Which Thetford for Hawk Shell?

[Jzack605]

Help me pick the right size cassette toilet! Space is my concern but also “capacity”. Typically I do 2-3 days in my camper with occasional 7-10 day stints. A lot of camping in the dead of northeast winter in the mountains, so I’m not pooping outside when the urge calls at night. Usually it’s hunting or surfing trips, so a lot of gear involved. My hawk layout is an empty shell, no side dinette or couch (may add a couch on driver side that folds) for maximum space when needed.

 

[todgru]

I think compost is the way to go. Can last weeks without dumping the solids. Liquids as needed. We have an Ogo, which fits nice in our fleet shell. Also works great as a small bench. Natureshead is another great brand.

No smell with either style composter. Best of all, no chemicals!

 

[Jon R]

None of the listed models are cassette toilets. They are all porta-potty style.

I have a 345. It fits nicely in the intended cabinet space in my Grandby FD. I definitely like the piston pump better than the bellows pump. I also have read the piston pump is more reliable. The 365 has a bigger waste tank, and because of that the seat is closer to a home toilet height. The 345 is a pretty low seat unless you put it on something. A full 365 waste tank would be quite heavy, where the 345 tank is more manageable.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

Considering you’re camping with a drat, and space is at a premium in the Hawk, I recommend you consider a wag bag top with a folding throne. Solids in the bag, liquids in the pee bottle. You can chuck the bag in a dumpster, and dump bottle any number of places.. I also think you can buy the absorbent and make your own disposables.

Fritz sends a howdy to Schultz.

 

[Jzack605]

I guess I’m still learning the differences between the types. I like the idea of the composting toilets but they seem to be much pricier than these.

 

[Jzack605]

Considering you’re camping with a drat, and space is at a premium in the Hawk, I recommend you consider a wag bag top with a folding throne. Solids in the bag, liquids in the pee bottle. You can chuck the bag in a dumpster, and dump bottle any number of places.. I also think you can buy the absorbent and make your own disposables.

Fritz sends a howdy to Schultz.

This is what I’ve been doing, I’m not thrilled about the bags. My system is decent: bags go into a bigger bag that’s contained in a sealed bin which I leave outside when camping. But it can smell bad especially in the warmer months. It works well, but sometimes I feel like it’s an accident waiting to happen.

 

[Jon R]

A 345 is only $127 on Amazon. That’s cheap enough to just try one for a while. I get the comment about space being at a premium, but a flush toilet is so much nicer than bags and buckets or folding seats if you actually expect to use it regularly.

We use ours with the camper, but also have the nylon bag for it from Thetford and i throw it in the bag in the back of our SUV on road trips where my wife and/or granddaughter are along - even day trips. The bag isolates it from everything else, keeps it out of sight, and keeps it from sliding around while driving. It’s handy to know it’s there if we can’t find one of them a bathroom or if the restrooms look undesirable for some reason.

 

[Wandering Sagebrush]

True confessions time… I am a hoarder. I currently have four different types of RV toilets, and to be honest, I don’t really like any of them. Each has its own set of diamond and brick features. Apologies in advance for the long post.

Popup Camper:
In the Cougar, I take either the Thetford that is a leftover from our C-Dory cruising days, or the wag bag I bought for the Bobcat. I don’t like either, but the Thetford is easier to use. I do not like having to find a place to dump them, and there is always a chance to have a stinker of an accident when doing so.

Hardside Camper:
The Northern Lite has a Thetford that uses a black water tank that comes with its own set of problems that range from poop pyramids to TP getting stuck in the dump valve, creating a leak, etc..

Travel Trailer:
The Oliver has a Naturer’s Head composting toilet that I don’t find comfortable to use. The urine bottle fills quickly when compared to the solids, so that is a frequent maintenance chore. It also has a small vent fan that should be left on anytime there is fecal matter in the chamber. It has a small DC draw, but is quiet, and vents odors outside. We use coconut coir in the solids chamber, and that usually lasts from two to four weeks on the road. The odors from the toilet are a bit like garden compost, with maybe a slight waft of coconut. It’s not at all unpleasant.

There is a manual agitator that is used to mix the waste into the coir whenever a deposit is made. It is also used to mix the contents with water to keep the moisture content at the proper level.

With luck, I don’t have to empty the solids until getting home where it can be applied to the base of our apple tree. If dumping on the road, it’s emptied into a garbage bag, then tossed in a dumpster (recommended by Nature’s Head).

Conclusions:
I don’t “like” any of them, but each has a set of pros and cons.

Although not applicable to the thread, my least favorite is the black water tank in the Northern Lite, because of the propensity for leaks and accidents.

In the Cougar, when space is not an issue, I favor the Thetford because of convenience. If space is an issue, the wag bag toilet, and an effort to use pit toilets when available, or a slit trench in the boonies.

Overall, the composting toilet has the least amount of hassles on the road, but it’s big. I haven’t seen or tried the models described by @todgru. It might be a winner.

 

[Wyo4Life]

I have the Thetford 135 cassette toilet listed below. This is the one that FWC sells and the one I got for my Hawk. It fits great in the cabinet on the right hand side just inside the door on a Hawk model. They call it a porta potti but it is a cassette toilet, meaning the bottom completely separates from the seat and bowl. I find it very handy and if I were to have one complaint it would be that it is low to the ground so to be really comfortable when sitting on it, one should have it elevated and sitting on a little bit higher platform that the floor.

Thetford Porta Potti® 135

A new and refreshed, modern appearance! Durable and compact, Porta Potti 135 portable toilet makes an ideal companion whenever you're on the road.

fourwheelcampers.com

 

[JWL]

I’m of the bucket brigade. Taking a the entire mess and dumping it in a toilet is more gagging to me than anything. I have done the rv dump station thing in the past and that is only slightly better, depending on who was there before me. We do the 5gal bucket, with a pool noodle over the top and the wag bag wrapped over that. A sprinkle of kitty litter and it’s fine. #1 is done in a bottle or in the bush.
The best thing we have found is a gamma lid on the bucket. I can keep the rolled up bag tightly sealed in the bucket until it is deposited.
Plus the bucket goes outside until needed, leaving room inside.

 

[Jon R]

I’m of the bucket brigade. Taking a the entire mess and dumping it in a toilet is more gagging to me than anything. I have done the rv dump station thing in the past and that is only slightly better, depending on who was there before me. We do the 5gal bucket, with a pool noodle over the top and the wag bag wrapped over that. A sprinkle of kitty litter and it’s fine. #1 is done in a bottle or in the bush.
The best thing we have found is a gamma lid on the bucket. I can keep the rolled up bag tightly sealed in the bucket until it is deposited.
Plus the bucket goes outside until needed, leaving room inside.

We have bucket setup as well using pipe insulation instead of a pool noodle. The big difference in our bucket setup that really works well for us is we use a rectangular bucket that contained sunflower seed packages from Costco. It has a nice lid that stays on but is easier to get off than a typical 5 gallon bucket lid. We use it with the long dimension front to back. It’s like having an elongated toilet, and the sides are right under your “sit bones” (as bicyclists call them) so you don’t feel like you might get trapped with a bucket stuck to your backside.

We keep it stocked with bags, absorbent, and TP in the garage storeroom ready to throw in the back of the car for road trip emergencies. My wife likes it when traveling alone in the car because she can fully deal with it herself. She does not want to deal with emptying a porta-potti. Apparently that’s my job.

 

[FAW3]

Likely more about the topic than you want to know…my experiences long term:

The Boxio camp toilet?

The time has come for an improvement in our toilet set up. Over the past few years our camping toilet has been a simple bucket rig. This system works pretty well overall. It consists of a plastic 5 gallon bucket and a simple Reliance brand snap on toilet seat, the original bucket snap on lid...

forum.expeditionportal.com

 

[Vic Harder]

we bought a GottaGo. Have yet to Go in it.

 

[bajaphile]

I finally bought myself a camp toilet after many years of researching the different types. I went with a 5 gallon bucket with a gamma lid. You can buy seats on Amazon for the top of the bucket. I'm using the RESTOP 2 bags which are expensive but very sturdy. No smell once sealed within the bucket. For my needs, it works great.

 

[anderingMT]

Help me pick the right size cassette toilet! Space is my concern but also “capacity”. Typically I do 2-3 days in my camper with occasional 7-10 day stints. A lot of camping in the dead of northeast winter in the mountains, so I’m not pooping outside when the urge calls at night. Usually it’s hunting or surfing trips, so a lot of gear involved. My hawk layout is an empty shell, no side dinette or couch (may add a couch on driver side that folds) for maximum space when needed.

We have been very happy with the CleanWaste GO Anywhere. It's wag-bag system but the seat folds up and and has carry handle. To store, we mount it against the front wall of our fleet with a bungee, under the Lagun table arm. When vertical, it fits under the front window and sticks out about 4". After using a bag we seal it up and put it in a (river) dry bag. No issues.

 

[Jon R]

Help me pick the right size cassette toilet! Space is my concern but also “capacity”. Typically I do 2-3 days in my camper with occasional 7-10 day stints. A lot of camping in the dead of northeast winter in the mountains, so I’m not pooping outside when the urge calls at night. Usually it’s hunting or surfing trips, so a lot of gear involved. My hawk layout is an empty shell, no side dinette or couch (may add a couch on driver side that folds) for maximum space when needed.

After reading all of our responses, I realized we haven’t really given any advice or opinions on the specific question of, “assuming I buy a cassette or portable toilet, what size should I buy?”

Making sure you stay within any exterior dimension limitations you have (like storage cabinet size), or seat height requirements due to knees or other issues, is pretty straightforward for the OP to assess. However, he might want opinions on fresh and waste tank capacities.

My Thetford 345 has a 4 gallon fresh water tank and a 3.2 gallon waste tank. (Note that the bigger 365 has the same top section and 4 gallon fresh tank, but has a bigger waste tank).

If we are staying in campgrounds, we use the campground facilities as much as possible, so I won’t muddy the estimates by bringing in campground camping. If it’s just me on a remote trip, I could easily use it for a week or 10 days before needing to empty it because almost all peeing is done elsewhere or using a bottle emptied elsewhere. In that scenario I typically empty it well before it’s full if I have the opportunity just so it’s not smelly when you flush.

However, if my wife is with me, the waste tank fills up much faster because she’s using it pretty much every time for everything, and we can go about 3 -4 nights before it is getting near full. She drinks a lot of water. If my wife and school-age granddaughter are with me, it must be emptied every other day.

The fresh water tank, if it starts completely full, lasts for about two waste tanks. The toilet is pretty heavy and top heavy when the waste tank is empty and the fresh tank is full, so I only fill it halfway on weekend trips. For long trips I fill it completely because it adds to the total water capacity in the camper.

 

[jiminruskin]

After reading all of our responses, I realized we haven’t really given any advice or opinions on the specific question of, “assuming I buy a cassette or portable toilet, what size should I buy?”

Making sure you stay within any exterior dimension limitations you have (like storage cabinet size), or seat height requirements due to knees or other issues, is pretty straightforward for the OP to assess. However, he might want opinions on fresh and waste tank capacities.

My Thetford 345 has a 4 gallon fresh water tank and a 3.2 gallon waste tank. (Note that the bigger 365 has the same top section and 4 gallon fresh tank, but has a bigger waste tank).

If we are staying in campgrounds, we use the campground facilities as much as possible, so I won’t muddy the estimates by bringing in campground camping. If it’s just me on a remote trip, I could easily use it for a week or 10 days before needing to empty it because almost all peeing is done elsewhere or using a bottle emptied elsewhere. In that scenario I typically empty it well before it’s full if I have the opportunity just so it’s not smelly when you flush.

However, if my wife is with me, the waste tank fills up much faster because she’s using it pretty much every time for everything, and we can go about 3 -4 nights before it is getting near full. She drinks a lot of water. If my wife and school-age granddaughter are with me, it must be emptied every other day.

The fresh water tank, if it starts completely full, lasts for about two waste tanks. The toilet is pretty heavy and top heavy when the waste tank is empty and the fresh tank is full, so I only fill it halfway on weekend trips. For long trips I fill it completely because it adds to the total water capacity in the camper.

Get the larger 365, you will not regret having the extra space. The 365 fits nicely in my Hawk

 

[Jon R]

The 365 has the higher seat, too. Unfortunately it was too tall for the cabinet in my Grandby FD.

 

[MTCruiser]

These are composting and have good reviews anyone try them?

Trelino® | Portable Composting Toilet | Made in Germany

Trelino is the best portable composting toilet for camping and outdoor adventures! Easy to use, simple disposal, good-looking and very compact.

mytrelino.com