Porta Potti Replacement

A forum for discussing topics relating to older MacGregor/Venture sailboats.
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Tomfoolery
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Re: Porta Potti Replacement

Post by Tomfoolery »

adudinsk wrote: Wed Jun 24, 2020 4:47 amSO the vent.. is enough to allow the suction to purge the poop.. but not collapse the holding tank...
Should be plenty of vent capacity. The pump doesn't move the fluid fast enough to cause a problem unless your vent is clogged. A fast pump is around 30 gpm, which is only about 4 cubic feet per minute, which is nothing for a 5/8" diameter vent line. But if it concerns you, open the trap door. Some hose water in there is a good idea anyway, to clean it out more thoroughly.

I use Happy Camper enzyme in mine, and in the RV's holding tank, and in my keelboat's holding tank when I still had it. Good stuff. Expensive to buy at $22 for the small one, but it's good for 18 treatments of 40 gallons each, which works out to about 8 cents for a 2-1/2 gallon porta-potti tank. The small container my FIL gave me years ago is still going strong; I've never had to buy any. :D

Happy Camper is popular with the RV crowd, at least those that use any treatment at all. Many don't. But RV holding tanks, as well as marine holding tanks, aren't quite the same thing as a porta-potti, which is more like a mini plastic outhouse. :|

https://www.happycampers.store/black-tank/
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Russ
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Re: Porta Potti Replacement

Post by Russ »

Regular TP.

Treat PP tank with something like this


Dump:

--Russ
adudinsk
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Re: Porta Potti Replacement

Post by adudinsk »

Been hearing good things about Happy Campers.. but the smallest size here is over $50.. and no one carries it in my area. (have to order online)


What about the liquid dometic holding tank treatment? Anyone tried that?
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Re: Porta Potti Replacement

Post by 1st Sail »

First Dometic I had developed a leak in the poop tank. Replaced the holding tank then the fresh water (original) leaked. I'm done. Ordered and installed a CHead. Quality is excellent, easy install, no odor, easy to maintain, simple to operate. I have several boating friends that switched to composting toilets and said they would never go back. CHead makes a 'shorty' model that fits the Mac.
:macm:
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Curwen
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Re: Porta Potti Replacement

Post by Curwen »

"I think it's in all of the Father, Grandfather, Husband, and Uncle job descriptions, under "other duties as-assigned"... :|"

I fill those roles as well, but before heading away from the dock, the crew gets the instructions....if you use it, you clean it.

Potti is 5 years old, and still sparkly clean.
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Re: Porta Potti Replacement

Post by BOAT »

Tomfoolery wrote: Wed Jun 24, 2020 5:32 am
adudinsk wrote: Wed Jun 24, 2020 4:47 amSO the vent.. is enough to allow the suction to purge the poop.. but not collapse the holding tank...
Should be plenty of vent capacity. The pump doesn't move the fluid fast enough to cause a problem unless your vent is clogged. A fast pump is around 30 gpm, which is only about 4 cubic feet per minute, which is nothing for a 5/8" diameter vent line. But if it concerns you, open the trap door. Some hose water in there is a good idea anyway, to clean it out more thoroughly.

I use Happy Camper enzyme in mine, and in the RV's holding tank, and in my keelboat's holding tank when I still had it. Good stuff. Expensive to buy at $22 for the small one, but it's good for 18 treatments of 40 gallons each, which works out to about 8 cents for a 2-1/2 gallon porta-potti tank. The small container my FIL gave me years ago is still going strong; I've never had to buy any. :D

Happy Camper is popular with the RV crowd, at least those that use any treatment at all. Many don't. But RV holding tanks, as well as marine holding tanks, aren't quite the same thing as a porta-potti, which is more like a mini plastic outhouse. :|

https://www.happycampers.store/black-tank/
Tom,

I am confused on this one - are you saying we should use the Happy Camper product in the porta pottie? That's a novel idea I never thought of. Have you tried that? Does it work in the little potties too? I have always sprinkled a little bit in the huge grey water tank on my Sprinter but I never considered the pora pottie. Does it work?
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Re: Porta Potti Replacement

Post by Tomfoolery »

BOAT wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2020 1:48 pm
Tomfoolery wrote: Wed Jun 24, 2020 5:32 am
adudinsk wrote: Wed Jun 24, 2020 4:47 amSO the vent.. is enough to allow the suction to purge the poop.. but not collapse the holding tank...
Should be plenty of vent capacity. The pump doesn't move the fluid fast enough to cause a problem unless your vent is clogged. A fast pump is around 30 gpm, which is only about 4 cubic feet per minute, which is nothing for a 5/8" diameter vent line. But if it concerns you, open the trap door. Some hose water in there is a good idea anyway, to clean it out more thoroughly.

I use Happy Camper enzyme in mine, and in the RV's holding tank, and in my keelboat's holding tank when I still had it. Good stuff. Expensive to buy at $22 for the small one, but it's good for 18 treatments of 40 gallons each, which works out to about 8 cents for a 2-1/2 gallon porta-potti tank. The small container my FIL gave me years ago is still going strong; I've never had to buy any. :D

Happy Camper is popular with the RV crowd, at least those that use any treatment at all. Many don't. But RV holding tanks, as well as marine holding tanks, aren't quite the same thing as a porta-potti, which is more like a mini plastic outhouse. :|

https://www.happycampers.store/black-tank/
Tom,

I am confused on this one - are you saying we should use the Happy Camper product in the porta pottie? That's a novel idea I never thought of. Have you tried that? Does it work in the little potties too? I have always sprinkled a little bit in the huge grey water tank on my Sprinter but I never considered the pora pottie. Does it work?
Seems to work for me. Certain folks use that damn thing (I've never used it), and it sits there all summer, fermenting. But with a little sprinkle of HC in there, it's not bad.

Disclaimer: No maggots were gagged or otherwise harmed in the writing of this post. :wink:
Tom
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Re: Porta Potti Replacement

Post by BOAT »

You have never used the porta potty? :o :P where does all your expired beer go? :evil:
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Re: Porta Potti Replacement

Post by Tomfoolery »

BOAT wrote: Tue Jul 14, 2020 3:34 pmYou have never used the porta potty? :o :P where does all your expired beer go? :evil:
It stays in the fridge until I get home.

Seriously. :wink:

(I don’t drink on the boat. Any boat. Except the one I got married on, and I almost missed the bride coming down the isle ‘cause the bartender was plying the groom with booze to make him less nervous. But I digress. :| )
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Re: Porta Potti Replacement

Post by BOAT »

yeah that all sound fine on the beer an all - (I mean I really do not drink on the boat much either - only if we are on a mooring or in a slip but it is really rare that I ever have a drink when underway) but still, sometimes you need to poop. I guess you never need to poop! wow - I wish I could do that - it would save me a lot of trouble and paperwork.

Still, I assume you do indeed have a porta potty on board, right? And you have occupants that occasionally place contents into said potty, correct?

And you find that the Happy Camper product really works well with the odor control? I have been using that formaldehyde based stuff and it has a strong chemical odor. You think the Happy Camper would work better? Perhaps I will try that in the porta pottie - it might be worth a try.

I have been using the largest toilet Thetford makes for many many years in my vans. Although I have never had a leak I do admit that I do regularly replace the toilets about every 4 to 6 years. Wife and I can go a week on the big Thetford before I need to dump it. On 'boat' I just modified the head floor and removed the "shelf" that was in there so now I use the same huge jumbo Thetford model toilet in both the van and the boat. (So there are two potties). Wife and I should be able to go a full week in the boat now too but really, in the boat it's not as big a deal because we only sail in the ocean so dumping the potty is like an anytime deal out there. :P

After a week on the Island when we head home as soon as I cross the three mile line it's MOB!! (muffins over board) :P
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Re: Porta Potti Replacement

Post by K9Kampers »

Crew: Where are we?

Captain: Three miles out.

Crew: How do you know?

Captain: (looking overboard) Muffins!
:P
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Re: Porta Potti Replacement

Post by BOAT »

K9Kampers wrote: Wed Jul 15, 2020 1:01 am Crew: Where are we?

Captain: Three miles out.

Crew: How do you know?

Captain: (looking overboard) Muffins!
:P
Are muffins supposed to sink or float?
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Re: Porta Potti Replacement

Post by Jimmyt »

Although mine hasn't been used a lot, nor has it had time to ferment for more than a day or so, these little bags do ok. I drop one in after I empty and rinse the holding tank. Small tank porta potti...

Image

Don't even know if they make this anymore. Been using this container for years. Daysailing doesn't tend to exercise the porta potti too much.
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Re: Porta Potti Replacement

Post by Nauti Nell »

Just remember this, with a black water tank, portable or permanent, it's not if but when will you be playing in the raw sewage, and how much of it will you be playing with. :o
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Re: Porta Potti Replacement

Post by DownSouth »

Other option if you are away from a dump point/disposal place is two take two waste tanks. We have a decent quality unit and bought another so that in emergencies (!) we can just switch over to an empty tank.

We find the bigger ones are best 20/25 litre 4/5 gallon as the smaller tanks get full quick and don’t have adequate ‘drop’ height.

On a local forum a guy did a famous experiment with nappy/diaper cleaning chemicals by using the portapotti in his lounge room in his house for a week (!) with good results.

DownSouth
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