Porta-Potti review....
I've got about ten years total time with portable flush toilets, have one in my work van. Used on a regular, year round basis. They generally seem to be good for about three to four years regular use then the seals start getting a little wonky and it's just easier to buy a new one than try to fix the old. The seals aren't really replaceable like those of an RV toilet. Started with a Thetford, currently use a Dometic.
The Thetford's plastic seems a little softer...has a little more give to it. The seat generally feels a little larger to the tush than the Dometic. However, I cracked the lid on the Thetford (not the seat), it was located in my small shower compartment but didn't hold up to the sit-down use, perhaps the lid itself was never designed for the weight of a whole body. The Thetford had a bellows type pump and did work well, I could modulate the flow of water ...relatively decent flush.
The Dometic had a more substantial plastic, a slightly smaller seat, and a manual pump air-pressurized flush system. The pump always worked well, but the flush was mediocre. It couldn't be modulated and didn't seem to be aimed well to clean the bowl very well. I am now on my second Dometic, and the flush is the same as the first unit....mediocre. No problems with the lid on either unit for sit-down use.
For my cargo converson I did pick up a Thetford 465 electric flush unit...thought the wife might find it more convenient....but in initial "dry" testing it looked like it would use a lot of water per flush. I'm a little dubious about the flush on this unit, I think I would add some sort of flush wand run from the trailer water system to get the job done with the least volume of flush water...that's the key. Haven't tried it out in the "real world" yet so I will hold firm opinions 'til later.
As some others have noted, if you get a unit that has little capacity it may be a little low to the ground and uncomfortable to get up from or to sit upon.
by Boanerges4 » Sat Jun 25, 2011 2:09 pm 
