages/disadvantages either way. If you regularly camp in developed campgrounds and RV parks, a black tank will be more convenient. If you regularly camp in remote locations or even National Park or Forest campgrounds without dumps, then a cassette can be more convenient. The cassette can be dumped in a regular toilet or outhouse. Once in 10 years and thousands of nights of camping, I had to dig a hole of proper depth and in a remote location away from camping and any streams/lakes. Again that was only once and a semi-emergency. Another positive is the low use of water. Mine "flushes" completely with the push of a button and just a cup or less of water from a dedicated 6 gallon tank. On the downside the cassette must be emptied every few days. I have never had any issues with the cassette when going up or down in elevation.

I do have a separate 15 gallon gray tank. When camping in remote locations with out a water supply, I conserve water and the gray tank lasts for a week or two. Even so I try to keep the tank mostly empty and dump a few gallons every few days when I find an appropriate location. Many NP campgrounds do not have dump stations but do have a receptacle specifically for dumping cassette toilets or kitchen waste water from tent campers.

When we had our 2006 Northstar TC with a cassette toilet and 15 gallon grey water tank, I carried a 5 gallon collapsible bucket and would draw off 4 gallons of grey water at a time, and dump it at the outdoor sink where tent campers washed their dishes.