Advice please - emptying the toilet holding tank

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  • Mr H
    Mr H Forum Participant Posts: 356
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    edited January 2016 #62

    Just two points. I find the nearer you put the cassette spout to the toilet central hole the less the mess to clear up and no splash back. And we always use the public toilet on the last day to avoid new solids in the cassette that have not had time for
    the chemicals to work.

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,195 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #63

    Crossway in Dorset, just remembered it. Shame we won't  be going back.

    We walked around the CC site whilst we were staying on the C&CC site the other side of the railway line.  We love the area but didn't fancy the CC site, toilets not being with the showers as well and the amount of shade, but I can recommend the C&CC site

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited January 2016 #64

    Seems I'm in a minority. I thought it was quite a pleasant site. Bit of a labyrinth when looking for a pitch though.

  • huskydog
    huskydog Club Member Posts: 5,460 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #65

    I'll join you in the minority CY , we are going in August  ,and have been a few times , but we never you the site loos , got one in the van

  • KjellNN
    KjellNN Club Member Posts: 8,670 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #66

    I didn't care much for Crossways either.......too shady, noisy train line next to our pitching area, no mobile signal at all.

    The composting toilets didn't help either, or the fact that there was very low voltage at times, causing our fridge to turn off.

    Good to hear that the C&CC site is better as we have just joined them too.

  • Bakers2
    Bakers2 Forum Participant Posts: 8,195 ✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #67

    C&CC also adjoins the railway lines, we we always opt for the far side, if it's open, and don't find them too bad.  Nice and handy for the station so you win some you loose some
    Laughing

  • moonchip
    moonchip Forum Participant Posts: 106
    edited January 2016 #68

    Seems I'm in a minority. I thought it was quite a pleasant site. Bit of a labyrinth when looking for a pitch though.

    It sounds like a nice site, its just so far away for me :-(

  • Graydjames
    Graydjames Forum Participant Posts: 440 ✭✭✭
    edited January 2016 #69

    You also need to make sure you're using 'appropriate' toilet paper.  Some papers for household use are difficult to break down in a cassette.  

    I'm interested in this point. I know it is the accepted philosophy and I remember years ago being told by a dealer not to use "household" loo paper but I've always ignored this and I can honestly say I have never had any kind of a problem whatsoever with
    emptying my cassette or in any other way. You leave a piece of, say, Andrex (other toilet rolls are available) in water and see how quickly it breaks up. In the "blue" it goes even more quickly. I am just interested to know what kind of a problem people find
    normal loo roll gives them.

    I agree about what people say about the cap. I am always paranoid about losing that down the hole. Some holes are big enough to swallow it up. So I ordered a spare just to be on the safe side. 

  • ValDa
    ValDa Forum Participant Posts: 3,004
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    edited January 2016 #70

    You also need to make sure you're using 'appropriate' toilet paper.  Some papers for household use are difficult to break down in a cassette.  

    I'm interested in this point. I know it is the accepted philosophy and I remember years ago being told by a dealer not to use "household" loo paper but I've always ignored this and I can honestly say I have never had any kind of a problem whatsoever with
    emptying my cassette or in any other way. You leave a piece of, say, Andrex (other toilet rolls are available) in water and see how quickly it breaks up. In the "blue" it goes even more quickly. I am just interested to know what kind of a problem people find
    normal loo roll gives them.

    I agree about what people say about the cap. I am always paranoid about losing that down the hole. Some holes are big enough to swallow it up. So I ordered a spare just to be on the safe side. 

    I think it tends to be when people (particularly children) use rather too much loo paper.  My nephew and niece, when they came with us, had to be educated in just how much you could use at one 'sitting'!  My OH has a saying about it, but I won't repeat it
    here!

  • AndyNYorks
    AndyNYorks Forum Participant Posts: 144
    100 Comments
    edited January 2016 #71

    You also need to make sure you're using 'appropriate' toilet paper.  Some papers for household use are difficult to break down in a cassette.  

    I'm interested in this point. I know it is the accepted philosophy and I remember years ago being told by a dealer not to use "household" loo paper but I've always ignored this and I can honestly say I have never had any kind of a problem whatsoever with
    emptying my cassette or in any other way. You leave a piece of, say, Andrex (other toilet rolls are available) in water and see how quickly it breaks up. In the "blue" it goes even more quickly. I am just interested to know what kind of a problem people find
    normal loo roll gives them.

    I agree about what people say about the cap. I am always paranoid about losing that down the hole. Some holes are big enough to swallow it up. So I ordered a spare just to be on the safe side. 

    I read somewhere some advice to use non-quilted loo paper as it breaks down more quickly.

    Regarding losing the cap down the drain, I have witnessed several instances when a toilet cassette cap has blocked the drains causing expensive repairs to be needed. If you do lose your cap down the drain, please let the warden/owner know so that they can
    take steps to remove it before it causes a problem.

  • huskydog
    huskydog Club Member Posts: 5,460 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    edited January 2016 #72

    WHAT, all these years i have been using the wrong toilet paper, why didn't my bottom tell meSurprised

  • cyberyacht
    cyberyacht Forum Participant Posts: 10,218
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    edited January 2016 #73

    As Norman Stanley Fletcher said "One up, one down and one to polish. Mind how you go"

  • rogher
    rogher Forum Participant Posts: 609
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    edited January 2016 #74

    Perhaps it's no wonder that so many prefer to use the toilet block.

  • moonchip
    moonchip Forum Participant Posts: 106
    edited January 2016 #75

    UPDATE :

    We've just got back from our first trip (2nd of the year) and having a week in the south Lake District.

    On the advice given here and elsewhere, I put 3 bio pods in the toilet cassette with a bit of water - and one in the greywater tank for good measure.

    The toilet was used for both options (1 & 2) and on emptying day everything came out perfectly easily. Two rinses with clean water and its 'as new'

    Thank you to everyone who suggested the bio pods - its certainly a lot cheaper than using the blue stuff ( which I've learned is also carcinogenic !!) with no drawbacks in use.

    Next time will also use cheap washing conditioner in the flush tank (smells nice and won't react with the bio pods) and from one feedback on another site, also makes the bowl more 'slippery'

    The toilet block at Meathop Fell is lovely and normally I'd use it, but thanks to all your help I am now sorted when undertaking more 'wild' camping or at CL's with no facilities

    Thank you all so much

  • young thomas
    young thomas Forum Participant Posts: 11,356
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    edited January 2016 #76

    moonchip, try 2 tabs, then 1......3 is a bit over the top, one seems to do the job....and still leaves the cassette perfectly clean....

    would you put three washing tabs in your washing machine?

  • moonchip
    moonchip Forum Participant Posts: 106
    edited January 2016 #77

    moonchip, try 2 tabs, then 1......3 is a bit over the top, one seems to do the job....and still leaves the cassette perfectly clean....

    would you put three washing tabs in your washing machine?

    I'll try that BB, thank you

    In the washing machine I only wash full loads so use 2 pods ..... but then again I don't cr*p in my washing machine
    Cool

  • young thomas
    young thomas Forum Participant Posts: 11,356
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    edited January 2016 #78

    lolWink

    ...and we dont wash our clothes in the toilet....Happy

    seriously, worth a try cutting back, i really dont think youll see any difference....

    i do have a bottle of 'blue' which im gradually getting rid of, so i add a very small splash to the cassette along with the tab.....seems be fine.....

  • Badgerboy23
    Badgerboy23 Forum Participant Posts: 2
    edited March 2016 #79

    Hello. I went on a trip to Dumfries and Galloway over Easter- great time despite mixed weather. But the Thetford toilet refused to flush. I guess there is a power supply as the 'tank full' light went on when appropriate. Any suggestions for a cause?

  • ADP1963
    ADP1963 Forum Participant Posts: 1,280
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    edited March 2016 #80

    moonchip, try 2 tabs, then 1......3 is a bit over the top, one seems to do the job....and still leaves the cassette perfectly clean....

    would you put three washing tabs in your washing machine?

    I'll try that BB, thank you

    In the washing machine I only wash full loads so use 2 pods ..... but then again I don't cr*p in my washing machine
    Cool

    Write your comments here..Love that one. The mind boggles.  Happy

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,427 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2016 #81

    The tank full light (if its the same as mine) is powered by a 9V battery somewhere in the cassette compartment and is activated by a float with a magnet inside the cassette itself

    So its an electric flush? have you checked any fuses? There was a thread about this before but I know that's not much help. Hoepfully someone will be along who can post a better answer. Check the instructions for possible faults or ring Theford/your dealer.

  • Cornersteady
    Cornersteady Club Member Posts: 14,427 ✭✭✭
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    edited March 2016 #82

    also, seem to remember the fuse maybe behind the tabk full light, I am sure IanH had a similar problem (this one is from memory Ian, not in your bookWink)

  • Wildwood
    Wildwood Club Member Posts: 3,581 ✭✭✭✭
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    edited March 2016 #83

    Not sure about the bio pods so you make your mind up on that one. My best tip is do not empty it on a full stomach, certainly for the first time.

  • squip
    squip Forum Participant Posts: 42
    edited March 2016 #84

    Badgerboy,

    It could be that the flush pump has seized or has failed in some way. This is most likely the case if this is your first trip in the 'van after a winter layup.

    To check if it has seized turn off the mains charger so that you are using purely the leisure battery.

    Switch on a 12volt light in the caravan

    press the toilet flush button

    If the 12 volt lamp dims slightly it tells you that current is being drawn by the pump even though it does not function.

    If the pump is seized you can reach it by carefully prising up the panel around the blue flush button. It is held in place by mastic. Then there is a bracket to remove [4 screws I think] and then you can put you hand into the flush tank and raise the pump.

    BTW in my van [2008] the handbook says that the full lamp is powered by a battery but in fact mine seems to be wired to the main caravan wiring ant on to the leisure battery. I have never seen that lamp lit as I always empty the cassette before it gets too
    full as I would find a full cassette too heavy to manage comfortably.

    squip

  • ADP1963
    ADP1963 Forum Participant Posts: 1,280
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    edited March 2016 #85

    Great info Squib.I think ours is also wired into the 12 v system.

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited March 2016 #86

    ......I think ours is also wired into the 12 v system.

    It is Wink If you look on the left hand side of the opening for the tank outside, you'll see a fuse ..... that's for your pump Cool

  • ADP1963
    ADP1963 Forum Participant Posts: 1,280
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    edited March 2016 #87

    ......I think ours is also wired into the 12 v system.

    It is Wink If you look on the left hand side of the opening for the tank outside, you'll see a fuse ..... that's for your pump Cool

    Write your comments here..Hey Tiff your a star.  Wink

  • EmilysDad
    EmilysDad Forum Participant Posts: 8,973
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    edited March 2016 #88

    ......I think ours is also wired into the 12 v system.

    It is Wink If you look on the left hand side of the opening for the tank outside, you'll see a fuse ..... that's for your pump Cool

    Write your comments here..Hey Tiff your a star.  Wink

    I know! Cool

    Or at least try to be. Wink