Remote pump out tank/Whats best toilet

[Steve3]

Hi all

Would value your help regarding the best type of toilet to use with our remote tank. We currently have a maccerator and get 7 to 10 days between pump outs, this toilet uses 1.2 litres for an economy flush and 2.8 for full flush.

Wondered whether a vacuum flush toilet would be better although they are very expensive.

Can anyone reccomend a specific toilet.

Are they best with seperate vacuum pump and tank or with the combined pump and tank.

Or is there a better type of toilet i.e.more economical with water.

 

Please note we do not want to change from a pump out, just to extend periods between pump outs.

 

Your views good or bad will be valued before we make an expensive mistake.

 

Thanks Steve

[BlueStringPudding]

We too have a macerator toilet and it's very economical with water if you turn the water off! Here's a few tips (not for everone, admittedly) if you want to reduce the number of pumpouts:

 

Our main water pump has an on-off switch and it's usually on the OFF position unless we're washing up or whatever. This means that often the loo gets flushed without additional water in it (depending on the contents ). This works fine.

 

Also (and I understand if this might gross you out) we are somewhat selective with our flushes and only flush the loo if there's summit smelly in there, something kinda solid in there, or if we have guests aboard who might not appreciate the sight of other people's wee! Any wee smells are controlled with a splash of lemon juice in the bowl (seems to neutralise the alkaline niff and bleaches the colour to a less offensive shade depending on the last user's diet! ) The loo flushes very well just with wee in it and no additional water. We've been on the boat nearly two years and there have been no detrimental effects to the system or the pumpout from doing this (We use Biomagic from time-to-time in the loobowl and pumpout tank, by the way). In all the toilet gets flushed with water 1-3 times a day only.

 

Lastly, most loo roll that is merely damp and not grim, goes in the bin not the toilet bowl (like they do on the continent!). We've only started doing that when we got iced-in recently but it makes the time between pumpouts extend another fortnight. So we're sticking with that! When looroll does go down the pan, it's Tesco Value stuff which seems to dissolve quite easily.

 

Admittedly all the above are lifestyle changes rather than using money to solve the problem, and not everyone is into seeing a pee cocktail when they use the lav, but we're happy to be gruesome, it's ultimately better for the environment and reduces the number of times we need to fill up with water, as well as the number of times we get a pumpout. Using the lemon juice (and occasional white vinegar too) keeps smells at bay. Each to their own, though.

Edited February 10, 2009 by BlueStringPudding

[david and julie]

Lastly, most loo roll that is merely damp and not grim, goes in the bin not the toilet bowl (like they do on the continent!). We've only started doing that when we got iced-in recently but it makes the time between pumpouts extend another fortnight.

I'm not doubting you, but you don't have to use the full roll each time you go.

[BlueStringPudding]

I'm not doubting you, but you don't have to use the full roll each time you go.

 

 

...or do I...?

[blackrose]

You could call Lee Sanitation, bearing in mind that they are not users and their advice may be biased in favour of systems they need to shift.

 

Sales: 01295 770000 Technical Support: 0871 288 5726

[Hazza]

"Also (and I understand if this might gross you out) we are somewhat selective with our flushes and only flush the loo if there's summit smelly in there, something kinda solid in there, "

 

If it's yellow let it mellow if it's brown flush it down!

[alan_fincher]

You could call Lee Sanitation, bearing in mind that they are not users and their advice may be biased in favour of systems they need to shift.

 

Sales: 01295 770000 Technical Support: 0871 288 5726

I hope you have more success than we ever did.

 

Promises by LeeSan to phone back were never honoured.

 

And don't even think about email, unless you want to practice your typing skills, but are not interested in a reply.

 

Others tell me it's not always like this, so I can't say why they didn't want our custom.

 

Note I was looking at buying something expensive, not trying to get something fixed.

 

I don't tend to give second chances, when I receive, (or don't receive!), this kind of service.

 

Alan

[blackrose]

I hope you have more success than we ever did.

 

Promises by LeeSan to phone back were never honoured.

 

And don't even think about email, unless you want to practice your typing skills, but are not interested in a reply.

 

Others tell me it's not always like this, so I can't say why they didn't want our custom.

 

Note I was looking at buying something expensive, not trying to get something fixed.

 

I don't tend to give second chances, when I receive, (or don't receive!), this kind of service.

 

Alan

 

I think they've got better on the phone. It's difficult to get through to them in the afternoon but they did call me back recently when i had a question. (Took them 2 days to call back though)

Edited February 10, 2009 by blackrose

[GeoffS]

The boat I bought has a SaniMarin macerator and it has a 3 way switch, full flush, economy flush and no water flush. So as BSP says when its just 'liquid' it either doesnt need to be flushed or just 'no water' plus add a bit of cleaner/lemon/vinegar. My switch is broken and I found that it was still under warranty from the previous owner that had installed it. One call and I had a replacement switch so my experience of their customer service was very good.

[sueb]

I hope you have more success than we ever did.

 

Promises by LeeSan to phone back were never honoured.

 

And don't even think about email, unless you want to practice your typing skills, but are not interested in a reply.

 

Others tell me it's not always like this, so I can't say why they didn't want our custom.

 

Note I was looking at buying something expensive, not trying to get something fixed.

 

I don't tend to give second chances, when I receive, (or don't receive!), this kind of service.

 

Alan

Was there a show on somewhere?

Sue

[alan_fincher]

Was there a show on somewhere?

Sue

If there was, it lasted some weeks!

 

And they could have told me that on the phone.....

 

And it doesn't excuse them for not returning calls when they do get the relevant person back in the office.....

 

Or from answering e-mails.

 

 

Can you see where I'm coming from ?

[international_boatbuilder]

Hi all

Would value your help regarding the best type of toilet to use with our remote tank. We currently have a maccerator and get 7 to 10 days between pump outs, this toilet uses 1.2 litres for an economy flush and 2.8 for full flush.

Wondered whether a vacuum flush toilet would be better although they are very expensive.

Can anyone reccomend a specific toilet.

Are they best with seperate vacuum pump and tank or with the combined pump and tank.

Or is there a better type of toilet i.e.more economical with water.

 

Please note we do not want to change from a pump out, just to extend periods between pump outs.

 

Your views good or bad will be valued before we make an expensive mistake.

 

Thanks Steve

 

Hi, I have fitted probably 20 Vacuflush toilets complete with combined generator and vacuum tank assembly.

The toilet is the pedal flush unit, the fancier push button unit is in my opinion only asking for things to go wrong. On the whole they don't miss a beat and extend pump out intervals tremendously.

 

A well designed system does not require " not flushing unless you have to" as some are intimating, in these cases you may as well just have the cheap and cheerful dump through system.

 

Our boat requires a pump out at roughly 4 week intervals, toilet flushed properly every time its used, two people on board.... oh we like a drink too which doesn't help P O intervals.

 

Hope this helps the decision process

[kevinw]

We've had three boats. First had a simple dump through sat on a small tank which needed a pump out every week (2 adults, 2 children at the time). We found it essential to ensure that the tank was pumped out and flushed if the boat was to be left for week or longer.

 

Second boat had a cassette, caravan style. Horrible thing, would never under any circumstances have one again. It always leaked (just a small dribble - but enough) at the bowl / cassette joint and so left a smell through the boat, plus needed regular emptying. We had a few spare cassettes to extend range between elsan points, but a seriously unpleasent job when the cassettes needed emptying. Especially when allowed to "ferment" for a day or two

 

Current boat has a vacuum system. Ceramic bowl, combined vacuum generator / pump and massive remote tank filling the void below the boatman's cabin. Absolutely brilliant, wouldn't go back to previous systems. We don't live on the boat, but do spend long periods of 6 to 8 weeks at a time. Toilet end is a Sealand with the foot lever flush. Flushed after every use (sometimes more than once!) now with just the 2 of us on the boat, we can easily go 4 or 5 weeks between pump outs. A level gauge would have been useful. With a large remote tank, it is sometimes possible to forget how long its been between pump outs.

 

Current system supplied by LeeSan, including thier charcoal filter in the air vent. We've never had any problems with them - happy to sell us just one filter over their trade counter.

 

Kevin

[Steve3]

Thanks International bo and Kevin for your most usefull replies.

vacuum toilets do seem to be the way ahead for us, just needed confirmation before spending more money.

 

Regards Steve

[Robbo]

Hi all

Would value your help regarding the best type of toilet to use with our remote tank. We currently have a maccerator and get 7 to 10 days between pump outs, this toilet uses 1.2 litres for an economy flush and 2.8 for full flush.

 

How big is your tank? And how many people onboard?

[Steve3]

Robbo

Tank is approx from memory 6 foot long about 18 inches wide and 13 inches deep. Two on board.

 

Tank is difficult to measure as is spray foamed and lined over with plywood.

 

Steve

[Robbo]

Tank is approx from memory 6 foot long about 18 inches wide and 13 inches deep. Two on board.

 

So it'll be around 240litre's. Is that a fare size tank for a Narrowboat (I'm on a dutch barge so not sure!). Mine is around double that and I'm on me own :-(, pump out is around 2.5 months. (I have a SaniMarin macerator loo).

 

If you have the room installing a larger or additional tank may be cheaper than a new loo! - Remember you'll be adding additional weight when full though.