We stopped using chemical some time again. As you say, it smells bad and it’s expensive. Dish soap and Borax work just as well.
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Yes, it’s cured me of ever owning one.
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There’s a whole art to waste management in an RV, and it takes talking to a lot of people to learn about it. Things I’ve recently learned include: after draining the tank, put about 5 gallons of clean water in the tank to keep the first droppings from sticking to the bottom. If you’re at a site with a sewer hookup, don’t leave the valve open full time, or all liquids will drain away leaving you with a hardened poop pyramid stuck below the toilet. The exhaust fan is often a problem, not a solution- it will suck fumes from the tank, so always shut it off before flushing. And the one you mentioned, never trust the previous owner’s hose.
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Poop pyramids are the frigging worse. Something else we learned a few months in: septic tank-friend toilet paper is largely bullshit when it comes to RV black tanks. Costco’s TP works just fine and is infinitely less expensive.
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Even then you have to make sure the hoses don’t get mixed up.
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The ability to easily transport (carrying case with wheels) and dump anywhere seemed like positives. I’m not planning to use RV parks/campgrounds.
Since stocking up on protective Tyvek suits doesn’t seem practical, maybe I should check out composting toilets.
The idea of the stinky slinky was uncomfortable enough to me that I bought a macerating pump instead. It connects to a standard garden hose and sucks all of the waste out of the tanks, chops it up so it cant clog and shoots it (even uphill) into whatever sewage receptacle you’ve got.
Well, you could do what the guy in the dump station line in front of me did last week. He lined up his trailer with the pit with the sewer line in it, then just pulled the black water valve - no hose! My wife and I stared in disbelief that this asshole was dumping his shit all over the pit where I have to stand while I hook up my hose.
On second thought, no, please don’t do that.
The ability to easily transport (carrying case with wheels) and dump anywhere seemed like positives. I’m not planning to use RV parks/campgrounds.
Being able to completely avoid campgrounds is a nice idea. But even if I plan to drink only bottled water while on the road, I still need water for handwashing and tooth brushing and washing dishes which generates grey water, which needs to be disposed of responsibly. For me that’s typically at the free dump site at the local sewage treatment plant. If I’m planning to live in the van for more than a few days I’m going to want at least a couple of showers. Then I’m looking for a source for fresh potable water to refill my tank, and that’s usually at a campground. I suppose there are people who shower-surf their friends’ apartments and/or have multiple gym memberships and/or rely on baby wipes for personal hygiene (?) but I figure that if I’m going to own a vehicle with functioning plumbing, by gosh I’m going to use that plumbing as intended.
Plus, I’m a teacher. Getting to use a toilet whenever I want is part of what makes a vacation special.
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And on the flip side, some of the nicest chats that I’ve had with fellow campers have come about while waiting in line at the dump station. You can learn all sorts of things.
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Agreed. It’s great there are so many alternatives for fresh water and dumping wastewater. My target RV is a Class C with dry bath/separate shower (37 gallon grey tank). I was surprised to learn some owners use the cassette for all wastewater, as described below:
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