Lol I think everyone poos. It just seems common sense to show. I mean this could be the make or break for someone thinking about this as a living option.. will we survive or suffocate..
You know. If you really want to see 'loo video's' You have to get onto the marine channels. The biggest and most painful think about boating is the loo. Whether it's storage, disposal, smells, emptying, laws, plumbing, electric/manual, vacuum systems, pumps, macerators, chemicals, venting etc their are far more issues when dealing with a loo on a boat than a caravan. But it is a great source for tried and tested solutions.
Although I have the electric flush version on my boat, I concur with everyone else who says your pump is broken; it should be squirting out a lot more water than that. Like someone else who commented, I also just use bio washing liquid instead of costly Thetford stuff.
My old loo had a useless flush. I just kept a large squeeze bottle like a tomato sauce bottle next to the loo. It's easier as you can aim it where its needed.
Hi , i reckon your diaphragm in the pump has a hole in it , it should work heaps better than that , like 3 or 4 pumps job done. You could just use a little bucket of water to flush when all else fails :) another great vid
That's exactly what I said. I told her I dont think its working properly. I've never seen a toilet work that way before? Also adding water saved from her shower or dishes/ laundry etc...can bed used to add to the bowl when nature calls. I wouldn't put tissue down the toilet either. I throw it away in a little bag into the trash. But I've sense bought a compact baby diaper disposal. I use it in my bathroom to hold used tissue until I can get to a garbage dump. I try to not put any chemicals or paper into my system but my toilet is pretty expensive and I don't want to break it lol! But I would never use public restrooms either so my rvs toilet is the only one I trust đ
@@TravellingK i dont use my pump , i dont like filling my loo with water, i use a sippy bottle full of water when i need it , and baby wipes.i use it just like one in the house, loo paper and all,im frugal with the paper
Yep, we had to replace our pump last year, quite fiddly but well worth it. You should definitely get a good flow from the pump with every pump action whereas in this video, clearly the pump is struggling.
It was recommended to me that a few sheets of toilet paper in the pan with flap closed,do business ,then open flap and all your troubles drop into the cassette. It works for us. Love your vlogs,keep them coming. Good luck.
I use one of those 1,5 liter water bottles which people normally use it in the gym. When you squeeze the bottle, the water comes out with a bit of pressure and that helps to flush everything away into the whole.
The pink toilet flush can cause and algae to grow and block the pump, but you can use zoflora disinfectant it kills that algae and makes flushing much more easier. also cleans your diaphragm on your flush system and also use bio washing liquid in the bottom tank instead of the blue liquid great video
Hi Karen we had a lovely weekend away in the Peak district which is , a rural part of the UK,beautiful scenery ,we stayed on a working farm for ÂŁ15 per night EHU and showers and toilet,its called a CL site,we used them a lot, as they are cheap, but you get closer to nature.We finally used our toilet fully this time,so all good. Especially in the night when you are court short,we turned up the temperature on the hot water heater ,and the shower stayed hot for a good 5 mins,so all good ,take care Kim&Chris
Yes, the pink liquid inside my caravan flush tank used to result in little black âgungeyâ residue in the bowl. I read about this tip, stopped putting the pink liquid into the flush tank, got a spray bottle, and hey presto ....a pleasant smelling bowl and none of those little black things.
Cool! Thank you for sharing. I just bought a portable toilet for camping and I've never used one, so this was very helpful in terms of dealing with my concerns. đ
Super tip about the liners. Like you, we havenât used ours for solids (particularly as I get the job of emptying it), though toileting hasnât been an issue for us yet. Well done for so candidly dealing with an issue that affects us all.
I never comment on videos, but felt I had to on this one! Thank you for dealing with this subject in a delicate, but humorous way - we too haven't used our loo to it's 'full potential', but with the Covid-19 situation and wanting to still get away in our beloved Bertie (RV) with site facilities closed, we feel we can give it a go now! Thanks :-)
I agree with the comments that the flush should work better than it does. We have the same sort of combo shower and toilet and for us it was a compromise to get more space in the caravan and still fit on our drive, but having the shower head that will reach to the toilet is a god send when things don't go as planned.
Hmmm sounds like I really need to get this looked at! Pros and cons with the combination toilet / shower I guess. Great tip about the shower hose, haha
Interesting subject, I have an electric flusher in my toilet which works well, but you have a much easier way, use you shower head to flush and clean your toilet it works really well and no bags...
I don't flush my toilet paper for #1's in the motorhome, I keep those in a garbage bin next to the toilet which gets emptied every day. Keeps the volume down in the black tank. I only flush toilet paper for the big stuff!
I'm just now researching this topic and your video was recommended to me. I found it veRy helpful. Thank you. I have watched dozens of videos. No one has ever actually shown how the toilet flushes... Thank you! Happy travels to you. Keep tackling the difficult topics. Your editing is awesome! U fully explained the topic.
Glad it was helpful! This was the subject I was really unsure about when I was thinking about caravanning. Is there any other area you wish there was a video explaining more about?
Your flush is definitely inadequate, ours is 12volt powered pump and quite a significant amount more water. Thank you for being so brave and showing the workings, I will definitely be looking for those liners.
I had a cassette, with an electric flush, in a Northstar truck camper and we got along marvelously. If things got messy, I employed the shower wash down the bowl. To not have to find a dump station is a big plus.
Hey there Karen! Thanks for sharing the details on what is a delicate but absolute necessary subject. It prepares us for what is to come in our first caravan trip in New Zealand. You are a savior for us newbies. Keep up the wonderful videos, and we hope to see you on the road. Cheers Humphrey
Hi there,I understand what's it's like,we need our loos first thing in the morning & late at night,I used sawdust & a bucket for a while that didn't smell much at all.. Chemical loos,are not nice to empty,I only use the Chemical loo if I really need too & Empty it when I 've used it twice......Glad you 're getting thing sorted... You ok be able to relax more nowđ
Have just bought a caravan with the same toilet and the same issue. Removed the flush pump and found the retaining clip for the pump was broken. Repaired with cable ties & now has a more powerful flush that washes the whole bowl. Full poop testing to follow....
I recently got a little loo for my teardrop camper (with a button) - having not had one, then getting one, it's been amazing! It has given me a bit more choice about where to stay. Importantly, it saves long walks/stumbling in the dark/half asleep! I use toilets if they're available during the day. I use green capsules that you just drop into the cassette.
It's been a long, long time since we had a touring caravan. Family needs meant we had to purchase a static van when we couldn't get our daughter in her wheelchair through a touring caravan door. However our portaloo toilet worked much better than that one. Good on you for chatting about it. Being ex army reserve I could tell you of some instances that would really make you laugh, but I won't.
I'm like you. I've never used my toilet for "No.2's" either. However, i did modify my toilet with an electric pump. That made a big difference.. Small pump and a switch off eFail but used all the same pipes etc. Great vid K.
@@TravellingK Actually, I did it for the noise mainly as there are two of us and the pumping action makes more noise than the tiny electric motor. Plus, there's no diaphragm to fail which costs a fortune to replace. The elcric moteis like AUD $4 from alibaba ! BTW. It's 5VDC sojust used a USB port to power it.
Hi K ,i have same toilet as you do, at first its a little daunting lol but its not that bad, its better than going to campground toilet at 11 pm in the pouring rain lol x oh, ur flush is faulty x Look forward to see ur video on how to repair it x
As others have pointed out. Your pump needs fixed. The following procedures works best for us. Assuming your bottom tank is "charged" with an agent of your preference .......1- Open valve, pump once to "lube" the bowl. 2- do the business. 3-pump three times. 4- close valve and follow up with one light spray of water/toptank mix to keep the bowl smelling "fresh" between uses. We uses normal toilet paper as we empty often enough to make the breakdown speed difference of the specialist toilet paper moot.
Perhaps not the best video of yours to introduce yourself but it appeared in my recommendations so I gave it a go. Iâve just bought a Thetford Porta Potti and it works a treat, it also flushes really well with a lot more liquid than yours, I hope you got your flush fixed. Great video nonetheless, thanks for sharing. Iâm looking forward to working my way through your back catalogue of videos and look forward to your next instalment. All the best from a happy new subscriber in the UK. Must go, Iâm busting for the loo.
Hi, firstly thank you for your open and frank discussion topic. Weâve only been Caravanning for a year, and have adopted the only number 1 policy, and hadnât discovered the liner option you described. We have the same toilet and manual flushing system you have. There must be a fault on your pump unit. You must only be getting about 10% of the flushing fluid per âpumpâ (sorry for the pun) than we experience. This also probably means you have much less fluid in the cassette than is recommended to breakdown the âdepositsâ. As an earlier post suggested itâs probably an issue with the flush pump diaphragm. Youâll be amazed at the difference when you get it to work correctly.
So glad I've found out the pump is not working correctly! The advantage of sharing this video đGlad you are happy with this very frank video and that I'm not the only one who avoided 'properly' using the toilet.
In Canada toilets use a blackwater holding tank that gets pumped out at holding stations and flushes using more liquid. They work very well and doesn;t leave anything behind most times.
These liners definitely work. Your issue is the volume of water used to flush it away. Once you have resolved this, either by fixing the pump or using an extra jug of water thrown down, you will not look back. Even my hubby is a convert - despite it being an expensive cost per poo!
When I do a number 2 I put some toilet paper in the pan , a bit like the same as your doing but with less hassle & cost. Btw you need to put more water in the bowl to flush. The green version is more environmentally friendly .
Still catching up on your vlog. Another great one. We had a similar toilet in our first RV (truck camper). After that I will always have a black tank. So much easier (and less gross) to drive up and dump the tanks (black and gray). We are in many places that have no faculties at all and I nor my wife are digging a cat hole. So God bless our toilet!
Megan - This is great to hear! Using the toilet is definitely doable đ Jenny - I've heard good things about the composting toilet and quiet a few bloggers / vloggers have one: travellingk.com/resources/new-zealand-motorhome-caravan-bloggers-youtubers/ What power concerns do you have?
Try the incinerator toilet which turns everything to ashes using a gas or electricity. Donât need any chemicals. Otherwise use a composter toilet with coconut peat which turns everything to dust. No chemicals at all. No smell either.
People in general don't "fully" use their caravan/rv toilets here. Puplic toilets are just about everywhere unless you are in the middle of nowhere. Same with the shower, nearly all I know use their showers for storage. We are a country of puplic pools everywhere, even towns of 500 people have puplic pools. Also many not even in towns. And campsites very often have showers. Usually we just use the caravan toilet for nr 2s in emergency.
Great video K on what I guess is a taboo subject! We empty every day if using the loo for no.2s... Several Laugh out Loud parts of that video - proud of you that you've approached such a subject with humour and practicality!
Those bowl liners look good. You could also line the bowl with a small bin bag and a commode liner that turns liquid to gel. Either with a bowl liner or bin bag then use a nappy genie to store the bags until you can find a bin, as it twists and seals each time you use it. Might be a little less gross than cleaning out the loo!
As per previous comments your flush pump needs attention. Also, you can often keep adding and adding flush liquid because the gauge might show half full when it's nowhere near. As a supplement keep a 500ml plastic bottle with a sports cap to hand - fill it with diluted pink fluid which allows you to target as necessary. No need for special liners - the careful laying down of 2-3 strips of 2-3 sheets of bog standard loo roll will capture everything. No need for special loo roll either. I only open the trap after the event to avoid any possibility of odour release. Empty your cassette often and never, NEVER, let it get too full. With practice it becomes a habit just like disposing of grey water and filling up your waiter barrel. Well done for taking the plunge - you'll get used to it.
I recently heard about the toilet paper trick! A great tip. I like to think the liner helped me get started đDoes sound like I need to fix the pump and really glad I shared this to learn about the issue!
As already said, your toilet flush isn't working. You can rebuild them or replace them very easily. It should pump about 300ml of water per flush. The unit comes out the top pulling the whole pump out.
Open the trap before going to the loo and I think you need much more water in the flush section. It seemed to flush like there wasn't enough water in there. Thoroughly enjoying your videos. I shall be caravanning full time too soon.
everybody seems to get this so so wrong, to use a cassette toilet properly, flush once before then do your 1 first which is the the norm anyway, then flush again not (flush away) so you have liquid in the bowl with chemicals, then do the 2, then pump the flush several times then flush away. this normaly deals with toilet issues. make sure you have the correct amount of blue chemical in the cassette with water so it can break down the matter quickly
Hi, if you buy a duck board in argos, we put it on our shower floor for using the toilet and take it out when using the shower. That way you always have dry feet when using the toiletđđ
That sounded like a painful video you had to make Kat. But much appreciated. we've never used our Porta Pottie like that either for that exact reason. We've always stayed near public toilets so as not to be in that position. Generally you only need a toilet in the morning after breakfast so then you have more control over where you are. Night time is the issue. Who wants to run out at night to do a wee!!!! we used to have to do that when we went camping and that now for the birds.
Get a standing board for the shower area... A wooden started one would be great to stand on ... I got one in my first caravan cos my mum was staying with me. I now have a porta potty and a different đż set up in my van... But I still use the started board for boots by the outside door in wet weather
Thanks for making this excellent video. Very apt with the coronavirus as many sites in the uk are open but the toilets are closed. This system makes for a more convenient convenience đ
We go caravanning with 4 people and use the toilet all the time. 2 litres of water and 100ml of blue fluid and we're good. The pink fluid for rinse. As others said your flush is faulty, it should be stronger and do the job. 4 people fills the cassette every day!
We take out the electric flush if ever we have one and use a manual like yours. Our manual flush is far more powerful than that one and often spills over if we go to hard on the pump.
Be a bit careful about pumping too hard. I did this thinking that the extra water velocity would clean the bowl better. However water is incompressible and I ended up blowing the bottom off the pump.
TOP TIP. open the waste aperture, place two sheets of loo paper over the hole, sit squarely on the loo, do the business and when you stand up, hey presto...all gone. rinse with the flush and close aperture....
Until you find or fix the problem with the water pressure, I suggest you have available a few gallons of water. You can pour some in the areas of the bowl where it's dirty, & maybe not have to wipe much afterwards..
Hi Karen good video someone has to talk about the toilet đ yes I prefer to use the campsites I have the push button toilet which is a better flush but I only use it in emergencies the toilet liners look good itâs an idea to keep some in đ
Hi, As others have said, working manual pump is best. Uses less flush than electric one and goes wrong less often. I had gunge build up in my pump housing caused by cheap flush additive. Easy to take apart and spares should not be a problem. Between trips I always drain down flush tank using grey plug in cassette compartment. On using toilet again as others have said, pre wet bowl with flush, open bottom slide and line bowl with Happy Bowl or as we do pieces of toilet tissue (cheapskate option). Do your business and everthing will slide through to cassette tank. Flush again and shut slide. Bowl should be then be streak free. The other option is to buy a cheap portable toilet and toilet tent and have 1's inside and 2's outside.
Yep, the toilet in a caravan is just part of caravanning. We have a caravan the same size as yours and very similar layout. If we can we use other toilets but only so I donât have to empty it so often. Same with our sink water, no running tap etc as itâs my job to fill the water barrel. Eventually itâll become normal.
Hey beautiful look... there fantastic though don't worry about the flushing it. Possibly better just to take the bag out after you've gone and throw them out and where did you get the bags??
those are a great idea for keeping things clean , my cassette toilet has a trap door that can be opened and left open while you do your business, so thats what I do and just naturally somehow the poo goes right into the hole and down into the holding tank, otherwise you are pooping in a shallow plastic toilet then trying to get a larger volume of poo to go down at one time when you flush....I like the way mine works better than the ones that only open to flush and then close back.
I don't put any chemicals in my thetford, just water. It's a waste of time and money. If it bothers you, just use a little spray air freshener or an airwick. I've found that the chemicals don't really do anything except mask the smell, ergo, the air freshener. Those special chemicals cost a fortune.
I have the similar system, and I use my toilet, no problem, just give an energic push, so it spray more water. I don't put anything biodegradable in toilet, is commercial bulshit, it biodegrade itself in one week of use (including toilet paper), but you have to stay one week in one place, if you move the bad smell might get in the bathroom, from shit agitating. Or install a ventilation for toilet cassettes, witch I also intend to install... is on my list. You also need a brush so you spray water and use a brush for cleaning in same time, it needs maxim 2-3 water pushes, you complicate to much with that toilet paper as toilet protection. And I use regular toilet paper, no problem ...
By the way I also put in the past things (home toilet staffs) in the flush water tank to smell good, but right now I just use plain water, it works marvelous, simple is better always...
Its a dirty subject lol. One we all have to deal with camping. I hope you get your pump fixed. A test with the TP. Put a sheet in a plastic container with some water. give it a shake. if it dissolves, its the right paper. You don't have to buy special camping TP.
I replaced the flush 3 times on our Bailey, the manual flush system is quite easily broken. You can get the entire flush or just the diaphragm bit at the bottom. Not hard to do but resealing the top of the flush tank can be a pain.
Hi Travelling K, having to deal with the 'unpleasantness' of the cassette toilets is what one must do. I think I would use just plain plastic liners...add a little saw dust, wrap the plastic bag and put into another bag and just throw away.
Get a gallon water jug. Put liner in. Do business. Pour water from the jug all around the edge of the bowl, making sure the entire liner gets very wet and there's a bit of water to provide extra lubrication. Open flush valve quickly. Everything in the bowl should basically just disappear. Failing to get the liner wet enough will almost always make it fail to do its job smoothly.
Hi, how's ut going. The subject of toilet paper, don't use that mega expensive special toilet paper, I've lived ony narrowboat for 18 years, have the same model Thetford and l only ever use normal toilet paper, never a problem and yes, your flush is faulty. Just started watching since you joined Cruising the Cut, now subscribed to you
@@TravellingK well good luck and keep up with the wonderful videos. I love the way you keep it simple and showing your learning curve that we've all gone, or going through. X
Haven't read comments(butt I will). Simply flush toilet with a liter or 2 liter bottle of mixture of water. and liquid toilet cleaner if your drain lines can handle the chemical. Bleach might be ok as well as part of the mix. Forget the pump. Paper funnels probably helpful but not necessary. Pine sol or equivalent toilet cleaner and brush probably will be needed at some point regardless so just keep handy. Be sure to keep a bit of water over the flap when closed to maintain seal and no odors.
I keep a jug of water in the bathroom and pour water directly in the bowl to flush. I think it saves water in the long run because you can pour the water directly where you need it.
Check your toilet rinse level, if that's ok then looks like your rinse pump need seeing too. We find our cassette will last a few days and that's with 4 of us! You get used to emptying lol, get it down to a fine art with some disposable plastic gloves. :-)
Hi, I'm not sure if it's been suggested yet or not but you could get one of those bamboo (or wooden) shower mats to put in your shower while using the toilet instead of squeegeeing it every time đ the elevation of the mat would keep your feet off the wet floor.
I approve of this video :) You can't have a caravan channel and not talk about the toilet at some stage
Good to know!! It's a topic that's talked about a lot, haha
Lol I think everyone poos. It just seems common sense to show. I mean this could be the make or break for someone thinking about this as a living option.. will we survive or suffocate..
bog off lol
hehe that is true that it could be the make or break for someone!
You know. If you really want to see 'loo video's' You have to get onto the marine channels. The biggest and most painful think about boating is the loo. Whether it's storage, disposal, smells, emptying, laws, plumbing, electric/manual, vacuum systems, pumps, macerators, chemicals, venting etc their are far more issues when dealing with a loo on a boat than a caravan. But it is a great source for tried and tested solutions.
Although I have the electric flush version on my boat, I concur with everyone else who says your pump is broken; it should be squirting out a lot more water than that. Like someone else who commented, I also just use bio washing liquid instead of costly Thetford stuff.
Does sound like I need to fix my pump. I'm glad I shared this or I'd never know! And great to hear about the Thetford alternative.
It's great still loving it. đ
My old loo had a useless flush. I just kept a large squeeze bottle like a tomato sauce bottle next to the loo. It's easier as you can aim it where its needed.
And using less water would help avoid fulling it quickly! How are you finding the composting toilet now?
Hi , i reckon your diaphragm in the pump has a hole in it , it should work heaps better than that , like 3 or 4 pumps job done. You could just use a little bucket of water to flush when all else fails :) another great vid
That's exactly what I said. I told her I dont think its working properly. I've never seen a toilet work that way before? Also adding water saved from her shower or dishes/ laundry etc...can bed used to add to the bowl when nature calls. I wouldn't put tissue down the toilet either. I throw it away in a little bag into the trash. But I've sense bought a compact baby diaper disposal. I use it in my bathroom to hold used tissue until I can get to a garbage dump. I try to not put any chemicals or paper into my system but my toilet is pretty expensive and I don't want to break it lol! But I would never use public restrooms either so my rvs toilet is the only one I trust đ
Sounds like I need to sort out the pump! And good tip about the extra water to flush.
@@TravellingK i dont use my pump , i dont like filling my loo with water, i use a sippy bottle full of water when i need it , and baby wipes.i use it just like one in the house, loo paper and all,im frugal with the paper
Yep, we had to replace our pump last year, quite fiddly but well worth it. You should definitely get a good flow from the pump with every pump action whereas in this video, clearly the pump is struggling.
It was recommended to me that a few sheets of toilet paper in the pan with flap closed,do business ,then open flap and all your troubles drop into the cassette. It works for us. Love your vlogs,keep them coming. Good luck.
I'm thinking I might progress to the simple toilet paper in the pan... get use the the business first đ€Ł
Never ever drop stones in an RV tank. You may never get it out and it may stop other biologics and paper from properly dislodging in the tank.
I use one of those 1,5 liter water bottles which people normally use it in the gym. When you squeeze the bottle, the water comes out with a bit of pressure and that helps to flush everything away into the whole.
Hmmm I like this tip - thank you!
You are just delightful, you've broached this subject brilliantly, nice one..:)
The pink toilet flush can cause and algae to grow and block the pump, but you can use zoflora disinfectant it kills that algae and makes flushing much more easier. also cleans your diaphragm on your flush system and also use bio washing liquid in the bottom tank instead of the blue liquid great video
I had heard about the algae! Do you add the disinfectant in the flush area?
Hi Karen we had a lovely weekend away in the Peak district which is , a rural part of the UK,beautiful
scenery ,we stayed on a working farm for ÂŁ15 per night EHU and showers and toilet,its called a CL site,we used
them a lot, as they are cheap, but you get closer to nature.We finally used our toilet fully this time,so all good.
Especially in the night when you are court short,we turned up the temperature on the hot water heater ,and the
shower stayed hot for a good 5 mins,so all good ,take care Kim&Chris
Oh wow, that sounds lovely! What working farm did you stay at? I'm keen to try them...
Also get the pink toilet flush liquid and put it in a spray bottle. Spray the bowl before going, slippy slip plop...if you know what I mean đ
And this is a great tip!
what a good idea
eat lots of fibre and aim lol
Michael-great idea.
Yes, the pink liquid inside my caravan flush tank used to result in little black âgungeyâ residue in the bowl. I read about this tip, stopped putting the pink liquid into the flush tank, got a spray bottle, and hey presto ....a pleasant smelling bowl and none of those little black things.
Spray bottle with pink(or your choice) also works instead of a flush with a No1 helps the tank last longer as your not filling it with flush water.
Cool! Thank you for sharing. I just bought a portable toilet for camping and I've never used one, so this was very helpful in terms of dealing with my concerns. đ
Glad you've found this video helpful!
You donât have enough pressure on your flush!! The water should flush a lot faster, think you should investigate the pump mechanism đđ©đ
Really glad I posted this and have learnt that the pump is no good! đ
Super tip about the liners. Like you, we havenât used ours for solids (particularly as I get the job of emptying it), though toileting hasnât been an issue for us yet. Well done for so candidly dealing with an issue that affects us all.
I put it off for as long as possible... and yes, a tricky subject to talk about đ
I never comment on videos, but felt I had to on this one! Thank you for dealing with this subject in a delicate, but humorous way - we too haven't used our loo to it's 'full potential', but with the Covid-19 situation and wanting to still get away in our beloved Bertie (RV) with site facilities closed, we feel we can give it a go now! Thanks :-)
Thanks for the bit about the paper đ I was just about to buy the expensive stuff thinking it was the only thing that would work. Have a good day!
Glad that tips was helpful! It's good... just not as good as the expensive stuff đ
@@TravellingK Question does the toilet liner dissolve easy. i.e when you empty does it clog the inside of the cassette?
I agree with the comments that the flush should work better than it does. We have the same sort of combo shower and toilet and for us it was a compromise to get more space in the caravan and still fit on our drive, but having the shower head that will reach to the toilet is a god send when things don't go as planned.
Hmmm sounds like I really need to get this looked at! Pros and cons with the combination toilet / shower I guess. Great tip about the shower hose, haha
Interesting subject, I have an electric flusher in my toilet which works well, but you have a much easier way, use you shower head to flush and clean your toilet it works really well and no bags...
That is so true... a good tip!
I don't flush my toilet paper for #1's in the motorhome, I keep those in a garbage bin next to the toilet which gets emptied every day. Keeps the volume down in the black tank. I only flush toilet paper for the big stuff!
nice when the heating is on and the cubicle is warm. When you caravan alone you can wee with the toilet door open.
That's true with the heat!
I'm just now researching this topic and your video was recommended to me. I found it veRy helpful. Thank you. I have watched dozens of videos. No one has ever actually shown how the toilet flushes... Thank you! Happy travels to you. Keep tackling the difficult topics. Your editing is awesome! U fully explained the topic.
Glad it was helpful! This was the subject I was really unsure about when I was thinking about caravanning. Is there any other area you wish there was a video explaining more about?
Your flush is definitely inadequate, ours is 12volt powered pump and quite a significant amount more water.
Thank you for being so brave and showing the workings, I will definitely be looking for those liners.
So you figured out how to make a paper hammock. Good job.
haha one way to put it!
I had a cassette, with an electric flush, in a Northstar truck camper and we got along marvelously. If things got messy, I employed the shower wash down the bowl. To not have to find a dump station is a big plus.
Glad the electric flush worked so well! Iâve started making use of the shower too đ€Ł
Hey there Karen!
Thanks for sharing the details on what is a delicate but absolute necessary subject.
It prepares us for what is to come in our first caravan trip in New Zealand.
You are a savior for us newbies. Keep up the wonderful videos,
and we hope to see you on the road.
Cheers
Humphrey
This is great to hear! So glad you've found it helpful. And if you have any other questions, let me knowđHave an amazing journey!
Hi there,I understand what's it's like,we need our loos first thing in the morning & late at night,I used sawdust & a bucket for a while that didn't smell much at all..
Chemical loos,are not nice to empty,I only use the Chemical loo if I really need too & Empty it when I 've used it twice......Glad you 're getting thing sorted...
You ok be able to relax more nowđ
Ah interesting you prefer the sawdust and bucket option! Iâve gotten use to mine, but still donât enjoy emptying đ€Ł
It sounds like your pump is drawing air possible cracked hose pipe or pump plunger seal split.
It's easy to remove pump to check just a few screws.
Good to know! Will have a look and see đ
Have just bought a caravan with the same toilet and the same issue.
Removed the flush pump and found the retaining clip for the pump was broken.
Repaired with cable ties & now has a more powerful flush that washes the whole bowl.
Full poop testing to follow....
Phil Torr like so twitter.com/caravannut/status/847492119782543360?s=21
Good luck with the poop test đI'm now really curious to open up the flush area and see what's going on. Great to know it's fixable.
@@TravellingK Away this weekend on a NZMCA rally. I'm sure someone will be the guinea pig!
The tweet above gives some great pictures.
@@davidmbell Exactly... I put an extra cable tie around the back to also take the strain off the other lugs.
I recently got a little loo for my teardrop camper (with a button) - having not had one, then getting one, it's been amazing! It has given me a bit more choice about where to stay. Importantly, it saves long walks/stumbling in the dark/half asleep! I use toilets if they're available during the day. I use green capsules that you just drop into the cassette.
That's great to hear! I really like that I can lock my door at night and still be able to go to the toilet. I'm not a fan of that walk at night.
It's been a long, long time since we had a touring caravan. Family needs meant we had to purchase a static van when we couldn't get our daughter in her wheelchair through a touring caravan door. However our portaloo toilet worked much better than that one. Good on you for chatting about it. Being ex army reserve I could tell you of some instances that would really make you laugh, but I won't.
I'm like you. I've never used my toilet for "No.2's" either. However, i did modify my toilet with an electric pump. That made a big difference.. Small pump and a switch off eFail but used all the same pipes etc. Great vid K.
Oh that's interesting!
@@TravellingK Actually, I did it for the noise mainly as there are two of us and the pumping action makes more noise than the tiny electric motor. Plus, there's no diaphragm to fail which costs a fortune to replace. The elcric moteis like AUD $4 from alibaba ! BTW. It's 5VDC sojust used a USB port to power it.
Hi K ,i have same toilet as you do, at first its a little daunting lol but its not that bad, its better than going to campground toilet at 11 pm in the pouring rain lol x oh, ur flush is faulty x
Look forward to see ur video on how to repair it x
hahah that's true about avoiding the nighttime trip!
Does sound like I need to check out my toilet pump...
As others have pointed out. Your pump needs fixed. The following procedures works best for us. Assuming your bottom tank is "charged" with an agent of your preference .......1- Open valve, pump once to "lube" the bowl. 2- do the business. 3-pump three times. 4- close valve and follow up with one light spray of water/toptank mix to keep the bowl smelling "fresh" between uses. We uses normal toilet paper as we empty often enough to make the breakdown speed difference of the specialist toilet paper moot.
Does seem to be the general feedback that my pump needs to be fixed, haha. Great steps and sounds like I'll be trying a few options out!
Perhaps not the best video of yours to introduce yourself but it appeared in my recommendations so I gave it a go. Iâve just bought a Thetford Porta Potti and it works a treat, it also flushes really well with a lot more liquid than yours, I hope you got your flush fixed. Great video nonetheless, thanks for sharing. Iâm looking forward to working my way through your back catalogue of videos and look forward to your next instalment. All the best from a happy new subscriber in the UK. Must go, Iâm busting for the loo.
Welcome to my channel! Hilarious that this is the 1st video of mine you've ended up watching.
Hi, firstly thank you for your open and frank discussion topic. Weâve only been Caravanning for a year, and have adopted the only number 1 policy, and hadnât discovered the liner option you described. We have the same toilet and manual flushing system you have. There must be a fault on your pump unit. You must only be getting about 10% of the flushing fluid per âpumpâ (sorry for the pun) than we experience. This also probably means you have much less fluid in the cassette than is recommended to breakdown the âdepositsâ. As an earlier post suggested itâs probably an issue with the flush pump diaphragm. Youâll be amazed at the difference when you get it to work correctly.
So glad I've found out the pump is not working correctly! The advantage of sharing this video đGlad you are happy with this very frank video and that I'm not the only one who avoided 'properly' using the toilet.
In Canada toilets use a blackwater holding tank that gets pumped out at holding stations and flushes using more liquid. They work very well and doesn;t leave anything behind most times.
Brings a whole new meaning to shitting In a bucket in a cupboard
đ€Łđ€Łđ€Łđ€Ł I read this aloud to friends. Brilliant
Thank you for taking on this difficult subject!
Thanks for the video on everyoneâs mind when ya gotta go ya gotta go. I used to have a portable potty in my first Campervan this work good, with push down, had heaps more flow than your expensive toilet. I started to use the blue in the grey tank, I could smell it, I change to the green in the grey tank and there was no smell. I used the blue liquid in my flush. I now have a Thetford C220 push button, excellent for number ones and definitely twoâs. All in all bottoms up to ya for putting it out there đ§»đœđ©
Oh interesting about trying the different liquids!
It may seem gross now but you will get used to it, as I did, and now it doesn't bother me!
I am hoping with time I'll get over it đ€Ł
@@TravellingK, I'm sure you will but keep practising!
@@audreyhodge1221 Wow, keep practising playing with poop......sounds like fun.
These liners definitely work. Your issue is the volume of water used to flush it away. Once you have resolved this, either by fixing the pump or using an extra jug of water thrown down, you will not look back. Even my hubby is a convert - despite it being an expensive cost per poo!
Using the liner really just fixes the toilet issues I had đYes, I hadn't realised the pump was broken... not something that's easy to realise!
When I do a number 2 I put some toilet paper in the pan , a bit like the same as your doing but with less hassle & cost. Btw you need to put more water in the bowl to flush. The green version is more environmentally friendly .
I've recently heard about the toilet paper trick...
Still catching up on your vlog. Another great one. We had a similar toilet in our first RV (truck camper). After that I will always have a black tank. So much easier (and less gross) to drive up and dump the tanks (black and gray). We are in many places that have no faculties at all and I nor my wife are digging a cat hole. So God bless our toilet!
Ah ok! I've heard mixed stories about the black tank. But interesting that you've tried both and prefer it.
Brilliant tip. We've been poohing in ours for 10 years and sometimes its messy. We're ordering happy bowl now!
Oh hope you find them helpful!
i plan to hit the road next year and this is going to be a hurdle for me also!!! Love your stuff!
lol me too. this is one of my concerns along with power so im all ears. im considering a compost job but will be testing it all out.
Megan - This is great to hear! Using the toilet is definitely doable đ
Jenny - I've heard good things about the composting toilet and quiet a few bloggers / vloggers have one: travellingk.com/resources/new-zealand-motorhome-caravan-bloggers-youtubers/
What power concerns do you have?
Try the incinerator toilet which turns everything to ashes using a gas or electricity. Donât need any chemicals. Otherwise use a composter toilet with coconut peat which turns everything to dust. No chemicals at all. No smell either.
People in general don't "fully" use their caravan/rv toilets here. Puplic toilets are just about everywhere unless you are in the middle of nowhere. Same with the shower, nearly all I know use their showers for storage. We are a country of puplic pools everywhere, even towns of 500 people have puplic pools. Also many not even in towns. And campsites very often have showers. Usually we just use the caravan toilet for nr 2s in emergency.
Great video K on what I guess is a taboo subject! We empty every day if using the loo for no.2s...
Several Laugh out Loud parts of that video - proud of you that you've approached such a subject with humour and practicality!
Glad this video caused laughter đIt's a subject I somehow end up talking a lot about in person with people, haha
We keep a 2 litre pop bottle with water and a bit of pink in the bathroom of the caravan just in case our electronic flush runs out in the night,
Nice tip! Thank you
Ok close the hole and add water do your business and than open the hole.
Hi do you mean also use the toilet liner ?
Thank you for the video. I am new to caravans, and this helped a lot.
Well done. You can use biological washing liquid or capsules as an alternative to the chemicals, should you wish. Happy travels.
Oh, that's a good tip! Thank you
"now it's my turn" Ha! Just about had my turn laughing.
đ
Those bowl liners look good. You could also line the bowl with a small bin bag and a commode liner that turns liquid to gel. Either with a bowl liner or bin bag then use a nappy genie to store the bags until you can find a bin, as it twists and seals each time you use it. Might be a little less gross than cleaning out the loo!
We try to avoid using bins! And are careful with what products are put down the dump station as they block easily.
Travelling K I get it. Itâs no different though to dumping bagged dog poop!
As per previous comments your flush pump needs attention. Also, you can often keep adding and adding flush liquid because the gauge might show half full when it's nowhere near. As a supplement keep a 500ml plastic bottle with a sports cap to hand - fill it with diluted pink fluid which allows you to target as necessary. No need for special liners - the careful laying down of 2-3 strips of 2-3 sheets of bog standard loo roll will capture everything. No need for special loo roll either. I only open the trap after the event to avoid any possibility of odour release. Empty your cassette often and never, NEVER, let it get too full. With practice it becomes a habit just like disposing of grey water and filling up your waiter barrel. Well done for taking the plunge - you'll get used to it.
I recently heard about the toilet paper trick! A great tip. I like to think the liner helped me get started đDoes sound like I need to fix the pump and really glad I shared this to learn about the issue!
As already said, your toilet flush isn't working. You can rebuild them or replace them very easily. It should pump about 300ml of water per flush. The unit comes out the top pulling the whole pump out.
Yes, I think I do need to look into the flushing. Good to know that I access it from the top.
Open the trap before going to the loo and I think you need much more water in the flush section. It seemed to flush like there wasn't enough water in there. Thoroughly enjoying your videos. I shall be caravanning full time too soon.
At least now 80k people know all about your toilet tactics đ€Łđ€Łđ€Łđ
everybody seems to get this so so wrong, to use a cassette toilet properly, flush once before then do your 1 first which is the the norm anyway, then flush again not (flush away) so you have liquid in the bowl with chemicals, then do the 2, then pump the flush several times then flush away. this normaly deals with toilet issues. make sure you have the correct amount of blue chemical in the cassette with water so it can break down the matter quickly
It's interesting how everyone has different systems, isn't it!
Always open the hole before doing business. It will either fall straight in or flush easier.
Laid Back canât understand the ones that do biz before opening
Agreed, this lessens the need for flushing as most of the errr...um...deposit(?) has already dropped through
Paul McCauley plus keeps the slide clean
Who does not have it open? Wouldn't that soil the seal? đ©đ
The manufacturerâs instructions are to open first.
Hi, if you buy a duck board in argos, we put it on our shower floor for using the toilet and take it out when using the shower. That way you always have dry feet when using the toiletđđ
Sounds like a good idea!
That sounded like a painful video you had to make Kat. But much appreciated. we've never used our Porta Pottie like that either for that exact reason. We've always stayed near public toilets so as not to be in that position. Generally you only need a toilet in the morning after breakfast so then you have more control over where you are. Night time is the issue. Who wants to run out at night to do a wee!!!! we used to have to do that when we went camping and that now for the birds.
Good to hear you have the same concerns!
Get a standing board for the shower area... A wooden started one would be great to stand on ... I got one in my first caravan cos my mum was staying with me. I now have a porta potty and a different đż set up in my van... But I still use the started board for boots by the outside door in wet weather
Yes, I have wondered if a slat board would be helpful...
Thanks for making this excellent video. Very apt with the coronavirus as many sites in the uk are open but the toilets are closed. This system makes for a more convenient convenience đ
Ah true! Glad it has been helpful!
We go caravanning with 4 people and use the toilet all the time. 2 litres of water and 100ml of blue fluid and we're good. The pink fluid for rinse. As others said your flush is faulty, it should be stronger and do the job. 4 people fills the cassette every day!
We take out the electric flush if ever we have one and use a manual like yours. Our manual flush is far more powerful than that one and often spills over if we go to hard on the pump.
Hmmm, sounds like the manual flush is very powerful for you!
Be a bit careful about pumping too hard. I did this thinking that the extra water velocity would clean the bowl better. However water is incompressible and I ended up blowing the bottom off the pump.
@@bobburke9966 Agree Bob but you should not need to pump hard to get better flow than that :-)
@@DesmondsDondersI agree, it sounds as if the pump is sucking air. Possibly as simple as the flush tank being low on water?
@@bobburke9966 Possibly or the filter is blocked. Simple fix.
Well done Karen you done good its a delicate subject to some people,but we are all the same.Its a shame
you haven't got the push button electronic system,as it really gives a good flush.I must admit me and Kim
my wife have only done a pee so far,as we go out for the day and do a poo in a café or pub,, or public
toilet.But if push come to shove we would use it for a number 2 .We think the toilet pads you got look great idea.
Regards Chris&Kim
Thank you Chris and Kim! I am glad I'm more comfortable using it and it's already come in handy multiple times đ
Hi there, I've got the same loo as you as you and I.m sorry to say the flushing side of things needs attention not too serious. Happy flushing.
Does sound like I need to have a look at the flush! So glad I shared it and learnt that something's not right.
I canât believe it! We use ours all the time!
đ€ŁI got there in the end... eventually.
TOP TIP. open the waste aperture, place two sheets of loo paper over the hole, sit squarely on the loo, do the business and when you stand up, hey presto...all gone. rinse with the flush and close aperture....
A great tip đ
Until you find or fix the problem with the water pressure, I suggest you have available a few gallons of water. You can pour some in the areas of the bowl where it's dirty, & maybe not have to wipe much afterwards..
Hi Karen good video someone has to talk about the toilet đ yes I prefer to use the campsites I have the push button toilet which is a better flush but I only use it in emergencies the toilet liners look good itâs an idea to keep some in đ
hehe happy to talk about the subject. And glad I'm not the only one who prefers the campground toilets!
Yes as one said your pump is broken itâs common with them but you can thickâs it buy taking pump out and using a Tie rap
What is a Tie rap? Does sound like I need to have a look at it! Seriously didn't realise it wasn't working right, haha
A tie rap come in different colours manly black and it ratchet to gather
I love your energy
Hi,
As others have said, working manual pump is best. Uses less flush than electric one and goes wrong less often. I had gunge build up in my pump housing caused by cheap flush additive. Easy to take apart and spares should not be a problem. Between trips I always drain down flush tank using grey plug in cassette compartment.
On using toilet again as others have said, pre wet bowl with flush, open bottom slide and line bowl with Happy Bowl or as we do pieces of toilet tissue (cheapskate option). Do your business and everthing will slide through to cassette tank. Flush again and shut slide. Bowl should be then be streak free.
The other option is to buy a cheap portable toilet and toilet tent and have 1's inside and 2's outside.
I had also heard of the electric flush stop working from build up. Thank you for these tips!
Yep, the toilet in a caravan is just part of caravanning. We have a caravan the same size as yours and very similar layout. If we can we use other toilets but only so I donât have to empty it so often. Same with our sink water, no running tap etc as itâs my job to fill the water barrel. Eventually itâll become normal.
glad you have a sense of humer Karen never been too pc myself cheers
đIt's a part of caravanning, right!
Hey beautiful look...
there fantastic though don't worry about the flushing it. Possibly better just to take the bag out after you've gone and throw them out and where did you get the bags??
those are a great idea for keeping things clean , my cassette toilet has a trap door that can be opened and left open while you do your business, so thats what I do and just naturally somehow the poo goes right into the hole and down into the holding tank, otherwise you are pooping in a shallow plastic toilet then trying to get a larger volume of poo to go down at one time when you flush....I like the way mine works better than the ones that only open to flush and then close back.
Yes, I've ended up just having the hole open and it all works out.
I don't put any chemicals in my thetford, just water. It's a waste of time and money. If it bothers you, just use a little spray air freshener or an airwick. I've found that the chemicals don't really do anything except mask the smell, ergo, the air freshener. Those special chemicals cost a fortune.
I have the similar system, and I use my toilet, no problem, just give an energic push, so it spray more water. I don't put anything biodegradable in toilet, is commercial bulshit, it biodegrade itself in one week of use (including toilet paper), but you have to stay one week in one place, if you move the bad smell might get in the bathroom, from shit agitating. Or install a ventilation for toilet cassettes, witch I also intend to install... is on my list. You also need a brush so you spray water and use a brush for cleaning in same time, it needs maxim 2-3 water pushes, you complicate to much with that toilet paper as toilet protection. And I use regular toilet paper, no problem ...
By the way I also put in the past things (home toilet staffs) in the flush water tank to smell good, but right now I just use plain water, it works marvelous, simple is better always...
Its a dirty subject lol. One we all have to deal with camping. I hope you get your pump fixed. A test with the TP. Put a sheet in a plastic container with some water. give it a shake. if it dissolves, its the right paper. You don't have to buy special camping TP.
Pump is still to be fixed, haha. Nice idea with the paper test!
Similar setup to mine,i use shower head as a pressure washer for bowl after number 2 lol,sparkly clean every time lol
I replaced the flush 3 times on our Bailey, the manual flush system is quite easily broken. You can get the entire flush or just the diaphragm bit at the bottom. Not hard to do but resealing the top of the flush tank can be a pain.
3 times!! This job is still on my âto doâ list đ€
@@TravellingK bought a new toilet this month with electric flush.
I think your pump is not working right. You can put a bucket of water down the cassette. ..Alan.
Yes, does sound like I need to have a look at the pump! And yes, maybe backup water for now...
Hi Travelling K, having to deal with the 'unpleasantness' of the cassette toilets is what one must do. I think I would use just plain plastic liners...add a little saw dust, wrap the plastic bag and put into another bag and just throw away.
Ohhh if I did that, I'd get a huge amount of online hate messagesđ€ŁThere's a lot of debate about composting toilets in Facebook groups.
If you any questions about caravan toilet Vandemonium would be a lot of help! He as one in his van he just build.
Oh really?! Does he cover this?
Get a gallon water jug. Put liner in. Do business. Pour water from the jug all around the edge of the bowl, making sure the entire liner gets very wet and there's a bit of water to provide extra lubrication. Open flush valve quickly. Everything in the bowl should basically just disappear. Failing to get the liner wet enough will almost always make it fail to do its job smoothly.
A great tip!! Thank you
Thank you for broaching such an uncomfortable topic in such an informative and down to earth manner. đđ»
Hi, how's ut going. The subject of toilet paper, don't use that mega expensive special toilet paper, I've lived ony narrowboat for 18 years, have the same model Thetford and l only ever use normal toilet paper, never a problem and yes, your flush is faulty. Just started watching since you joined Cruising the Cut, now subscribed to you
Thank you Roger. I still haven't got around to fixing the flushđ€ŁAnd welcome!
I have the same toilet, 2 -3 pumps and its gone. Something wrong with the pump part.
Does sound like I need to have a look at the pump!
@@TravellingK well good luck and keep up with the wonderful videos. I love the way you keep it simple and showing your learning curve that we've all gone, or going through. X
@@TravellingK Have you looked at the pump? Curious if you've got it working better.
Sidebar: your skin is amazing!
Oh thank you! haha
She has beautiful white teeth too!
Haven't read comments(butt I will). Simply flush toilet with a liter or 2 liter bottle of mixture of water. and liquid toilet cleaner if your drain lines can handle the chemical. Bleach might be ok as well as part of the mix. Forget the pump. Paper funnels probably helpful but not necessary. Pine sol or equivalent toilet cleaner and brush probably will be needed at some point regardless so just keep handy. Be sure to keep a bit of water over the flap when closed to maintain seal and no odors.
Thank you for these tips!
Great video. Thanks for talking about this delicate subject :)
Hey that beats driving into town........for 2 years wow! Lol!
Haha got there in the end!
I keep a jug of water in the bathroom and pour water directly in the bowl to flush. I think it saves water in the long run because you can pour the water directly where you need it.
Yes, that's a good idea. Might be an easier solution!
Check your toilet rinse level, if that's ok then looks like your rinse pump need seeing too. We find our cassette will last a few days and that's with 4 of us! You get used to emptying lol, get it down to a fine art with some disposable plastic gloves. :-)
I can't imagine emptying it every couple of days! But glad to hear that it gets easier. Does sound like I need to look at the pump.
Hi, I'm not sure if it's been suggested yet or not but you could get one of those bamboo (or wooden) shower mats to put in your shower while using the toilet instead of squeegeeing it every time đ the elevation of the mat would keep your feet off the wet floor.
It has been suggested! I guess I worry that it would go mouldy very quickly?
@@TravellingK A valid worry. Tilting your trailer a bit might help.
I like to put them in the freezer a 2LB frozen kingkongs finger will go clean through double glazed windows.
spud spud hahahaaaha
Can you send some to The Netherlands please, we can not buy them here anymore.
Thanks Karen, followed the link & I'll give them a try.
Would be good to hear how you find them đ
It'll be a few months before I use the van again, so don't hold your breath waiting for a feedback reply!