A potty question

[Pale Rider]

I have a serious question about toilets.

There are two in my static caravan, both basic white flush toilets with a low level cistern, fed from the mains.

Problem is the water level in the bottom of the pan goes down when left for a while.

This has only started happening in the last year or two.

The toilets function correctly in other respects.

Lowering water level is no problem during the season when one is in and out of the van regularly.

But shut down time is approaching when the caravan will be left for weeks at a time.

If the pan level drops below the start of the U-bend, foul air gets into the caravan - not very nice.

A lesser risk, but still present, is Roland can get through an empty U-bend more easily than one full of water.

Any comments - even serious ones - welcome.

 

[Archie_tect]

Just get a 100mm diameter flexible rubber stopper to fit into the pan bowl.

 

[Pale Rider]

Just get a 100mm diameter flexible rubber stopper to fit into the pan bowl.

Good thought.

I was thinking about the old party trick of clingfilm, but that would be far from vermin proof were I that unlucky.

 

[Beebo]

you can try to adjust the ballcock so that it is on a low trickle or drip, that way the pan will always be full of water.

 

[Globalti]

Fill the pan with concrete and go behind a wall with an entrenching tool like any self-respecting outdoorsman?

Seriously though, if there isn't a tiny crack in the porcelain, why not try floating a thin layer of light oil on the surface to prevent evaporation? Obviously detergent-based cleaners or rim blocks will break up the oil film.

 

[Pale Rider]

you can try to adjust the ballcock so that it is on a low trickle or drip, that way the pan will always be full of water.

Freezing temperatures are the great winter enemy of static caravan owners.

The water is disconnected and the cistern mopped out at shut down time.

You could mop out the pan, but that is deemed to be a bad idea due to foul air and rodent ingress.

If it freezes hard, the pan can crack - I've seen one split in two pieces.

So what you do is slosh in some car washer bottle antifreeze, so there's still water in the pan, but it won't freeze.

 

[raleighnut]

Or Salt

 

[Markymark]

Go to a hotel instead. This also has the benefit of not having to be in a caravan.

 

[Globalti]

Ethylene glycol (antifreeze) is volatile so will evaporate slowly.

So what about lying a film of plastic on top of the water or over the bowl, as suggested above?

 

[Pale Rider]

Go to a hotel instead. This also has the benefit of not having to be in a caravan.

That's a point of view, but the thread is about the caravan when I am not there.

 

[Pale Rider]

Ethylene glycol (antifreeze) is volatile so will evaporate slowly.

Yes, I don't like using car radiator anti-freeze because it's not the sort of stuff I like to flush down the drain.

Car washer bottle detergent might not be a lot more environmentally friendly, but at least it smells nice.

On the topic of evaporation, I call into the caravan every few weeks during shut down to top up the solution in the toilet pans.

 

[Drago]

The modern silicate free car coolant is supposed to be biodegradable.

 

[Archie_tect]

Or even more low tech, get a big rubber toilet plunger and use that to plug the the pan hole while it's not being used- easily removed and it's useful to have in case of, er, blockages.... + it's environmentally friendly and easy to fit/remove.

 

[Fnaar]

(There now follows a musical interlude)

 

[Markymark]

That's a point of view, but the thread is about the caravan when I am not there.

Then just stay away. Again, an excellent choice as it means you never go to a caravan as well as fixing the problem.