using bathroom while driving

[gumtrucker]

Hi there, not all that pleasant of a topic but I have a question.? We have a 1998 35ft class A winnebago adventurer, and on 2 occasions while using the bathroom while driving air was being forced up through the toilet while flushing.? When I brought the rv in to our local service dealer (also had trouble with the roof air) I was told that there was nothing wrong with it, the bathroom is not meant to be used while driving.? Prior to this rv we had a 1990 winnebago warrior class c for 5 years and I always used the bathroom while traveling and never had any trouble.? I called another local rv service center and was told by them that as long as the water pump was on and there was plenty of water in the fresh water tanks that you can absolutely use the bathroom while traveling.? There may not have been enough fresh water at the time of the 2 incidences but our service center didn't even mention this as a possibility.? My question--can the bathroom be used while traveling?? any comments would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Kenneth]

You might want to replace your roof vent with one of these  :

http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/rv-vents/roof-vents.htm

 

[Karl]

Not an uncommon problem, even while parked. Many vents are nothing more than a "tee" made of PVC, and when the wind blows in the wrong direction, air can be forced into the tank. There's another one on the market that swivels with the wind (kinda looks like a weathervane) and sucks the air out. Don't have a link for you, but you can Google it.

 

[John From Detroit]

I keep seeing the RV-360 Roof Vent, this is a swivel mounted vent designed to keep a vacumme on the vent pipe when in motion through the air (This means you, or the air, either one, can be moving)

Of course... When I saw the topice of this thread I was reminded of a comment I made to my 3rd party (I'm traveling in a group of 3) that they should make RV's (and some other vehicles) with special driver's seats..

Yes, the seat would be a combination driver's seat/toilet, so when you feel that urge.. You don't have to pull over
(Ok, stop smiling and wipe the coffee off your keyboard before it shorts out)

 

[Steve CDN]

our local service dealer .....I was told that there was nothing wrong with it, the bathroom is not meant to be used while driving.

Another good reason to avoid dealers!  That's the biggest line of hooey the dealer could have told you.  Everyone uses their motorhome toilet while in transit and the cause of black tank air being blown  into the coach is either from pressure from the black tank air vent, which can be solved by installing a T for that purpose as has been mentioned.  Another cause could be that if you had all the windows closed (which is they way they would be while driving) and the person using the toilet turned on the toilet exhaust fan, and flushed the toilet, the fan was drawing blank tank air from the open toilet. 

A solution is to slightly open a window while using the toilet in transit if the exhaust fan needs to be used.

 

[Kirk]

In addition to what Steve said, if you have one of the Max-Air vent covers and the vent is open, that will draw a low pressure inside of the coach and cause the air to come from the balck tank into the RV. It will also do the same from the gray thank through the sink drains if you do not close all of those.

 

[Ned]

Then again, it's unsafe to use the head while under way.  Pull off the road and stop first.

 

[Tom]

You could, instead, use the NASA solution for astronauts. There are 3 times when they cannot leave the seat - takeoff, landing and re-entry. At those times, they wear an oversized diaper.

 

[Steve CDN]

Then again, it's unsafe to use the head while under way.  Pull off the road and stop first.

This would especially apply to the driver!

 

[gumtrucker]

thanks to all for the responses!  We have ordered the rv 360 and hope it will help.  A note..the wife is the one who can't hold it on a 1300 mile trip to the Florida Keys as well as my 2 1/2 year old.  That's one of the reasons we bought the motor home!  Hope it works!! Thanks again for all the advice.

 

[John From Detroit]

thanks to all for the responses!  We have ordered the rv 360 and hope it will help.

Let us know how that RV-360 works out.. I find it, well, interesting, but without testmonials, not interesting enough to lay out my hard earned cash

 

[blueblood]

My first thought when seeing the subject of this thread - was oh no! another guy who didn't know and is suing ; or is asking if one  can leave the rv on cruise control and go to bathroom. What ever happened to that lawsuit againt Winnebago ??? or was it an Urban Legend ?

 

[Ned]

Urban legend, Leo ? See http://www.snopes.com/legal/lawsuits.asp and http://www.snopes.com/autos/techno/cruise.asp

 

[Scoundrel]

I don't suppose we have any legitimate reviews regarding the RV-360 vent?

The idea sounds good. I have yet to go on any lengthy trips with our RV but I have nightmares about the black water take fumes filling the coach. I remember quite clearly what happened when my wife and I rented a house boat. Good God we had to spend nearly the entire two weeks outside because the fumes would make everyone sick.....

If anyone actually uses one of the RV-360's or something similar please chime in.... 

 

[Ron]

IMHO waste of money since we have never felt the need for any.  Unless you are using Formaldehyde products in your waste tanks you shouldn't need these things.  We use no chemicals on our tanks and have never had a problem. 

 

[fredethomas]

We use the bathroom in our Class A all the time while moving.  Sure we get some odor for a few minutes but it is not bad.  We never have used any chemicals in the tanks in 12 years.

 

[gumtrucker]

just a reply about the rv 360- we just returned from our annual 1300 mile trip from PA to Key West-the RV 360 worked great, no problems with black water fumes and not a single problem with using bathroom while traveling-we are very happy with the purchase-also a note very easy to install!

 

[Steve CDN]

Thanks for the update and glad to hear the accessory worked!

 

[pmscas]

Why couldn't one simply install a sanitary wye fitting on top with the angle towards the back?  It would cause a vacuum on the black tank while moving and also promote ventilation during any air movement.

 

[John From Detroit]

The problem is with the occasion where you have a tail wind, that vacuum might become a pressure

The RV-360 and it's competitors adjusts for that, automatically