The Waste System
It's no one's favorite topic, but you must understand your van camper's waste system and manage it appropriately.
An Overview
Have you seen the Robin Williams movie RV? There's a scene where flushing the black tank goes horribly wrong. Let's avoid that.
Your van camper toilet will either flush to a traditional black tank (usually under the chassis) or a "cassette" accessed from the exterior. Both methods have their pros and cons and there are plenty of YouTube comparison videos.
Cassette vs. Black Tank
Well known YouTubers We're the Russos produced an informative video on the differences between a cassette toilet and a black tank, how to dump both, and which might be best for you.
Tank Chemicals
Tank chemicals, used in both black tanks and cassette toilets, break down waste, control odors, and help prevent clogs. They come in various forms, including liquid, powder, and tablet. Regular use of these chemicals is crucial to maintain a hygienic environment, reduce the risk of blockages, and make waste disposal easier and more efficient.
Macerator Pumps
Some higher end van campers, and all modern Roadtreks, have macerator pumps that grind the contents of black and gray tanks and pump them out. While these devices are mechanical and can fail, most people who have used a macerator VASTLY prefer it to "gravity dumping" by manually connecting a sewer hose.
To TP or not to TP?
Let's get something straight: the black tank level monitor that came in your van camper is mostly useless whether you use toilet paper or not. You'll need to find another way to monitor the tank level. With that out of the way, whether to use toilet paper or not is up to you. But my experience is that it totally dissolves and poses no problems even if you don't have a macerator pump.
