Advice please - emptying the toilet holding tank

moonchip, no apologies needed, we all have to do it wether it's full of liquid or solids as well. I have found that "Bio pods" as in washing machine gel pods, (but they have to be "Bio" and pods, not tablets, or powder) work very well in breaking down the lumps. If you lok up the thread "Tips for making caravanning cheaper," page three, Bio Pods Do they really work? you will find more information. 'Fraid  can't do the link, so you will have to get there the slow way. Perhaps some kind member will do it for us please......

 http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/community/discussions/welcome-hobby-talk/tips-for-making-caravanning-touring-cheaper/Bio-Tabs----yes-they-certainly-seem-to-work/rt/1221031/?p=66#index8

Hi moonchip, good of you to ask. I wouldn’t be surprised if others are glad to see such a subject come up, so don’t apologise.

I assume that you know how to remove the cassette and where to take it to empty (if not, ask). A tip I often offer people is, when you have removed the cap, to put it on the ground carefully in a way that it won’t roll away, away from where you will pour, and where you are unlikely to kick it. Don’t be tempted to put it on a convenient shelf or wall, where it could fall down into the pit. I know someone who ‘lost’ their cap down a drain. When they had the courage to go and find it, they found more than one (so if it can happen, one day it might)!

I also assume that you know to press a button to let air in as the contents come out. If you empty soon after the toilet has been used, there are likely to be solids present and some will remain inside. Fill the cassette with some water and give it a gentle swirl to persuade the remainder to fall out. Take care not to shake vigorously; there are parts inside which could be knocked loose by ‘serious’ solids and they could disappear down the drain as you empty. Even if they don’t, it’s not a place you’ll want to visit and repair in a hurry. You may still not expel everything but add some more water before replacing the cap. Put some more ‘blue’ in (back at the van, to save carrying the container with you) and that should take care of anything that’s still trapped. You may be able to take the cassette and your dog to the emptying point in your car.

If that hasn’t dealt with what you need to know, just ask again.

I always charge the cassette with Elsan toilet fluid, Blue, before using the loo, with that and the flush water mixed, after 3 days it's ready to be emptied. A good washout afterwards then recharge it with fluid again. Never had a problem,always use the vans toilet for all eventualities! 

 http://www.caravanclub.co.uk/community/discussions/welcome-hobby-talk/tips-for-making-caravanning-touring-cheaper/Bio-Tabs----yes-they-certainly-seem-to-work/rt/1221031/?p=66#index8

Thanks Steve.....

PS how do you do it ?...........

After emptying and adding the required amount of blue, be sure to add a small quantity of fresh water. This speeds up the breakdown of solids, which might otherwise be sitting just in the blue for a while, so easing the emptying.

looks like most has been covered but to emphasise to important points....

one, ....keep the cap away from where ot can be 'lost'

two...press the orange button to allow air back into the cassette to allow emptying

good luck...its really not that bad, we rearely use site toilets so empty many, many, many times each year.

I always charge the cassette with Elsan toilet fluid, Blue, before using the loo, with that and the flush water mixed, after 3 days it's ready to be emptied. A good washout afterwards then recharge it with fluid again. Never had a problem,always use the vans toilet for all eventualities! 

Write your comments here...3 days with number 2's our cassette is full half way through the night on day 2 and we only do number 1's do you have a short sized toilet in you van?

I use Elsan Blue and empty every morning and don't have any problems , just comes out like brown liquid

No way of putting this delicately.

 But solids given time will break down into a slurry, I don't think this has anything to do with blue.  Just them rehydrating. However sometimes you may empty the toilet with fresh solids in it.  Then the only solution is to rinse and rinse again until you have flushed the blighter out.