Has anyone converted a cassette toilet to black water tank?

[GeorgeRa]

Originally Posted by Boxster1971

This is also true at many California state campgrounds.

We stayed in a quite few CA state parks and Cassette was never an issue, perhaps we missed the warning and no one checked. We very often go to Redwood state parks and have no issues. In 2019 we travel extensively in California and never had a problem in State parks.

[avanti]

Originally Posted by GeorgeRa

With a roof exhaust black tank is very similar to cassette regarding odor. If black tank toilet blade/ball valve or cassette valve are not sealed they will generate odor. The only toilet which would be immune to odor is a marine style macerator toilet. Did you consider if your bad experience with cassette is due to its failing leaking seals?

We have been through this before. My belief is that the need to have the tank removable makes a good seal much more difficult. This, I believe, is why adding active fans is very common in cassette designs but all-but-unknown with black tanks. Maybe my sample was defective, but as I said, the rig was otherwise pristine. Or, maybe a good experience requires a fan.

Regarding roof vent, as long air above the waste has higher temperature than ambient (dumps tend to be warm) there is going to be some draft. A well design roof vent can pull exhaust gases via venturi, so for some percentage of time passive vent can be a “self-powered” one.

If this is correct, I am not seeing it. I am skeptical that the average temperature difference is adequate for significant convection (especially in the summer), and certainly will not produce a significant pressure differential across the seal. And venturi effects require wind, as I have already pointed out.

This is mostly speculation on my part. But my report of serious odor is data, and the effect was serous enough to turn me from neutral to negative on cassettes.

[Boxster1971]

Originally Posted by GeorgeRa

We stayed in a quite few CA state parks and Cassette was never an issue, perhaps we missed the warning and no one checked. We very often go to Redwood state parks and have no issues. In 2019 we travel extensively in California and never had a problem in State parks.

Edit: I made a mistake on that comment the restrictions I read about were at National Park at Cape Cod. I got my coasts mixed up.

[Boxster1971]

But then I just read this on Transit forum.

https://www.fordtransitusaforum.com/.../#post-1220823

[GeorgeRa]

Originally Posted by Boxster1971

But then I just read this on Transit forum.

https://www.fordtransitusaforum.com/.../#post-1220823

Not much concrete info. If RV manufacturers will increase cassettes presents and they will become more popular, rules blocking them will likely change. Black tanks are primary waste systems and changes will be very slow. Long lines at dumping stations could make changes faster.

Advise for potential RV with cassettes buyers, look for a roof vent or any passive or powered vent.

[Davydd]

Originally Posted by Gulfvet

For me it is about also having access to New England seashore camping with our class B 4x4. Cassette toilets are NOT allowed. You MUST have a black water tank for waste.

I imagine that was enacted when cassette users were caught dumping waste in the ocean.

[booster]

Originally Posted by GeorgeRa

Not much concrete info. If RV manufacturers will increase cassettes presents and they will become more popular, rules blocking them will likely change. Black tanks are primary waste systems and changes will be very slow. Long lines at dumping stations could make changes faster.

Advise for potential RV with cassettes buyers, look for a roof vent or any passive or powered vent.

Availability certainly will be driven by demand, and the long lines at dump stations doesn't help the situation.


But I wonder about what a campground restroom is going to be like if you have a large number of people dumping cassette toilets in there all the time. Lots of people appear to not be able to considerate just using the toilets based on the mess they often make, so it could get "ugly". Things like that and grey water disposal could also alter the rule changes in the future.


Personally, having tanks and a macerator seems to be the best and easiest system to deal with it all, and with a B we can zip over to a dump station any time to avoid the lines most places.

[Gulfvet]

I suspect that is a fact.

[MsNomer]

Originally Posted by Davydd

I imagine that was enacted when cassette users were caught dumping waste in the ocean.

I suspect you may be absolutely correct. It's the only logical reason, and certainly there will be people that crass.

[GeorgeRa]

Originally Posted by booster

Availability certainly will be driven by demand, and the long lines at dump stations doesn't help the situation.


But I wonder about what a campground restroom is going to be like if you have a large number of people dumping cassette toilets in there all the time. Lots of people appear to not be able to considerate just using the toilets based on the mess they often make, so it could get "ugly". Things like that and grey water disposal could also alter the rule changes in the future.


Personally, having tanks and a macerator seems to be the best and easiest system to deal with it all, and with a B we can zip over to a dump station any time to avoid the lines most places.

Having experience in three systems – cassette, marine and black tank I would pick marine as best, practically complete separation between toilet and waste tank. Dave’s macerator toilet is likely the best. All of them have pluses and minuses. If my camping pattern would require lower dumping frequency, I would most likely go with a macerator toilet, follow by a black tank with a macerator.

But for us, retired mid-week campers, cassette is just fine. With clean cassette there is no smell in the garage, nada.

We have been using cassette since 2013, a lot of dumps. Not once I had a mishap. Is dumping fun, no, it isn’t. Can mishap happen, yes, it can. Can a bad apple dump a cassette on a beach, yes; can a bad apple soil a toilet seat, yes it can. Having 2 cassettes I mostly dump them at home, or RV dump station, or campsite dump inlet, or public toilet.

In other parts of the World were folks use cassettes exclusively there are dump stations for cassettes, some are even automated. “Some European countries will have motorhome services in supermarket car parks. For example, in Portugal, Intermarché often has a dump station as does Carrefour in France. As these are connected to a supermarket, you can expect these services to be clean and well kept.” https://vanclan.co/cassette-toilet/

With emphasis on RV weight due to high fuel cost and in consequence more RVs with cassettes we could get higher acceptance of this foreign beast and more designated cassette dump stations in NA.

[booster]

If my camping pattern would require lower dumping frequency, I would most likely go with a macerator toilet, follow by a black tank with a macerator.



I would totally agree with that, but would need to have some kind of way to bypass the macerator in the toilet as a failure there would be very inconvenient if on a trip.

[avanti]

I was sorely tempted to go with a macerating toilet this time around. It would certainly take any "clog" issues off the table. But Davydd's warning about extra water usage scared us off. Tank capacity is often the long pole in the tent for us, and very large tanks are a challenge in the Transit. So we decided to stay with the devil we know and go with a conventional black-tank/macerator setup.

[GeorgeRa]

Originally Posted by booster

If my camping pattern would require lower dumping frequency, I would most likely go with a macerator toilet, follow by a black tank with a macerator.



I would totally agree with that, but would need to have some kind of way to bypass the macerator in the toilet as a failure there would be very inconvenient if on a trip.

Up flush toilets, known for reliability (~15 years), are similar to marine macerator toilets, so, reliability could be similar. Bypassing toilet’s failed macerator and pump could be difficult. https://www.saniflostore.com/Saniflo...BoCRW8QAvD_BwE

[N147JK]

Originally Posted by GeorgeRa

With clean cassette there is no smell in the garage, nada.

Yup - after dumping a few times, you can't remember what the big deal was all about. Was it supposed to be embarrassing? Gross? Really, I can't remember anymore. Truth is, who cares?

My van came from the factory with a black water flushing toilet. A previous owner had it uninstalled. That was a great selling point - actually, it increased the value of the van.

Dump, rinse, repeat, and as pointed out there is NO residual nasty stuff anywhere onboard. Dumping is no fun, but as a tradeoff you end up with a cleaner, odor-free vehicle.