The Thetford cassette toilet is a simple toilet with a container (cassette) that can be removed from the Solis and dumped.
Operation #
Operation of the toilet is up for debate, but our family has the following procedure for using the toilet:
- Check indicator in the rear left corner to see if the toilet is full (Red indicator) or not full (Green Indicator). This isn’t a light, just a moving indicator. If red, enjoy your work to the restroom/stump. You do NOT want to overfill.
- Lift toilet lid
- Slide lever below bowl to “open” the toilet
- Do your business (1 and 2) using a minimal amount of toilet paper (normal tp, not RV tp)
- Hit the water button for a few seconds to rinse down the toilet
- Slide the lever below bowl to “close” the toilet
Maintenance #
Maintenance is fairly simple, but there are some “gotchas”
Emptying the cassette #
- Verify the toilet bowl is empty and make sure everyone knows not to use toilet
- On the outside driver side, press the two buttons on the door while swinging open
- Exam area to spot a messy potential situation (large amount of liquid or other outside the cassette)
- Pull up the blue lever at the bottom of the cassette while sliding it out. IT CAN BE QUITE HEAVY.
- Set it on the ground and unfold the long metal handle which locks in place.
- Roll to a toilet
- Lift the seat of the toilet
- Unscrew spout and swing spout towards toilet
- Slowly lift cassette with two hands and allow to empty into toilet. Three things to be careful of when performing this meneuver.
- Don’t peer into toilet as you empty, it can get messy
- Don’t press the blue button on top side of cassette, it is a pressure release valve that will allow contents to escape
- Toilet may need to be flushed several times
- If empty and you don’t want to clean it out a bit, continue to step 12
- To clean the cassette / empty obstinate contents, put some fresh water in it, screw the top closed and shake it a bit. Repeat emptying procedure.
- Slide cassette back into Solis until you hear the “click” and close the door.
Smells/Chemicals #
We use chemicals in ours just to reduce the smells and to break the contents up and make it easier to empty. There are many chemicals available which are designed to work in “blank tanks” which will also work in the cassette. Just cut down the amount of chemicals used as the cassette is 1/5 the size of the average black tank.
Upgrades/Mods #
The only upgrade to the cassette toilet that has been widely used is the addition of a SOG exhaust sytem. SOG stands for ??? probably a German acronym or something. In any case, the SOG is a powered fan that sucks the air out of the cassette and toilet when the toilet slider is open. The fan and a charcoal filter are mounted to the outside door of the cassette and connects to the cassette toilet’s cap with a small tube. A sensor switch is installed so that when the toilet is open the fan turns on, otherwise the fan is off.
There are two benefits to adding a SOG. First it cuts down on smells in the van and bathroom. It isn’t a perfect solution, but certainly better than not having it. Second because fresh ait is entering the cassette the contents breaks down faster and less or even no chemicals are required for the breakdown to happen.
Installation is fairly straight forward only item of note is specific size hole saws are required to install the vent to the outside and to drill the hole in the cassette screw cap.
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