Cassette toilet recommendations.

[robmilton]

Hi all, I am planing to remove the dump through toilet and holding tank over winter and was looking for any recommendations that the great font of knowledge on here may provide, ideally loading from the top or front would be helpful, and a reasonable capacity, any to avoid ?.

Many thanks in advance.

[junior]

Are there that many options? Don't think I've ever heard of anything other than Thetford.

[Guest]

Are there that many options? Don't think I've ever heard of anything other than Thetford.

Dometic make cassette toilets, they are fitted to various models of caravan, and very common in motor homes too.

 

http://www.dometic.co.uk/products/sanitation/toilets/

 

Personally I would still go with Thetford though.

 

C260.

Edited July 20, 2016 by MJG

[New to this]

as an alternative have you considered a composting toilet?

[Tiggs]

Porta-Potti

 

Not sure about the latest models but these had much bigger cassettes than Thetfords, which is OK if you can carry heavy things.

 

Advice: whatever model you buy, get a spare cassette.

Edited July 20, 2016 by Tiggs

[keith.]

I bought an ex hire boat in March. Originally fitted with a dump through toilet over a 200 l holding tank. The previous owners had got fed up with emptying a pump out tank and had replaced it with a composting toilet. There was some 6 weeks between my first seeing the boat and taking delivery so I investigated composting toilets. I concluded that I couldn't be bothered with the hassle and my first action before leaving the marina was to remove the Airhead and replace it with a 165 Porta Potti. Since then I have bought 2 x 335 Porta Pottis. I am seriously thinking of reverting to pumpout.

 

Things to consider:

 

The original 1/2 height dump through toilet sits on the holding tank giving a comfortable seat height. The Airhead is a particularly tall toilet and so the previous owner had to install a step to stop one's feet dangling during all toilet operations. Read Paul Smith's newsletter of how he knows when his Airhead needs emptying and how he describes that chore. https://livingonanarrowboat.co.uk/newsletter-archive/2016-06-05-newsletter-an-analysis-of-a-well-specified-live-aboard-narrowboat-part-2/

 

The 165 Porta Potti has a 21 l holding tank but still only lasts 2 adults 2 days. It is then heavy to empty and still too high for comfort when it is mounted on the additional height of the holding tank. Hence buying the 10l holding tank 335 Porta Potti. The mathematicians out there will realise that the same two adults are having to empty this every day.

 

So this particular boat owner is going back to a dump through and paying somebody else £15 or so to deal with the end product.

 

The largest tank for a cassette appears slightly smaller than 21 l so will be emptied sooner. At least the O/P is removing the original tank so will not have the dangling feet problem.

 

This does mean of course that I will eventually have an Airhead Composting Toilet and Porta Pottis for sale when I have cleaned them up.

[robmilton]

Thank you everyone for your experienced advice, as I don't live aboard anymore the boat is just used for weekends and occasional holidays so the emptying of a cassette should not be too much of a chore, the nearest pump out station at present is quite close but will close at some point leaving me with a two hour cruise just to empty the holding tank, plus there is some odour when the boat is unused for periods of time so I think a cassette toilet is the way to go, I will have a look at thetford and porta potty and see what the best models are.

Many thanks once again.

[Rendelf]

We use PortaPotti165.

 

Between two of us, a cassette will last around ten days.

 

What ever you chose, I highly recommend the use of 'teabags' - sachets of active biological which 'eat' the waste, turning it into green mush. Supplied in tubs of 50, which is about 25 uses of a cassette our size. Much more preferable (and smaller) than buying chemical stuff in liquid form. (Supplied by NewBlueLoo - they'll post the tub to you if you aren't near a supplier - no affiliation etc.)

 

 

 

 

 

This does mean of course that I will eventually have an Airhead Composting Toilet and Porta Pottis for sale when I have cleaned them up.

 

 

We are interested in obtaining an Airhead.... Mrs R isn't too keen on my plan to fabricate a unit to spec!

[The Bagdad Boatman (waits)]

I have removed 3 pump out tanks. It can be done but is not easy. The last thetford I fitted was the swivel seat model with piped flush and the cassette through the wall into the engine room.

[Guest]

Thank you everyone for your experienced advice, as I don't live aboard anymore the boat is just used for weekends and occasional holidays so the emptying of a cassette should not be too much of a chore, the nearest pump out station at present is quite close but will close at some point leaving me with a two hour cruise just to empty the holding tank, plus there is some odour when the boat is unused for periods of time so I think a cassette toilet is the way to go, I will have a look at thetford and porta potty and see what the best models are.

Many thanks once again.

 

If you go for a Thetford then definitely get one with a wheeled cassette (C260 has this as I think do one or two others of theirs). The wheels are large enough to cope with lots of surfaces with the exception of a particularly rough patch on the tow path.

 

Failing that get a folding trolley and bungee straps to carry your non wheeled cassette, either can save a lot of back ache.

[alan_fincher]

We use PortaPotti165.

 

Between two of us, a cassette will last around ten days.

Goodness really?

 

Unless we are making a lot of use of land based facilities when travelling, with two of us on board I would say it is typically 3 days, or 4 days tops.

 

Respect is due!

[Guest]

Goodness really?

 

Unless we are making a lot of use of land based facilities when travelling, with two of us on board I would say it is typically 3 days, or 4 days tops.

 

Respect is due!

Same here.

 

If we are on site with no other facilities and not going out and about we are very lucky to get much more than a day and half.

[Rendelf]

Goodness really?

 

Unless we are making a lot of use of land based facilities when travelling, with two of us on board I would say it is typically 3 days, or 4 days tops.

 

Respect is due!

 

 

Whoops,

 

That should have read 365.... not sure what it means though.... it's certainly more than 3.65 litres, yet lots less than 365!

 

Perhaps you can poop every day of the year?

[FadeToScarlet]

ideally loading from the top or front would be helpful, and a reasonable capacity, any to avoid ?.

 

This is the tricky bit,most being designed for caravans come out of the back, so it needs to be against a bulkhead or jiggled about with. I couldn't get mine against a bulkhead, so the Thetford cassette is on a large, sturdy wheeled platform, with a mini bulkhead attached, which unbolts and pulls forwards into the bathroom to empty. The space behind it next to the shower is then used to store cassettes. We have 4, and manage 3 weeks or so between visits to the Elsan point.

[keith.]

 

 

 

 

That should have read 365.... not sure what it means though.... it's certainly more than 3.65 litres, yet lots less than 365!

 

Perhaps you can poop every day of the year?

 

It is just a model number. Very similar to the 165 except you get a pump flush and a gauge showing how full the holding tank is. Both have a holding tank of 21 l.

 

http://www.thetford-europe.com/product-category/toilets/portable-toilets/

[Joe the plumber]

We're on the 165s (we have two) and they need emptying every two days with two of us on board (they're usually completely full by then).

 

These are the cheapest I can find at present:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Thetford-Porta-Potti-Qube-165-Caravan-Camping-Portable-Toilet-15L-Chemicals-/390880492265?hash=item5b024afae9:g:P3kAAOSwdsFUOEsX

 

Ours came from Midland Chandlers on one of their discount days last year for about the same price.

[alan_fincher]

It is perhaps worth pointing out that there are "old style" 165, 365, etc models, not generally available new, any more, and what is now sold confusingly with the same model numbers, but usually with the word "Qube" added, does not have holding tanks that are compatible with the old models.

 

The problem now is if you do need an additional tank for an old style model, I think your only real option is to look for a similar second hand toilet.

[ditchcrawler]

We use PortaPotti165.

 

Between two of us, a cassette will last around ten days.

 

 

21lt I produce more wee than that in ten days let alone the flush water and a second person using it. It would last 2 of us 4 days at the most, that's 5lt per day plus a bit for flushing.

[Rendelf]

We separate the wees, so we just end up with 21 litres of condensed liquidated poo.

 

Even so,I'm impressed that they can be filled so fast!

[Miffy]

I replaced my Dometic Vaccuum Cassette system as it was plagued with problems. I now have a Thetford Excellence cassette and wish to goodness that I had installed it when I had my boat built. The Thetford is so easy to use and keep clean. Two of my boating pals have installed the same system and are equally delighted with it.

[Capt Ahab]

I replaced my Dometic Vaccuum Cassette system as it was plagued with problems. I now have a Thetford Excellence cassette and wish to goodness that I had installed it when I had my boat built. The Thetford is so easy to use and keep clean. Two of my boating pals have installed the same system and are equally delighted with it.

The only issue I had with out Thetford cassette was an occasional smell in very hot weather. I cleaned and cleaned underneath till I realised that the sealing flap leaked a few drips when I was moving it. Top tip - give the cassette a really good rinse outside all over each time you empty it (as well as inside of course)