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Member
Posts: 39
Location: Versailles, KY | Any reviews? Anything to stay away from? Based on a thread here, the Thetford Curve looks like a winner, but for the price (<$150) does anyone recommend something better? It's going to go in my horse trailer for short camping trips (usually a night or two -- probably no more than a week once in a while). My husband (5'11", 195 lb) needs to be comfy on it, too. Thanks.
Edited by Javanewt 2013-02-26 12:29 PM
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Regular
Posts: 82
Location: Massachusetts | Go to Sears Ive had one that lasted for years. |
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Regular
Posts: 73
| We had one with some nice features,but I can't remember the brand. The top, the seat area, comes detached from the bottom holding tank. You could pick up the base, and carry it easily it to a bathroom to flush it. There was a dumping spout that you turned to pour it into the toilet. We thought it was "comfortable", and easy to dump. |
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Regular
Posts: 79
Location: Alberta Canada | We have the same mdl as Slowrider, seems to meit was made by Thetford, works very well with detachable base. Very easy to carry with built in handle, and large spout to drain from. We use T-5 in tank, it is non formaldehyde based and a nice smelling chemical.. Works well but have to be careful when adding T-5 not to get any of the crystal on your hands as it stains bright blue..lol |
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Member
Posts: 5
Location: Remlap, Alabama | I, like 'Saddleup' and 'SlowRider', seem to have the same one. Mine came from Wal-Mart, in the camping section; it was < $100 when I bought it, but believe it is up at $100 now. Sits & feels like a regular 'house tiolet', have had NO problems with it either. Linda (Lepoo) |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 326
Location: central IL | I bought a Thetford about 9 years ago, and it is still as good as ever. I believe it's a 565 model and holds 3 gallons of fresh water. It can go for days without needing dumped. Last year we camped 2 weeks in TX, and I only had to dump it once during our entire stay. (Hubby won't use it unless an emergency which is seldom to never.) I have not had a single problem with it, and I camp as often as possible. One thing I'd point out is that if you're a lady like me who often camps alone and does all the carrying, consider the weight of the contents whether filling it with gallons of fresh water or dumping when full. So I'd strongly suggest reading the specifications of the model you're considering. |
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Regular
Posts: 98
Location: MD | I've had a West Marine (Dometic) Cruiser for over 2 years and works great. 2.5gals fresh and 5gal holding tank with an auto-flusher (works off pressure, just pump it up) and indictor window to show when holding tank is full. I bought it on sale for $119 during their winter season. I generally only have to empty it 1X at the end of the weekend and can do that right in to a "Don's John" because of the pipe/empty system - no mess. |
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Member
Posts: 39
Location: Versailles, KY | Thanks, everyone. Looks as if it's between Dometic and Thetford. I'll probably go with the Thetford 550E after reviews here and on Amazon. Now to find the best price! |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 385
Location: high desert, CA. | Best potty is one that you don't own, and don't have to maintain.LOL! |
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Regular
Posts: 79
Location: Alberta Canada | Originally written by siseley on 2013-03-17 10:21 AM
Best potty is one that you don't own, and don't have to maintain.LOL! Never really thought about it that way.........but you are entirely correct......!!!!!lol I like the way you think... |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 326
Location: central IL | lol....That's the way my gal pals feel when they camp with me. Want to say: sold the Thetford 565 to a friend. Still like new and spic n span. Bought a new Thetford Curve from www.adventureRV.net. Ordered it on a Sunday night, and it arrived Tuesday! Has the look and feel of "the real deal". |
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Regular
Posts: 53
Location: Tomball, TX | My 2 cents worth after years of camping....use a plastic bag for your toity paper unless it is a big job....saves on having to empty frequently from paper clogging up the holding tank! Sorry, gross but funny, too.  |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 326
Location: central IL | Poshponies, Will admit on here since Hubby would never see this. I do that very same thing. I use "real" toilet paper for that, put it into a plastic bag and then twist tie it off. I keep a trash can next to the potty which is behind the walk-thru door in the first horse stall. I empty the trash can daily. You are right; potty doesn't fill up as fast. I've tried a variety of different chemicals (some with and some w/o formaldehyde), but none ever seem to completely dissolve the potty toilet paper. And I use more chemical that specified, so it's not that I'm not using it strong enough. I love having a potty right there after years of sleeping in a truck topper and having to climb out in the cold/dark of night and walk to a showerhouse or outhouse.  |
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Expert
Posts: 1205
Location: Arkansas | the best porta potty is......... the one you can get to in a hurry!!! hee hee |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 326
Location: Gallatin, TN | We have a thetford with battery operated flush and love it! We've even had to use it in our house when our septic tank backed up into the house. |
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Member
Posts: 11
Location: NE Ohio | Great replies, and agreed, the best one is the one you don't have to exit the trailer to get to! There are a couple on Amazon with 5 gal waste tanks that are about $60. Is there that much of a difference to justify going up to the $140 models? |
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Regular
Posts: 53
Location: Tomball, TX | I guess it depends on how often you want to empty it and how heavy the bigger one is to carry to the dump spot!  |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 326
Location: central IL | I got curious and looked up one of the cheaper models on Amazon. In reading the reviews, I saw where several people stated that one particular model leaked. Ugh I would give my old Thetford 5 stars out of 5 even after all the years I owned it. Not one problem with it. I am anxious to go camping and give the new Curve a try. I would suggest reading as many reviews as possible on any brand you choose. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 326
Location: central IL | Well, I might have to reconsider what I wrote about the new Thetford Curve I bought and posted about a couple of months ago. I'm loading the trailer and getting ready to head out to a training in a few days. Getting the potty all filled and gave it a try only to learn the automatic battery operated flush doesn't work! I replaced the batteries that came with it, but that didn't work. I see no way to get fresh water into the bowl to bypass the system. Ugh, should've kept the old potty. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 326
Location: central IL |  I lost count of the MANY phone calls today to RV Adventures where I bought the Thetford about getting it replaced since the flush doesn't work. They told me to contact Thetford directly. Thetford said me to deal with the place I bought it from. So back to square 1 and the same story. "Get me the manager." Forget it; and back to Thetford who once again told me to deal with the seller. "Get me the manager." Well, at least I got a reference # if I could find a potty in my area to take the defective one to. I need it in 2 days, as I'm leaving for a week with the horse.
So right now, I'll be using an outhouse and still no resolution as of yet. Think about it~the engineer(s) who designed the automatic flush should've included a bypass just in case of failure. As it stands, if I want to use the potty as is, I'd have to keep a large container of water handy to "flush" the bowl and stuff down the drain. I'd like to think my engineer son-in-law would've thought of that. :-) |
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Best Porta Potty
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