yup – if you’re a newbie, a veteran, or somewhere in between, you may have noticed that in RV circles there is a lot of chit chat about poop – or rather the disposal thereof . . .
if this makes you squeamish then you’re probably a newbie . . .
but remember this tidbit, which is true for every living organism – what goes in must come out – is of eminent importance when living in a small space, and having to face the realities of that truth up close and personal is part of the RV adventure . . .
” This is what I’ve learned about poop, pee and the chambers that contain them . . .
RV TOILET BASICS . . . a summary
BLACK TANK – the most prevalent RV toilet uses a porcelain or plastic toilet bowl fixed in place and functions pretty much like that of a traditional western style home toilet. They usually have a foot pedal control for opening the flap to allow contents to drop into and be stored in a black tank, and when full, the tank is emptied at a dump station . . .
MACERATOR – some of these systems include a macerator – basically, think of a poop blender – makes for easier flow and disposal, and a must for toilets that don’t sit directly over the black tank . . .
CASSETTE TOILET – not so common in the North American market, but the most prevalent choice in European models is the cassette toilet – basically in lieu of a fixed black tank the “tank” is actually a removable container that can be emptied anywhere that human waste is allowed ie: regular toilet, dump station, porta potty etc. [This is what Betty has – YAY double yay] . . .
COMPOST TOILET – not currently offered in mass produced RVs, but becoming a popular choice for those self building or renovating and wanting to be more off-grid – dry and wet waste is kept separate and then disposed of separately . . .
INCINERATING TOILET – yup literally burns the poop [and pee] – enough said . . .
DRY FLUSH TOILET – a modern take on an old school home made potty – basically a way to catch all waste in a bag that gets securely sealed and then thrown away.
Alfie is very familiar with this method 🙂 . . .
PARAPHERNALIA – ahh yes . . . turns out there’s oodles of gadgets to help you along every facet of this process – like I said RVers spend a lot of time on this subject . . .
. . . but this is what I see as must have basic items [ in the broadest of terms for the most common RV toilets ]:
- appropriate tank solution or digester for odor control and solids breakdown
- disposable gloves
- antibacterial wipes
- necessary hoses
- water source . . .
This summary is of course the most simplistic of descriptions, and the variations and nuances of various builds and functions can, and will, fill hours of conversation while sitting around the campground . . .
Interesting side note: it appears that [once they get over the initial shock of it] those most squeamish at the onset, become the most vocal conversationalists on the art of poop and it’s disposal . . . ha . . . go figure . . .
*Original image courtesy Thetford Corporation
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