Cassette Toilet vs Conventional RV Toilet

[hedgehopper]

Cassette Toilet vs Conventional RV Toilet: Have you used both? If so, which do you prefer? Why?

[woodhog]

Another silly question, if you are on a full hook up site, can you just dump it down the pipe there? Sorry if that is tacky.

Yes, you can dump it down any of those full service site pipes, we use them if there are spare sites near by with no one in them or just carry it to the toilet, less preferred is the proper dump site.

[homefor2]

You couldn't pay me to have a cassette toilet. My black tank is over 40 gal. so I've got lots of capacity. Never ever had an issue finding a dump station while travelling or camping at forestry sites. Choosing this camper was partly based on size of water and waste tanks.

Never added anything to control odours because it's a non issue even in hot weather.

[Hey_there]

Hi Y'all, RE smells: Our big TC has a regular toilet. And our small TC has a Porti-Potty (the electric flush one). From time to time, they have both had an odor. I've tried the orange stuff, and the green stuff, and the formeldahyde, and I didn't like any of them because they had their own smell. What works for me is baking soda. Sucks up odors like a sponge. And won't harm anything. And NO odors. I buy a 5 pound bag at Costco or Sam's and dump some into the holding tanks whenever I detect an odor. I dump in about a cup at a time and repeat if necessary.

[sundowners]

Or, as in our present European A class---we have two cassettes,17 liter each-- with a double size outside door to hold the spare one beside the used one.It is as good as a small black tank---but give me a decent size black tank (and macerator) any day.
They do make bigger cassettes but they start to get too heavy to carry to a dump point.

Thetford do make a cassette toilet with an outlet into a lower tank----that is getting the best of both worlds BUT the holding tank is small----if I could get this system with a large holding tank I would keep our cassette.
Nigel & Pamala---UK

[dadwolf2]

SkiMore wrote:
A lot of people on this thread have compared a cassette toilet to a big black tank. Many Class Bs and TCs that have black tanks have pretty small tanks. How do people feel about an 8 or 10 gallon black tank vs. a cassette? Either way you need to empty pretty often.

I replied to this post on page 1 but feel my opinion has changed somewhat since then.

Overall, I now easily prefer the conventional RV toilet, if your camper has a decent size black tank. My current TC has a 30 gallon black tank and I have yet needed to find a dump station to empty it during a trip. When I get back home I just dump at my house conveniently.

The cassette tank I had on my last TC was only 4.5 gallons and it needed dumping frequently. BUT, if the camper only has a 10 gallon black tank then you might as well have the cassette because of the larger # of options to empty it.

[brholt]

We haven't used chemicals either. Having a large tank 40+ gallons we don't have to dump all the frequently and have never notices smells. To be fair, we haven't done a lot of extremely hot weather camping.

Back to the original topic. I think the discussion of cassette vs conventional depends a lot on the conventional tank size. With a 5 gallon black water tank I think the cassette has the advantage. With a 40+ Gallon black water tank I think the conventional tank has a lot going for it. Somewhere inbetween it shifts from one to the other.

[Photomike]

WVbassmistress wrote:
ok..I need to jump in here with a question.

As a "mature" woman, I really like a toilet nearby at night. Our current TC is without. I do have a little porta potti thing with the WAG bags which I put in a little pop up shelter next to the camper when we have space and are going to be there for a couple nights. Not the most convenient or discrete set up. * I am hoping I can embarrass my husband into a TC with a toilet*

In shopping for a new camper, the toilet has become a point of disagreement between me and my husband.

Due to the small size of the campers (and evidently his delicate sensibilities),
my husband is concerned about smells. In the "which is better" discussion, are the smells worse in one than the other? Is the odor really controlled by chemicals or just replaced with a chemical smell? I kinda lean towards the cassette toilet just due to the fact you it might be easier to rinse out with bleach, etc.

Another silly question, if you are on a full hook up site, can you just dump it down the pipe there? Sorry if that is tacky.

Thanks

GREAT question, I have no smells from my black tank and I do not use chemicals in it unless I am going to be gone for a week or more without dumping. I carry a product that is a more natural product(I think it is called Orange tank additive, but cannot remember as it has been a while since I have used it). What I do is that I flush the black tank really well when I dump usually on my way home from a trip, if it has been hot or the tank has been used for a longer period I will add some water to it when I get home(usually topping the tank up to the top) and add a cup or two of bleach and let it soak for a couple hours or a day then dump it. No smells and no issues with clogs so I am happy.

[mkirsch]

If your system is working properly, and maintained properly, there is no smell in either a black tank system or a cassette.

The black tank system has a vent to the outside which draws off any odors and vents them up through the roof. Unless you climb up on the roof and stick your nose in the vent hole, you shouldn't smell a thing.

[SkiMore]

A lot of people on this thread have compared a cassette toilet to a big black tank. Many Class Bs and TCs that have black tanks have pretty small tanks. How do people feel about an 8 or 10 gallon black tank vs. a cassette? Either way you need to empty pretty often.

[WVbassmistress]

ok..I need to jump in here with a question.

As a "mature" woman, I really like a toilet nearby at night. Our current TC is without. I do have a little porta potti thing with the WAG bags which I put in a little pop up shelter next to the camper when we have space and are going to be there for a couple nights. Not the most convenient or discrete set up. * I am hoping I can embarrass my husband into a TC with a toilet*

In shopping for a new camper, the toilet has become a point of disagreement between me and my husband.

Due to the small size of the campers (and evidently his delicate sensibilities),
my husband is concerned about smells. In the "which is better" discussion, are the smells worse in one than the other? Is the odor really controlled by chemicals or just replaced with a chemical smell? I kinda lean towards the cassette toilet just due to the fact you it might be easier to rinse out with bleach, etc.

Another silly question, if you are on a full hook up site, can you just dump it down the pipe there? Sorry if that is tacky.

Thanks

[wvabeer]

I think the idea of a cassette toilet was a good choice for me as the one without a cassette was a gray tank that the toilet dumped into. I did not like that idea at all.

[Rustycamperpant]

Cassettes are nice, but I prefer a toilet with a black tank. Either is great when there are kids along.

[sky_free]

I don't know about anyone else, but I absolutely don't want to have to look at sewage to dispose of it. That is a deal-breaker for me and if I had to lug a big box of nasty stuff into a bathroom to dump it in a toilet that would be the end of RV'ing for me. Kudos to those with stronger stomach's though.

[billtex]

exhaustipated wrote:
I'm with WoodGlue on this one and would prefer the conventional rather than the cassette. It also fits my lifestyle better.

3x...we have had both.
No cassettes for us.
PIA.