The Thetford Recirculating Toilet

[Larryjb]

I just read Bill's comments on the proper use of the Thetford recirculating toilet: https://www.trailmanorowners.com/for...ad.php?t=21843

We quite like the toilet. However, I will admit we do smell a little odor from the toilet, but to us it isn't offensively bad. As far as I know, we have used it correctly, used the bathroom fan, etc. I do think there are a couple of things at play here.

1) Any bathroom will smell when "doing business", but the bathroom can't be completely sealed off from the rest of the trailer, like any household washroom is. I suppose adding a Velcro skirt around the ceiling of the bathroom and sides might help with this, but we never thought this to be necessary. The fan will take care of much of this.

2) The Thetford toilet has a flexible plastic chute that self seals the sweet aromas inside the toilet. I have heard that this plastic becomes more rigid and is less effective. Some owners have replaced this plastic chute to solve this problem.

I suspect Bill may have upgraded his trailer before the plastic became rigid. In our high taxed country and expensive shacks that we live in, we cannot afford to drive vehicles newer than 10 years old, and trailers newer that 15.

Others have replaced that plastic chute very inexpensively and quickly. The only other issue we have had is that solids now stick to the sides of the bowl. I suspect that, with age and how it was used or cleaned by past owners, the bowl isn't as slippery to solids as it was when new.

In spite of the issues we have experienced, mostly due to age of the toilet I presume, we still find the recirculating toilet the best option. Other toilets require removing waste and walking it over to a garbage can. I am intrigued by the incinerating toilet, but I haven't heard much about the exhaust smells.

[qtla9111]

When we had our TM2720 it had the six inch space above the bathroom walls with the vinyl cover. I cut a pattern to fit the top and cut out foam board (insulation) and covered it with woodgrain contact paper to match. It worked great and had a great look! It lasted for the years we had the TM. We kept the pieces in the bathroom for easy set up.

[LoveToCamp]

You might try some Rainex (windshield 'slickening' application) or some car wax on the bowl to, possibly, add some slipperiness to the bowl. Maybe?

[[email protected]]

I couldn’t take tha t recirculating toilet. Installed a flush toilet with 8 gallons black tank underneath and love it. Believe it’s called a sealand toilet. I put it in years ago

[Funsized]

I’m new to the TM camper. From what I understand, you leave the valve under the toilet open, fold down the camper, drive to the dump station and empty it.
The best course is to then rinse it out, but how with the thing all folded up? Do we have to reopen it while everyone waits in the long dump line on a busy Sunday?
Also, driving home with the valve open…. The camper going to reek when we get home?

[Bill]

Of course the best move is to dump and rinse at the campsite if you have a sewer hookup.

If you have to drive to a dump station, your first move before leaving is to fill the toilet and pull the handle at the floor. Then, assuming you have plenty of water, fill the gray tank. Close down, and drive carefully to the dump station. There, empty the toilet (big pipe) first. Because the toilet is full, you get a big high-speed WHOOSH that cleans out the toilet very nicely. Then empty the gray tank. The high volume of water from the gray tank cleans out the dump pipes and the dump hose. Finally, if the dump station has a water hose, it can't hurt to rinse out the dump hose, and shoot some water up the dump pipes - but this isn't really all that important. Then close the dump valves, stow the hoses, and drive away.

We've done this for years, and never had a problem or a smell when we got home.

Bill