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Hello all, Just sorting out a narrowboat prior to use. Part of that includes re-modelling a bed which. houses the pump out tank. It is a 110 litre tank. This seems a bit small to me and there is plenty of space, not far off the centre line, to increase the size. just wondering how long other people's tanks fill with normal use. We are a family of four and will be using it for long weekends, possibly up to a week at a time. I know it's a 'how long is a piece of string' question but comments appreciated. Thanks, Andy

Hi I want to replace all of the Vetus No Smell pipes on my black tank (because of course they stink). It seems like rigid solvent waste pipes are the way to go. As I am a complete beginner I was wondering if anyone had any photos of rigid pipe installations on their tanks so I can see how it is done and see also how the pipes should connect to the tank. Any info is welcome. Many thanks

Hello, I need some advice if anyone knows about this please tell me, I just had done the pump out and clean the toilet, but the brush got stuck and after finally I got it out its seemed normal, now I drop some loo roll and maybe was too thick cause its not working anymore, the macerator still going but it doesn’t suck the water, is like its mashes but not “sucking” To make the waste go, Im desperate and panic now, .. any advice?

Hi, I'm looking at a boat to buy which I love, but the toilet is a cassette toilet. Does anyone know how easy/expensive it is to get the whole system installed professionally?

Hi all, I've just finished (kind of) the process of re-doing my bathroom. It's a tiny cupboard bathroom and annoyingly I didn't take a photo of the 'before' but I did take photos during the process. I thought it may give some handy tips to anyone that might be having issues with making the most of their tiny bathroom. The first step was ripping out the old floor, I couldn't believe the state of it when I took up the cheap lino flooring. The setup used to be: shower tray sunk in to the floor at the back and the toilet crammed in right by the door so the room was split in to two. The previous owner had literally nailed in chipboard on top of the original floorboards, cut out a square for the shower tray and screwed it in, then popped some lino over it. Foolproof! Only until I took up the lino and the chipboard was sopping wet and crumbled to the touch from years and years of being sodden and was very smelly. Yuck. Next up, mopping up all the leftover horrible water left underneath (And this is why I had water in my bilges regularly). The photo above is just before cleaning up and letting to air/dry out for 2-3 days. Now it's time for a new floor, Thick plywood was added with a countersunk hole for the shower drain. Luckily all the plumbing was fine so I extended the waste pipe and fitted a new drain. One problem I had is because the floor was now lower (more headroom for the shower) there was a 2-3 inch camp from the wall to the new floor. Back to the wood shop! I screwed in the plywood again around the edges to create something resembling a large shower tray. Time for painting, I know it's a sin to use wood walls in something like a wetroom but tiling the whole room wasn't an option. I bought some heavy duty waterproof paint which should hold up fine to a quick splash from the shower, as long as I give it a quick wipe with the towel when I'm done. This is the first coat but it dried nice, white, shiny and thick. It looked like enamel. To make this room as waterproof as possible, especially where standing water will be, so I purchased a wetroom kit. This included waterproofing sheets to lay down, PVA based paste to prep and waterproofing membrane to stick down the sheets and cover all over the place. Everywhere in grey has had a waterproof membrane. Tiling time! I purchased some large tiles from the DIY shop, this is them laid out before using the adhesive. I had limited ways of cutting as I only had a tile cutter, nothing that could cut circles or anything intricate so around the drain is an improvised solution. I finished off the tiling around the edges to complete the large 'shower tray' look which has since been grouted and sealed. And finally this is where it stands at the moment, it's not complete as we're fitting a pump out soon but it really makes use of all the space, or what little space there is. I'm really happy with it and hope it is of any help to any fellow boaters.

Hi Guys, I know there are probably a hundred threads covering this topic so I apologise but there is just too much covering other toilets among these. I live on a canal boat along the Regent's Canal and have a cassette toilet. I don't mind the emptying and the smell as I generally only have to do it every two weeks, but what is bugging me is the fact that my chin rests on my knees every time I sit down. I also dislike the fact that it isn't shaped like a normal toilet... but I can't have everything. What I wanted to know from everyone's experience, is if there is indeed a cassette toilet that resembles a pumpout/armitage shanks type, or failing that, what is the best toilet to offer a sitting position similar to that of a normal household. Any feedback appreciated. Thanks, Michael.

Hi all, Before anyone gets all smug bout a 'Pump-Outer' converting to the 'Cassette Brigade' ...I'm converting the front loo from a second pump out to a back-up loo so trying to choose what to fit in there ad have to admit to being confused about the cassette toilet options, mainly due to my initial assumptions. The space is being halved so that I can extend the galley but still have a reasonable amount of room and was looking at options in the cassette loo range so I will now join the Pump-Out & Cassette loo range owners....although I will always prefer the pump out I think My first assumption was that they were all free-standing i.e. manual fill water tank and manual pump etc. so that should I run out of water and electric, I still had an option. Most of the offerings see to be a permanent fixture and fixed to a wall with a hatch in an internal wall through which you could pull out the cassette. The Thetford C200CW was one I found which suggested you could take out the cassette through the side but saw no visible example of this option and others were more of the fully plumbed and electrically linked options. At the risk of starting a war between the cassette toilet owners and generating fun for the Pump-Outs who will undoubtedly lob a few verbal grenades in there ==> Please could you offer me any pieces of advice about which type to go for and/or any pros / cons on your own choices? I would prefer higher seated option due to hip trouble but there is room for the standard home style and for a bench style in the space I've allocated. ==> What do you do if you get caught with no electric and it is wired in? ==> Is a fan recommended? ==> I guess you can jus add water to the bowl from a bottle or other if the water pump/internal supply fails? ==> Are there any major downsides to using them infrequently? I'm a sole live-aboard and prefer the Pump-Out so it will only be used in emergencies or for large gatherings, so assuming that so long as I clean it out after these events and leave it clean, there should be no issues......possibly maintenance to stop seals drying out? Am just about to block off the old pump out ad remove the macerator and bowl ....last steps before the front end rebuild starts, so really want to be sure I make an informed choice on what to fit in the space before I start putting all the walls back up. Many thanks again in advance to any and all who give up their time to respond.

Hi all! I bought one of these for my boat and camping life. https://www.thetford-europe.com/au/product/porta-potti-qube-365/ I was wondering if any of you can give me advice on how to clean this thing? We used it for one day where my 6 years old made a huge poop in it and then we used it for peeing. In the evening I followed the instructions on how to clean it. First I emptyed the wasteholding tank and then filled some water/chemicals and shook it and then emptyed again. My issue is that there is still some feces in there. I have tried cleaning it again two days later, but it's like stuck on the wall or something inside the wasteholding tank. Is that normal?

The toilet it in my 22ft boat is small, but adequate for the toilet that's in there, but I'd like to add a makeshift shower. I don't have running warm water, so I'm thinking of using a pump pressure washer spray that you'd see in Screwfix. I say pressure washer, but it's nothing major. I could fill it with warm water and use it as a shower. BUT... it's how to try and incorporate it into my tiny bathroom without flooding the place, or getting it damp. My toilet is like this: I've no idea what is under the flooring or the step that the toilet sits on. And I really don't want to rip the step out as it's quite well in there and the flooring goes under it. The door to the toilet is a folding door. The toilet is, as you'd imagine, standalone and completely removable. The highest part of the ceiling is just an inch above my head, and that's the roof of the boat. Can't change that! I was thinking of, basically, covering the place in overlapping lino, plenty of silicon sealant on any joints, and have a basin on the floor to catch any water. That way I could sit on the pan while having a shower. Any of your good selves have a better, easier, solution? I'm looking for a quick fix that doesn't involve ripping everything apart.

We have had our boat for about 6 weeks and our pumpout toilet became blocked this morning; the macerator runs, the water goes down, but then when the power stops to the macerator the water flows back up again, along with whatever was in it. Nothing down there but very cheap TP and natural products, so we suspect some sort of TP blockage, but it appears to be after the macerator. We did a thorough pumpout just yesterday. Any advice on how to clear? We are okay with advice that might shorten the lifespan of the pumpout, as we intend to rip the blasted thing out and replace it next week.

Hi, can anybody tell me whether it is possible to replace a macerator toilet with a gravity pump lever type? We had to take the old macerator toilet out (broken an unable to repair). We currently have a porta potti in place but would like a more permanent replacement. Has anyone done anything similar?

We have a Tecma Silent macerator toilet and a holding tank under the bed about 3.5m away. The pump out is via the roof. We had the smelly pipes replaced 4 years ago soon after buying the boat - they were and are still smelly despite expensive anti-pong pipe. I want to replace pipework again this winter. I'm after some advice on pipework reconfiguring, non-return valves and the like. At present the pipe leaves the toilet and runs at floor level before rising up to enter top of tank. In my mind this creates 3.5m of tubular 'tank' along back of my wardrobes etc. Ewwwww! What I plan to do is get the pipe to rise up steeply and as high as reasonable as soon as possible from toilet, then slope v gently down to the tank. This will involve contortions to cut new pipe holes through backs of 3 cupboards so Q1- Will a steep rise like this be ok with the macerator? and Q2 - will this make a difference to the smell, having it drain better to holding tank? I don't want backflow to toilet! Next issue - if the tank is full and can't be pumped out immediately, within a day the tank 'burps' sewage back into the toilet bowl (I've not seen this - reported by boatsitter twice while waiting for pumpout) Double ewwwww! This implies summat wrong with non- return valves or maybe fermentation in the long pipe as I'd think it would have gone up the vent pipe. Where should non-return valves be? Final bit of advice needed - the roof pipes have a pumpout pipe, a rinse pipe, and an air vent pipe. These pipes whiff too, passing up through airing cupboard behind my bed. And when standing on the back if someone flushes - pong! How to set up to minimise smell in these? Filters? Valves? Someone suggested rigid pipe but I don't think I can get enough access for that - the toilet-to-tank pipe definitely has to be flexible. The vertical ones could have rigid sections. I could lag pipes but that might only mask things temporarily. Any advice on set-up and smell - avoidance much appreciated. If there is a Midlands expert I'm by happy to pay em to deal with all this. (I need to stress I dislike pump out toilets in principle. Especially when they make my bedroom and clothes whiff of plasticky sewage!!!!) Thanks all.

Without wanting to engage in the pump out v cassette debate , I have a question regarding pump out holding tank and vents?. When our holding tank is approx half full and we move across the boat we can hear what appears to be air bubbling up from within the tank. This does not happen when the tank has been emptied nor when three quarters full. This make us think that there is a tank vent somewhere that may be blocked ? Would / could this be one of the holes in the side of the hull near the basin outlet (basin is located above tank) Are holding tanks normally vent to outside ? should I try and probe these holes and unblock it, if one is a vent with a stiff length of wire or a blast of water from the flushing water supply ? Any practical advise welcome, many thanks

Lovely problem... Seems my toilet won't flush anymore and on investigation the pipes are clogged with limescale (I think) It's formed a solid barrier in the pipe leading to the black tank. Is there anything safe I can use as a de-scaler?

Ok, i know this has been done before because i've read a couple of threads in the past, but there didn't seem to be anything like a consensus so would be interested in knowing current views. We have a Mansfield Traveler. Both the pump and the seals have failed and we will resolve these in the coming months. In the meantime we are flushing with water from a bottle and sealing the bulb with dampened tissue. Incidentally, the latter is very effective at preventing smells and also makes it much easier to flush solids with a small quantity of water. Nevertheless, the toilet smells when the seal is broken, and neither Elsan Blue or Odorlos are much use, despite the latter claiming to eliminate odours 100%. We've asked a few boaters and some seem to find bio detergent to work well. I'd be interested in hearing peoples' views on this and have added a poll to the topic.

Hi all, I got some great advice from here when our toilet initially started causing trouble two weeks ago. I was advised that the bolts that hold it down (mansfield/traveler toilet) had probably sheared and I'd need to fix new ones. We bought new ones and I've stripped the toilet down. 2 were totally broken and one was v wobbly so correct diagnosis. However I can not for the life of me fix them...I am no DIY wonder so I am hoping against hope that I am being thoroughly daft. The issue I think I am having is that the bolt shearing means that there is still a bit of bolt stuck somewhere inside. Am I meant to keep screwing the new one down and the old one will drop away? I've tried that a bit with no luck so far. It's also a bugger of a place to be screwing bolts...I thought maybe a little knock with a hammer would help get it going but you can't get anything there except your fingers. Any advice massively welcomed as I have no idea how to get myself out of this very literal mess! Thank you

Hello, Looking for some advice regarding our waste tank situation. The boat has a pump out toilet with large 1000l waste tank. It is quite smelly inside the boat and we’re trying to narrow down why this is. The tank is identical to the potable water tank on board. Could this be the issue? Not the correct tank? Link to the tank below: https://www.directwatertanks.co.uk/1000-litre-new-schutz-ibc-steel-pallet-un-approved?language=en&currency=GBP&gclid=CjwKCAjwoMPcBRAWEiwAiAqZh94zhssTN0p7KAMB2Jkx4PVkj8vG62Nk0lcVzs92kPXjVSiFedCZZRoC3ysQAvD_BwE If not we’ll have to investigate other possibilities. I’m thinking pipework, seals, tank lid, tank treatment- we use Elsan blue as this had been used previously so more organic options weren’t available to us. Anyone got any ideas of most likely scenario? Many thanks, Jo

I just came across this via a FaceBook page and wondered if anyone has tried it on a boat http://www.soguk.co.uk/

Does anyone know where I can find a Thetford C263 cassette toilet with electric blade opener? I've scoured the internet but the only one I could find is from a supplier in Australia which won't take international orders. It might sound extravagant but I'll be having customers on my boat and want to make the toilet experience as pleasant as possible without the hassle of a pump-out. Many thanks, Anthony

Ok, I'm guessing there have already been hundreds of posts about bogs on boats. My first was a bucket in the engine room. I have to say, it was something of a reverse bird-puller. She was not impressed in the morning after the night before. Then Porta Potti. Great, having to re-examine the proceeds of everyone's diet for the last n days. Nah. Then pump-out, dump-thru style. Yuk, the stink! Then 'proper' pump-out, with a super-duper macerator toilet. Why do those things only have an outlet hole in the pan of about 1" diameter?? Come on, without getting too gross, a sizable deposit is not going to fit down there too easily! Then on to the 'eco-friendly' composting bog. Great idea, but do you really want to have buckets of poo, in varying degrees of decay, dotted around your boat, like some weird Andy Warhol art effort? Then there are all the issues about the availability of disposal facilities, be that 'Elsan' or dump-out. Plus the cost. Why can you never find a working pump-out facility when your tank is full to the brim? There is only one answer, folks. Burn it. You will never seek out a pump-out or Elsan point ever again!! (I have the feeling that barbecued sausages will never quite be the same, though ) If you are still in any doubt, watch this video:

Howdy, One of my first posts was asking about a pump out toilet for a boat I was about to buy. I took the great advice and tried the cassette for some months and it's just not for me. I've read up a lot on the pros and cons and what I want is a pump out with separate tank, not the dump through style. Does anyone know of any kits that are a reasonable price? I have a professional to fit this and have plenty of space under my bed to fit the tank. I would prefer to use one without a macerator due to obvious problems, I have seen this: http://www.leesan.com/index.asp?m=3&cat1=2&cat2=41&p=820&t=75+Gallon+Holding+Tank%2C+SaniMarin+C48+12v+DC%2C+Stainless+Fittingsbut don't know if it's a macerator type. One other option is to get all the parts separately, does anyone know what parts I would need?

Silly question time again. Part of the list of jobs when leaving the boat for any length of time is to empty the toilet (fairly standard Thetford cassette jobby) and prime it ready for immediate use on our return - might be dark/wet/etc next visit plus I don't want it 'cooking' while I'm away. I tend not to take too much notice of the advice on the additive bottle to add stacks of water with the fluid - just seems counter-intuitive to empty the cassette then put lots of water back in it. But what is in the additive? I realise that the cassette is designed to hold all sorts of nasties but is neat additive going eventually to eat away the plastic? I'm guessing that my priming regime loads the cassette with 50/50 or 75% water/25% to a standard dose of fluid. Should I worry? Cheers guys,

Hi all... my boat has a holding tank problem.. it’s 20 years old and it’s only just started so I can’t complain.. it needs sorting though! There is some corrosion and pitting and it’s leading to the odour escaping. It either needs replacing or welding. I imagine removing it would be a nightmare.. would need cutting up to fit through any gaps. PONG!! Could a new tank be built AROUND the existing one, or WITHIN? Leaving it in situ?! Anyone have any experience of this? Tips? Keen to learn ASAP! Jason.

Hello all, Last month my family (including husband and two little girls, 2 and 3) and I moved onto a 65ft narrow boat. We love it, always knew we would, and it's been in the running for a very long time! However, I've just come across my first problem, and I don't know how to handle it! We have a pump out toilet, which is usually fab. We had it pumped out the other day, and within a day or so, the toilet stopped flushing. The pump is still working, and we've disconnected and re connected all pipes. There was a bit of a tissue blockage at one point, but that's the only thing we could find. When you flush, you can hear the pump start, but it's just not pulling any water through. Is there something obvious I'm missing? Or is this going to be a case of hiring someone to come and resolve the problem? Thanks Sian