Looking for recommendations for Porta Pottie with MSD
- Thread starter Project_Mayhem
- Start date
The 965 MSD arrived. It will be many weeks before it gets installed and used, so I can't give you a "real world" report on it, sadly. But in the meantime, I see nothing to complain about. It's a potty.
If there are any parts or features you'd like to see, I can post pics or video this weekend. I should probably fill up the water tank and leak test it anyway, just in case there is a problem. Wouldn't want to get past Amazon's return window.
We finally launched this weekend! Aside from a few minor engine issues everything went well
@Gene Neill - Is that new 965 still working well for you? I'm ready to replace mine
@Gene Neill - Is that new 965 still working well for you? I'm ready to replace mine
Haven't installed it yet. Wife had surgery on her spinal cord this week, so sailing season is officially over til fall.
I'm following up with a review after using the 965 for half a season. Much of this is in comparison to the last head I had. See earlier posts in this thread for model numbers
Pros
Pros
- It hasn't leaked even when very full
- Seat is more durable than my last one
- Easier to use for guests than the last one
- Fresh water tank lasts a long time
- Fresh water bellow leaks a bit. Most people dont notice
- The flush water only rinses a portion of the bowl. You end up with drops of dried urine unless you instruct everyone to pour extra water from a container
- Very little fresh water usage results in a higher waste to water ratio. Stinky!
Nice review! Thnx
I recently purchased one of those "camping" toilets that you line with a plastic bag and kitty litter for solids... and a hand held "urinal" for liquids.... this is for my stink pot boat... and for emergencies only. Most of the time I can motor to a place with a toilet...But it is easy and CLEAN. So it has got me thinking that when I finally decide on my next cruising sailboat, I will probably lean towards a composting toilet.
I will certainly start a new thread then to get feedback from users before I pull that trigger but... it does seem like a viable option.
What are you using for odor control? Noflex Digestor should take care of your odor issues. It certainly does in my Thetford 550p.
I quickly assembled a fresh/flush water distribution system and installed it in about 20 minutes. It worked surprisingly well. I used some 1/2" ID silicone tubing that I had laying around, a piece of scrap 14awg solid copper wire to help it hold its shape and a few zip ties. I took the tubing and folded the end over a few times and tip tied it shut. Then I inserted the piece of wire, cut a slit in the tubing every 2-3" and secured it to the nozzle with a zip tie. I didnt use a hose clamp as I was afraid it might corrode and seize in the future. To my surprise the perpendicular slits did not spray in some random direction but instead gently rinsed the bowl. The contraption is slightly longer than the inside of the bowl by about 3" and provides water flow just below the nozzle. It simply sits at the top of the bowl and is flexible enough for easy cleaning without detaching it. The only thing that I don't like about it, is the amount of pumps you have to do before water starts to come out. If I find the motivation to do some work on it I will reduce the size of tubing so it fills up faster. A check valve might resolve this issue if the residual water doesn't drain into the bowl.
It was reported by StingySailor that there is an issue with the bellow that you pump to get the fresh water into the bowl. Sure enough, mine started leaking within a month or two of using it. A bit of mold or mildew is growing around it. Didn't have time to take care of it today.
It was reported by StingySailor that there is an issue with the bellow that you pump to get the fresh water into the bowl. Sure enough, mine started leaking within a month or two of using it. A bit of mold or mildew is growing around it. Didn't have time to take care of it today.
I store at one of the yards on the South branch of the Chicago river that feature nearly 30 bridges that must be raised for sailboats to pass through one by one. It's a fun, but a somewhat nerve racking trip going through downtown and part of the industrial south side but there's no place to pump out at the end of the 5-6 hour journey. Thus, the head has some urine that sits in it over the winter. I was speaking with a friend that works at the yard and he recommended West Marine's ExterminOdor. I've been using it for the past couple years and have found that it works far better than Odorlos. Recently it seemed to not be working well. I thought, maybe this stuff expires? Nope! I just never read the instructions. Most head treatments dont require much more than a cap full. The bottle states that for portable heads, a half bottle should be used. Seems like a lot but it generally keeps the head from smelling all the way through the winter
It's plenty useful for the other stuff, which would smell up the boat well before a cruise was over.
At the end of a cruise I dump the head (3 miles offshore) and repeatedly rinse the potty. Then, back at the dock, I put a small amount of Noflex Digestor and water in the tank. Stays nice and fresh until the next trip and zero sludge in the lines. So it is quite useful, actually.
Some vinegar with a few drops of dawn followed by some vinegar with a little vegetable oil (dressing for your bowl
) should get most of the urine stains and deposits out. Since it is so cheap to make a gallon of this concoction... just rince often to keep deposits down. Full disclosure I have a MSD portapottie and not a plumbed head but I used to be a scout leader and have used the vinegar and detergent recipe on the bathroom urinals at camp with great results. I also have used vegetable oil to keep the moving parts of the portapottie moving well.
We're not allowed to use a macerator in the Great Lakes area. I removed mine when I had an issue with pump out lines leaking. Simply ripped out anything that was old. Now I'm thinking that it might've been useful for that once a year situation
Do you see any harm in using this concoction over the winter? Would my head permanently smell like vinegar?Some vinegar with a few drops of dawn followed by some vinegar with a little vegetable oil (dressing for your bowl
Full disclosure I have a MSD portapottie and not a plumbed head but I used to be a scout leader and have used the vinegar and detergent recipe on the bathroom urinals at camp with great results. I also have used vegetable oil to keep the moving parts of the portapottie moving well.
I don't have any first-hand experience with winterizing marine heads. But vinegar can freeze. I did have a foot pump for the sink in the galley freeze and bust... ever since that experience, I put some of the pink anti-freeze in my pumps. My best guess would be to run some anti-freeze through your head and then pump it out before winter.