Cassette toilet recommendations

[Uticon]

Well, from now on if we go camping it will be me, my wife and 2 daughters, which is why im looking for a good cassette toilet.
We have used the PETT and Bucket Buddy for some time but neither is very stable for a 3 yo in the middle of the night.
Anybody have any recommendations for a cassette toilet or other in tent toilet idea?

 

[R_Lefebvre]

I got a Dometic 970 series porta potty. Wife seems happy with it. We used it on one trip so far, transported it home after use, no smells or mess escaped on a 4 hour drive. Not sure what else there is to say...

 

[ScottBailey]

I understand cassette toilets are permanent installs. I think you mean portable.

This Century looks like a pretty good deal. I'm almost certain it's a Dometic 965.

I've heard good things about Sanitation Equipment Visa Potty, too.

Thetford is another other option. Also, Fiamma makes a portable, but I found little information when I did my research and few sources.

Here is my take:

Seat:
Thetfords are, I think, too thin at the seat. The Dometic looks a bit wider, while the Visa potty is supposed to have a deeper bowl. Visa Potty wins.

Dump:
Thetford has the best spout (permanently attached), the Visa Potty's spout is seperate (yuck!), and the Dometic does NOT have a spout. This seems a bit risky, but is -- in fact -- very manageable. Thetford wins.

Size:
Visa potty (6 gal) is biggest. However, 5 gallons of waste is heavy, I want to dump as soon as I can after 3 gallons. The smaller (i.e. 2-3 gallon) toilets will probably be too small for your family, unless you dump every other day. Furthermore, the larger ones (5-6 gallon) have better seat height, even for littles.

Conclusion:
I didn't like the seat on the smaller Thetford I had, the larger one retained the seat.. The Visa's spout was a major annoyance, the unit looked cheap, the manufacturer has almost ZERO info on the web, and the flush mechanism looked like it'd waste water. The Dometic could use a deeper bowl and a spout, but I like the construction and seat width. Dometic won.

Make sure you use only BIO-DEGRADABLE chemicals. Never formaldehyde based. You'll pretty much be able to safely dump anywhere (including in a 1 foot trench in the wild).

 

[CanuckMariner/Nomad]

Here is simple and inexpensive solution and available anywhere in the USA:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10829093

 

[Uticon]

Here is simple and inexpensive solution and available anywhere in the USA:

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=10829093

Simple enough for me but it needs to be simple enough for a 3yo in the middle of a cold night.

 

[18seeds]

Does anybody know if the Theford Portables dump the same way as the Theford Permanant Cassettes?

Meaning are the basically the same just one is permanant?

 

[Stumpalump]

I did a review on the Wall-Mart reliance. It seems sturdy but it's still a 3 leg job like the Pett. It works great on the solid van floor but thats the only place I used it. If you set it up with a bag before you go to bed I think a little tyke would not have any problems.http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28238

 

[Tucson T4R]

We have used the Thetford portable electric for the last 3 years and love it.

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/thetford-porta-potti-465-electric/35773


It's capacity takes care of me for a week. Totally different if you have a few others sharing. If my wife, daughter, and a friend are with us, after about 3 days I have to dump it.

As far as ease of use, it's great. For dumping I have a sewer clean out capped in my driveway so I just flip the cassette dump spout out and stick it in the sewer pipe, press the air valve and whoosh, it's gone. Then I open the slider door and rinse the tank out with a pressure hose.

The only problem with little ones I ever had was when we had a 4 year old with us. He found out he could press the flush button and watch the water flush away for entertainment. The result was an empty water tank and a full waste tank on the first day out. :elkgrin:

 

[ScottBailey]

Does anybody know if the Theford Portables dump the same way as the Theford Permanant Cassettes?

Meaning are the basically the same just one is permanant?

The are very similar. In either case you take a container to your dump location (e.g. a toilet or trench) and pour. If possible, rinse.

 

[CanuckMariner/Nomad]

Simple enough for me but it needs to be simple enough for a 3yo in the middle of a cold night.

I think the chap below says it all.

I did a review on the Wall-Mart reliance. It seems sturdy but it's still a 3 leg job like the Pett. It works great on the solid van floor but thats the only place I used it. If you set it up with a bag before you go to bed I think a little tyke would not have any problems.http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=28238

I agree, if you set it up the night before, and I assume you or your wife will be getting up with the 3yo to help out, it should work out fine. I porta-privy or similar enclosure will give them some privacy. Finding a firm level spot close to your trailer or tent and this will work fine. It was just meant as a possible alternative to all the expensive ones out there.

 

[Uticon]

I think the chap below says it all.



I agree, if you set it up the night before, and I assume you or your wife will be getting up with the 3yo to help out, it should work out fine. I porta-privy or similar enclosure will give them some privacy. Finding a firm level spot close to your trailer or tent and this will work fine. It was just meant as a possible alternative to all the expensive ones out there.

The idea is not needing my wife or i to get up with the 3yo:ylsmoke:

 

[CanuckMariner/Nomad]

The idea is not needing my wife or i to get up with the 3yo:ylsmoke:

Oops! A very independent 3yo you have there!

 

[R_Lefebvre]

Thetford has the best spout (permanently attached), the Visa Potty's spout is seperate (yuck!), and the Dometic does NOT have a spout. This seems a bit risky, but is -- in fact -- very manageable. Thetford wins.

Which do you have? My Dometic 970 has a spout. That being said... it was slightly difficult to empty. I had to fill it with water to rinse several times to get all the solids out. Somebody mentioned an air valve and whooshing... what's the deal with that?

 

[ScottBailey]

Which do you have? My Dometic 970 has a spout. That being said... it was slightly difficult to empty. I had to fill it with water to rinse several times to get all the solids out. Somebody mentioned an air valve and whooshing... what's the deal with that?

Oops! Forgot about the 970s. I can't remember why i discounted the 970 series... I think it's because they use more water per flush and, therefore, fill the waste tank faster. Or maybe they were like the Thetford in terms of seat size... I don't recall.

I have a Dometic (aka SeaLand) SaniPottie 965. Regardless of the manufacturer, if you put solids in... you'll need to take them out. It usually takes me between 2 and 4 rinses to get mine clean enough.

 

[Tucson T4R]

Which do you have? My Dometic 970 has a spout. That being said... it was slightly difficult to empty. I had to fill it with water to rinse several times to get all the solids out. Somebody mentioned an air valve and whooshing... what's the deal with that?

On the cassette of my Thetford, it has a small spring loaded button on the opposite end of the tand from the dump spout. You first open and tip the dump spout into the drain and then press the air valve to allow outside air to rush in. It allows the tank to dump rapidly, only requiring minimal presure spray to rinse out the rest of the tank. There be your "woosh". :victory: