marine toilet vs portapotty/wag bag

[k8t]

Is anybody willing to share their insights regarding which way to go for the bathroom situation in your trailer?

I'm looking for pros and cons, of both day to day activity/maintenance and maintenance issues a few years down the road.

We currently use a wag bag with the commercial Poo Powder enzyme, and it's been very effective for us. I thought it would be great to upgrade to a porcelain throne and be able to have it all just drain away, but now I'm second guessing myself with the management of a black tank.

Help! I'm having a last minute panic attack since I'll need to finalize any changes to my order really soon (!). Heck, it may already be too late, but I'd stilll love to hear any insights you're willing to share.

Or if there is already a thread on this here at FGRV, feel free to direct me there. I did a quick search but didn't come up with what I was looking for.

Thanks!
Katie

[Pam Garlow]

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ion-50239.html Katie, Here's a good thread on the pro's and con's. For myself, I use a porta-potti combined with the campground modern toilets (since I don't boondock). I didn't want to have to deal with blackwater tanks, leaks, repairs, etc.. I also didn't want to give up the floor space in my 13footer. But, everyone has a different view and different needs.

[k8t]

Hi Pam,
Thanks for the link to the bathroom thread. That's just what I'm looking for!
Katie

[Roy in TO]

Remember, you don't always have to use the toilet just because it is there.

[Francesca Knowles]

Originally Posted by Pam Garlow

For myself, I use a porta-potti combined with the campground modern toilets (since I don't boondock). I didn't want to have to deal with blackwater tanks, leaks, repairs, etc.. I also didn't want to give up the floor space in my 13footer. But, everyone has a different view and different needs.

That's me, too, except that I do boondock the majority of the time.

I find a porta-potty even more conducive to that style of camping, as one doesn't have to break camp and drag the whole shebang to a dump station. There's always a campground/public toilet somewhere nearby where one can empty a porta-potty.

Francesca

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Roy in TO

Remember, you don't always have to use the toilet just because it is there.

Isn't that the truth! The bathroom in my Scamp is more of a closet than anything. I hung a tension rod close to the ceiling and hang my coats and wet bath towels in there. Great place to let stuff drip if it's rainy outside.

But, having that flush toilet three steps away from the bed on a cold, rainy night... Nirvana!

I've never had to move my trailer just to dump the tank. I have a blue tote and if either tank gets full, I can bleed off some liquid and dump down a campground toilet just like the folks have to do with a portapotty.

I don't know why folks worry about dumping a blackwater tank. I guess I changed lots of dirty diapers when my daughter was a baby and at least I get to wear gloves when dealing with the tanks in my trailer.

YMMV

[honda03842]

We love our bathroom. There's not much difference between dumping a gray or black tank except the black tank typically takes less than a minute.

As to black tank maintenance. The only real task is to add water occasionally to the black tank before you start a trip, maybe a bowl full. This loosens everything as you drive, and dump when you get to the campground. I do this evey month when on the road.

We only store bathroom stuff in the bathroom.

[Francesca Knowles]

I don't find emptying a blackwater tank any more disgusting than a porta-potty...just less convenient. In addition to having to bring the whole trailer along to do it, I've found that it can be a lot harder to find an RV dumpstation than to find a bathroom/privy.

Francesca

[Ian G.]

Although we have a PETT toilet which uses the WAG bag system I could count the number of times we have used it on my fingers. We chose it because it is light, easy to carry, easy to use and messy clean-up. But we use the campground facilities unless they are disgusting or the wife needs to go in the middle of the night.

Here is our system PETT Toilet

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...tml#post366449

[Bobbie Mayer]

I'd love to have a bathroom- for the shower. But I'm fine with a Porta-potti otherwise. However, for privacy if there are two people it would be nice to have more than a porta-potti that stores under a seat or in a tiny cupboard.

However, I'm not thrilled with the idea of waiting in line to dump on Sunday as I leave the campground. Or worse, hitching up midweek on a longer stay to go dump.

No perfect solution.

[Otters]

We have a full bathroom in our Airstream and a porta potti in my little scamp. I don't mind emptying or dealing with either. We boondock and camp in parks too with and without campside sanitation dumps. Also I don't mind just having the porta potti only, but I would like to have a shower. And it seems to me if you're going to have a shower, you've got space for a toliet too. So why not order it if you're one like me that wants the convenience of a shower. Lkie Roy and Donna said: "You don't have to use it".

[Cyndi B.]

I love my indoor potty. It took me a long time to learn not to head for the door. And my husband who is a "squat by the tree guy. I can do it anywhere in the woods. I will walk to the outhouse" took right to the indoor toilet. No reading unless off toilet. No bath and a half in a Scamp. But we do have a Wag-Bag toilet and a pop up shower tent.

[k8t]

Thanks Everybody! Your responses have been really helpful.

Ian-that's the same portable toilet that we have and it's worked pretty well for us. Very sturdy and easy to tuck away.

Does anybody know how challenging/costly it would be to add a flush toilet later? Our new Parkliner will have a shower and hot water, and it would be great to be able to tuck the porta potty out of the way to enjoy the shower space a bit more.

I guess I want it all!

I'm happy with my porta potty set-up and want the comfy roomy shower, but also want the option to have a flush toilet later if I decide I'm tired of the porta potty. Is is a big deal to have that done or is it something a local RV guy can do fairly easily?

Thanks,
Katie

[carlkeigley]

In other threads, seems everyone thinks it's better to get it in the first place.
Could be more than one bargains for adding it later compared to getting it
while it's in the making.

I have a Thetford Cassette Toilet. I wasn't sure I would like it or be able to
use it as we have never done any camping before. I'm glad I got it in the first
place. You don't have to use it if you have it, BUT YOU WILL. ..........LOL

This is mine with a platform for a mod:



Another view:

http://lilsnoozyclub-com.webs.com/ap...toid=177756368

And here's the cassette part:

http://lilsnoozyclub-com.webs.com/ap...toid=177765504

We have the indoor shower as you can see, but we also opted
for an outdoor shower. We haven't used either one, we've used
the campground showers so far. But we have used the outdoor
unit to rinse our dirty feet before going back inside.

http://lilsnoozyclub-com.webs.com/ap...toid=177750853

[Evergreengirl]

I really like having a flush toilet and holding tank. The convenience is so nice, especially in the middle of the night. Or if the campground facilities leave something to be desired. Or if it's raining. Or if it's really cold. Or if the facilities are clear at the other end of the campground.

If we're going to be camping for an extended amount of time (say 3 to 5 days) in one place and it doesn't have full hook-ups we make sure to arrive with a full fresh water tank and empty holding tanks. We use the campground toilets, whether outhouse or regular, as much as possible as long as they're not disgusting. That extends the amount of time we can go without having to dump. We'll also use the campground shower for the same reason, but there have been some times when having our own shower has saved the day.

Much may depend on how you like to camp. If you're mostly going to be staying in places with full hook-ups the whole perceived hassle of dumping your holding tanks is a moot point, but if you're going to be mostly boondocking then managing a toilet and black water tank may be more problematic. Personally, we've never found dumping our tanks to be that big a deal.

And finally, as much as I love my camping partner, I also love my privacy. Nothing quite like a real bathroom with a real door.

[Francesca Knowles]

It's threads like this that make me realize how "White Trash" I really am. Here's our solution to the "privacy problem":

The scene: My trailer, wherever

The cast: Could be anybody, but usually folks at least casually related by blood, marriage, treaty, or terms of parole

-ACT ONE, SCENE ONE-:

(dialogue) "Hey! Everybody either step outside or close your eyes! Grandma's going to use the porta-potty!"

-END OF ACT ONE-

Francesca

[Raz]

"Hey! Everybody either step outside or close your eyes! Grandma's going to use the porta-potty!"

Always good to give a warning, you don't want the yungin's scarred for life. Raz

[Tim Wood]

I got the porta potti for two reasons, to gain more room in the shower and it can be emptied more places ie. any toilet or rest area etc. That being said I could be just as happy with a toilet, as I have had both. If I could have gotten the cassette toilet in my trailer that would have been the best. I have also had one of those in a camper we had, and loved it.

[rgrugg]

Our EggCamper came with it and I wouldn't be without no matter what kind of trailer I might have. I get up 1-3 times every night and sure don't like going outside in the middle of the night. Another important reason to have toilet facilities of some kind in the trailer is that we have had our "bacon saved" countless times while on the road without even a bush to hide behind.

[k8t]

I'm smiling and nodding my head in agreement as I read through all your responses!

Yep, if I have it, I'll use it.
Yep, I want more room in the shower.
Yep, I wanna boondock
Yep, I want full hook-ups
Nope, I don't want to scar the grandkids for life. (Francesca-you crack me up!)
Nope, I don't want to tour the campground at 2am in the rain anymore.
Hey, I can handle a hose and black tank draining.
Hey, I can manage a porta-potty clean up.

Bobbie-you hit it on the head. There's no perfect solution so I need to just think about it a bit more and go with my gut reaction.

Thanks everybody for your insightful comments!
Katie