In wall tank toilet? Anyone done it yet

[AlanAndCarol]

I just purchased a 79 Excella 500 that is set up with a rear bathroom. The trailer has been gutted and already had the shell off and frame renovated cleaned and painted. The new subfloor is in, but I'm going to reconfigure the layout to be a side bath. Since I'm going to be replacing all of the tanks I was wondering if I could use the same toilet system I have in my home, it's a Toto in wall tank toilet. I used it in my home because it saved almost 9" in my bathroom. The tank sits within the 3.5" wall cavity and the toilet mounts to the wall.

Has anybody done this? Anything I should be concerned of if I do it?

[overlander63]

How much water does it use?

[Minno]

And how much water does it hold that could potentially slosh out all over when you move the trailer? Looking at it on line, I'm not sure there's enough room "in the wall" for the tank, since you only have about 1 3/4 inches between inner and outer skins. Also, I'm not sure how you would support the tank? Might want to rethink that one. There are good RV toilets that use less water per flush than the Toto also, and porcelain. (Sorry about the burst bubble).

Kay

[AlanAndCarol]

Originally Posted by overlander63

How much water does it use?

Its a dual flush toilet. 1.6 and .9 depending on...

[AlanAndCarol]

The tank will be installed on an interior wall that is yet to be built, so wall thickness shouldn’t be an issue. The tank that holds the water is rotomoulded so it's about as safe as the grey/black/fresh water tanks. The wall that will hold the tank/toilet will span from the floor to ceiling, but I can’t see why it couldn’t support a commode? Bubble not burst yet…

What does a good “RV toilet” weigh? The Toto, with water is about 100lbs? What is 9” of extra room in the restroom worth in weight and $?

[NOAZRK2690]

What are you trying to accomplish by putting a tank toilet in a travel trailer? Surely you jest. You're just going to fill your holding tank with a lot of extra water every time you flush. That doesn't make much sense. If you're trying to make a wise choice, try getting a Dometic elongated bowl RV toilet then put a soft close seat on it. Mount an ordinary bathroom cup holder to your bathroom wall. Put diluted liquid Thetford type tank freshener into a spray bottle and use to keep the toilet fresh and peachy smelling then store the spray bottle in the cup holder. Works great. By the time your tank type toilet sloshes around and rips the gaskets apart while going down the road, you're going to need rubber boots to walk around in your AS. And, if you have to get up at night you or your sweet heart might end up back in bed with cold wet feet. That's definitely not the coolest thing coming down the pike for sure. The first time you flush you tank toilet when your holding tank is full, it's going to put a lot of totally smelly you-know-what on you carpet. Take it for what its worth, but I can tell you that in about a couple hours your AS is going to smell like cat piss then your vacation will be over because of the way your bed smells and you know that's going to get blamed on you for not going tankless.

[fwjumper]

Looks like the toto extends 21" from the wall which is essentially the same as new thetford either China bowl or full China.

[fwjumper]

http://www.thetford.com/product/aria-classic/

[rsjmcg]

Can a home-type toilet be installed in your camper? Sure. If your camper has a full-time hook-up to sewer, like a park model meant to stay in one place, like our houses have, then a house type toilet can work just fine, irrespective whether it's an in-wall or tank on the back model. But, if you will use your camper here and there and towing regularly, then the Toto's (any house type toilet) .9 gal minimum flush volume will quickly overwhelm (picture overflowing from the top seat of your toilet) your black tank's capacity; your only solution would be to be dumping far more often than is ever necessary w/ an RV toilet. This means most of your camping time will need to be at full-hook-up RV parks. And, a house toilet precludes boondocking/camping rough for more than a couple nights. OTOH, an RV toilet's ~1+ cup water per flush will easily support camping rough for a week, perhaps easily more when everyone in a family of four carefully manages flush water volume. Then there's the issue with a house toilet sloshing out some/all of its 0.9 - 1.6 gal of water sitting in it as you tow it on down the road = big mess. So, Bob's your uncle: if your camper is mobile, forget the house type toilet idea, any model (but if you proceed anyway, at least give us some entertainment value by posting back here the exact results you're reading being predicted/promised so that we can all chime in with, We told you so ).

[kdickinson]

Looks really cool! The only thing I'd be thinking of, living in a cold climate, I would scrutinize the water supply and its protection from the outside temps and also ensure you can properly drain and winterize the system.

[BigAl]

I wouldn't do it! In a house it reduces the footprint of the toilet but you have at least a 2x4 wall to hide the tank in. It will use much more water than an rv toilet. Mine uses about a cup of water for a normal flush. More if you add water to the bowl before use.
1.6 gallons of water is probably ten flushes in an rv toilet.
But it is your trailer so!!!
Al

[Larry C]

It's your trailer and your decision. Now that that's out of the way, in my opinion after 40 plus years of RAving, your are creating problems that you will wish you would have never thought of this toilet thingy.
For whatever it's worth
Larry

[A W Warn]

I would not use a tank toilet in a travel trailer. The slosh/splash/cleanup is not worth it!!! I see no advantage in changing toilet types.

You asked about weight of toilets. My Excella has a china bowl AquaMagic. I took it out last year for a repair. I guess it weighs ~30 lbs. I can easily pick it up with one hand. The plastic bowl toilet in my Safari weights much less.

[BigButtUgly]

Alan and Carol: Use the type in use years ago. Have custom tank made to hang high on the wall. Insulate behind. Rough in for toilet can be way less than the standard one for home. Use the wall hung toilet but space it 3" away from wall to allow the input water per a house hook up and your wall downpipe input combo. I think you can set this to 1 gallon (vs 1.28 gal) per flush given the correct tank mechanicals. Now I'll read all the posts prior to mine to see if someone else already suggested.

[Minno]

You'll have to think carefully about where to put this toilet, to make sure that your trailer is balanced on the other side against that 100lb. of tank and water. If the tank is sealed, that's good. However, as others have pointed out, RV toilets use a couple cups of water to flush. Even "solids" flush with very little water. If you're going to have a permanent place for the trailer and it'll never be towed, it's definitely doable especially with water and sewer connections. However, for a towed trailer, I don't think it's especially practical. You might want to hook up with some other trailer owners and talk about it, look at their set ups, maybe even flush their toilets.

Kay

[BigButtUgly]

Alan and Carol: Having read them, install a shut off valve to tank input line. Open and fill tank as a line item to your set up checklist. Do not flush toilet after each urine addition, just add a splash of "stink pretty". When not hooked to sewer line. as per campground, line the toilet with 13 gallon trash bag and lessen use of black tank and fresh water tank. I use a toddler diaper in mine and hope nobody asks to see the baby.

[fwjumper]

I appreciate your thinking creatively, but as I previously indicated, I don't think you gain any floor space with the toto. Certainly not enough to justify the extra weight or the potential messes and extra water demands. In a home, great idea.

[AlanAndCarol]

I've been enlightened! I think we'll be using this toilet instead: https://www.tinyhousesinside.com/pro...FUpZhgod_OcGzw

Thanks for setting me straight.

[fwjumper]

You didn't need to be "set straight. " composting toilets have been used by many with success. Good luck with installation. First and foremost, have fun!
One other piece of advice. Try to keep connections for standard toilet in place, in case you sell it and your buyer wants it changed back. You should be able to remove the flange from black tank and screw a plug into it. Feel free to pm if you like. I have done it before.

[horseylady]

Alan andCarol. We have been traveling in an RV of some sort since 1973. This Airstream is our 10th RV and probably a keeper. We would not, under any circumstances, purchase a trailer with either the hanging tank set up or composting toilet. We had an expensive composting toilet in a barn in Arizona and, while it worked, it wasn't very satisfactory. We kept having to add water to get things to break down. An RV toilet with black tank is very easy and doesn't smell if used properly but they do need a lot of water put into the black tank via toilet to keep things from getting gunked up. Two of us can go two weeks without dumping, probably longer. But, as others have said, it is your trailer and you should do what you want to do--you can always change it if you leave what plumbing you have in place.