# More toilet talk - SOG



## UFO (Jul 30, 2020)

In order to keep cassette emptying to a minimum we have done the following
1. We start with 1.5 litres of water and 120ml of toilet chemical.
2. From soon after we bought the van 11 years ago we did not use the water flush as we found it was not very effective at cleaning the bowl and the flush filled the cassette with water. We find a manual clean works better.
3. More recently I have been using a pee bottle, so no male urine going into the cassette.
The cassette now lasts 6 nights, it could possibly go for 7 nights.

Towards the end there is some odour so I am looking at fitting a SOG.  Also I like that there is no need to chemicals, which makes more disposal points available.

Some questions for fellow Wildcampers with personal experience of SOG.
1. What are the main benefits of a SOG.  It's not cost saving as for the SOG price of £174.50 you can buy a lot of chemicals.
2. The cassette door on our Adria Twin PVC is hinged at the bottom. The installation videos show a side hinged door.  Any observations re fitting with a bottom hinged door?
3. I read that 'the contents of the cassette are decomposed more than without SOG', but also that the oduur increases the longer it is not emptied, also a strong odour when emptying.  How long do people go between emptying?

thanks for sharing


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## SquirrellCook (Jul 30, 2020)

Would not a cheaper option to be, putting a small 12 volt fan in the floor between your toilet and the door.  Even a very small fan should be able to pull out any nasty niffs.  You shouldn't be able to hear the fan and it shouldn't consume much electric.


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## trevskoda (Jul 30, 2020)

Dont use toilet chems,but use bio wash tabs instead,where on earth do you do with bottles of wee you have collected.


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## Scotia (Jul 30, 2020)

trevskoda said:


> Dont use toilet chems,but use bio wash tabs instead,where on earth do you do with bottles of wee you have collected.


Just what i was thinking, have noticed lots of half empty juice bottles lying on the verge in the past.


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## Bigshug (Jul 30, 2020)

My experience of sogs was tent camping beside a motorhome with a sog, it was obvious to everyone that the filter was nor working, it was not a nice experience.


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## in h (Jul 30, 2020)

The fan in my SOG had lost several blades before I bought the van. Then it started vibrating and that made more blades fall off, then the fan kept falling off the spindle. Just a push fit that had worked loose.
So I looked at the price of a replacement. It was a joke. For less than a twentieth of the money I bought two small computer fans of different designs. 
I used one as a replacement and it has been fine for about seven years now, I think. 
The other fan languished in an odds-and-ends box until a year or two ago, when it entered service as an internal fan in the fridge, to keep air moving when it is very full.
The carbon filters should be cleaned and/or replaced regularly, but the price is another joke. You can buy exactly the same thing for fish tank filters at about 5% of the price.
There's nothing wrong with a SOG, but you're buying stuff that looks like it came from a pound shop.


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## Drover (Jul 30, 2020)

We have a sog,  wish I had fitted a roof vent and not one in the door..
Carbon filters dont last long but I can put up with the smell...


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## witzend (Jul 30, 2020)

Bigshug said:


> My experience of sogs was tent camping beside a motorhome with a sog, it was obvious to everyone that the filter was nor working, it was not a nice experience.


Just the same as I've experienced parked next to one terrible the filters are expensive and user's don't change them often enough or try some inferior product


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## SquirrellCook (Jul 30, 2020)

Sounds like hooray for for social distancing.


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## Fazerloz (Jul 30, 2020)

They are simply the Devil's own invention designed to torment everyone but the user. Even new the filters do not stop the stench.


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## colinm (Jul 30, 2020)

UFO said:


> In order to keep cassette emptying to a minimum we have done the following
> 1. We start with 1.5 litres of water and 120ml of toilet chemical.
> 2. From soon after we bought the van 11 years ago we did not use the water flush as we found it was not very effective at cleaning the bowl and the flush filled the cassette with water. We find a manual clean works better.
> 3. More recently I have been using a pee bottle, so no male urine going into the cassette.
> The cassette now lasts 6 nights, it could possibly go for 7 nights.



With the lack of liquid going into the cassette do you need a ice-cream scoop to empty it.


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## martinmartin (Jul 30, 2020)

UFO said:


> In order to keep cassette emptying to a minimum we have done the following
> 1. We start with 1.5 litres of water and 120ml of toilet chemical.
> 2. From soon after we bought the van 11 years ago we did not use the water flush as we found it was not very effective at cleaning the bowl and the flush filled the cassette with water. We find a manual clean works better.
> 3. More recently I have been using a pee bottle, so no male urine going into the cassette.
> ...


In point 1 replace toilet chemical with a couple of biodegradable tablets.         In point 2 using a spray of Rainx prior to a blunderbuss type sh1te will let the flusher see it off.                                         In point 3 l completely agree with you.   Have you also thought about buying a spare cassette enabling you to last longer between empties.


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## Floydster (Jul 30, 2020)

colinmd said:


> With the lack of liquid going into the cassette do you need a ice-cream scoop to empty it.



You just squeeze it out like toothpaste....


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## in h (Jul 30, 2020)

Why would anyone put water into the toilet? It fills fast enough without! One sachet of laundry stuff. In hot weather, a second sachet at the end of day two.


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## TeamRienza (Jul 30, 2020)

£18 for a replacement carbon filter for the Thetford version of the sog. Ours vents under the van and after 4 years I don’t notice a bad odour, and we don’t use any chemicals at all. 
But then my wife says ladies only fart rose petals and poo bars of soap!! Perhaps that helps?

Davy


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## in h (Jul 31, 2020)

Quite: A carbon filter that size for a fish tank is much less than £1


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## UFO (Jul 31, 2020)

trevskoda said:


> where on earth do you do with bottles of wee you have collected.



Urine has a role in the earth's nitrogen cycle. In balanced ecosystems, urine fertilizes the soil and thus helps plants to grow. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Urine


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## Tezza33 (Jul 31, 2020)

trevskoda said:


> ,where on earth do you do with bottles of wee you have collected.


He pours them down the toilet


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## SquirrellCook (Jul 31, 2020)

My father was told to save his urine so he could drink it later!  Apparently he had some tablets to add to it first.


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## Drover (Jul 31, 2020)

SquirrellCook said:


> My father was told to save his urine so he could drink it later!  Apparently he had some tablets to add to it first.


Wrong site me thinks,,, you should be on the SAS training schedule day3.


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## barge1914 (Jul 31, 2020)

UFO said:


> In order to keep cassette emptying to a minimum we have done the following
> 1. We start with 1.5 litres of water and 120ml of toilet chemical.
> 2. From soon after we bought the van 11 years ago we did not use the water flush as we found it was not very effective at cleaning the bowl and the flush filled the cassette with water. We find a manual clean works better.
> 3. More recently I have been using a pee bottle, so no male urine going into the cassette.
> ...


Ours went 4 days lat week before swapping cassettes. No whiff inside the van


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## Fazerloz (Jul 31, 2020)

Everybody knows shit stinks yet it seems all SOG owners deny this. Just because you can't smell it inside your van doesnt mean others can't smell it outside.


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## in h (Aug 1, 2020)

Fazerloz said:


> Everybody knows shit stinks yet it seems all SOG owners deny this. Just because you can't smell it inside your van doesnt mean others can't smell it outside.


Everybody knows that the whole point is that the sog fan is only running when you are using the toilet. 99.9% of the time it isn't running.


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## Fazerloz (Aug 1, 2020)

in h said:


> Everybody knows that the whole point is that the sog fan is only running when you are using the toilet. 99.9% of the time it isn't running.


Yes and when you go to the toilet everyone else in the vicinity has to smell it. So what's your point, it's ok to stink folk out a few times a day.


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## in h (Aug 1, 2020)

Fazerloz said:


> So what's your point, it's ok to stink folk out a few times a day.


Yes, why not? 
I have sometimes noticed the outlet vent from the SOG being a bit smelly. Usually there is very little smell. 
Far less offensive than a barbeque or someone smoking a cigarette. 
From time to time, when there is a pong, adding another laundry tab generally  fixes it.
When it starts letting smells out, I change the filter. I have a few spares.


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## TeamRienza (Aug 1, 2020)

I think, on balance, it is perhaps better that a sog fan takes the smell outside where it can quickly dissipate rather than have it hang around in the enclosed space of the van for a varied amount of time linked to past diet.
“Better out than in” as a friend used to say when he indiscriminately broke wind when it suited him.

Davy


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## Fazerloz (Aug 1, 2020)

in h said:


> Yes, why not?


That pretty much says everything. I'm all right Jack  fck the rest. I wonder why Joe public don't want us anywhere near.


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## in h (Aug 1, 2020)

Fazerloz said:


> That pretty much says everything. I'm all right Jack  fck the rest. I wonder why Joe public don't want us anywhere near.


Yes, you can guarantee that somebody will indeed partially quote a comment and misrepresent the meaning. 
Frankly, if people are near enough to smell it, they are indeed too near.


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## Fazerloz (Aug 1, 2020)

in h said:


> Yes, you can guarantee that somebody will indeed partially quote a comment and misrepresent the meaning.
> Frankly, if people are near enough to smell it, they are indeed too near.


It isn't a misrepresentation at all. I asked a simple question "So what's your point, it's ok to stink folk out a few times a day."
You answered "  Yes, why not " . the rest which is irrelevant to the question was  you trying to justify it by comparing to BBQs and cigarettes, Then go on to say they do pong and what you do to try and stop the pong.


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## SquirrellCook (Aug 1, 2020)

The sense of smell is a funny thing,  to smell something you actually absorb some of it into your body!


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## kensowerby (Aug 1, 2020)

I have smelt a lot of smells  since I started smelling smells but i have never smellt a smell that smells as bad as that smell smells


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## korky (Aug 1, 2020)

My experience of a SOG


in h said:


> Yes, you can guarantee that somebody will indeed partially quote a comment and misrepresent the meaning.
> Frankly, if people are near enough to smell it, they are indeed too near.


"Too near" is a bit subjective. I was on a stellplatz on the dockside in Hamburg where when busy you are parked cheek by jowl.It was very hot,so all windows open.The van next door had a SOG,I was heaving.


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## Tezza33 (Aug 2, 2020)

TeamRienza said:


> I think, on balance, it is perhaps better that a sog fan takes the smell outside where it can quickly dissipate rather than have it hang around in the enclosed space of the van for a varied amount of time linked to past diet.


I have no sense of smell and neither has my wife, we took our granddaughter on holiday to France and on the first night she asked what the smell was, as soon as we knew I bought a SOG, I was thinking about all the times we had people sitting inside with us and we were oblivious to any odours, I am quite happy if someone doesn't like SOGs to park away from me, I didn't fit it to upset or offend anyone, if either of us could detect odours we wouldn't have had to buy one, it seems to me we have to have somebody else's approval on here to do anything


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## ChrissieG (Aug 2, 2020)

Scotia said:


> Just what i was thinking, have noticed lots of half empty juice bottles lying on the verge in the past.


Maybe being thick but what are bio wash tablets?


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## trevskoda (Aug 2, 2020)

We lumps of bio wash powder,just bought 36 box of them on ebay for 6 bucks.


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## nomis64 (Aug 2, 2020)

SOG Meanings | What Does SOG Stand For? / Page 8
					

What does SOG abbreviation stand for?  List of 190 best SOG meaning forms based on popularity. Most common SOG abbreviation full forms updated in July 2021. List page number 8




					www.allacronyms.com


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## Scotia (Aug 2, 2020)

trevskoda said:


> We lumps of bio wash powder,just bought 36 box of them on ebay for 6 bucks.


But how much does the shipping cost from the states?


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## mfw (Aug 2, 2020)

Think if you want a sog best option has to be a roof vent - underfloor or in side of vehicle it can smell unless you change the carbon filter yearly ( i think ) which a lot of people dont bother doing


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## Mick H (Aug 2, 2020)

Every time that the SOG issue, is debated, there is much misinformation. It seems, that, you either love them, or hate them.
I've fitted them, to our last two motorhomes, and have been using them for over 20 yrs, now.  In my experience, they work fine, with NO problems, as long as the filters are changed, as required.
Also, regarding using soap tablets. etc, in a cassette toilet, they DON'T have to be bio, any washing tablet will do. It's the "soapiness", that does the trick.
Even washing up liquid, will work.


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## Dave H (Aug 2, 2020)

UFO said:


> In order to keep cassette emptying to a minimum we have done the following
> 1. We start with 1.5 litres of water and 120ml of toilet chemical.
> 2. From soon after we bought the van 11 years ago we did not use the water flush as we found it was not very effective at cleaning the bowl and the flush filled the cassette with water. We find a manual clean works better.
> 3. More recently I have been using a pee bottle, so no male urine going into the cassette.
> ...


Hi we had a 57 plate Adria Twin van from new until March with a SOG fitted, no problem with the door hinge just leave a little longer air hose and let it coil to the right of the tank as you close the door.
Dave


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## korky (Aug 2, 2020)

Tezza33 said:


> I have no sense of smell and neither has my wife, we took our granddaughter on holiday to France and on the first night she asked what the smell was, as soon as we knew I bought a SOG, I was thinking about all the times we had people sitting inside with us and we were oblivious to any odours, I am quite happy if someone doesn't like SOGs to park away from me, I didn't fit it to upset or offend anyone, if either of us could detect odours we wouldn't have had to buy one, it seems to me we have to have somebody else's approval on here to do anything


I was merely pointing out that in some circumstances like it or not we have to park close to each other and if the filter is not changed regularly,as I guess was the case in my experience,yes they stink.Not saying people should not fit them,maybe  just a little more consideration for others?


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## Dreamcatchers (Aug 2, 2020)

UFO said:


> In order to keep cassette emptying to a minimum we have done the following
> 1. We start with 1.5 litres of water and 120ml of toilet chemical.
> 2. From soon after we bought the van 11 years ago we did not use the water flush as we found it was not very effective at cleaning the bowl and the flush filled the cassette with water. We find a manual clean works better.
> 3. More recently I have been using a pee bottle, so no male urine going into the cassette.
> ...



Good Morning UFO, I've have just installed a SOG system with the outlet through the roof and we find it very good, there is no smells in the living area and we can't smell it outside our motorhome as it goes out at the top of the motorhome and away it goes. expensive but worth the money for piece of mind.


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## SquirrellCook (Aug 2, 2020)

I really do wonder what one the earth some people do.  (it's not that my **** doesn't stink, I know it does.
I've been using chemical toilets for over 30 years.  Our current vehicle has the toilet below the bed in our wet room.
If you don't close the hatch you soon know it.
Even in our 608 with a small shower/toilet room there was not a problem.  The the floor and roof had ventilation which is just good building practice. 
I'm sure the practice of not using the correct chemicals has a lot to do with it.  To many try too hard to save money.  It sounds very much like leaving your rubbish at the site you just stopped at.


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## Jaguar (Aug 2, 2020)

I bought one at the Campsite shop in Armacao de Pere in January this year, paid 165 Euros and fitted it myself. Works a treat, I don't use chemicals and wish I'd bought one sooner, but I've noted the tip about fish tank filters. When/if I get 'tenting' neighbours, I will ask them and let you know.
Re the bottom hinged door, is there room to fit the fan unit in the floor or the 'van body? Or fit as shown and use a longer hose and you will have to modify the preassembled wiring loom.
Re 'pong', that is reduced to nil, well almost following a good curry. I still flush, so emptying frequency remains the same.
Re other fan options, the fan needs to pull air through the cassette to work as intended.


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## badgerdid (Aug 2, 2020)

When I bought my mh it had a sog system and the cassette was well horrible, I now use these chemicals and they smell great.  https://camperlife.uk/product/lavender-lemongrass-multi-scented-toilet-blue/


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## shaunr68 (Aug 4, 2020)

Mick H said:


> Also, regarding using soap tablets. etc, in a cassette toilet, they DON'T have to be bio, any washing tablet will do. It's the "soapiness", that does the trick.
> Even washing up liquid, will work.


That's interesting, never tried non-bio.  I always thought it was the biological action magic trickery that broke down the solids.  WIll try non bio as an experiment. 

All this toilet talk reminds me....
"Mum, can I lick the bowl"
"No, flush it like everyone else"


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## barge1914 (Aug 4, 2020)

Dave H said:


> Hi we had a 57 plate Adria Twin van from new until March with a SOG fitted, no problem with the door hinge just leave a little longer air hose and let it coil to the right of the tank as you close the door.
> Dave


Word of warning. With the type for a swivel toilet that connects to the cap make sure the pipe is tucked away upwards, because downwards and on a steep hill the contents can slosh into the pipe and symphony out through the door vent...doesnt do the fan any good at all...or the poor b———-r who has to clean it up!


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## antiquesam (Aug 4, 2020)

On a sobering note. There seems to be a world shortage of Lidl bio sachets. I've been in three so far and the shelf was bare. In desperation. I've had to buy concentrated bio liquid. I do hope I don't get a lot of bubbles


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## korky (Aug 4, 2020)

Mick H said:


> Every time that the SOG issue, is debated, there is much misinformation. It seems, that, you either love them, or hate them.
> I've fitted them, to our last two motorhomes, and have been using them for over 20 yrs, now.  In my experience, they work fine, with NO problems, as long as the filters are changed, as required.
> Also, regarding using soap tablets. etc, in a cassette toilet, they DON'T have to be bio, any washing tablet will do. It's the "soapiness", that does the trick.
> Even washing up liquid, will work.


Totally agree,it's a popular misconception that Bio is better.I have tried both and no difference at all,it is the detergent action that is important.Don't use Bio in the washing machine at home either, why put enzymes into our rivers?They could have no effect but I prefer not to.


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## spigot (Aug 4, 2020)

SOG is an acronym for:-

           “Smell Our Guanosine”


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## Deleted member 71915 (Aug 5, 2020)

SquirrellCook said:


> My father was told to save his urine so he could drink it later!  Apparently he had some tablets to add to it first.


Sell it to the local tannery.thats where the saying he's got a pot to piss comes from


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## kensowerby (Aug 5, 2020)

I don't  buy the proper sog filters as they are a rip off, B&Q cooker hood filter cut to the correct size, 5 layers will do the trick, change at regular intervals no problem 
SOG also have other uses, we had a not very nice German came and parked next to us, a proper  head and as his door was in line with the sog I took the filter out, wicked


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## Val54 (Aug 5, 2020)

Mick H said:


> Every time that the SOG issue, is debated, there is much misinformation. It seems, that, you either love them, or hate them.
> I've fitted them, to our last two motorhomes, and have been using them for over 20 yrs, now.  In my experience, they work fine, with NO problems, as long as the filters are changed, as required.
> Also, regarding using soap tablets. etc, in a cassette toilet, they DON'T have to be bio, any washing tablet will do. It's the "soapiness", that does the trick.
> Even washing up liquid, will work.


That's fine as long as you are not discharging into a septic tank ..................


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## korky (Aug 5, 2020)

Val54 said:


> That's fine as long as you are not discharging into a septic tank ..................


Ordinary household detergents will be fine in a septic tank,after all that's where the washing up water goes to,or did on my last house.Bio does not stand for more environmentally friendly but biological washing action.


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## Val54 (Aug 5, 2020)

korky said:


> Ordinary household detergents will be fine in a septic tank,after all that's where the washing up water goes to,or did on my last house.Bio does not stand for more environmentally friendly but biological washing action.


Strictly speaking it should go to a soakaway .............


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## glenm (Aug 7, 2020)

had my SOG for years and love it no smell inside the motorhome, like the tip about the fish tank filters


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## Lefty (Aug 9, 2020)

UFO said:


> In order to keep cassette emptying to a minimum we have done the following
> 1. We start with 1.5 litres of water and 120ml of toilet chemical.
> 2. From soon after we bought the van 11 years ago we did not use the water flush as we found it was not very effective at cleaning the bowl and the flush filled the cassette with water. We find a manual clean works better.
> 3. More recently I have been using a pee bottle, so no male urine going into the cassette.
> ...


I have a sog on my Hymer, already fitted when I bought it. They start to suck air out as soon as you open the flap so less smell coming out the bowl which does help. Care has to be taken emptying as there is a hose connection on the spout.


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## mr. badolki (Aug 9, 2020)

SquirrellCook said:


> The sense of smell is a funny thing,  to smell something you actually absorb some of it into your body!


Indeed. It seems all odours are particulate.


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## Jude (Aug 9, 2020)

trevskoda said:


> Dont use toilet chems,but use bio wash tabs instead,where on earth do you do with bottles of wee you have collected.


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## Jude (Aug 9, 2020)

Bio wash tabs are good to use, or better still Aldi's green bottle of laundry liquid. Only a small amount needed, and toilet stays fresh and clean. I've used it for years.


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## Harrytherid (Aug 9, 2020)

I have a sensitive nose and have experienced the emptying of a SOG close by on two occasions.  What a disgusting stench.  I needed to evacuate rapidly.  I use 250 grammes of bio washing powder,  almost no smell and, I believe, environmentally OK


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## Tezza33 (Aug 9, 2020)

Harrytherid said:


> I have a sensitive nose and have experienced the emptying of a SOG close by on two occasions.  What a disgusting stench.  I needed to evacuate rapidly.  I use 250 grammes of bio washing powder,  almost no smell and, I believe, environmentally OK


Like a few others on here you assume because someone has a SOG they don't use anything in the toilet, I still use bio tabs, I change the filter regularly, when I empty mine it smells no different than anyone elses, the difference is it doesn't smell of anything inside my van, if you park next to me and you are offended please knock on the door and come in to enjoy a glass of wine in a smell free zone


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## Dee (Aug 10, 2020)

martinmartin said:


> In point 1 replace toilet chemical with a couple of biodegradable tablets.         In point 2 using a spray of Rainx prior to a blunderbuss type sh1te will let the flusher see it off.                                         In point 3 l completely agree with you.   Have you also thought about buying a spare cassette enabling you to last longer between empties.


We bought a spare cassette and store the full one in a plastic sack in the shower tray (shower not used, so ideal storage space for all sorts)


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## TeamRienza (Aug 10, 2020)

I do hope your spare cassette never spills or you really will be caught in a shitshower. 

Davy


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