Anyone Done Extended (year or two) in a TM?

We can't help but wonder with three people if we wouldn't go broke buying toilet chemicals. Right now we use a natural one called "Sea-Zyme" because we don't like all the chemicals. This one issue has us rethinking how practical a TM would be for an extended stay. All the toilets smell no matter what anyone says in my opinion. If you store human waste in a plastic container, well... but could this be more of a problem than your standard RV toilet. Thanks for all the replies and pms, Cathy

[Bill]

Cathy/Brookside -

RE the toilet, toilet smell, and toilet chemicals:

This board has seen A LOT of discussion on this topic over the years. One point that has been made repeatedly is that toilet deodorant chemicals that are "less chemical" don't do as good a job at keeping down the smell. Another is that skimping on chemical (using only half a bottle) is not adequate. Another is that sometimes people object to the "toilet smell", but what they are really objecting to is the smell of the toilet chemical - some people don't mind it, some people hate it. In each case, you have choices, and as my Dad used to say, "you pays your money and you takes your choice". But one way or another, I think most people would agree that HAVING a toilet may smell different from NOT HAVING a toilet. You have to find your own best solution.

The smell (whichever one is of concern) comes from the fact that there is a tank of mixed chemical and waste below the throat of the toilet, and air can waft from the top of that tank and into the bathroom. If that is really bothersome (and it is to some people) the solution would seem to be to make sure air can't rise into the bathroom.

How to do this? Well, one way is to reverse the air flow, so that room air is constantly drawn DOWN through the tank, and exhausted outside. You don't need a hurricane - a very small but steady air flow downward through the throat should be all that it takes. At least two members have taken steps to do exactly that. In each case, the approach was to use a small fan to draw air DOWN into the toilet bowl, and push it outside.

DancinCampers added a small piece of pipe to move air from the tank area into the under-tub area, where the TM's bathroom vent fan expels it through the floor. Quite a simple fix, and I imagine very effective. If there are disadvantages, they are problably that the vent fan is a bit loud, and it takes too much power to use constantly when dry camping. Read about it at
http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=1012

TandemKids got a little more elaborate, with a through-wall vent. My guess is that it, too, is quite effective, is quieter, and if the fan is carefully chosen uses less power. You'll need to page down through a multipage thread to see his approach and pictures.
http://www.trailmanorowners.com/foru...ead.php?t=1267

So anyway, I guess my point is that there are lots of approaches. Choose one! Let us know what works for you! The fact that there is a toilet in your camper shouldn't be seen as a drawback, or prevent you from enjoying it.

Bill