Cassette Toilet vs Conventional RV Toilet

[hedgehopper]

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

[sundowners]

I know this is an old thread--but--I have only just found it (or been interested to find it)-----We travel in Europe and have had several RVs (5ers & truck campers) and until our latest A class---a German made Niesmann+Bischoff have always had black tanks--we carried a wheeled dump tank, a 3" hose and a Flojet with about 90ft of 3/4"? hose in 3 sections---( we had a load of 1 1/2" lay-flat,but found that a PITA to stop kinks)------on most trips--not using camp grounds--that we found ground level dumps about 50% of the time--the rest we found WCs (or raised dumps---common in Europe) close enough to macerate into, have not used the wheely thing since we lived on c-grounds.
Our present van has a cassette and it was one of the things that I had to compromise on----We have a proper made storage locker for the second cassette----so it is easy to slip one out and the empty one in-------but we can still go less than a week before finding a dump place-----a lot of public toilets in Europe now forbid cassette dumping--probably because there is no hose to clean- up any 'spills/splashes'----------I am looking at changing our cassette for a 'proper' toilet as I VERY MUCH prefer it.
On our extended trip in US---inc. Texas and Alaska with our TC we never had problems dumping our tank-----and rarely stayed on c-grounds.
Nigel & Pamala---UK

[billtex]

s1214 wrote:

billtex wrote:

s1214 wrote:
One plus for the cassette: in colder weather I fill the self contained water supply with windshield antifreeze. Neither the supply nor the tank freeze up.

We do the same with our black tank...flush with pink stuff in winter.

Do you have a separate water supply for your toilet? If not, how do you keep it ice free?

Keep a jug of pink by the toilet...a little pour when there are "solids" to flush...
Temps like we are having now (neg deg F) there is no H2o in the system. End of Feb/early March when temps are (hopefully) a little more reasonable, we will use H2o system, for toilet, showers, cooking, etc
Too bloody cold now...

Bill

[s1214]

billtex wrote:

s1214 wrote:
One plus for the cassette: in colder weather I fill the self contained water supply with windshield antifreeze. Neither the supply nor the tank freeze up.

We do the same with our black tank...flush with pink stuff in winter.

Do you have a separate water supply for your toilet? If not, how do you keep it ice free?

[billtex]

Jgwoods wrote:
My Northstar has a Thetford Cassette toilet. Once I got used to trying to dump every day everything has been fine. Traveling back and forth to Alaska last Summer we would often see roadside somewhat primitive rest stops with basically outhouse accommodations. I could dump my cassette in one of those in about 30 seconds and have it back on board ready to go.

The few times I had a problem came when I had not found a suitable place to dump that day and the warning light came on at midnight...knowing it was going to need to be used 2-3x before I could dump was difficult.

My upcoming solution is going to be a reserve tank.

The best of both worlds; a cassette toilet with a black tank!

[Jgwoods]

My Northstar has a Thetford Cassette toilet. Once I got used to trying to dump every day everything has been fine. Traveling back and forth to Alaska last Summer we would often see roadside somewhat primitive rest stops with basically outhouse accommodations. I could dump my cassette in one of those in about 30 seconds and have it back on board ready to go.

The few times I had a problem came when I had not found a suitable place to dump that day and the warning light came on at midnight...knowing it was going to need to be used 2-3x before I could dump was difficult.

My upcoming solution is going to be a reserve tank.

[RV_daytrader]

Those that have the Portapottie say they can go a week without dumping it...so if they had a 20 gall black tank they could go a month before dumping it!...once a month beats once a week imo!

[billtex]

s1214 wrote:
One plus for the cassette: in colder weather I fill the self contained water supply with windshield antifreeze. Neither the supply nor the tank freeze up.

We do the same with our black tank...flush with pink stuff in winter.

[s1214]

One plus for the cassette: in colder weather I fill the self contained water supply with windshield antifreeze. Neither the supply nor the tank freeze up.

[jaycocreek]

They both have there place. The toilet in my lance was great for fairly short stays or in an rv park but for extended stays in the boonies, it's hard to beat the porta-potti way or if your winterized, just grab the portable toilet and some water and your good to go with a warm place to stay.

[dadwolf2]

Snowman9000 wrote:
If I was running a gas station, I sure would not want to see some person lugging a suitcase full of krap past my donut counter. Call me crazy. 🙂

I'm not against the cassette in principle, but I don't think carrying it into public restrooms is something I could feel good about.

I agree with you regarding the gas station inside restroom scenario. Somehow I've managed to find outside restrooms. I figure if I buy a cold drink or cup of coffee it's no different than using their bathroom. It's not messy and in my experience the "matter" has broken down enough that it won't clog a normal household toilet.

[kerry4951]

The way we camp, sometimes days, up to a week or two away from civilization, our 45 gallon black tank is just something that we learned to love. I wonder how many with casette owners have to sneak out and dump when nobody is around...Gross!!

[billyg]

Hi, There is only two of us. We have a small tc that came without any potty. Being very short on space. I found a hollow step that I made into a nice thrown. This may sound crude but it has a real full size seat with a bucket underneath lined with bags. We pick up after our pets . you get the point. It works for us. Bill

[Jfet]

We built a Thetford C403 cassette toilet into our camper design. It looks a lot like a normal toilet and has the removable 6 gallon tank. I plan perhaps to get another tank and create a storage space under the flatbed truck for carrying it, giving us 12 gallons of boondocking storage. We don't intend to spend a lot of time at campgrounds...forests, deserts, gold claims are more my style.

[s3scout]

Camp alone and boondock most nights - so cassette is perfect for me.

Lots of winter camping as well - flush with RV antifreeze.

[SugarHillCTD]

Have had both black tank and cassette. Currently have a conventional toilet/black tank.

Wish we had a cassette.

With our current setup and mostly staying away from campgrounds, when we get home I have to pull around the other side of the house and get out the FloJet (macerator). No dump stations anywhere near us.

Wintertime use is much easier with a cassette too.

We are on a septic system at home, so our water use there and in the TC is very careful- our old cassette toilet was good for several days before needing to be dumped.

IMHO, I would rather take a completely contained cassette and dump it into my toilet than walk around some of the disgusting dump stations at campgrounds.