derek pringle Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Hi All, away again in a few weeks for a 5 week jaunt around France but when we return I am considering fitting a sog unit to our Bessacarr 660 [2011 model] and was hoping for some tips/advice and pros and cons of doing so. I suppose like other people we go over the top with the toilet fluid and frequency of emptying etc. so figure this could be a wise investment as well as environmentally friendly. cheers derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest machra Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Online site is at http://www.soguk.co.uk/ with fitting instructions for the various toilets at: http://www.soguk.co.uk/the-shop/index.html Mine was fairly easy to fit, taking about 4 hours. In use I found that when not using toilet fluid found you had to empty every day to keep smells at bay!!!! Smell when emptying is a lot worse as there is no fluid smell to mask it. What I actually ended up doing was to still use some toilet fluid but not as much (I like the smell of toilet fluid, something psychological in that it must be clean if it smells of toilet fluid). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matrix Meanderer Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Hi Derek After weighing up all the issues we had a SOG unit installed recently. Previously we had tried all the additives from the dreaded 'Blue' to Aldi Bio wash tablets and even French septic tank powder. All clearly did their job but each had its own characteristic niff. Also the construction of our MH resulted in the niff permeating the MH when driving with either of the cab windows open. Something to do with aero dynamics I suppose. The SOG unit comes from Germany and we've been encouraged regulalry on aires and european sites to invest in what they install almost as standard. It's good German technology and it works. We had the SOG fitted by Chelstons as our toilet cassette is deeply recessed into the MH. You have to reach in a long way to pull the cassette out. I decided that fitting the microswitch that actions the fan in the precise position required was too much of an ask for me, it needed a long arm and a mirror to get it right. I also didn't have the hole cutter necessary for the door. Chelstons took just over an hour to do the complete job. Result is a perfect toilet function. Definitely no niff anywhere in the toilet or MH with windows closed or open. Brilliant! I think that the key feature that makes this happen is that the cassette is open to the outside air through the venting tube all the time. We also bought a spare cassette blanking plug as I'm bound to lose the one supplied eventually. No noticeable niff outside the van yet although it's probably been dissolved in the heavy rain! As for disposal I honestly don't think there is any difference. Poo is poo whatever state it's in :-D We wait until the cassette is full before emptying - doesn't seem to make any difference how full it is. So we are very pleased with the long term investment and will shortly be using 'real' toilet rolls when we finish off the expensive camping ones . Also no chemicals or tablets or powder - one less thing to carry and measure out. Hope these comments help. Presume you are aware that Outdoor Bits now hold the import franchise for SOG after the dear couple who we saw regularly at shows retired. They will also fit if you live anywhere near Exmouth. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 If your loo door is on the same side as the awning then its imperative that you have a roof vented SOG fitted. Believe me! Tried the basic system first!! C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kelly58 Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 On our last trip to Germany we stopped to replenish our tanks at a Stellplatz which was at a Sog Dealers / Showroom where they had all the different models on display including prices and also a fitting service as well. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Had in last camper and latest so 5 years use all in all. In all that time have never smelt anything..I think when people thing they are smelling toilet waste it is n fact grey waste, this is far more likely. The vent fan ONLY works when you open the trap *-) Better for the environment, no chemicals to handle of carry.....We will always have one Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted July 27, 2012 Share Posted July 27, 2012 Had one for 4 years, no smells in the van when using even after a curry. If you don't change the filter regularly usually once year you can get a strong ammonia whiff outside. A bit smellier when emptying. Don't have to worry about wasting chemicals when empting we often empty daily. Only problem we have had is the bracket holding the micro switch is fitted using a sticky pad and it fell off easy fix with a couple of self tappers. Filters much cheaper over the water put a couple in stock when over there, brought one in Belgium today on my way home from working in Brussels this week only 9.25€. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 The primary advantage of the SOG system is that (because it begins to produce lowered air- pressure within the toilet-cassette as soon the valve at the base of the toilet-bowl is opened) 'bathroom odours' are pretty much nil. However, if a simulated domestic toilet usage methodology is employed, where the toilet-bowl valve is kept closed and water is run into the toilet before use, with the toilet-bowl valve only being opened after use to empty the bowl, the SOG system will be ineffective odours-wise and you might as well save your money. Although optimal decomposition of toilet-waste is claimed for a SOG system, common sense should persuade you that air passing through the cassette when the SOG system is in use is most unlikely to be as effective as using purpose-designed chemicals. Also, as a SOG system tends to encourage more frequent cassette emptying because the cost of toilet chemicals is no longer an issue, waste will probably remain in the cassette for shorter periods, and the less time the waste is in the cassette, the less time it has to decompose. Let there be no doubt that, with no chemicals to mask the odour of human waste (unless, as I understand it, a person follows a strict Vegan diet), emptying a cassette that has been 'SOG-ed' will be significantly smellier than emptying one that's got toilet chemicals added. Received wisdom is that a SOGger should check the wind direction first and avoid emptying upwind of other campers (or in an enclosed space). If you have a sense of smell that might qualify you as a Master of Wine, then the exhaust from the SOG ventilator's outlet will be very noticeable. I can smell it easily and make sure that I close the Hobby's bathroom window before using the toilet. Whether the filter iis changed makes little difference for me: new filter or old, I've no trouble smelling the niff from the exhaust. (From Clive's cautionary advice regarding SOG systems venting beneath an awning, it seems I'm not unique.) It is important to follow the SOG installation instructions carefully as, if the filter becomes contaminated with waste, it definitely won't reduce odours. Ease of DIY fitting will depend on the model of Thetford toilet (the C400 looks a mite challenging), how the toilet is installed in the motorhome (Matrix Meanderer's was deeply recessed) and the DIYers abilities. It was relatively straightforward to fit a SOG system to my Hobby's Thetford C200 toilet, though I chose to lengthen the wiring provided in the SOG kit and (because I'm a neatness freak) the exercise took days not hours. You can buy a lot of traditional toilet chemicals for the cost of a SOG kit, so I'm not sure it's a genuine "investment". If the kit is to be professionally installed, or alternative waste-treatments are employed http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=23724&posts=16 then the financial paybaclk will be even less convincing. But not using any chemicals at all in the cassette should be environmentally friendly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek pringle Posted July 28, 2012 Author Share Posted July 28, 2012 Thanks again everyone for taking the time and trouble to pass on you advice/experiences.As we do empty our tank very regularly and never wait for the 'FULL' warning light then I am sure we will benefit from the fitting of a unit. Must say however the environmental benefit is attractive even if the exercise ends up investment neutral. cheers all derek Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 derek pringle - 2012-07-28 9:27 AM Thanks again everyone for taking the time and trouble to pass on you advice/experiences.As we do empty our tank very regularly and never wait for the 'FULL' warning light then I am sure we will benefit from the fitting of a unit. Must say however the environmental benefit is attractive even if the exercise ends up investment neutral. cheers all derek A well reasoned and sensible choice Derek...unlike your namesakes drivel :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matrix Meanderer Posted July 28, 2012 Share Posted July 28, 2012 Good choice - I think it's worth the investment to be niff free - how do you put a value on that ? :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 JudgeMental - 2012-07-28 10:01 AM derek pringle - 2012-07-28 9:27 AM Thanks again everyone for taking the time and trouble to pass on you advice/experiences.As we do empty our tank very regularly and never wait for the 'FULL' warning light then I am sure we will benefit from the fitting of a unit. Must say however the environmental benefit is attractive even if the exercise ends up investment neutral. cheers all derek A well reasoned and sensible choice Derek...unlike your namesakes drivel :-D Minutes 3.06 onwards... http://tinyurl.com/c8evmu Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
derek pringle Posted July 29, 2012 Author Share Posted July 29, 2012 enjoyed the funny clip Eddie, cheers derek thanks again all who responded Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted July 29, 2012 Share Posted July 29, 2012 derek pringle - 2012-07-29 12:33 PM enjoyed the funny clip Eddie, cheers derek thanks again all who responded Not mine Derek but your namesakes, no doubt trying to prove yet again (yawn) how awfully clever he is to his reflection in the mirror..... Haven't bothered looking to be honest :D I just wish we had an ignore button :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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