cassette toilets for newbie caravaner

[nicola2]

Hi all,

I am going to get a caravan before but have never owned one.

The one I am looking at has a cassette toilet. Where can I find out where to empty it? I would be staying on private sites without anywhere to empty it.

Many thanks if you can help.

 

[MikeA]

Hi n,

Welcome to the wonderful world of caravanning. There may be many things for you to worry about in the early days of owning and using your new van, when you get it, but emptying the cassette toilette will not be one of them.

Almost every one of the caravans made in the last 20 or so years has been fitted by the manufacturer with a cassette toilette. So the caravan sites of all quality, shapes and sizes are geared up for providing you with a facility for emptying one. At the top end of the scale the site will have purpose built "chemical disposal closets"; in more middle range sites it might turn out to be a standard toilette set in the ground with a screen round it; and even in pretty basic sites there will be a manhole cover that you can lift up and empty the cassette straight into the foul drainage system.

The site reception office will let you know where the disposal point is.

There may be a very, very few sites, perhaps in areas of outstanding natural beauty (where development and land use is extremely restricted), that do not have any facility - but they will clearly advertise the fact and you would need to limit your time on site accordingly.

At the worst, perhaps if you were staying on a friend's bit of spare ground for a short period, you can, with great care, empty the cassette into the house toilette.

Happy caravanning,

Mike A

 

[RayS]

Please consider joining one of the major clubs. Both have excellent sites of two types - big sites with toilet blocks, sometimes laundry facilities etc. and small 5 van maximum sites know in the Caravan Club as CL's (not sure what cc&C call them but the rules are the same). These small sites must offer good access, drinking water supply, waste water and domestic waste disposal and somewhere to dump the chemical toilet. Sometimes these facilites are collected together into what is called a service point.

The Caravan Club site handbook lists all this information - I expect the CC&C does too although I am not a member. on either brand of site you will find experienced caravanners who all started once and will be please to advise you if asked (but may not volunteer, as we are all reserved types !) You will also find both clubs offer good deals on caravan and home insurance, ferry bookings, overseas travel insurance, and have local sections for weekend rallies etc, if you are that way inclined.

Welcome to the fraternity of caravanning, and may you enjoy it as long as I have (since 1966 and counting).

 

[DeliDave]

I beleive that to get permision to open any kind of site provision must be made for emptying waste cassettes ,also take care not to drop any bits when u r emptying the cassette as they can then get very messy or completely lost if u r very unlucky good luck

 

[ScouseIan]

Hi Deli Dave

What do you mean by bits? Do you only mean the cap?

If so, yes I see what you mean. Wise to do everything slowly and methodically. Put the cap 5 or 6 feet away I thinks.

Ian

 

[Northwood]

People tend to forget what it was like to be a newbie, setting off with the wife and kids No Stress? The you start to learn what have I forgotten, how do I connect on site, and of course toilet! how does it work, How do you empty the dam thing.

Been there done that.

Never panic so they say, I did.

On one camp site I witnessed at least 5 people standing around a blocked waste discharge box and asked whats wrong, the reply being its blocked or why not use the tiolets said I, does it go to the same place I was asked.

Merry Xmas Lots to learn in the new year.

 

[hgv dave]

ehhhh......when i started out we never had such things as toilets in't van and water?.....we had a foot punp on,t flooor lol

dont worry we all have been there and ill bet you anything you like you will forget something to take with you,with us it was teaspoons! my mate forgot his remote for his tv.

im sure if you ask anyone on the site they will gladly help you out because i have asked people for help and i have been asked to help out

most caravaners are very friendly and more than willing to help anyone.the first time i went caravaning i was suprised when i went for a shower the first morning,that complete strangers said goodmorning to me

in a few years time when you have been vanning it will be you who will be helping newbies

hgv dave

 

[Steve L]

Don't worry Nicola, Everyone has come up with all the suggestions of where to dispose of the waste. The site owner/manager will always give advice freely as where all the disposal points are.

One tip I can give you is if you need to open the waste in flap on the tank with it out of the van. Do so with the sliding cover over the hole. If you don't do this, the flap spits a drop of waste fluid up at you !!

Don't feel embarased to ask even the simplest of questions as on the forum there is a wealth of experienced caravanners waiting to help. We all started at the beginning some time.

For me it was a 1963 sprite 10ft van that had a bucket with a toilet seat on for the loo. Now that was one step away from the dock leaf!!

Have fun

Steve L.