Guest Roger Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 Here are 2 wannabee motorhomers, hoping to buy their first van next year. Like most, we are already poring over the numerous layouts available, but it seems to me that the vast majority of manufacturers are in favour of thoughtfully putting the toilet area right adjacent to the area of the bedhead. Forgive me if I am being over-sensitive, but the associated sound effects surely cannot be much fun if one or the other partner wishes to 'go' in the night? Can anyone tell me how good is the soundproofing between the walls? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clive Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 Motorhomes, very much like caravans have a sandwich construction with a middle layer of insulation for the outside walls, roof and floor. This gived both good thermal and acoustic insulation. Howver internal walls do not normally have any insulation in them at all. Having the toilet adjacent to the main bedroom is considered by most of us to be an advantage. After all if you get a call at some unearthly hour you don,t want to travel far with your eyes closed do you? If on the other hand you have a full familly with you then perhaps having a more centrally positioned toilet may be advantageous. If this concern of yours is a real one then perhaps you should stick to using the "facilities" provided on the camp site. The other alternative is to stick to Hotels or B&B establishments where real walls seperate the facilities from the bedrooms. Over sensitive? well er-- if camping?? Yes. As far as sound effects go, I would admit that on the odd occasion having tried to convince myself that I was still asleep I have burst out into laughter to my wife,s expense following such sound effects. But that,s the joy of camping! Motorhomes are "Roughing it Smoothly". Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Derek Uzzell Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 I guess you are referring to the popular motorhome layout that has a longitudinal 'permanent' rear bed with the toilet-room alongside. In such cases the wall between sleeping and toilet areas provides no effective soundproofing - in fact it almost certainly provides a 'sounding board' amplifying effect. If bathroom-emanating noises are something that you seriously think are going to spoil your motorcaravanning enjoyment, then you should take avoiding action when looking for suitable motorhomes. There are layouts that locate the bathroom well away from the sleeping area (eg. where the bed is above, or lowers into, the cab and the toilet is at the very rear of the motorhome). I've never seen this issue raised before and I suspect it's something that, when people choose 'vans, is either recognised and discounted as unimportant, or overlooked at the time and subsequently tolerated or ignored. Having just switched from a motorhome with a 'remote' bathroom to one with a lavvie-by-bedhead layout, I admit to noticing the night-time noises you mention. Can't say it bovvers me though - much rather hear a noisy fart inside than a noisy generator outside. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clive Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 Very succint Derek! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest David Powell Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 How about a toilet tent under the wind out awning??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest David Powell Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 Perhaps Clive can do another mod: on his PONGO??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest David Powell Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 Perhaps Clive can do another mod: on his PONGO??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Georgina Posted November 13, 2005 Share Posted November 13, 2005 Learn to play a mouth-organ, loudly... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Derek Uzzell Posted November 14, 2005 Share Posted November 14, 2005 I subsequently discussed this issue with my wife who suggested the following simple counter-measures a) ear-plugs, b) barbiturates, c) heavy pre-bedtime boozing or d) fitting a bedside radio that you switch on the moment you realise your sleeping partner is heading loo-wards. More technical solutions considered were for each sleeper to wear noise-cancelling headphones or (as David Powell suggests) to exploit the activating micro-switch on SOG-type toilet ventilation systems. But we couldn't decide whether this should trigger a 'white noise' generator (as used in military interrogations), cause music to be played (if so, what sort?) or reproduce the sound of natural phenomena (high winds, waves on a beach, hail on the van's roof, etc.) Unless motorcaravanners were particularly touchy about bathroom noises, we felt that an automatic 'micro-switch activated' arrangement should also include an external light sensor to inactivate the system during daylight hours. We wondered about the possible merits of a vice versa set-up integrated into a motorhome's anti-theft system. An attempt at unauthorised entry to the vehicle would cause recorded bathroom noises to be played at high volume through interior and exterior speakers. We felt this would be so disconcerting and embarrassing that any self-respecting criminal would immediately be deterred (either that or they'd be laughing so much they'd have to give up breaking in!) Just a thought for anyone seeking to develop a useful new niche-market leisure-related product... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Norma Posted November 14, 2005 Share Posted November 14, 2005 Dometic say only 12% of toilets are used in the vans in this country, perhaps you are not alone in this thought. Why not hire a van first and see how you cope! Ooh - and don't park next to us - due to major surgery you may hear my husband when he gets up at night to use the said convenience. And we have very well insulated van! Derek - what about e) Incontinence pants? The 1812 might cover hubby's sound effects! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest martin Posted November 14, 2005 Share Posted November 14, 2005 I'm unclear - do you mean the embarrasment of seizmic farts or the low wailing groans? I recommend stabilisers to dampen the rhythmic swaying of husband and wife doing what comes naturally, and to emplore the Caravan Club to prohibit such things as excretion, sex and generators in anti social hours, less than twenty feet apart and without regulation fire bucket to hand... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Derek Uzzell Posted November 14, 2005 Share Posted November 14, 2005 Norma: That's an interesting statistic. I wonder how many people participated in the survey and I presume it covered caravans as well as motorhomes. If 'leisure' WC usage in the UK is so small it's odd that Dometic bother to market their strange whooshy vacuum toilet. (Incidentally, this is reported to be fitted with a quieter electric pump for 2006.) Might be interesting to know if any forum member will admit to never using their motorhome's toilet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Mel B Posted November 14, 2005 Share Posted November 14, 2005 It's not the noise that would worry me, it's the 'smell' tha would be waiting to waft it's way up my nostrel a minute or 2 later!!! Especially if noise effects were accompanying the natural 'performance' in the little theatre!!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Clive Posted November 14, 2005 Share Posted November 14, 2005 Ah Ha, That brings us back to PONGO! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Stewart Posted November 14, 2005 Share Posted November 14, 2005 "Might be interesting to know if any forum member will admit to never using their motorhome's toilet" I carry (German style) a *spare* cassette ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest David Powell Posted November 15, 2005 Share Posted November 15, 2005 What's all this then with two cassettes Ian?..........His & hers??? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Bill H Posted November 15, 2005 Share Posted November 15, 2005 An appropreate name applicable for the said M/home when discussing our toys to friends could be 'The Mobile Thunderbox'. When my van arrives it will have a bed each end, the one who gets out most will sleep that end. Modify the nuisance enclosure by sticking egg boxes all round, perhaps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Peter Lawton-Harris Posted November 16, 2005 Share Posted November 16, 2005 Its time this conversation got out of the toilet. just where is it going? Thank God I don't have this problem I wont have a partner and I certainly didn't plan that any of my nine kids would ever come along. a motor home is to get away from them. Peter Lawton-Harris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest annie Posted November 16, 2005 Share Posted November 16, 2005 We are spoiled these days. We recall when we had an elevating roof panel van, shared by 3 women, and a "porta-potty" which pulled out of the cupboard and sat in the middle of the floor for all to see and hear! We tried to avoid any farting. Happy days! Annie Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Norma Posted November 16, 2005 Share Posted November 16, 2005 My parents hired caravans when we were kids. If Dad needed the thunderbox it was placed in the middle of the van, as he didn't fit in the supplied 'cupboard'. We were sent out for a walk - usually a very long walk! Thank goodness those days are over. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Ian Stewart Posted November 16, 2005 Share Posted November 16, 2005 David Powell aked, "What's all this then with two cassettes Ian?..........His & hers??? " Now that hadn't occured to me. Excuse me dear but your loo is full ! Our first year with a motorhome and have been using Stellplatze quite a bit and will probably increase that usage next year. I've been pretty close to a full tank and reckon the back-up is a "comfort zone" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest David Powell Posted November 16, 2005 Share Posted November 16, 2005 Good thinking Ian...but joking aside we have two old caravanning friends who have a toilet tent as well as the "bog standard" inside loo. She uses the inside one...He has to use the tent, day and night, rain and shine...sorry Dave but we all know about it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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