[ShrimpBurrito]

Years after the untimely demise of my Thetford Electra Magic, I replaced it for a Thetford Curve, which is basically a glorified portable toilet for which you can buy a platform to mount it to the floor.

Last week we took a long trip that included several hours in searing 105 degree heat, which also included an elevation gain from our origin at sea level to about 7,500 feet at our destination. The toilet was empty for the trip, aside from fresh water in the flush tank.

Upon arrival, the toilet was not sitting flush on its mount. Before realizing what had happened, I opened the flush valve to put in some chemicals and was immediately greeted with a very forceful spray of quasi-clean water from its last rinse that went up my entire arm, and bits reached the ceiling. The combination of the heat and elevation gain built up ALOT of pressure in tank, which I had just released. I also thereafter realized it wasn’t sitting flush on the floor because the base had bulged.

Fortunately, the base flattened out after an hour or so, but for me, that was a demonstration that should it ultimately fail, it very well could blow out the bottom of the toilet. Portable toilets are not vented, unlike permanent traditional RV toilets, and obviously the Thetford Electra Magic (which has the ultimate vent), so this has to be taken into consideration. Use caution when in extreme heat and/or when making significant elevation gains.

Are the cassettes in a cassette toilet vented? I’m guessing they might be since the cassette would not be in a living area, but at least in looking at photos of the Thetford C223-CS Cassette Toilet, I don’t see one (I see a blue button there, which I presume is a push button vent to aid in emptying the tank.)

Dave