Collected new caravan last Wednesday. Snow meant we went to storage and put her away. Saturday dawned and was predicted to be the coldest of the year so we went out. Shock- one of the caravan tyres was flat! RAC man arrived within minutes and changed the wheel. (No obvious puncture.) Hitched up, pulled away and the tyre pressure monitoring system on the car sounded. One soft tyre yet we'd driven 19 miles to storage, driven to and from storage gate to meet RAC guy. Pumped them all up and off we went. Had a lovely 2 nights in Cheshire and back to dealer today for them to investigate flat tyre- money on poor sealing after fitting Tyron band. Love the van but even though it is a model we have had twice before so many different things. When using the Dometic cassette should the flap be open or closed? Do you find the reduced size of the centre unit extension usable for meals? In for a few days now and hopefully a few days away in Cheshire next week.
Ramblings of eccentric caravanner
- Thread starter waffler
- Start date
I thought that the flaps have changed little over the years. For 1s it’s opened a smidgeon. Much quieter too at night. For 2s fully open. Much less messy. Must say it’s a surprising question from an experienced caravanner. What’s your approach?
Mel
Moderator
otherclive said:
One would hope that the gentlemanly approach would be forward facing with seat up for number 1; and then a reversing crouching approach with outer and undergarments down for a number 2. What other approaches are there?
Mel
After making day-time use of any site facilities included in our fees - a few rules in our bathroom (!)
Men and ladies sit down to use - saves any splashing onto adjacent walls or furniture
No 1s flush a little 'pink' into a closed bowl first then flush away when finished
No 2s make a 'nest' with 2 x 2 sheets of paper like a cross in the bottom of the bowl to catch the necessary, which hopefully drops wrapped into the cassette when then flap is opened and a little 'pink' utilised - hopefully leaving a clean bowl.
Don't use any harsh chemicals in the bowl - a little pink neat on a cloth should suffice for a wipe around when the need arises! Or use a spray disinfectant cleaner that is suitable for plastics.
Also it is easier to carry or roll the cassette to the emptying point when part full, and many points have a raised lip to lift over to empty. Swill and rinse gently as any violent shaking can dislodge the float mechanism.
Incidentally ensure the cassette and the flush tank are drained this time of the year, and leave the flap part open, and I use a bit of Thetford spray to ensure it operates easily on the next usage.
Perhaps we can have a new caravanning qualification - MA (Master of Ablutions)!
Only used the packed away table a couple of times in 5 years in our current 2 berth - out on the pitch or when we had 2 guests - otherwise depend on the pull-out from the front drawers.
Men and ladies sit down to use - saves any splashing onto adjacent walls or furniture
No 1s flush a little 'pink' into a closed bowl first then flush away when finished
No 2s make a 'nest' with 2 x 2 sheets of paper like a cross in the bottom of the bowl to catch the necessary, which hopefully drops wrapped into the cassette when then flap is opened and a little 'pink' utilised - hopefully leaving a clean bowl.
Don't use any harsh chemicals in the bowl - a little pink neat on a cloth should suffice for a wipe around when the need arises! Or use a spray disinfectant cleaner that is suitable for plastics.
Also it is easier to carry or roll the cassette to the emptying point when part full, and many points have a raised lip to lift over to empty. Swill and rinse gently as any violent shaking can dislodge the float mechanism.
Incidentally ensure the cassette and the flush tank are drained this time of the year, and leave the flap part open, and I use a bit of Thetford spray to ensure it operates easily on the next usage.
Perhaps we can have a new caravanning qualification - MA (Master of Ablutions)!
Only used the packed away table a couple of times in 5 years in our current 2 berth - out on the pitch or when we had 2 guests - otherwise depend on the pull-out from the front drawers.
audiorob said:
I put some screenwash in the flush tank and pump a small amount through to ensure no residual water can freeze. Never had a problem with loo bowls being affected.
Thinking back now , I never put the slide on the top of the cassette now so that the toilets accessible anytime we need it like when we first started touring , there is something that goes on top of the cassette to stop it being used , as we leave it off now as once we pulled up on a site and my daughter was just desperate for the toilet and just done what she needed to do when .... I pulled the cassette out to take the top off it ......well my hands were nice & warm
No.1s only for us in the caravan except for the kids where they get away with anything !
No.1s only for us in the caravan except for the kids where they get away with anything !
Craigyoung said:Thinking back now , I never put the slide on the top of the cassette now so that the toilets accessible anytime we need it like when we first started touring , there is something that goes on top of the cassette to stop it being used , as we leave it off now as once we pulled up on a site and my daughter was just desperate for the toilet and just done what she needed to do when .... I pulled the cassette out to take the top off it ......well my hands were nice & warm
No.1s only for us in the caravan except for the kids where they get away with anything !
Are you talking about the plastic sliding cover? That opens and closes when the cassette is inserted into the compartment on mine.
Some lovely comments!,! We have previously had a Thetford where the book says use with flap open or closed. On the Dometic the cassette flap opens automatically when the cassette is pushed in. There is then a metal flap that is above the cassette. So this is closed and the cassette can be removed, and as you do the cassette flap closes. The book says open the metal flap before use. I worry that cassette vapours will then escape. Also the metal flap sticks out in front of the loo and could catch your legs. I remember in 1972 buying a toilet tent with an Elsan that had a sealing lid. You took that off of and used it, but that was in a tent. We kept that for a few years until one Sunday morning I went out to use it. The tent was gone and there was 6 inches of snow on the Elsan!!
For 1s, flap open, for 2s, use the site facilities, on pain of death. Simples. Bushes are quite useful too.
Thought you'd all like to know that the flat tyre was because the valve was not screwed right in!!!!!! Have now found out how to see tyre pressures on car from driver's seat. Hidden somewhere in the software it does all four tyres. Wonderful but does anyone know how accurate it is. (They are the valve ones.)
waffler said:
Check them against a good digital gauge, pencil gauge or mechanical gauge. I’ve got all three types which I periodically check against each other. The TPMS should be quite accurate but if it doesn’t completely align with a portable gauge it still shows if you are loosing pressure slowly with time.
I check car tyres weekly as they change with air temperature, and never check them with sun on a tyre. Bit of an anorak, no doubt based on my time on motorcycles.
Is this topic getting confused. Why do I need a pressure guage on the Khazi. Must be that curry :cheer:
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