A brief introduction to the Caravan Toilets
Everything you’ve always had wanted to learn about your toilets, but you were afraid to inquire
It’s probably the least appealing aspect of caravanning, but it’s only when you’re during the night, and it’s throwing it into the middle of the typical British summer, that you realize that the bathroom inside the caravan can be worth the weight of gold in metaphorical terms.
In the past there was a time when you had to get an umbrella, a torch, and a waterproof toilet paper rolls and fight the elements in those moment of necessity. If you were camping, you may have the option of a portable toilet of a certain type, however no matter the size of your tent, or awning is, it’s inside your tent.
The introduction to the toilet with chemicals – first installed as a stand-alone unit, then integrated into the bathroom – brought comfort and luxury to a level that was not experienced and it means that the modern day toilet will not be able to get caught again…
Different types of caravan toilets
Cassette Toilets
Modern caravans come with the cassette toilet. The toilet is built into the caravan once it is constructed. In your bathroom all you can see is a standard seat on a flat panel or a pedestal, and maybe a lever that opens doors to the tank as well as an option to flush. The waste tank (the cassette) is accessible via the outside, so that the procedure of disposing of waste – which is actually not nearly as harmful as some people believe is done completely outside the caravan to ensure that the environment is so clean and tidy as is possible.
Chemical Toilets
The past was when older caravans might have been equipped with bathrooms, but before cassette toilets became commonplace there was a lot of an individual chemical toilet. They either operate in a similar way similar to a cassette toilet having a flush tank as well as the waste tank forming one unit but segregating in order to flush the waste tank and fill the toilet – the so-called Porta Potti or as a unit that had to be empty in a single unit once it was full and able to hold a tiny volume of flushwater.
Toilet facilities
How do chemical toilets work?
The clue lies in the name: chemical toilet. Instead of flushing waste into the sewer system, and then on to a massive disposal facility The caravan toilet stores the waste until it is able to be removed – every day or less frequently based on the usage – in the facilities provided by the place that you’re staying on.
Chemicals are utilized to begin to break down debris and removing the smell prior to it being disposed into the system your business utilizes. This could be a cesspit – the underground storage tank which holds waste and has to be cleaned out frequently or an septic tank that employs a simple treatment method to break down liquid and solid waste, and allows treated water to soak up.
The issue is with formaldehyde.
In the beginning, chemical toilet waste fluids were made up of formaldehyde, which is extremely effective in killing the bacteria in human waste and causes it to break down rapidly. One of the drawbacks with it is that it kills the bacteria utilized in septic tanks, for instance, or in larger-scale treatment facilities and prevents them from working.
This is why some modern chemical producers tend not to make use of the ingredient (though certain manufacturers use it, so be cautious) and are comprised of a variety of other components that aim to perform the same task, however without impacting treatment systems further in the future. They include biocides which are used to control harmful organisms, as well as probiotics and enzymes, which are based on the same principles as probiotic drinks that boost the growth of bacteria. There are however some disadvantages that biocides are not regulated. The regulation of biocides over the next few years will become more stringent and enzymes and probiotics, though effective, require a long time to get going – 12-14 hours. If your toilet is subject to regular or frequent use, you might be tempted to empty it before they’ve had the chance to show any impact. Therefore, products like the Qualkem Eco Green have been developed to help break down the process running quickly, without impacting other treatments later.
No Chemicals Harmful
Many people are familiar with the brand name Elsan Chemicals, a specialist in chemical manufacturing also makes an organic chemical which functions as both flush fluid and waste fluid. It does not contain hazardous chemicals. Therefore according to the maker the waste cassette is able to be dumped into the toilet tank. Dometic is perhaps best known for its fridges and freezers – also manufactures a variety of chemical products, including waste-tank tablets that reduce the possibility of spills as well as an array of cleaning products for toilets and the entire caravan.
Although the waste will be stored in a tank, which will later be flushed The toilets in caravans require flushing, just like you would have at home. This must be mostly water that will carry the waste away once you’re completed. Typically, toilets equipped with flush tanks in contrast to those with direct-feed water sources will include chemicals as well because of two reasons; firstly, it can aid in flushing the waste away and avoid it adhering to the bowl. Second it gives off pleasant scents to cover the smell of the tank that holds waste.
Suggestions for Chemical Alternatives
There is one school of thought that suggests instead of using chemical products, which some individuals oppose on the basis of principle, home-made clothes-washing products are a better choice. In particular, a biological wash liquid – the more affordable the better – could dissolve the solid waste inside the tank.
But, they do it through enzymes, and as we’ve observed, they aren’t as effective as they should, creating a buildup of smells in an empty tank. It’s also possible that fabric conditioner could be added to the water tank used to flush. This can give a pleasant scent while flushing, but this mostly a disguise method rather than addressing the issue at hand.
Also, there’s some discussions about the effects it could impact sewage treatment processes in the future; however, at home, waste from washing machines and toilet will be able to flow into the same sewerage system. greater concentrations could cause harm to septic tanksfor instance since they are made to wash clothes, not to treat human waste. They can also contain bleach.
To ensure you’re on the safe side, we’d suggest the use of specific fluids specifically designed for the task on hand.
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