I was wondering if I could put a regular toilet in a fifth wheel. I read some other posts on this forum saying it's not recommended as you use more water and would need to drain more, but I live in the oil field in ND and have a drain hookup right on the lot I'm on, can use it any time of the day. What I was thinking of doing was installing a regular toilet and bypassing the tank to drain automatically. Would this work? The RV won't be moving for a long time, so moving with the extra weight won't be an issue.
Home toilet in RV
- Thread starter RootPC
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HueyPilotVN
Well-known member
They do make ceramic toilets that are very much like a home toilet. You can also get a riser that makes it easier to sit and get up. The real benefit of an RV toilet is that the slide valve seals the toilet from the odors in the black water holding tank.
You could deal with the extra water by dumping more frequently with a full time hookup. However you need to be aware that it you let the black water holding tank drain open you will develop a pyramid in the tank by letting the water run off and not cover the solids. You need 1/2 or more of the tank full of water to flush out the solids.
You could deal with the extra water by dumping more frequently with a full time hookup. However you need to be aware that it you let the black water holding tank drain open you will develop a pyramid in the tank by letting the water run off and not cover the solids. You need 1/2 or more of the tank full of water to flush out the solids.
catblaster
Well-known member
Have you looked underneath to see how the toilet drain is piped? My toilet dumps directly into the top of the tank but if your is piped-in, then there is a possibility you could repipe and bypass the tank. The other problem would be the distance out from the wall and the side to side clearance. The shortest rough-in distance from the back wall is 10". That problem could be overcome with an offset closet flange or re-rough the entire waste, which is getting into chopping out the floor. It seems like a lot of work just to sit on a home throne.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
If you can overcome the piping difficulties cited by catblaster, I see no reason it wouldn't work. But I don't see any real advantage either. A modern RV toilet with ceramic bowl works well, sits comfortably, and looks good. Check out current models like the Sealand 310 or Thetford Aquamagic V and Aria. High and Low profile sizes available too.
Lou Schneider
Site Team
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If you're sitting in one place, you could put a home toilet in. But you'd have to put the rest of the home plumbing with it - remove the holding tank and put in a 3" pipe and standpipe roof vent in it's place.
Then you'll have to make sure the drain line doesn't freeze in the winter.
You can't just empty a home toilet into a RV holding tank - it's true you'll be flushing more water each time but you still risk building up the dreaded black pyramid. I once saw a holding tank from someone who installed a home toilet and just left the drain valve open and it wasn't a pleasant sight. After a couple of months use it was completely filled with compacted TP and waste, and took a over a half hour with a pipe auger to get it to drain well enough to remove without creating a huge mess.
Then you'll have to make sure the drain line doesn't freeze in the winter.
You can't just empty a home toilet into a RV holding tank - it's true you'll be flushing more water each time but you still risk building up the dreaded black pyramid. I once saw a holding tank from someone who installed a home toilet and just left the drain valve open and it wasn't a pleasant sight. After a couple of months use it was completely filled with compacted TP and waste, and took a over a half hour with a pipe auger to get it to drain well enough to remove without creating a huge mess.
Gary RV_Wizard
Site Team
RootPC already stated that he would be "bypassing the tank", so the black pyramid should not be a concern.
John From Detroit
Well-known member
I do not know that you woudl need to bypass the tank,, But.. Well my black is good for about 36 gallons. I think they run 1 gallon per flush so I'd recommend dumping at least every 3/4 of your tank capacity flushes.
jje1960
Well-known member
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Why do you want to replace the RV toilet? Other than using more water than necessary, I'm just wondering why you want to replace the unit?
I get a sense that you find me lazy, which is not the case. I work very hard, long hours in the oil field, and barely have enough time for 6 hours of sleep every night. Usually 3-4 hours of sleep. Having said that, I feel that instead of going to an RV dealer out here (which out here, everything is price gouged) I'd rather get a regular toilet and install it, and have everything automatically go through.Getinaway said:
JeffPax
Well-known member
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Seems the benefit would be not having to dump the black tank. A good cleaning when you pack up wouldn't be a bad idea, but with the volume and proper fall on the waste line, most everything would be carried away as in your home. But I've yet to see an RV toilet location that would accomodate the tank on the back of the toilet. If this is not a problem, it would be great for the guy who's always got full hook ups.
ArdraF
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- Feb 12, 2006
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I'm going to be the devil's advocate here. Let's play "what if". What if you go to all the trouble (and expense) of changing to a residential toilet. What if something then happens and you have to move in, just for this example, four months? What if you either move to a place that does not have a sewer connection or you have to sell the RV? In the first instance it seems you'd be stuck with a high-water-volume product when you need water conservation. In the second instance, you'd be selling a "pig in a poke" which no one else might want because they want to use the RV differently than you. In this example it seems like you'd be creating an unnecessarily negative situation. Life has a funny way of not going the way we expect!
We have one of the RV porcelain toilets and really like it. There's a circuit board in the back tank part and with a switch we can adjust the water volume to high, medium, or low. I appreciate the fact that you want to minimize hassles like dumping because you work hard and want to spend your free time doing other things. But it seems like using a reasonable amount of water and pulling that slider once a week or so might be easier and probably less expensive than what you're proposing.
ArdraF
We have one of the RV porcelain toilets and really like it. There's a circuit board in the back tank part and with a switch we can adjust the water volume to high, medium, or low. I appreciate the fact that you want to minimize hassles like dumping because you work hard and want to spend your free time doing other things. But it seems like using a reasonable amount of water and pulling that slider once a week or so might be easier and probably less expensive than what you're proposing.
ArdraF
catblaster
Well-known member
Have you measured up the stall yet? I know that there is not enough room in our RV for a residential toilet and that more than likely is the case with yours so If you are not willing to chop up the floor then the install is null.
bmf24
Well-known member
i know the area where this guy is and he would have no problem selling the rv right where is sits. There is almost no housing out there cause ofd the oil boom so even rv's are getting hard to find and have a place to park.
If you did the toilet, i would pull the black tank all together and plumb all the drains to a main drain so it all goes straight down the pipe into the sewer, just like a house. Worst case, you can always put the black tank back in and re-plumb it.
Of course, as mentioned above, you would have to make sure the rough in would work.
I think i remember reading those fema trailers were plumbed to be hooked up to permanent sewer, no holding tanks.
Good luck what ever you do.
If you did the toilet, i would pull the black tank all together and plumb all the drains to a main drain so it all goes straight down the pipe into the sewer, just like a house. Worst case, you can always put the black tank back in and re-plumb it.
Of course, as mentioned above, you would have to make sure the rough in would work.
I think i remember reading those fema trailers were plumbed to be hooked up to permanent sewer, no holding tanks.
Good luck what ever you do.
Mopar1973Man
Well-known member
(Scratching my head)
I think its being over thought personally. If your already hooked to full hook ups all you need to do is weekly dumping most likely. I can start my black tank with a 5 gallon bucket of fresh water. Then use it for the week and then just pull the knife valve. Most here will tell you different ways to tell if the tank is near full. But to re-plumb the RV, tank removal, black tank bypass, installing normal flush toilet, etc. I personally think its being over thought and end results will devalue the RV in the long haul.
I think its being over thought personally. If your already hooked to full hook ups all you need to do is weekly dumping most likely. I can start my black tank with a 5 gallon bucket of fresh water. Then use it for the week and then just pull the knife valve. Most here will tell you different ways to tell if the tank is near full. But to re-plumb the RV, tank removal, black tank bypass, installing normal flush toilet, etc. I personally think its being over thought and end results will devalue the RV in the long haul.
colbrew
Member
If you have room in the bathroom it can be done. You would have to bypass the tank as others have said. If you truly want a direct hook up I would run it the same as a mobil home using actual black plumbing pipe. long term this would be better has smooth sides inside the pipe less chance of clogging a drain tube if you use this. Also the black plumbing pipe u use from the trailer to the dump would not have to be glued the fittings are tight enough and not under pressure. This would allow easy disconnect if you move the trailer. You would even be able to hook the sinks and showers to this.
