Cassette toilet vs. black water flush toilet - Fiberglass RV
Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
 
Old 07-12-2016, 07:18 PM   #1
Member
 
Name: Sandra
Trailer: Parkliner SOLD November 2017
South Carolina
Posts: 84
Registry
Cassette toilet vs. black water flush toilet

I am looking at getting my first TT and want to know which is easier to deal with, a cassette toilet or a flush toilet with a tank you have to empty.

Does anyone have experience with using a cassette toilet?

I guess what I am asking, is which one is less messy to empty and clean?

The Lil Snoozy has a cassette and the Parkliner has the black tank. I have narrowed my search to those two, and the toilet is the major deciding factor.
Sandy54 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2016, 07:23 PM   #2
Member
 
Rich and Rei's Avatar
 
Name: Rich
Trailer: 1970 Trails West Campster and 2012 Lil Snoozy
Kansas
Posts: 77
Registry
I have had both kinds
Prefer the cassette, like that is in our Lil Snoozy.
Always hated the stinky slinky and the dump stations.
Rich and Rei is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2016, 08:05 PM   #3
Senior Member
 
sokhapkin's Avatar
 
Name: Sergey
Trailer: 2014 Scamp 16 layout 4, 2018 Winnebago Revel 4x4
SW Florida
Posts: 851
What is the problem with dump stations? It takes only a few minutes to empty the black and grey tanks...
__________________
Sergey
sokhapkin is online now   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2016, 08:09 PM   #4
Senior Member
 
Donna D.'s Avatar
 
Trailer: 1988 16 ft Scamp Deluxe
Posts: 25,697
Oh brother, here we go again. Easier to use and dump... that's in the eye of the person doing the work.


I have never had any issues dumping a black water tank.... I'm also a mother and grandmother who's changed LOTS of dirty diapers. At least dumping the black water tanks, I get to wear gloves.


I mean... really...
__________________
Donna D.
Ten Forward - 2014 Escape 5.0 TA
Double Yolk - 1988 16' Scamp Deluxe
Donna D. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-12-2016, 09:55 PM   #5
Senior Member
 
Name: Kelly
Trailer: Trails West
Oregon
Posts: 3,047
Quote:
Originally Posted by sokhapkin View Post
What is the problem with dump stations? It takes only a few minutes to empty the black and grey tanks...
If you have a black and grey tank....

I don't have one or the room for one. The cassette makes sense and it is no more difficult to deal with than a portable toilet. However it does comply with the rules where certain authorities insist on having a fixed in place toilet.
k corbin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2016, 03:36 AM   #6
Raz
Senior Member
 
Raz's Avatar
 
Trailer: Trillium 2010
Posts: 5,185
The up side to the cassette or a portta potti is you don't need a dump station. You can dump in any toilet, even an outhouse. The down side is that the tanks are smaller requiring more frequent dumping.
Raz is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2016, 06:08 AM   #7
Senior Member
 
Tom Trostel's Avatar
 
Trailer: 1973 Compact Jr and 1980 Bigfoot 17 ft
Posts: 1,339
Registry
Send a message via AIM to Tom Trostel Send a message via MSN to Tom Trostel
Since the Lil Snoozy has a shower and sink, then it must have a gray water tank. You will still have to stop at the dump station or get a site with sewer hookups.
__________________
1980 Bigfoot 17' & former owner of 1973 Compact Jr
Tom Trostel is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2016, 07:49 AM   #8
Member
 
Rich and Rei's Avatar
 
Name: Rich
Trailer: 1970 Trails West Campster and 2012 Lil Snoozy
Kansas
Posts: 77
Registry
Yes, we have a gray water tank.
When we get home we hook a garden hose to tank and drain gray water into our garden.
Works for us.
Rich and Rei is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2016, 08:53 AM   #9
Senior Member
 
Name: Greg
Trailer: 2008 Casita 17' SD
Washington
Posts: 1,997
Registry
This is a very time-worn and often repeated debate with no definitive answer. Everybody has their opinion, and there are as many opinions as to which they prefer as there are people responding. It's really all about what YOU feel will work best for YOU. All I can say is there are pros and cons to both. I've had both, and I prefer to have holding tanks that I can dump at the dump station or hook up to at the campsite if provided. The older I get, the less that the prospect of lugging some heavy tank around the campground to find a place to dump it appeals to me. If I don't have a site with hook-ups, I prefer to just drive up and pull a lever rather than schlog around a heavy tank full of crap.
Additionally, I find that pulling out a Porta-Potty and sitting in the trailer aisle way doing my business just doesn't appeal to me. Call it a "bad visual" if you will. If space limitations don't permit installing real holding tanks then I guess that you really don't have an option. If you do have an option I would say go with regular holding tanks. Just my 2 cents, but I think that you wouldn't regret it in the long run. I find it so much more convenient, less physical work, and much cleaner to dump than splashing it all over in a toilet or outhouse that other people have to use as well. (That is another area which really doesn't have room here without hijacking the thread,) but there's nothing worse than walking into a campground bathroom where some inconsiderate Porta-Potty dumper spills half of it all all over the toilet and the floor. And trust me, there are a lot of rude inconsiderate campers who do exactly that.

As to dumping built-in holding tanks, it can usually be done in a quite sanitary way, and with just a few minor modifications it can be virtually a "white glove" job. I installed an aftermarket flusher in my black and gray tanks which have a jet sprayer that completely cleans out the tanks, (one for each black and gray tanks,) where you just attach a short section of garden hose to each inlet and it does all the work. No silly garden hose and flusher wand to drag into the trailer to blast your tanks when dumping.
Here's a few pics of my black tank flusher installation. The gray tank hook-up is similar but doesn't even enter the trailer. It's all plumbed to the gray tank completely underneath. Incidentally, because I know the comment will arise, the tank sprayers have built-in one way check valves which prevent back-flow, and I don't use my potable water hose for flushing purposes anyway.
Attached Thumbnails
BWFLUSH1.JPG   BWFLUSH2.JPG  

BWFLUSH3.JPG   BWFLUSH4.JPG  

Casita Greg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2016, 09:09 AM   #10
Member
 
Name: Leslie
Trailer: Parkliner
North Carolina
Posts: 35
Here is another option. My Parkliner is currently being built with a composting toilet. I like the idea of the cassette on the Lil' Snoozy but chose the Parkliner. It comes down to personal preference.
Leslie14 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2016, 09:11 AM   #11
Senior Member
 
Name: Greg
Trailer: 2008 Casita 17' SD
Washington
Posts: 1,997
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Leslie14 View Post
Here is another option. My Parkliner is currently being built with a composting toilet. I like the idea of the cassette on the Lil' Snoozy but chose the Parkliner. It comes down to personal preference.
Any pictures, details, info???
Casita Greg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2016, 09:14 AM   #12
Senior Member
 
Name: R.T.
Trailer: Big Foot
Georgia
Posts: 197
Size

Our Casita has a 15 gallon black water tank and I suspect the cassette has a capacity of around 5 gallons which means you could go 3 times as long between dumping's with a built in tank.
dblcola is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2016, 09:14 AM   #13
Senior Member
 
cpaharley2008's Avatar
 
Name: jim
Trailer: 2022 Escape19 pulled by 2014 Dodge Ram Hemi Sport
Pennsylvania
Posts: 6,710
Registry
Having had both, there are advantages to both. The holding tank method is a little more sanitary but the cassette is easily useable in the winter.
__________________
Jim
Never in doubt, often wrong
cpaharley2008 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2016, 09:15 AM   #14
Senior Member
 
Name: Tap
Trailer: 2015 17' Casita Independence, 2010 Escape 19’
Florida
Posts: 118
Quote:
Originally Posted by Casita Greg View Post
...I installed an aftermarket flusher in my black and gray tanks which have a jet sprayer that completely cleans out the tanks, (one for each black and gray tanks,) where you just attach a short section of garden hose to each inlet and it does all the work. No silly garden hose and flusher wand to drag into the trailer to blast your tanks when dumping.
Here's a few pics of my black tank flusher installation. The gray tank hook-up is similar but doesn't even enter the trailer. It's all plumbed to the gray tank completely underneath...
Sweet!
TappyGee is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2016, 10:09 AM   #15
Member
 
Name: Sandra
Trailer: Parkliner SOLD November 2017
South Carolina
Posts: 84
Registry
Thanks for your input

Thanks to everyone for their input. As a future newbie, I appreciate the education. My two main concerns are being able to carry the cassette (I use to work with horses and a 10 gal water bucket is very heavy), and easy disposal of the tank or cassette. I'm 62 years old, and carrying a heavy cassette, and lifting it to dump it, is something that I don't want to deal with.
Sandy54 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2016, 11:05 AM   #16
Senior Member
 
BAMA & Pachyderm Posse's Avatar
 
Trailer: 2006 17 ft Casita
Posts: 680
Registry
I have had both I like the flush much better , did not like the cassette at all .
__________________
HERSCHEL AKA BAMA
BAMA & Pachyderm Posse is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2016, 11:32 AM   #17
Senior Member
 
Mr Lynn's Avatar
 
Name: Lynn
Trailer: 2019 Escape 21C, NTU April 2022 (was 2013 Casita Spirit Deluxe 17)
Massachusetts
Posts: 666
Casita Greg: Did you install the holding-tank flushes yourself? I'm reluctant to get into mucking about with the plumbing on our new-to-us Casita. But I'd sure like a flush valve, especially on the black-water tank. When we were shopping a couple of months ago, I noticed that many of the new stickies have them built in.

/Mr Lynn
__________________
"The Molded Fiberglass Obsession"—From a Pickup Cap to a Casita

"Hillbilly at Harvard"—Honky-tonk Country and Bluegrass
Mr Lynn is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2016, 12:02 PM   #18
Member
 
Name: Leslie
Trailer: Parkliner
North Carolina
Posts: 35
Look at website natureshead.net (nature's head composting toilet) as well as check youtube videos on same. Have fun, no matter what decision you make you will enjoy the camper.
Leslie14 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2016, 06:40 PM   #19
Senior Member
 
Name: Greg
Trailer: 2008 Casita 17' SD
Washington
Posts: 1,997
Registry
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mr Lynn View Post
Casita Greg: Did you install the holding-tank flushes yourself? I'm reluctant to get into mucking about with the plumbing on our new-to-us Casita. But I'd sure like a flush valve, especially on the black-water tank. When we were shopping a couple of months ago, I noticed that many of the new stickies have them built in.

/Mr Lynn
Yes I did install it myself. The particulars about the install that I had posted on the Casita forum are here below:

I used a standard 4" hole saw to cut through the dinette bench cabinet and on through to the fiberglass bathroom partition wall. This "sandwich" is about an inch in thickness measuring from the fiberglass wall of the dinette bench, the carpeting in between, and the rear wall of the bathroom. Once through the bathroom wall (drilling forward from the underside of the dinette bench) you will find an air gap of about 3/4" before you run into the side of the black water tank itself. Your pilot bit will probably punch into the side of the black water tank by the time you finish cutting the 4" hole through the bathroom partition, but this is not a bad thing, as it will serve as your reference centerpoint for the smaller hole you'll need to install the quickie flush sprayer (J C Whitney, cat. # 810951, about $25 bucks). The trick here is to develop a "touch" for when you have cut through the partition, and go slow so as not to cut a 4" hole in the side of your black water tank!

The rest is pretty straight forward plumbing using a few feet of reinforced plastic tubing (got mine at Lowes) and some barbed connectors (2 with threaded and barbed fittings and 1 double barbed elbow), and and 4 stainless steel screw clamps to attach it to the threaded fittings to the sprayer and the inlet (standard trailer water hose inlet fitting available at any RV supply) which needs to be mounted in the sidewall of the trailer where it will come in under the front side dinette bench. To seal the sprayer to the side of the black water tank I used a good marine grade permanent sealer (such as 5200 or equivalent.) I would caution against using anything like common bathtub caulking as it isn't strong enough and you certainly don't want this one to leak.

In case anyone was wondering, the sprayer unit does have a built-in back-flow preventer to keep "black water" from flowing in reverse, but I still use a dedicated hose for flushing and another for potable water, just to be safe. I also incorporated quick detach hose fittings to the trailer inlet and the flushing garden hose just for added convenience.

This mod is one of my favorites, and every time I flush my tank I am so happy I did it. No more pulling a hose and wand through the window anymore.

The outside flush hose connection and under front dinette seat installation details of bulkhead drilling measurements are shown above in previous post.
Casita Greg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-13-2016, 07:53 PM   #20
Senior Member
 
Glenn Baglo's Avatar
 
Trailer: Escape 17 ft
Posts: 8,317
Quote:
Originally Posted by Raz View Post
The up side to the cassette or a portta potti is you don't need a dump station. You can dump in any toilet, even an outhouse. The down side is that the tanks are smaller requiring more frequent dumping.
Signs in the outhouses of a BC Forest Service campground that I frequent say you are NOT to dump porta pottis.
I suspect that the people who get to clean the washrooms in campgrounds with flush toilets are not happy to follow someone who dumped in their facility either.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
Glenn Baglo is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Cassette Toilet in Oliver TT Bernese Bunch Plumbing | Systems and Fixtures 43 12-06-2016 09:17 PM
cassette toilet fix jennykatz Plumbing | Systems and Fixtures 42 04-27-2015 09:27 AM
Which is better: Porta-potty? Cassette? RV toilet with Black tank? Bob Miller General Chat 28 04-12-2015 08:41 PM
Tornado Black Water Tank Flush Kit mitch Care and Feeding of Molded Fiberglass Trailers 16 07-14-2007 09:07 AM

» Upcoming Events
No events scheduled in
the next 465 days.
» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 04:38 PM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.