Bath vs NO Bath?

[Bob Miller]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

Potty vs no potty.
(Clip)
One thing that stops me is that all portable potties, built in or not, will leak at some point in time. Both of us don't like the smell, they all will produce an odor. .

YES, it used to be that way, and may still be so with the cheapy ones. But we have been using the same Dometic Sealand 975 for four years in two different FGRV's and no leaks and no smells.

Now, when we first got it it there was a small leak at the seal between the upper and lower (5 gallon) tank due to a manufacturing error. A phone call to Dometic got us an entire new holding tank as well a spare seal. At least 5 others that I know of had had no problems at all.

I am afraid that a lot f the negativity towards Porta-pottys of all sorts are based on experiences with older & cruder units. Kinda like American cars, they have come a long way....

[Byron Kinnaman]

Originally Posted by floyd

While I agree that EVERYTHING put together sooner or later falls apart,
I also know that you know that... so I must contend that your leak argument is facitious .
I might argue (more sarcastically than facetiously) That all PEOPLE, determined or not, will leak at some point in time, nobody likes the smell and they all will produce an odor if they can not avail themselves of the the aforementioned convenience.

I stand by soon or later all potties will leak. The ones in your house the one is your trailer. At some time they will leak. It may be the later is a long after you've owned the trailer, or it may be sooner.

It's just one more point to consider. It may not be a big point to you, but it could be to others. One has to determine for themselves the pros and cons of any and all options.

I think one of our goals here is to present as many pros and cons as possible so that readers can make their own decisions. Because I'm on the other side of many here, it's no excuse to attempt to discredit my opinions. Your opinion is valuable as is mine even though they may greatly differ.

[honda03842]

Dumping is not some evil rite.

We've spent some 3000 nights on the road over the last 15 years, meaning I've dumped the order of a 750 - 1,000 times. I've never been disturbed by doing it. The vast majority of the dumpers are considerate people, not the type to leave a mess.

Really the only messes I've had to deal with were of my own making, just not paying enough attention. I clean up after myself and note that others do as well.

I'm not paranoid about having a spotless bathroom. With young children at our home in the summer it's not unusually to find sand in the bottom of the shower. Really I can live with it... it's not fatal.

Porta potty, Cracker Barrel restroom, my trailer, they all provide the same function. To me having a bathroom is a convenience be it a dedicated room or a porta potti.

Two years ago we were on the Change Islands in NL at a small 5 site campground. There was no dump station on the island but there was a two hole outhouse, Ginny's first. She thought it was a hoot and used it everyday without a thought but with a smile. Of course we were the only people in the campground as is frequently the case.

[Johnny M]

Anyone ever converted the "push" accordion looking flush on your porta potty to an electric pump/flush option? I thought this would be a great mod to make it more like a traditional toilet, and I think it could be done relatively inexpensively...

BTW, lol, while I am asking who adds water to the bowl before doing #1 or #2 and who does this after #1 or #2? Sorry, lol, I had to ask...

[honda03842]

I was just discussing bathrooms with Ginny and mentioned that the water in showers is always clean. She reminded me of a time when it wasn't so.

On our way back from our cross Labrador trip we stopped at a very nice looking campground on the St. Lawrence. The shower/bathroom was beautiful as you might expect you would find in Quebec 'little France'. I recall it being very feminine, flowers, wispy colors. Ginny came back from the shower dry. I said what happened. "The water's brown'" Not believing her I went over to take a shower. The water was brown. The only time I've seen this in all our years on the road.

[Steve in NY]

Originally Posted by Uplander

Option two: Find flashlight and rain gear...wander around in the wind and rain, flashlight in hand looking for campground's bathhouse or perhaps a pit toilet...hope batteries in flashlight don't die on the trip...complete the task and trudge back

It's amazing how different everyone is. My wife an I use a porta-potti now, but some of my best memories is seeing the moon, stars, raccoon, hearing coyotes and loons and other critters on the "walk". Sometime back when we had a tent camper we would walk together. But often the first words of the morning were "Had this great night walk to the bathroom where I saw...."

It's all good.
Steve in NY

[Darral T.]

Possibly recycling it out of the septic tank but somebody forgot to reinstall the filter?

Got to ask....did you have water at your camper? What color was it?

Originally Posted by honda03842

I was just discussing bathrooms with Ginny and mentioned that the water in showers is always clean. She reminded me of a time when it wasn't so.

On our way back from our cross Labrador trip we stopped at a very nice looking campground on the St. Lawrence. The shower/bathroom was beautiful as you might expect you would find in Quebec 'little France'. I recall it being very feminine, flowers, wispy colors. Ginny came back from the shower dry. I said what happened. "The water's brown'" Not believing her I went over to take a shower. The water was brown. The only time I've seen this in all our years on the road.

[Johnny M]

I am kind of amazed at how this post about the facilities is such an active one... who knew???

[Jon Vermilye]

While a more difficult decision as the trailer gets smaller, I sure appreciate the bathroom in my Escape 17B. Many of us older folks (at least men) find the need for at least one bathroom run in the middle of the night a necessity. Back in my tenting days, at 3:00AM my wife & I got lost walking back from the bathrooms in a huge campground. After that, I decided an in-trailer bathroom was required!

I prefer the actual bathroom to a porta potty. You have larger "black" tank storage resulting in longer intervals between dumps, less odor, it's there when you need it rather than having to drag it out of storage, and I find dealing with the dump process with the trailer system as easy or easier than most porta potties.

As to showers, I rarely use mine if there are campground showers, but I prefer to camp in National Parks, Forest Service campgrounds most of which do not have showers, and at least several weeks of dry camping. Navy showers in the Escape's bathroom are really appreciated, both by myself & I suspect the others around me.

[stevebaz]

Originally Posted by Johnny M

BTW, lol, while I am asking who adds water to the bowl before doing #1 or #2 and who does this after #1 or #2? Sorry, lol, I had to ask...

I do not ad extra water to the bowl but if you do make sure you burp it first otherwise you may find a surprise when you open the gate valve. Built up pressure is not your friend.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Byron Kinnaman

What's older. I'm 73 and don't need no stinking bathroom in my trailer. Does that make an older folk?

What's older? Must be 74
At any rate, I'm 63 and like most people I don't need no stinking bathroom in my trailer either. So I flush the toilet when finished and keep the shower clean, just like at home.
We do have indoor plumbing at home as well, with multiple facilities, and we really like it! Especially since we had two bedrooms and a "path" as a child with a "thundermug" for emergencies.
We find that odors are seldom a problem at home with regular cleanings,even with three indoor toilets.... except when that certain relative comes to visit, and we must put hospitality above personal comfort for a time!

[Johnny M]

Very true stevebaz, "OPEN IT VERY SLOWLY AND THERE WON'T BE NO TROUBLE". There has been discussion about this etiquette among us. Before we bought our Boler the guy at an RV dealer said to just open the valve first before you do your business....

[steve dunham]

The last time I priced the Scamp bathroom package it was around $1500. Based on the fact that the life expectancy of a Scamp is over 30 years that breaks down to less than $50 a year . (assuming that the trailer has zero value after 30 years) Even when factoring in repairs
the cost is trivial. I gladly paid the price for the convenience the bathroom provides.
If money was the only determining factor in my life then I wouldn't own a trailer.
Without a bathroom in my trailer , I would be camping without my wife, which is something I choose not to do.

[stevebaz]

But comparing your 17 foot trailer to a 13 foot trailer is not the same. Your percentage of available space is quite different.

But happy wife, happy life is still relevant. In the case of the OP it is a single person that may not have to deal with the same issues.

[David Tilston]

Originally Posted by Johnny M

I am kind of amazed at how this post about the facilities is such an active one... who knew???

Oh, this is a very active topic on this forum. Sometimes it gets quite heated. Then it really hits the fan.

[Johnny M]

Originally Posted by David Tilston

Sometimes it gets quite heated. Then it really hits the fan.

No pun intended?

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Johnny M

I am kind of amazed at how this post about the facilities is such an active one... who knew???

Don't worry,most of us knew, since we've done this a few times before!
It pops up from time to time!

[Gilda]

I realize almost eveything has been said pro/con bathroom/shower/porta-pottie. We've had a Dometic porta-pottie in our 2011 Scamp 13' since we purchased it new. Our rule is to use it for #1 (placing toilet paper in a plastic bag-lined-lidded trash can and disposed of in the morning) and use a public facility for #2. Pardon the graphics here but, #1 without TP is much easier to dispose of in a dump station or flush toilet than anything more. Be sure to rinse the holding tank and add 1" of water and chemicals to keep down the smell. Frankly, if done right there is no smell.

I do have to say that the sitting height is LOW and can be difficult if you have joint or balance issues. Men should sit to avoid any splashing. This is all a bit inconvenient but beats having to brave the cold and dark at night.

Yes, my own shower and flush toilet would be lovely but are not worth the space, the weight and the maintenance. I love my little egg the way it is.

Good luck with your decision.

[honda03842]

One nice feature of RV toilets is their height.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Steve in NY

It's amazing how different everyone is. My wife an I use a porta-potti now, but some of my best memories is seeing the moon, stars, raccoon, hearing coyotes and loons and other critters on the "walk". Sometime back when we had a tent camper we would walk together. But often the first words of the morning were "Had this great night walk to the bathroom where I saw...."

It's all good.
Steve in NY

So walk when the conditions are right,
I laid outside and watched the eclipse Sunday night and left my plumbing intact and in doors the whole time, secure in the knowledge that it was there if I needed it.
Here's a plan... walk a hundred yards or so in any direction from your camper(even toward the public facilities) then turn around and take the"walk" . Its really the same distance and when you're done you're already back at the trailer!
I do agree though that modern conveniences can isolate us from nature if we are not careful, although I think Smart phones, television or tablets are far worse culprits than a completely mute bathroom facility.
It could be said that having no bathroom could make you listen a little more though when NATURE calls!

Our Travel trailer is used for rural forest type experiences really only about half the time, the rest is used for travel and tourism and I much prefer my own facilities to trying to share a couple of portapotties with a bunch of revelers at a race track after midnight or to looking for a construction site near the Crackerbarrel after closing time.