Thetford emptying
Discussion
I occasionally empty it at home in the loo. There is no issue with this at all...it smells wherever you empty it tbh. As soon as you flush your bog any smell should go (just like any normal toilet activity). Make use of some bespoke chemicals and this also helps cover some of the smell. If you have a septic tank at home, as said, make sure to get the right chemicals for use in one of those (although if you are only emptying it occasionally down the loo it cant make too much difference).
The other unwritten rule in many quarters is to only use the Thetford for number 1's! This also helps...
The other unwritten rule in many quarters is to only use the Thetford for number 1's! This also helps...
It's funny, oblio, I was also of the same view - in theory it should be just like normal use of the toilet. But I've done it twice now and each time, it's left a horrible lingering smell. So since then, it's straight down the manhole or septic tank for me.
But then again, my wife & daughter use it as a normal toilet too, so I guess understandable to have perhaps a bit more pong!
Oh the joys of motorhoming!
But then again, my wife & daughter use it as a normal toilet too, so I guess understandable to have perhaps a bit more pong!
Oh the joys of motorhoming!
Spuffington said:
It's funny, oblio, I was also of the same view - in theory it should be just like normal use of the toilet. But I've done it twice now and each time, it's left a horrible lingering smell. So since then, it's straight down the manhole or septic tank for me.
But then again, my wife & daughter use it as a normal toilet too, so I guess understandable to have perhaps a bit more pong!
Oh the joys of motorhoming!
Strange...zero issue here at Oblio Towers But then again, my wife & daughter use it as a normal toilet too, so I guess understandable to have perhaps a bit more pong!
Oh the joys of motorhoming!
Bellini said:
Aah, the joys of having a black tank in mine. 
Out of interest, how on earth do you empty that in the UK?I've hired RVs in the US and of course there are great big manhole covers for black tank emptying, but everything over here is Elsan-based.
Or do you just drop it at home straight into the sewer?
.
Most campsites have a manhole in their motorhome service point, or one handy somewhere else. I have a valve identical to my grey waste and a 4" outlet, again identical to my grey waste outlet, and a flex-hose that attaches via lugs to the tank outlet. Open manhole cover. Connect flexi hose at one end, aim it into the hole at the other. Pull the valve. WHOOSH! Done.
To clean the flexi-hose, connect the hose to the grey outlet and pull that valve. Another WHOOSH! and the pipe is clean again.
For the times when a manhole isn't available, I have a small macerator pump that connects to the outlet and 30m of lay-flat hose. The pump connects to one of my leisure batteries via crocodile clips and I can aim the other end of the hose down a nearby toilet or chemical waste facility, or even a mildly inaccessible manhole.
The beauty of the black tank is that it'll hold a week's worth of impunity with ease and takes seconds to empty.
I have hired motorhomes with the cassette whatsit and I much prefer the black tank arrangement.
To clean the flexi-hose, connect the hose to the grey outlet and pull that valve. Another WHOOSH! and the pipe is clean again.
For the times when a manhole isn't available, I have a small macerator pump that connects to the outlet and 30m of lay-flat hose. The pump connects to one of my leisure batteries via crocodile clips and I can aim the other end of the hose down a nearby toilet or chemical waste facility, or even a mildly inaccessible manhole.
The beauty of the black tank is that it'll hold a week's worth of impunity with ease and takes seconds to empty.
I have hired motorhomes with the cassette whatsit and I much prefer the black tank arrangement.
No solids into our cassette! It fills up quick enough without them anyway!
Forget your fancy chemicals, I've been using liquid biological clothes detergent (as I heard others do too) as a tank additive. Cheap stuff from Aldi/Lidl seems to work the best. Smells much nicer and doesn't stain everything blue/green.
Forget your fancy chemicals, I've been using liquid biological clothes detergent (as I heard others do too) as a tank additive. Cheap stuff from Aldi/Lidl seems to work the best. Smells much nicer and doesn't stain everything blue/green.
Thanks for that. Interesting stuff and I agree with the capacity point - the Thetford cassette is the real limitation to wild camping. I reckon we have a 24-36hr capacity with ours before it's full. The little'un seems to wee for Britain so is constantly using it and the wife won't go anywhere else either, so it fills up pretty quick. I have been meaning to buy a spare cassette to keep in one of the outside lockers to give us another day or so capacity, but not got around to it yet.
In respect of the comment about immodium / laxatives, I don't find it particularly bad, personally. Ok, so it's not the most pleasant task in the world and no-one would say they enjoyed it, but it's far from being the worst thing that you can do and it goes with the territory. I'd personally rather empty a Thetford cassette than do what some people do when they're camping and empty a bucket of waste!
Also, depending on the site, I'd far rather take a dump in my toilet than one shared with hundreds of others!
In respect of the comment about immodium / laxatives, I don't find it particularly bad, personally. Ok, so it's not the most pleasant task in the world and no-one would say they enjoyed it, but it's far from being the worst thing that you can do and it goes with the territory. I'd personally rather empty a Thetford cassette than do what some people do when they're camping and empty a bucket of waste!
Also, depending on the site, I'd far rather take a dump in my toilet than one shared with hundreds of others!
Spuffington said:
Thanks for that. Interesting stuff and I agree with the capacity point - the Thetford cassette is the real limitation to wild camping. I reckon we have a 24-36hr capacity with ours before it's full. The little'un seems to wee for Britain so is constantly using it and the wife won't go anywhere else either, so it fills up pretty quick. I have been meaning to buy a spare cassette to keep in one of the outside lockers to give us another day or so capacity, but not got around to it yet.
In respect of the comment about immodium / laxatives, I don't find it particularly bad, personally. Ok, so it's not the most pleasant task in the world and no-one would say they enjoyed it, but it's far from being the worst thing that you can do and it goes with the territory. I'd personally rather empty a Thetford cassette than do what some people do when they're camping and empty a bucket of waste!
Also, depending on the site, I'd far rather take a dump in my toilet than one shared with hundreds of others!
If you're truly wild camping, then just keep a spade on board and as and when it's full, dig a hole and dispose of it! Use some 'nice' toilet fluid: http://www.bluebio.co.uk/In respect of the comment about immodium / laxatives, I don't find it particularly bad, personally. Ok, so it's not the most pleasant task in the world and no-one would say they enjoyed it, but it's far from being the worst thing that you can do and it goes with the territory. I'd personally rather empty a Thetford cassette than do what some people do when they're camping and empty a bucket of waste!
Also, depending on the site, I'd far rather take a dump in my toilet than one shared with hundreds of others!
There's no problem emptying your waste down your home toilet.
Regarding your Thetford, the inside mechanism is quite delicate, so DO NOT slosh it about too violently from side to side when emptying to get the last few drops out, as they are expensive to replace if you break it.
Number one's only in ours, (unless it's an emergency)..
Regarding your Thetford, the inside mechanism is quite delicate, so DO NOT slosh it about too violently from side to side when emptying to get the last few drops out, as they are expensive to replace if you break it.
Number one's only in ours, (unless it's an emergency)..
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