Back from Lil Snoozy with Eye Candy!!

[Cyndi B.]

It's bad enough when we have to empty the blue "tote" which could be a hazard in it self getting it to the dump station.

[Cyndi B.]

P.S. Riverside, Iowa is considering not having the Trek Fest this year.

[Kevin K]

This tread is getting way off topic.

[Kip in Ga.]

Donna,

Thanks for the Video. Now I know!


Kip

[melissab]

They have towed this prototype about 1000 miles and another one 5000 miles all over different roads, hills, highways and speeds with various vehicles and found no instability or affected handling. My Minvan being so low with further block airflow from going underneath. They also wanted to be sure the trailer didnt act like a wing (they are pilots and know all about lift) so they are satisfied the trailer is stable.

Originally Posted by Andy B

The front shape looks like it could cause instability when towing at speed with half the airflow going over the top and half under the bottom. It the trailer was towed out of level with the hitch ball either higher or lower, that could significantly affect the weight on the hitch ball due to aerodynamics. The effect would become stronger as speed increases. Also, different sizes and shapes of tow vehicle may have an effect on the amount of air going over vs under the trailer. Hopefully they have done a lot of road testing at high speed to make sure there are no negative aerodynamic effects.

[Andy B]

Originally Posted by melissab

They have towed this prototype about 1000 miles and another one 5000 miles all over different roads, hills, highways and speeds with various vehicles and found no instability or affected handling. My Minvan being so low with further block airflow from going underneath. They also wanted to be sure the trailer didnt act like a wing (they are pilots and know all about lift) so they are satisfied the trailer is stable.

It is good to hear that they were thinking about it and have done some testing. Lift could be created if the air pressure under the trailer is greater than the pressure above the trailer. The shape at the front could create a ram effect increasing the pressure under the trailer. If the air has to travel a longer path going over the top of the trailer than going under the trailer that could also create lift, the same way that it does with a wing. The angle that the front faces into the wind will have an effect on this. It would not be very difficult for the manufacturer to install a load cell on the hitch and measure the hitch load while driving at different speeds, tow angles and with different vehicles. Testing 1 or 2 prototype trailers without instrumentation would not rule out problems or cover all the situations that may occur if there are hundreds of these on the roads. That said, there is probably no other trailer design that has been tested that way, but most trailers have the aerodynamics of a brick.

[MillerK]

If the foam is slightly thicker than 1 inch, and to my eye it does look to be more than 3/4", R9 is not an outrageous claim. It is quite easy to obtain R7-R8 with rigid foam insulation board. I find myself really liking the foam sandwich construction, as I am not a big fan of rat fur or elephant skin. Are the windows dual pane?

Donna D, the Defiant was not a shuttle.

[melissab]

Nicholas did say "around" R9 so it could be a little less or a little more.

Shoot, I was just so thrilled to actually see and touch it I forgot to ask about the windows. Our main goal was a bigger bed and sleep 4. E'thing else is just icing on the cake to us, lol.

I'll have to look up which shuttles have been destroyed or lost and NOT name Snoozy after that one. Kindof like I wouldnt name a boat "Titanic", LOL. The "Rip Van Winkle" was very clever! No, we haven't named our van yet. Since she is burgandy the girls actually like calling her Sienna cuz it sounds like a girl's name.

Just got an email from my folks, they are headed from AZ to WY for the summer in their 5th wheel and are currently stuck in Cheyenne, WY due to a snow storm and blowing winds where the snow is going sideways. They are in a KOA thankfully so they'll stay warm, have water etc. So it's still winter, hard to believe since we've had 80 degree temps for awhile now.

[Greg H]

Originally Posted by melissab

Nicholas did say "around" R9 so it could be a little less or a little more.

Shoot, I was just so thrilled to actually see and touch it I forgot to ask about the windows. Our main goal was a bigger bed and sleep 4. E'thing else is just icing on the cake to us, lol.

I'll have to look up which shuttles have been destroyed or lost and NOT name Snoozy after that one. Kindof like I wouldnt name a boat "Titanic", LOL. The "Rip Van Winkle" was very clever! No, we haven't named our van yet. Since she is burgandy the girls actually like calling her Sienna cuz it sounds like a girl's name.

Just got an email from my folks, they are headed from AZ to WY for the summer in their 5th wheel and are currently stuck in Cheyenne, WY due to a snow storm and blowing winds where the snow is going sideways. They are in a KOA thankfully so they'll stay warm, have water etc. So it's still winter, hard to believe since we've had 80 degree temps for awhile now.

I've been getting fuel in Cheyenne in a t shirt, and then been shut down at Rawlins because of snow and wind, Wyoming is a weather nightmare.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by Kip in Ga.

I'm trying to visualize what a cassette toilet is and have come up with 2 mental visuals.

1. It has it's own black water holding tank attached to the bottom of the toilet, rather than a seperate holding tank. There is still an exterior drain for dumping purposes. If so, how large is the holding tank?

2. A recirculating toilet as used in my neighbors Trailmanor Camper. The one tank was part of the toilet and held the fresh water. When the toilet was flushed, it's contents went into that same tank. That water was used over and over to flush the toilet and became pretty gross after the first solids went in.

The neighbor replaced it with a Porta-Potty.

If not one of these two, will someone please describe a Cassette Toilet?

Is it one of these? Permanent Toilets Home

Thanks,
Kip

I had one in my T@da, they are actually quite nice. Mine held 5 gallons and you could empty it in a toilet. The contents are in a sealed container you carry to either the dump or toilet, open a valve and the contents empty. A lot nicer than the stinky slinky. In addition, you can use the toilet in the winter, by adding antifreeze, it will not freeze. To me it is an asset.

[Cyndi B.]

They closed the Tetons in July one year. That was a miserable vacation in a leaky tent which promted us to buy our first pop-up. That was the year my husband tried to get me to camp in bear country. Nada.

[Vickie B.]

I, too, did not know what a cassette toilet was-----googled, found the you tube Donna posted and I like it. Not a deal breaker for me!

[melissab]

Delicate question....do the "solids" disolve in a cassette toilet (with chemicals of course) like in a black water tank? My rule with our previous cassette was "no #2 in the camper" cuz I'm the one who has to empty it! I wouldnt mind so much if I knew the solids would be liquified. Have no clue how long that takes with toilet chemicals. Any guesses?

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by MillerK

Donna D, the Defiant was not a shuttle.

Okay, I fixed it. It's actually the Chaffee-Defiant

[Bobbie Mayer]

Originally Posted by melissab

Delicate question....do the "solids" disolve in a cassette toilet (with chemicals of course) like in a black water tank? My rule with our previous cassette was "no #2 in the camper" cuz I'm the one who has to empty it! I wouldnt mind so much if I knew the solids would be liquified. Have no clue how long that takes with toilet chemicals. Any guesses?

The answer is yes, but it takes awhile. I hate to admit this, but I've actually found that waiting until just before the next trip to clean out a porta-potty makes the task much less unpleasant! Most of the odor goes, everything liquifies, not an intolerable job. So I am assuming a cassette toilet, which is just a glorified porta-potty, would work the same way.

[Ken C]

No is my experience from 3 family members using the largest thetford portable 5 gallon model. Time span would only last about 3 days, reason being the 5 gallon capacity fills up in about 3 days, thus, not near enough time needed to complete liquify. Now, with your 4 member family I would think the (whatever gallon capacity) the cassette is, would always fill up the gallon capacity before the long time need could be achieved for the chemicals. Thats my guess. An idea is, you could experiment and succeed in what you want to accomplish by adding more and more chemicals. I have never tried it. But you might be able accomplish what you are asking that way.

[Ken C]

You know how some blue totes have an adapter to use a traditional sewer hose. I saw one time where a guy had the the same type hose adapter for his cassette tank nozzle. I don't know if he made the adapter or bought it. But that is another idea for folks who don't like the idea of their face being so close to the cassette tank nozzle. Yes, the guy was then messing with the additional short sewer hose but everyone has their reasons. I was just tossing that idea out there i saw one time.

[melissab]

Thanks, Ken. I'd have no trouble adding a "stinky slinky" to the Cassette tank if it meant I didnt have to be so close to the action, LOL.

[Mike Magee]

I think the toilet chemical is meant to keep the odor down. For getting solids broken up and into solution, adding a bit of soap or detergent might be more effective. I have some stuff similar to Pine Sol that I like to use... it's called Sal Suds from Dr. Bronner's online.

You're right, Bobbie, about waiting till next trip. I accidentally forgot my portapotty was full one time, and when I remembered about 2 months later I just knew the emptying job was going to be especially, er, crappy... but to my amazement it was completely odor free! I think the bacteria all died off or something; it was summer and temps were in the 90s, so probably 100+ in the trailer... not sure but maybe the heat helped.

[Bobbie Mayer]

I think the bacteria just have time to finish breaking down the waste and even the ammonia gets consumed, and you are probably left with nitrites and nitrates and other solubles (obviously some other sludge, too). The right temp would move this along faster but too much heat might also make it stop.

Anyway, it won't work if you have to empty the cassette during a trip or if you go (that is, take a trip!) more than about once a month.

I don't mind emptying the darn thing, its just that I don't like carrying it into the house to do it.