Potty Talk

[mcbar]

I'm shopping for our 1st popup & have a question.  

I feel strongly about having a potty/shower but am wondering if they actually are worth it.  It will add alot more $$ to our cost.  Are they prone to problems?  How often do you have to empty them?  Do I need special TP?  What about other chemicals/tools, etc...  

Also please share experiences about using the public showers at campgrounds, state parks, etc...  Do they usually have hot water, shower curtains, cleanliness, etc...

Thanks so much!  ~ Mrs. McBar

[brainpause]

Get it. We love our porta potty, but sometimes I wish I had the shower and not have to traipse across the campground.

Larry

[CampDirt]

One of the selling points of our used PU was the indoor cassette toilet and shower.  You lose some cabinet space, but having an indoor shower and a cassette toilet is a godsend.  No more putting on the shoes and running out on cold nights to the nearest camp bathroom, which I find a little too crowded for my comfort zone (but clean most of the time).  Some campgrounds have just those green portapotties that no one likes.  Having a bathroom all to yourself is certainly a nice luxury (and you don't have to put on your shoes!).

And think of this: there might be times when you are dry camping somewhere (meaning not hooked up in a campground).  PU's offer a freedom that other heavy RV's don't allow, off-road camping.  Having an indoor shower/toilet for those times is almost critical (unless you park by a really big tree).

A cassette toilet is very easy to maintain.  Yes, you do have to have special RV toilet paper and chemicals to help break down the waste.  But there is a simple cassette you pull from the outside of the PU and dump it at the nearest dump station.  You can even hook it up to a sewer in a campground if you have full hook-up at your site.  To clean out we just use bleach and water, even though there might be better cleaning products out there.  

So, my vote is YES!  GET THAT INDOOR TOILET/SHOWER!  It's very well worth it.

[wavemaker]

yes get it...
 
some of the campsites you will go by will be kinda messy, and ya wont want the kids to go in there....
 
 
 
 
 
 

One of the selling points of our used PU was the indoor cassette toilet and shower. You lose some cabinet space, but having an indoor shower and a cassette toilet is a godsend. No more putting on the shoes and running out on cold nights to the nearest camp bathroom, which I find a little too crowded for my comfort zone (but clean most of the time). Some campgrounds have just those green portapotties that no one likes. Having a bathroom all to yourself is certainly a nice luxury (and you don't have to put on your shoes!).
 
And think of this: there might be times when you are dry camping somewhere (meaning not hooked up in a campground). PU's offer a freedom that other heavy RV's don't allow, off-road camping. Having an indoor shower/toilet for those times is almost critical (unless you park by a really big tree).
 
A cassette toilet is very easy to maintain. Yes, you do have to have special RV toilet paper and chemicals to help break down the waste. But there is a simple cassette you pull from the outside of the PU and dump it at the nearest dump station. You can even hook it up to a sewer in a campground if you have full hook-up at your site. To clean out we just use bleach and water, even though there might be better cleaning products out there.
 
So, my vote is YES! GET THAT INDOOR TOILET/SHOWER! It's very well worth it.

[bmbkamp]

We tent camped for many years, so when it came time to buy our PU, we never seriously considered an on-board shower or potty.  We were all used to using the facilities at various campgrounds, and DW and I both couldn't get the thought out of our mind that if we got facilities for the PU, it would be like sleeping in our bathroom.
 
And the on-board facilities would be just another thing to maintain.  We just didn't want to deal with the hassle.  
 
We've never been really disappointed in the facilities at any campground - we know we're not going to the Ritz-Carlton, so we set our expectations appropriately.  I think the biggest problem we ever had was one place ran out of hot water for 2 days.  But since that was in the middle of a 100-degree heat wave, we didn't care.
 
As you've read, many people swear by their on-board systems, and that's fine.  It just wasn't for us.
 
Bob

[wavery]

PUs (or any camper for that matter) are all a set of compromises and different things have higher priorities to different people.

We don't have a shower or cassette toilet. However, I have to admit, the cassette toilet would be nice. We use a Thetford Port-a-potty and find it quite adequate, easy to use and easy to dump.
http://www.thetford.com/portable_200.cfm#pp565

Every on-board toilet system will need chemicals (port-a-potty included). They are not expensive and easy to find at any camping supply store. The 2 of us can go 3-4 days with our port-a-potty (6.1 gal waste water tank). Then I just un-clip the holding tank and walk it to the CG toilet to dump it. They recommend special TP but we've never used it and never had a problem. The only tools that you might need is a pair of rubber gloves . One other tip, don't let the tank get full. Dump it early and more often. 6 gallons weighs nearly 50 pounds. I actually wish that I would have purchased the smaller toilet.

As far as the shower goes; it would be a large space that we would not want to give up in our PU. We have a shower tent that we set up if we are going to be more than just a weekend in a CG that has no showers. It works really well. It's a lot bigger than the built-in showers and we put the port-a-potty in there as well.

We have found the showers and bathrooms in the CG in California to be well maintained and clean. Separate shower stalls. Typically about $.25 for 3 minutes of hot water. I have no idea how the CGs are in your area. The conditions very widely from state to state.

[tlhdoc]

You can even hook it up to a sewer in a campground if you have full hook-up at your site.

Could you please explain how you hook a cassette toilet to a sewer hook up.  I have had a cassette toilet for 8 camping seasons and don't know how to do this and have never seen it done.

[springer02]

We don't have an on-board shower or potty and have never wanted one.  If we go to a campground with terrible facilities, we simply don't go there again.  Like someone has mentioned already, I think it'd be like sleeping in the restroom with the "facilities" in the trailer.

We do take a cassette potty and put it in our Paque-Que (sp?) tee-pee when we're out for a week or more.  We've used it once, I think, in 5 years of camping.  The tee-pee gets used as a changing room when we're at the beach, keeps tons of sand out of the trailer.  

JMHO,

Tena

[EFAIII]

We do not have a potty/shower in our camper, and to be honest, some of our friends who do have the shower now wish they didn't.  It cost them extra money and it is just an added mess.  I don't care how hard you try, you are going to get water in the camper from the shower when it is used.  Depending on who you are will decide how much water is splashed out, but it is another mess to clean.  The places we go have pretty good showers, and we have never had a problem.  As far as the potty issue goes, we use a porta potty (number 1 only) and we have had no problems.  If you use a potty/shower like we would (number 1 only) you are going to have to walk to the bathroom sometime anyway for #2.  If you don't use it like we do, then your camper is bound to smell like an outhouse.  I'm not trying to make anyone sick, but I don't care how sweet, kind, or beautiful your family is, the bottom line is #2 stinks.  But I guess it all comes down to what you and your family want and are willing to deal with.  Are you willing to put up with the splashed water, and initial #2 odor, or are you willing to put up with walking to the shower/bathroom.  The decision is easy for us, but it is up to you.

[wavery]

If you use a potty/shower like we would (number 1 only) you are going to have to walk to the bathroom sometime anyway for #2.  If you don't use it like we do, then your camper is bound to smell like an outhouse.  I'm not trying to make anyone sick, but I don't care how sweet, kind, or beautiful your family is, the bottom line is #2 stinks.  But I guess it all comes down to what you and your family want and are willing to deal with.  Are you willing to put up with the splashed water, and initial #2 odor, or are you willing to put up with walking to the shower/bathroom.  The decision is easy for us, but it is up to you.

EFAIII

Have you tried using chemicals in your porta-potti?

We use our porta-potti as a normal toilet and haven't experienced any odor issues (once everything is inside and closed :p ).

Where is Viking :confused: ...............he usually likes to participate in these types of threads. :J

[Old Goat]

We bought a new 01 Niagara because it had a shower / cassette toilet combination. After a year we had never used the shower so I decided to take it out because we sometimes take long trips and needed more storage space.. I removed the shower and cassette toilet and custom built a four drawer cabinet that is the exact size of the shower space. I removed the cabinet and folding shelf across from the galley and built a custom cabinet for the Thetford cassette toilet to go in it's place. This cabinet has a two piece folding lid and storage space behind the toilet for a redesigned folding shelf. Toilet now sits long ways in the trailer across from the galley and the cassette can be removed from the door space. The cassette is sealed when removed and there is no odor of any kind ..The new cabinets are  lighter and stronger than the originals and designed with minimal wasted space......
We would not have a popup without a potty.

[crazymommaof4boys]

WE don't have a potty inside but we do have a porta potti that we use in one of those outside shower/utility rooms that we bought at walmart... We set it up behind the trailer or next to the slide out and the kids use it at night instead of waking us up to trudge all the way to the restroom.  Also our trailer has a outside shower with hot and cold water so if we really want a shower, out comes the porta potti and you have your own shower!  which is great for hosing dirty kids off before they trudge it all inside!

[Hargus]

We also purchased a used PU with a shower. I opted to take it out and use the space for storage and counter space. I made a mod to our PU  :cool: which created a spot for the portable potty we use at night or whenever and storage all other times. Since we had the shower orginally there is a curtain on one side (not a shower curtain) that slides the lenth across the PU for privacy or changing for guests.
 We are aware of the campgrounds we go to (research) that most of the time have clean facilities. I also agree about the mess with water in the PU. We do have hot water in the PU because of the shower, that's a plus for a quick clean up for everyone if needed.

Good luck on your search. This is (the fall) the best time I've found to try to purchase a used PU. Some people bought them for the summer and didn't like it, some are done with the season and want to get rid of it. They're out there.

Mike

[ForestCreature]

I'm shopping for our 1st popup & have a question.  
  I feel strongly about having a potty/shower but am wondering if they actually are worth it. YES, worth every penny

It will add alot more $$ to our cost.  Are they prone to problems?  No probems in the 6 yrs we've had oursHow often do you have to empty them?  Depends on how often you & others use it.   Do I need special TP?  Long as it's septic safe, we use the same as we use in the house.

What about other chemicals/tools, etc...  
you have to use chemicals, or it will stink and not break down for emptying.  
 
 Also please share experiences about using the public showers at campgrounds, state parks, etc...  Do they usually have hot water, shower curtains, cleanliness, etc...  
I use our own most of the time, I don't like putting clean dry clothes on a damp body. Showering in the camper allows me the leisure time to dry off away from wet benches etc.

[shellcjt]

Hi,
I use my cassette porta potty in my camper usually for #1 only cause I'm too lazy to put a LOT of effort into scrubbing everything (light scrubbing ok) I need mine in the camper because I get up in the night at least two times (gotta get the Detrol LA)   anyway, it does not put out any smell.  I use scott tissue because it is septic safe.
As far as a shower - I just use the campground ones.
Good luck,