Toilet question / tips

Hi,
Just got my TM two weeks ago and still fiddling with stuff around. I noticed lot of people are not big fans of the recirculating toilet that comes with the TM, and lot of them are keeping it for a "light" duty. However, I do have two kids, and would like to use our toilet exclusively, instead using whatever is available at camping site.
Now I have couple of questions about it.
- Can I throw TP in there (that hole looks very small) :-)
- If two adults, and two kids (7 & 4) use it constantly, how often do you think I would have to empty it before gets full, OR it starts to smell?
- Is it possible to dump the content in the tank (opening leveler on the bottom of the toilet), and charge it again for another couple of days? Is that holding tank big enough to handle two charges (I guess it would always hold only one charge. Once you empty first one, you release second one in the tank then dump it)?
- Did anybody ever have blockage, and how did you guys deal with it?
- Are there any good "nature friendly" type of chemicals that could be used and do work?

Thanks

Erni

Found this post http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=2354 which answers my 3th question...

- Can I throw TP in there (that hole looks very small) :-)

Regular old TP is fine. RV TP not necessary. As one who has managed to plug up the house turlet many times, the TM has always come through!

- If two adults, and two kids (7 & 4) use it constantly, how often do you think I would have to empty it before gets full, OR it starts to smell?

Gets full - see posts about filling. You can maximize volume by only putting enough water in to make the water circulate - instead of filling to "empty". You can also drain off some by opening the valve and letting some flow down the pipe. All that aside, 3 of us can go 2 nights (more likely 3 nights) exclusively using the TM. Using a combination of what's available at the the campground, significantly more. It really doesn't have to smell. Keep the lid closed between use, yes.

- Is it possible to dump the content in the tank (opening leveler on the bottom of the toilet), and charge it again for another couple of days? Is that holding tank big enough to handle two charges (I guess it would always hold only one charge. Once you empty first one, you release second one in the tank then dump it)?

I think I heard you can get another gallon and a half as above. Not sure.

- Did anybody ever have blockage, and how did you guys deal with it?

Never, thank Goodness.

- Are there any good "nature friendly" type of chemicals that could be used and do work?

I use the stuff that is called for in the manual. http://www.thetford.com/Portals/0/pdf/Formaldehyde.pdf

Thanks TM_Matt!
I camped before in the tent but never using camper. Do you have sewer drain at your site, or do you always have to go to the dump site? I assume that depends on the camp, but what is the "usual"? I am just wondering, as having sewer on the camping site, would simplify process of charging the toilet even if you have to do it ever second day or so.

[rvcycleguy]

1. There is no holding tank under the trailer. The toilet is the holding tank.
2. Two adults and two kids will most likely fill the tank, with limited usage after 3 days.
3. If you have a site with sewer, use toilet, then when full, dump and recharge.
4. I would recommend RV Paper only. Make a good habit to start with.
5. By dumping the toilet into the drain pipe, you will be dumping a small portion of the content. Less than 1/2.

[countrygirl]

Some of us also purchase a tote to dump it into and then recharge it so we don't have to move the toilet. Then we dump the tote. I liked our Barker tote but they cost more. We had an incident traveling and now have a Thetford tote. It was cheaper and readily available.

They all come with wheels...some smaller some larger. Remember fluids are heavy I think 6 pounds a gallon...so if you get the biggest one how will you get it to the dump station. We had a 10 gal. tote and I think we have a 12 or 15 gal. one now.

Extremely hot weather makes us want to dump sooner.

Suggestion...keep the lid down when not using.

We only use RV toilet paper.

[T and C]

Problems with a smell from the Thetford seem to be a very personal matter. By that I mean that everyone seems to have a different tolerance level for unpleasant smells. Personally, I never notice it.

If we are just stopping for a night or two I use the Thetford chemicals, (the whole bottle) with formaldehyde. I understand that there is a biodegradable type as well. If we are staying longer I have the toilet tablets and throw in one a day to get even more bacteria killing solution.

That works for us.

Tom

[B_and_D]

We use regular TP in the Thetford, and it's been fine for the 9 years we've owned it.

If you want to really want to conserve, don't prefill the toilet up at all, and don't use it for #2. Don't put TP into the toilet, put it into the garbage. If you want to use it for #2, keep a soda bottle full of water in the bathroom and use it to wash down the bowl contents.

We bought a porta-pottty that we're going to use in the TM after we get done tent camping for the summer. With the price of gas, and having just bought a Prius, we've decided to tent camp for the rest of the summer.

[Brittany Dogs]

I use Scott tissue single ply toilet paper or the local no-name store equal to Scott tissue. It is fairly close to "RV" toilet paper at 1/3rd the cost. Plus it is available everywhere.

I use the toilet in the "dual purpose" mode (for #1 and #2). Two adults using it for a weekend campout and by Sunday departure, it is ready to get dumped.

Search for the Geo Method on this forum and on the web. It improves the cleanup.

Sometimes if the weather is warm and the toilet is on the second or third day and starts to smell, I just have to chalk up the extra cost of another bottle of Thetford Blue (Aqua Kem) as the price of admission to the camping experience.

The TrailManor bathroom is still cleaner than 90% of the toilets found at any campground I have ever been to.

[Bill]

Discussions of special RV toilet paper are kind of like discussions of religion or politics. Everyone has an opinion, and no one's opinion is ever changed by the discussion. But still ...

There are any number of web sites that do the toilet paper test. They all involve putting a piece of TP into a jar of water, giving it a little shake, and watching it to see if it falls apart. The idea is that if the paper falls apart, it is RV safe. And the universal conclusion is that virtually all TP is RV safe, even if it is the stuff you use in your home. And you don't pay a bundle for it.

And yet people continue to spend tons of money on special RV toilet paper. I think the industry is safe.

Here is an example of one such web site, in this case from RVGeeks.com, who seem to know a few things about RVs.

http://rvtoilets.blogspot.com/2012/0...let-paper.html

Bill