A couple of newbie questions!

Quilter wrote:I,m a bit hesitant about advice to use strong solutions of disinfectants. I tend to treat the plastic of the washbasin, loo and shower as if it were made of paper. Check the instructions on the bottle to see if it is OK on plastics.  

A good caveat Quilter, but I reasoned that since it came in a plastic bottle it should be OK, bearing in mind that the bottle itself is unlikely to be a high grade plastic. 

It also comes in useful if we have to get fresh water from a bourne. Having seen toilet cassette spouts held in contact with the fresh water tap to get flushing water (words fail at this point!!) I use the spray to give the tap a good drenching before we use it.

Hi Sally and all,

I have been reading these posts with interest!  Firstly I have always emptied out my toilet cassette after my trips and I have only been away 3 days at most AND 'number ones' only (if possible).  I tend to use the campsite facilities for 'the other'!  I am pleased that I can leave it for a while.

Now, I use blue Thetford aqua chem sachets and just put one in the cassette with some water or turn the pump on to flush the toilet.  I thought that the water to flush the toilet came from the general fresh water supply and is just pumped to the toilet when required.

I use a pink spray to clean the toilet bowl.

Am I missing something here?? I am a very new auto sleeper owner.

Lizzie

It depends on the model of toilet fitted..... some take their flushing water from a reservoir incorporated in the toilet fitting, which I think is what the original poster means.    Other versions pump it direct from the main fresh water tank.  

Thank you.  I think my van must just pump it from the main fresh water tank as a reservoir in the toilet fitting wasn't mentioned to me.  Cheers, very helpful

Hi Lizzie - yes, mine is a separate flush tank. I can’t remember how much it holds, but I recently saw a clear plastic pipe at the side, so I assume that is the level gauge.

Sally
X

P.S. I’m a very new van owner as well. You’re not on your own.

Nessie1 - if you amend your profile to show what model you have it helps get right answers. 'Boxer' is just the base vehicle and the majority of Auto-sleepers are built on the Boxer.

Nessie1 wrote:Hi Sally and all,

I have been reading these posts with interest!  Firstly I have always emptied out my toilet cassette after my trips and I have only been away 3 days at most AND 'number ones' only (if possible).  I tend to use the campsite facilities for 'the other'!  I am pleased that I can leave it for a while.

Now, I use blue Thetford aqua chem sachets and just put one in the cassette with some water or turn the pump on to flush the toilet.  I thought that the water to flush the toilet came from the general fresh water supply and is just pumped to the toilet when required.

I use a pink spray to clean the toilet bowl.

Am I missing something here?? I am a very new auto sleeper owner.

Lizzie

Hi Lizzie

Two comments that may help with your new toy. 

Fistly I wouldn't "leave it for a while" even if you've only subjected the cassette to "light duties". If you leave it to brew up, pee can actually smell far worse than the other. More importantly the cassette soon gets very heavy!! I try to empty ours every day or every other day whenever possible. That way the nasty niffs are kept to a minimum and it's far easier to carry to the dump point.

Aqua Kem sachets are (in my opinion) rather expensive just for the convenience of dropping one down the loo. Plus if you use the liquid alternative and follow the instructions on the bottle, they encourage you to use it at an alarming and quite un-necessary rate. If you empty regularly as suggested, an egg cup full of the blue stuff is plenty - rather than the quantity they suggest on the cassette emptying/measuring cap. I think the sachets also contain far too much, and are very wasteful. I refill the little sample bottles that came in the van, sitting very conveniently under the cassette, and one of those lasts up to a fortnight.

Hope this helps. As ever it's whatever you find suits yourself. 

Pretty much our regime as well. The only fly in the ointment was the seals on the sample bottles gave out and we got “leakage”. After trying various options I now fill a couple of old 500ml mouthwash bottles to take away. So far they have remained intact.

Thank you so much - all really helpful info.  I have been emptying after each short trip but would agree I am going through the sachets at an alarming rate as I have also had the van out on short trips or day trips when the toilet has been used.

Thank you, I will amend my profile, I am so new that I didn't register what I needed to put in the profile.  I have a Symbol!!!

L