Which is better: Porta-potty? Cassette? RV toilet with Black tank?

[Bob Miller]

Hopefully this won't restart the great Porta Potty vs. Fixed Loo debate again.
My $.02 worth is that 5 gallons is fine, it lasts us 3-5 days and the marine loo in our 13' Scamp wasn't all that much more anyway.


I think the real issue with most is if one would rather deal with emptying the portable tank or finding a dump station and/or using the stinky slinky.

[honda03842]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

The great advantage here though Norm, is that it can easily be dumped when it is full, not needing to be pulled up to a RV dump. 5 gallons would last us a few days, and even more if there were other washroom facilities available (other than the obvious of trees ).

Plus, I really like the fact of not having pipes hanging below the trailer, and the fact it would be no issue for cold weather use with the heat on inside.

But, we all have different needs and desires. No way to satisfy everyone's needs.

Jim,
Our Scamp 16 has a 9.5 gallon tank and it lasts us 4-5 days. When it's full we just drive to the dump station and it is not a problem. In 14 years and below freezing temps we've never had our waste gates freeze nor had a damaged hanging pipe.

My concern is that this is an expensive trailer. as I understand it, possibly more expensive that your Escape 19... the Escape has a 19 gallon black tank, more than a week's worth of capacity.

Definitely the black tank is not high on my list of concerns, I'm actually more interested in seeing the two chairs and the price.

Robert, Thanks for pointing out the door.. Ginny likes her privacy.

[Mr. W.]

I am not at all concerned with the 5 gallon capacity - that would last us a long time. I do feel, however, that the porta-potty does not fit with the rest of the trailer. I consider that any split-system porta-potty is entry-level facilities. I still have to set the potentially yucky top half somewhere while I haul out the definitely yucky bottom half.

A cassette toilet is a really premium way of doing a porta-potty. I don't have to lift off the top half, and I don't have to haul the bottom half out through my living quarters, hoping the seals hold. I still have to haul 5 gallons of yuck in the back of my car, though.

The Nest is definitely a premium trailer, and the porta-potty, in my mind, clashes. Campers fall into definite strata - the rough-its all the way to the glampers. I question how many people who will spring for a Nest also fall into the porta-potty set. What about something like the Laveo Dry-flush? That, to me, fits the Nest better, without the need for a black tank.

[Franswa]

went looking for that.....unit costs hundreds (350?) and then it's a dollar a flush?? (3 cartriges for $57)....and you don't find those on every street corner.....not to mention all that foil and plastic in the landfill.....no thanks, not for me

if there's already a grey tank (under the shower) I'm surprised at the decision not to include a standard black tank system.....it is after all what most people are familiar with

Has anybody ever heard a comment like: "Nice rig...too bad it's got a black tank" (???) I don't think so...but when you mention the word porta-potty you always get more than a few raised eyebrows

still a very nice trailer....and one could always retrofit a black tank system with not too much trouble IMO

[Mr. W.]

I hear you on the landfill issue, Francois. I guess it partly comes down to usage patterns. We tend to use the facility facilities, and only use the trailer potty for "emergencies". So, the foil baggie would last a long time (probably half the season, if it really controls the smell), and it wouldn't amount to much in the landfill, nor add up to much money. Other people would pitch one of those every couple days, and that is too much.

It is, however, a premium solution for a premium trailer, if it is really important to eliminate the black tank. If I can spring for a Nest, I can probably pay a dollar a flush (which is roughly what it will cost for our upcoming sewer system at home!!). I don't understand the urgency to not have a black tank, but would much rather have a cassette toilet than a porta. I DO understand that someone might have an aversion to having to deal with dump stations and stinky slinkies.

[Glenn Baglo]

I don't understand the issue with emptying a black tank. Far as I know, most of us wipe our bums.

[D White]

Originally Posted by Glenn Baglo

I don't understand the issue with emptying a black tank. Far as I know, most of us wipe our bums.

The issue could be many things like frame issues, weight at the wrong place, dump valve placement issues and on and on. Only the designer knows what were the reasons for the design and its reasoning and
limitations. I believe Robert had wanted some ideas from everyone, but this is getting beat to death
The trailer is now in its final form for this edition...let's support him...he knows about, and understands black tanks...this is not constructive

[Glenn Baglo]

I wasn't commenting on the Nest build. I was commenting on the aversion of some to black tanks.

[charlsara]

I don't have an aversion to black tanks butt (&#128513 I am so glad we went with a cassette. I just drive on by the line at the dump station and dump it in a rest area or other public toilet. No mess no fuss.


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[David B.]

I went with the port-a-potty instead of the cassette as I remove the port-a-potty while showering, so I have a lot more room to move around.
I really prefer this over a black tank for the same reasons mentioned earlier by others........all personal preferences.
Dave & Paula

[Robert Johans]

Folks, again, this porta-potty decision was a design choice based upon a slight majority of opinions at the time of concept. (Made sense at the time. Perhaps the next model will feature different choices...)

Remember, we are also pioneering a monocoque construction methodology that eliminates the need for a steel chassis. Therefore, except for the axle, stabilizer jacks and the gray water drain, the Nest "bottom" is completely flat, uninterrupted, and smooth as, well, glass. No good place or room to hang a tank.

As to the cassette option, we too like these, but they require a flat, rectangular exterior wall to provide for an access hatch to the cassette. We gots no flat, rectangular walls!




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[Mr. W.]

Robert --

The Nest is a gorgeous trailer, and you should be proud. I hope to have a chance to see one in person someday, and I hope your company thrives to see Gen2 and Gen3 of these works of art.

Regarding the toilet question, Scamp uses an interior-mounted black tank that a low profile toilet sits on. The only thing below the floor is the drain piping. That might provide a viable option for customers who prefer a black tank over a porta-potty.

I know that many, many of your design choices (and it all comes down to making a choice, doesn't it?) were made after gathering the opinions of people here on this site, and we appreciate that a whole lot. As a result, there are a LOT of things about the trailer that I really like, and a few that I don't, and overall, it is a really impressive trailer. Well done!

[Terry G]

Originally Posted by Robert Johans

BTW, if any of you are considering actually placing an order for a Nest, and helping me get my new company off the ground, I'd be more than happy to put in whatever kind of toilet you want!


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I camp a lot with groups so I would probably be interested in a pay toilet.

[Bob Miller]

Hi Robert
I think that we all agree that it looks great and, personally, I agree with the Loo issue, but I think that many are still waiting for three tiny pieces of info: Weight, delivery time and prices..... with that you will gain multipliers of information.


To add to the loo discussion, the 5 gallon Dometic Marine Loo we use comes with a pump-out feature that allows it to be used as a permanent mounting with a through-the-hull macerator pump.

[Jim Bennett]

A loo? Is this where the song "Skip to my loo" is derived from?

As mentioned before, I am a big fan of the clean undercarriage, and would be more than willing to take a container to dump in a disposal somewhere. Handling a cassette, or porta potty bottom, can in no way be any worse than dealing with a impossible to clean stinky slinky.

Though, 75% of the trailer dumps I do, are in a hay field anyway. The land owner is a really nice guy, and said I could.

[Franswa]

"clean" it??? and why would you want to do that???....you're already rinsing it with the grey water dump....raise the slinky during that flush once or twice if you're really into it.....what's complicated about that? Mine lives inside the back bumper...how clean does it have to be? I've got rubber gloves on!

compare that to walking across a parking lot with a potty tank ("Good morning m'am, nice day, eh?").... and pouring it into a toilet... (WITHOUT splashing!!!!)....stinking up the whole bathroom....I know what I'm choosing

I must be missing something

[catholiccamper]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

There is no need. It uses a cassette toilet.

How do you empty the toilet?

[tractors1]

As described, you remove the tank and find someplace to dump it. Then you usually have to find a way to rinse the outside that gets splashed while dumping. I had one of these many years ago and will never own another one.

Charlie Y

[Bob Miller]

Each will have their own fav's for a black tank. But I have had both in the ten or so RV;s I have owned over the years and I am a solid convert to the portable black tank in smaller RV's, be it a "Modern" porty potty design or a cassette design.


To support this, I removed the fixed loo and black tank from my Hunter and replaced them with a slide out Dometic with a 5 gallon tank, and I have yet to meet up with any of the difficulties mentioned, nor have I had to look for or had to move my trailer to a holding tank, paid to dump said tank, wrestled with a stinky slinky or had as much as a drop of effluent where it didn't belong.


BTW: Modern porta-pottys aren't necessarily as crude and difficult to use as those of just a few years back.

[David B.]

Dave & Paula