porta potty

philrod · 09-11-2007, 06:47 PM

I ordered a Vista Potty #248 from Camping World today. It's $85 and the only type they currently have in stock. The #248 holds 3.7 gal of F.W. and 4.8 gal of W.W. I ordered it because I wanted a smaller, low tech (non electric) version. It should fit in the locker that SMB furnishes in most floor plans. Most of the time I plan to occupy a site close to the park toilets and hopefully won't need it. But there are those emergencies.....

Philrod

waiting for a E350 V10 RB50

alta825 · 09-11-2007, 08:43 PM

Our rig came w/ whatever model SMB offered. Right now it is occupying a shelf in our house. It took up too much valuable cabinet space and it was hardly ever used, if we ever had to do anything other than #1 while out boondocking it was always done by the book and properly buried etc...Personally feel better about that instead of dealing w/ the chemicals and everything

D

**BroncoHauler** · 09-11-2007, 08:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alta825

Our rig came w/ whatever model SMB offered. Right now it is occupying a shelf in our house. It took up too much valuable cabinet space and it was hardly ever used, if we ever had to do anything other than #1 while out boondocking it was always done by the book and properly buried etc...Personally feel better about that instead of dealing w/ the chemicals and everything

D

These days in many sensitive, or overused areas, there's no such thing as "properly buried", it's "Leave no trace" and that means you pack everything out.

Herb

alta825 · 09-11-2007, 09:34 PM

Yes I do agree w/ Packing it Out and Leaving No Trace but we also do our absolute darndest to utilize Forest Service/BLM facilities or other like areas whenever possible.

I just don't like having to flush blue chemicals etc down the drain once I return home or at the local RV dump, in this day and age we as a society in general don't pay attention to what we 'flush' down the drain. I could be wrong but chemicals like that can't be the most ecological solution are they?

I am not opposed to the porta potti itself, I just don't approve of adding chemicals or other non-biodegradeable/natural elements to the landfills or land. We actively support recycling and maximize composting at home.

If I haven't done all of my homework and the chemicals are AOK for the enviroment or if there is a suitable alternative that is, well let me know - maybe it will end up back in the cabinet...

D

jage · 09-11-2007, 09:54 PM

Yeah, personally I don't really have a choice. With a wheat allergy if I get contaminated I don't usually have time to dig a hole, and often not even to find a proper toilet. The porti potti is a must have for emergency action- and the chemical are a must too- I've been forced to use it twice with only water and let me tell you it's a bad idea unless you can empty it quickly.

Still there has to be something (baking soda?) that's more environmentally friendly then the blue stuff. You basically just need to keep the smell down and probably the bacteria if you're going for long periods without emptying and cleaning.

Ed in Montana · 09-12-2007, 05:43 AM

We ordered one of the cheaper portable outhouse tents from Cabelas for $50 and we put that up when boondocking with the porta potti in it. It works great and doubles as an outdoor shower. Much more sanitary than digging and burying.

I hadn't considered the impact of the porta potti chemicals, but I doubt if they have much impact if dumped in a vault toilet like is found at most campgrounds.

smb4me · 09-12-2007, 05:56 AM

rid x is environmentally safe/organic...

i like this as alternative to the porta potti, upside: compact/ease of disposal, downside is setup for each usage/will cost you each time you dump,

i guess each system has it pros and cons...

http://www.thepett.com/index.php?PageLa ... &pageID=98

scatter · 09-12-2007, 08:22 AM

I too bought the smallest porta potti I could find, so it wouldn't take up any more space in the rig then necessary. I haven't even cut the tape off the box to open it yet as we have no intention of using the thing. We only boondock in otherwise unused areas and do the dig and bury thing. Maybe we too will have to rethink that method. Anyway, my reason for this reply is that when I got my insurance from Progressive, they wouldn't cover me unless I had a "toilet" in the rig. So, we carry it in case we get into an accident and have to prove we have a toilet. Any thots on this insurance/toilet requirement? I'd sure love to leave it at home and use the space for something more useful.

jage · 09-12-2007, 09:10 AM

You need to look up their actual requirements for a "Conversion Van", some states have 3 of 5 things, Arizonal has any one of:
Bed
Heater
Sink
Toilet
and some other things.

I'm thinking progressive might (???) have a wider definition of whatever your coverage is that you could meet without the boxed toilet.

If not there is a version that is only a seat and metal legs- it's the thinnest weakest looking thing I've seen. Personally I'd go with a training toilet as they tend to be smaller.

Jeffrey · 09-12-2007, 09:55 AM

A porta potti is not a waste treatment plant. The "chemicals" used are just to mask odor. There's no heavy duty procesing going on.