I have a 13' vintage camper and I had a cassette toilet in my closet area. I actually removed it and just use a bucket with a covered seat and Double Doodie bags. The reason is that the cassette was too difficult to deal with at dump stations - not to mention a bit nasty. The bags are quick, simple and easy to dispose and I can avoid the dump station!
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V Lynn Moore: Artist/Owner of Mad Hattie
1975 Hunter Compact II https://vlynnstudio.com/
The bags are quick, simple and easy to dispose and I can avoid the dump station!
Your waste doesn't magically disappear when you dump it in the trash. Sanitary workers encounter it later. Waste that goes in the sani-dump likely goes to a waste treatment facility.
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What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
I am sorry, I should have been a bit more clear. I am only using my "Double Doodie" bags for when I have to get up in the middle of the night to pee. I do all OTHER business in the campground bathhouse or pit toilet.
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V Lynn Moore: Artist/Owner of Mad Hattie
1975 Hunter Compact II https://vlynnstudio.com/
I can do what ever I want with my Lil Hauley. I don't need any of that stuff, however, if I want my wife to go with me it SHALL have a toilet (cassette type), shower, kitchen sink, big fridge, double bed and what ever else she wants! A mans got to do what a mans got to do, so I do whatever she tells me to!
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Your heirs will inherit money and stuff when you are gone. You can only save or spend money, but you can do things with stuff, so they are going to inherit stuff!
Lots of good opinions and solutions here. I've done most of the options and for me a toilet is a must from now on. Of course I've had medical issues that make my bathroom habits more unpredictable than most. My needs may not be the same as yours. The same goes for my wife.
Like I've said before, some people will head out with nothing but a pocket knife while others will have a self propelled house. To each their own.
If you have a bathroom with shower, sink and toilet, it opens up possibilities that would not be available otherwise. For instance, wife and I with our 4 kids went to visit family once. They didn't have room for us in their home because a lot of other family was there at the same time but they had a travel trailer. We stayed in it and were perfectly happy.
If you have a nice RV with a nice bathroom then you also have a guest cottage, escape lodging, emergency shelter, etc. We had extensive work done on our home that made it essentially unlivable for 6 weeks. We lived in our garage because it was before we had the RV. It would have been nice to have the full service RV then that we have now.
I have owned egg camping trailers and I still own a camp-cruising sailboat. My Scamp 16 had a toilet/shower, which during several years ownership, we never actually used. For my sailboat, I bought a traditional water based porta-potti, which also was never actually used, as my rule was that whoever used it had to clean it out when we reached shore. My U-Haul 13 egg did not have a bathroom, but by that time I had discovered WAG Bags. WAG stands for Waste Absorbing Gel, which is a wonderful chemical that absorbs 2500 times its own weight of water. The ones I actually used the most were called "Reliance Double Doodie Toilet Waste Bags" that I got at Walmart. These miraculous bags are actually two plastic bags which, one nested inside the other contain some of this powder that turns urine and feces into an innocuous disposal item that can be safely tossed into any ordinary trash receptacle. They have ingredients that, combined with the double and thick plastic bags, render the full bags very safe to have laying about prior to disposal. In my experience, these make the most sense. As their ability to contain liquids is so great, I could use one bag 2 or 3 times before it could be considered expended.
Standard water based porta potties pale in comparison to the ease of using WAG-Bags.
That said when we went for our FGRV (a Casita) fond memories of the dog that went out 1st and encountered a skunk; looking down to see the biggest rattler I’d ever seen between my knees; and camping in Bear country assisted us in the decision to go for the toilet.
No regrets. Winterization is not too bad and even easier if you don’t use it. We were glad to have it more than once.
You can continue using the trailer after you have winterized it. That way you get the best of both worlds.
Also, a wet bath makes for an excellent wet locker for soggy gear and muddy boots. That's more valuable than storage for those of us who don't shy away from bad weather. if one can spend 3-5 days living out of an 80 litre backpack, does one really need an extra storage closet in their trailer?
Shower and sink in the bathroom I could do without. Toilet is one of those middle of the night deals as others have described. The smaller the trailer, the more precious the space.
Seldom use the shower. It takes a lot of water and if you are somewhere with water they probably have showers. Just cleaning up a little usually is good enough. Of course if you are dealing with small children a shower is a whole lot more useful.
The rest of this is things I use all the time. As they have pointed out those trips to the bathroom at night are horrible. I cook and therefore clean a lot in my camper. For prospective I can go about 5 days on my tanks and two 6 gallon jugs of water.
I also have found that the most important thing to do to winterize is to get the water out. And the pump in the camper will shove enough air through to basically remove the water. Draining the hot water heater was a bitch. But I replaced the totally stupid drain valve my scamp had as standard equipment that like just dribbles with a regular hot water drain. Took about 10 minutes of work. Make sure you allow the water to get replaced with air in your toilet valve.
My 13' Scamp has no bathroom, so I solved the "middle of the night trek" problem by buying a Portable Hassock Toilet. Inside it, I installed a urine diverter with a plastic container to receive the liquid donation, as well as a compostable trash bag with some scoops of peat moss in the included bucket for #2. That's so #1 and #2 wouldn't mix and make a smell. So far, I've only used it for #1 and it's working out just fine. I cap the liquid, and in the morning I'll water a tree with it. I figure if guys can do it, so can I. If I did have to make a #2 contribution, I'd just close up the compostable bag and dispose of it in the trash.
I even sewed a little cover for the hassock so it looks presentable and acts as an extra place to sit or rest my feet.
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Lil M.
Updates and improvements to LilScamper here
“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.” ― John Muir
I really appreciate all the response and discussion. I really believe this forum and site is a great place and has great people. I was on this site many years ago when I got my 13' scamp and got everything working on it. I've enjoyed my scamp for over 10yrs. I'm currently considering something new in an RV and a new direction in life (live change) - I'm 49 (just a pup to some on this site) - yet have a lot of life experiences that some would not understand. I really believe we have a great country to explore and for this next chapter of my life I really want to experience much of what is out there. I'm thankful for everything in my past, my children and the current employment I have. and by the way there is "no bad weather, just ill-prepared clothing"
-steve
Nice upholstered cover.... put it on a Thetford 135 Port-a-potti!
We had one of those years ago. I found they smelled bad and were a bit of a pain to dump and clean. I'd rather do the composting and separating with the little hassock. No. 1 can be diluted with water and poured at the base of trees or shrubs. No. 2 mixed with peat moss can be securely bagged and put in the trash (no worse than putting dirty diapers in there) or put on your compost pile at home.
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Lil M.
Updates and improvements to LilScamper here
“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.” ― John Muir
No. 2 mixed with peat moss can be securely bagged and put in the trash (no worse than putting dirty diapers in there)
Except you aren't supposed to put dirty diapers in the trash with the contents. The contents are supposed to be flushed down the toilet into a septic system. The diaper itself can then go in the trash.
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
Except you aren't supposed to put dirty diapers in the trash with the contents. The contents are supposed to be flushed down the toilet into a septic system. The diaper itself can then go in the trash.
Actually when I have been dealing with this issue, never separated the diaper from the contents and flushed any. Always just put the diaper and the wipes in a walmart bag. For ones with solid material double bagged and put it in the trash. ;-)
Actually when I have been dealing with this issue, never separated the diaper from the contents and flushed any. Always just put the diaper and the wipes in a walmart bag. For ones with solid material double bagged and put it in the trash. ;-)
I thought you were going to say, "and leave it on the bus".
__________________
What happens to the hole when the cheese is gone?
- Bertolt Brecht
Except you aren't supposed to put dirty diapers in the trash with the contents. The contents are supposed to be flushed down the toilet into a septic system. The diaper itself can then go in the trash.
Lil M , I have a few questions about your set up: Did you have any issues with an overseas order for the diverter? How long for delivery? It seems to have “wings” at the front,so do you remove it to use as a hassock? Why have you chosen to use peat moss rather than something like kitty litter or coir? I would love to see a pic of the setup. Thanks for the idea.
Mad Hattie
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