Clive_Adams Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 Guys firstly apologies as i am sure that this topic will have been done to death, but I can't find the answer to my questions. I have after many years caravanning and motor homing aspired to the dizzy height of having a motorhome with a factory fitted roof vented SOG unit, I still use chemicals (green) but have noticed that I am now getting increased limescale deposits and associated smells, which I have never experienced before. Is this due to the fact I am still using chemicals or is it because of the SOG unit and increased Oxygen or a combination of both. many thanks in advance for any explanations Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 There are plenty of on-line comments about ‘scale’ being deposited on the interior surfaces of toilet cassettes, but I don’t recall the particular phenomenon you mention ever being discussed. My current motorhome has a SOG system, as did its predecessor (bought new in 2005). I’ve never used toilet chemicals and scale does (and did) form on the cassette’s interior. I’ve never considered the amount to be excessive, but I do employ a citric acid solution annually to remove (most of) the scale. Received wisdom seems to be that a SOG system being used without chemicals may be more prone to scale formation in the cassette. I’m aware that some owners of motorhomes with a SOG system continue to use toilet chemicals, but I don’t see why a SOG + chemicals combination should increase scale formation (in fact I would have thought the opposite would be likely) nor that a SOG system having a roof-vent would make any difference. If a lot of scale is forming and the toilet is really whiffy, all I can suggest is that you give the cassette’s interior a thorough cleaning. I use citric acid, but there are alternatives (including some said to prevent scale formation) https://tinyurl.com/yd7c2rty Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alanb Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 I do not have a SOG conversion to my Thetford cassette, but I have experienced lime scale build up. This was removed with tha aid of a proprietary lime scale remover. As regards SOG adaptions generally, they may be illegal if used without toilet fluid. When looking for something else recently, I came across the following. The Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986. "Clause 62 - (2) Every tank into which a closet or urinal with which a vehicle is equipped empties, and every closet or urinal which does not empty into a tank, shall contain chemicals which are non-inflammable and non-irritant and provide an efficient germicide." I cannot find any exemptions for motor caravans. Alan Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
witzend Posted November 30, 2018 Share Posted November 30, 2018 For many years now I've just used Lidl Formil washing liquid using measure from the cassette lid no Limescale after a few months use cheaper than other liquids made for the job and makes emptying easier Just been told it may come concentrated now so you'll have to experiment with measure Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive_Adams Posted December 1, 2018 Author Share Posted December 1, 2018 Derek thanks for that, the only other possible contributing fact this last season was the increase in ambient day and night time temperatures, especially in Europe where I spent most of the time. So with Cassette duly cleaned out with a branded deep cleaner for 24 hours, brushed and flushed and then another 24 hours with couple of "Calgon" tablets, all the seals cleaned and greased we are ready to go. I will be sacking the Branded Green stuff and heading over to one of those German supermarkets for bio washing liquid and a bag of dishwasher salt, Ill see if I do better this coming season Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolero boy Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 witzend - 2018-11-30 10:36 PM For many years now I've just used Lidl Formil washing liquid using measure from the cassette lid no Limescale after a few months use cheaper than other liquids made for the job and makes emptying easier Just been told it may come concentrated now so you'll have to experiment with measure agree with the above.... on our previous vans we did get limescale build up...if we filled the van with fresh water at home prior to leaving, it would be with the very hard water we have here in the south west... about two years ago, we were put into the Lidl/Aldi washing pods instead of toilet chemicals... it took about five Cycles, but slowly/surely the cassete got cleaner and cleaner and now is constantly pristine... we now have a German van (2nd one) with a roof vented SOG....we still use the washing pods (they are also very good at doing what chemicals are supposed to but without any Masy smell or chance of chemical spillage....and very cheap, too... we won't change back now....a great MHing tip.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ocsid Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 For 30 plus years we used Thetfords Blue then Green cassette chemicals and had the routine of task of a chemical hard deposit clean out each year. Then 3 or 4 years back we went to using liquid bio laundry stuff instead. Sainsburys or Waitrose depending on where we shopped when needed. One of the obvious advantages we found was the deposition of these deposits is almost non existent now, and the routine clean out was a thing of the past. I suspect the OPs issue is much more to do with the use of the green product than the SOG, though the latter might encourage longer holding times and if so that can't help, more wee more issue from it.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
vindiboy Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 I had a SOG in my previous van [ Hymer, ] it came with the van, it vented through the cassette door and had a Carbon filter in it, I was going to buy a new filter at a show one time as the SOG man was there, he said do not bother to get a new filter as they do very little, and he was an elderly Gentleman that attended the shows for many years, so I thought his advice sound, I never had any problems with the SOG system except on emptying as it stank very badly as I never added any chemicals to the cassette as per the instructions, I did get the usual build up of scale in the cassette as per the standard comments . My now van does not have a SOG and was a to do thing when I got around to it but after 3 years of not having one I am not now going to bother to fit one, as the system works well without it, I do however now use bio Laundry fluid instead of the Thetford stuff and find I now get NO scale build up at all and the cassette remains squeaky clean, I buy my fluid from Lidl .Asda .or the pound shops and it all works very well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brock Posted December 1, 2018 Share Posted December 1, 2018 Interesting to know whether biopods comply with the regulation identified by Alanb. I presume this regulation is there to protect other road users/authorities who have to deal with spillage issues whatever the cause. We stopped using biopods. They did keep the cassette free of scale and the Co-op brand had a lovely lavender smell. We find the liquids do a better job of masking the smell from urine. One of our LIDL biopods degraded when stored in the garage - heat? - and the release of liquid affected other biopods. We had to throw them all away. As for SOGs, as long it was working and used correctly, we never had any smalls in our last SOG equipped van. We only used Thetford chemicals to keep the toilet bowl clean - a soiled toilet bowl may be the cause of what Clive can smell. We had some scale build up at the higher reaches of the cassette but periodic use of Thetford's cassette cleaner, or biopods, cleared that away. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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