Automatic cassette emptying/cleaning machine.

Now I may be behind the curve on this (I usually am), and not visiting big sites often. I had my first experience with one of these machines at a site in northern Spain a few days ago.
For those not familiar, it's a big vending type machine, you insert 1 euro, select the appropriate button from a range of pictures of various cassettes. put your cassette in the compartment exactly as it came out of your van, ie; still with the nozzle turned and with the cap on, close the machine shutter and magic! Less than a minute later an empty and sterilised cassette pops out...
This machine is the future!
Al.

Where's the fun in that?
Seriously, I wouldn't want mine sterilised, I use bio liquid.


Frank

Gosh that's interesting, Al.  Never heard of such a device. 

But your account reminded me of a friend of ours who lives in Berlin. She went to one of those automatic loos; emerged; and then remembered that she'd left her handbag inside. Mega Panic. Tried to open door but red light showing and door couldn't be forced or bribed to open. And there was an ominous sound of water jets etc. Eventually the light turned green; more euros and she entered, to a pristine loo - but no sign of handbag. She phoned the given number, and actually spoke to a human. It was explained that the detritus left in the loo cubicle is automatically tipped into a receptacle beneath it. Anyway, eventually she retrieved her soggy handbag a day later, intact, from the cleansing dept.

So I'm somewhat wary of such machines, especially those which unscrew the cap off my cassette and are supposed to reinstate it. Otherwise, what a wonderful machine, which - I suspect - does better than me in completing a not-too-pleasant task. An automatic flush 'n rush!

Thanks for reporting it, Al.

And.............

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Reading that made my wife cringe, her worst nightmare being parted from her handbag! You're right, I'm also wary of technology, but in this case I think it removes a part of motorhoming/caravanning that puts lots of folk off.
Like Frank says though, it does take away a bit of the risky part of our way of life... Oh, and I've no idea what the cassette was sterilized with, but it smelt like pine disinfectant.
Al.

I wonder whether they chose these words deliberately:

"Simply close the value on your cassette and you are ready to go."   !

A Spanish Cassette Cleaning Union Member (SCCUM) told me that the little man who sits at the back of where you insert your toilet cassette is grateful for the work and requests that you keep using the facilities ... 

... but, even at a price as low as one Euro, he wondered just how lazy a person can get.  




PS

The SCCUM kept muttering ...

Does anyone know what this means in English?  

Well all I can say, while I was waiting for my cassette to be seen to by the SCCUM machine, a luddite several yards away was who was using the alternative traditional facilities, pressed his air release button a little too early before the nozzle was in the hole..., his lower leg tan took on an altogether darker hue....
Smug look, me?
Al.

1 euro to empty the cassette! No way.

Just been on a site in Scotland which had one of these abominations ready to be installed.

pstallwood wrote:1 euro to empty the cassette! No way.

Bear in mind that if you pay full price for your Thetfords Blue then a significant part of that 1 euro is a shot of liquid.

We were in on the Great Halfords Blue Diamond Giveaway some years back and so are stocked with cassette fluid for life but, if reviews of these machines don't come back with them wrecking blades and losing lids, then I reckon we'll be up for their use occasionally.

At 1 Euro I'd think about it but the UK website mentions £2, which is too steep for me.

I saw one on the CC site at Oban two years ago.

I thought £2 was a bit costly.

G

Two quid?? Yet 1 euro here... Is this because of Brexit?? Why are we always ripped off in the UK? I've just quaffed a nice bottle of 2014 vintage Cahors wine, 2.50 euros. Third night in a row of free aires..
Al.

bikeralw wrote:Two quid?? Yet 1 euro here... Is this because of Brexit?? Why are we always ripped off in the UK? I've just quaffed a nice bottle of 2014 vintage Cahors wine, 2.50 euros. Third night in a row of free aires..
Al.

Enjoy it while you can Al, post Brexit there will be no more bringing boxes of cheap wine back home.

Does the £2 charged include a nights camping  

We are currently on an ACSI site for laundry and stretch out showers. Just south of Oleron st Marie. (Pyrenees).

Barretous-Pyrenees camping in Aramits if any one is interested.

Emptied my cassette this morning at the pedestal. Tap beside it for rinsing. Hot water!! And I mean HOT. Never had this before, and the tap cannot be confused for any other purpose. Very switched on Well run little site.

Davy

TeamRienza wrote:We are currently on an ACSI site for laundry and stretch out showers. Just south of Oleron st Marie. (Pyrenees).

Barretous-Pyrenees camping in Aramits if any one is interested.

Emptied my cassette this morning at the pedestal. Tap beside it for rinsing. Hot water!! And I mean HOT. Never had this before, and the tap cannot be confused for any other purpose. Very switched on Well run little site.

Davy

Oooooh!  No, no, no!   

Tip from SWMBO who managed a Care Home for twenty years before her retirement is that you should NEVER use hot water to wash ANYTHING that involves the presence of human excrement ...

... especially if you are washing it off your hands!  

The "perfume" associated with the rising vapours are a combination that can make a grown man swoon!

With regard to the people who suggest that the €2 cost is defrayed by the inclusion of expensive "Blue Toilet Liquid" I refer you to my Mum's saying of "More money than sense."

I have used Formil Bio (Active in France) Tablets for the cassette and Formil Bio Liquid for the flush water for the last four years.

Bought from Lidl, the Formil is cheap, works just fine and is accepted all over Europe. 

Best regards,



PS

For the Waste Water Tank I still find that Tesco El Cheapo Orange Cordial is still the best option for stopping smells. 

Dutto wrote:



With regard to the people who suggest that the €2 cost is defrayed by the inclusion of expensive "Blue Toilet Liquid" I refer you to my Mum's saying of "More money than sense."

I have used Formil Bio (Active in France) Tablets for the cassette and Formil Bio Liquid for the flush water for the last four years.

Um...the person replies....

I rather think - many years ago via various forums- I was responsible for spreading the idea of using biological laundry liquid in cassettes. For various reasons we stopped using it and were lucky enough to be able to buy vast quantities of Blue Diamond very cheaply. So...as a paid up Yorkshirewoman, I rather resent the " more money than sense" tag ! 

The OP wrote about 1 euro charge for using the cassette emptying machine ( ie 88p at todays rate ) I still maintain this is a Good Thing. At £2 I would not use it.