Portable Potty Questions

[Legacy Posts]

Since our Scamp did not come with the bathroom option, Don and I are considering one of those WallyMart versions that will fit under the front bunk. Apparently the compartment there was designed to hold one of these.

OK - so how do these things work? I mean, I know that built-in potties get emptied at a dump station, but what sort of containment system do the smaller versions have? And what about odor control? :sick

Anyone have experience with these?

:wave Jenni
(the Jenni half of Don and Jenni)

[Legacy Posts]

Hi Jenni (and Don)

Hey, porta potties work pretty much like built-in versions ... and you're right, sized to fit in the compartment under the front bunk.

Usually the porta potties are two-piece, held together by a clamp, separating the top (seat) from the bottom (black tank).

Some models have a pump and fresh water reservior, some depend on user to pour a little water from a jug.

You use the same chemicals or powders for odor and waste break-up that are used in built-in toilets and available anywhere.

When the time comes, you unsnap the top from the bottom, and either carry the bottom black tank to a campground toilet ... or better yet, over to the campground dump station and empty the contents.

Pretty easy stuff.

In Europe, many of the RV toilets are a cross between built-in and porta-potties. The waste tank is accessible from the outside of the caravan, and every morning you see folks remove and carry the tank off to finish their business.

[Legacy Posts]

Thanks, Charles!

Sounds easy enough. I won't EVEN begin to tell you how I thought it worked:omy .

Jenni

[Legacy Posts]

try this link for some basic info

http://www.thetford.com/portable_faq.cfm

:wave

[Legacy Posts]

We travel with a porta-potti in the van, whether pulling the Casita or not. Use it sparingly (we have a toilet in the Casita, and use public toilet when available). But it's sooooooooo.. convenient. Dump it at filling stations, at home, where-ever.......well mabe not.

But it's easy to handle. We keep an old long handled kitchen scrub brush and 'RV type' TP stored under the toilet seat.

I add a liter or two of water to the top tank before a trip, and pump before each use.

If I had to choose between the porta-potti or the built in toilet in the Casita, I'd keep the porta-potti!!! It can be dumped and cleaned much easier. The downside is that the capacity isn't so much.

[Legacy Posts]

Thanks, Noel and Don for the link and the info. I think we'll put it on the list of "must haves". Near the top!

Don is already thinking about plans for an outdoor shower as well!

This weekend is the maiden voyage of the new and improved Draggin' Egg. The weather is going to be less than ideal, but we'll go anyway. The Man Cub is dying to go fishing!

Jenni

[Legacy Posts]

HI, Jenni
I saw your name on the newest sigh up spot last night and thought, she has the same last name and Don. isn't that interesting. wonder if they know each other. well, I should hope so. :laugh.
Glad to have you join up, too. and your avatar. the *other side* of the trailer. very good. Happy camping

[Legacy Posts]

Ok-- somebody clue me in on these outdoor showers. I've never seen one, and I don't get it. Do they use some sort of enclosure? I'd think it would be dicey taking a shower out in the open (Yes, I understand you'd be covered...). But, with most campsites being mostly dirt, I think you'd end up muddier than when you started. How does this work? :shg

[Legacy Posts]

Do a search at Cabela's for showers.. Oh, O.K. I'll do it....

Cabela's Shower/Toilets/Accessories

One more I found somewhere:

Bivouac Buddy

This wouold be a plain ol good shower setup, whereas:

Cabela's Shower Shelter

Would be all around good for a toilet too.

[Legacy Posts]

O.K. Mary F. How did you do that? Pretty cool. Is there something I should have done?

[Legacy Posts]

There's a button up top of the screen that says Help! There you'll find a list of the commands for formatting text.

The one I used is (url=http://www.blah.blah/blah)link name(/url)

Of course, for purposes of illustration, I used ''('' and '')'' instead of ''['' and '']'', above.

It's helpful to use when the urls are very, very long.

But it's not a big deal... we just fix 'em when we see 'em, to keep things tidy.

:cblob

[Legacy Posts]

THANKS Jana for noticing the avatar:banana . Don did it for me. It was too confusing to post using only his sign in, so he figured I should have my own.

Jen

[Legacy Posts]

I wonder how long it would've taken me to notice the av! That's very good, Don, Jen, and Jana! (Jana's part's the being observant. But, audience is important!)

:wine y'all

[Legacy Posts]

avatars are very important to me. I check them out all the time. then there's Charles who changes his every other day/week/month. I never know who I'm talking too. :spin the other day I saw a monkey thing and thought, someone else with an avatar like Charles... it was Charles. :nope

enought of that. I was checking these outside places in these fancy cataloges. YOU can make one. talke two shower curtains or some of the be-au-ti-ful blue plastic and a hoola-hoop. hang the *curtain* to the hoop, tie to a tree limb, the sides of your awning. or something. put a mat on the ground or a little platform. and there you have it. some of those *stoe bought* ones look so - skinny, I'l look like a butterfly trying to get out of the cocoon. OR it's alive - run for you life. something like that. Oh almost forgot. you could use another hoop on the bottom to keep it from blowing open at the wrong time. :lol or stake it.

[Legacy Posts]

A while back I found the info for making an indoor shower on the
pop-up camper board. He had a good idea of using a plastic utility/
laundry tub as the shower pan. You cut the high sides down about
half way so you can step in. You connect the built in drain in the
tub with a 90 degree elbow, flex hose and then tap into the drain
under the sink. That you have to figure out yourself because every
trailer is different.

Your idea about a hoola-hoop and two shower curtains will work with
this tub also. You connect a flex water hose to the kitchen sink
and into this tub area. Now I hope you have a hot water heater in
your trailer or brrrr....

He used pvc water pipe in a square (not a hoola-hoop) because it
was easier for him to connect to the ceiling. That is another
thing, how to connect the shower ring without ruining things. Hmmm
that is also a design as you go item because every trailer is
different.

He used the tub as a storage bucket during travel. Maybe this
will start a discussion anyway.... Thanks...

[Legacy Posts]

That's right. I think I saw a picture. and a square created by self would be a lot better. could make it how ever big you wanted.
excellent

[Legacy Posts]

We have also found the Porta-Potty very handy where public facilities are sometimes in bad need of cleaning, but the capacity of the P-P small and needed to be dumped every day or so. It is not a terrible task, but a bit unpleasant and it seems a few drips go astray.

As an alternative, I'm in the process of installing a composting toilet. Actually, it is installed, but there are a couple of details that need to be addressed. The unit is a Sun-Mar Compact Jr. that we used for field workers at our farm several years ago. It uses peat-moss and wood shavings as a compost medium. I plumbed the 2 in. vent downward and use a 12 v. computer fan instead of the built-in 110 vac fan. It works great except for one thing.

The unit was not intended to be used in a vehicle, so excess urine from the composting chamber that collects in the bottom of the unit for evaporation sloshes when underway. So I am adding shallow baffles to the bottom of the unit and a drain that will drain into a small holding tank under the trailer. For the holding tank, I'm using a stainless steel baking pan that will mount between the frame rail and the side of the trailer. Nothing will be visible from the outside except for the drain faucet. The plan is to get this all taken care of this week.

[Legacy Posts]

That is very ambitious, Loren. sounds like you have it all figured out. Let us know how it works after your first camping trip. :yep

[Legacy Posts]

What a great idea - a composting porta-potti! I think you could market that!

My family and I stick to state parks - we prefer the ones with the "plush" restrooms and showers, but have no problem with the "outhouses" placed at your convenience so you don't have to walk to the main restroom.

That said, we're never in a position to have to tow a shower and have gotten by without a porta-potti, but as we venture further from home - that porta-potti doesn't sound like a bad idea.

[Legacy Posts]

Be sure when you buy your new PortaPotty, you get it somewhere with return privileges; when I got my used '91 Scamp 13, the PP from my old Jayco was about 1/2" too high to fit in the designated cabinet under the front bunk. Fortunately, I discovered that in time for the dealer to give me a new one that fit OK, taking my old one in exchange.

Pete and Rats