TP for Vaccuflush

[bobk]

Can any one reccommend a household brand of two ply TP for use in vaccuflush systems. I'm getting tired of West Marine prices.

Bob

 

[34Hatt]

Well Bob you can find a Wal mart and they have RV TP for some pretty low prices! Also have RV treatment stuff for lower prices also. Amazing take Marine off the label and its cheaper

 

[Pascal]

I use anything in my VFs, been doing that for years, no issue. Charmin is nice and soft, yet strong.
if you use thin TP, people use more of it anyway...

 

[bobk]

I use anything in my VFs, been doing that for years, no issue. Charmin is nice and soft, yet strong.
if you use thin TP, people use more of it anyway...

Pascal, I use Charmin at home but always thought it was too tough and slow to dissolve or disintegrate in a holding tank. I guess it pumps out OK?

Bob

 

[Genesis]

On Gigabite I ran the Scott "septic safe" stuff. A LOT cheaper than "RV specific" TP (or marine); never had a problem with it. Bought it at Wallyworld in the REGULAR TP section, not the RV one.

 

[MikeP]

They say that the "test" for safe marine head paper is to put a square of it in a jar of water and shake it. If the paper disintegrates, it's fine; if not, it isn't.

I don't recall what brand we use but it feels "normal," meets the disintegration test, and we buy it at the local grocery store.

In reality, with a decent macerator pump, it probably doesn't matter much. I think the concern with paper is more applied to the old days when marine heads were pumped manually by the user to discharge the waste.

 

[bobk]

They say that the "test" for safe marine head paper is to put a square of it in a jar of water and shake it. If the paper disintegrates, it's fine; if not, it isn't.

I don't recall what brand we use but it feels "normal," meets the disintegration test, and we buy it at the local grocery store.

In reality, with a decent macerator pump, it probably doesn't matter much. I think the concern with paper is more applied to the old days when marine heads were pumped manually by the user to discharge the waste.

Mike, no macerator on my VF system. It has to be sucked past four joker valves to the holding tank and then pumped back out of the holding tank through the deck plate. No overboard discharge on 'Chateau de Mer'. It was never plumbed for it, and with the large tank, I'm not inclined to add one.

Bob

Bob

 

[MikeP]

Oh...OK, I just assumed all heads used macerators somewhere in the system before it's pumped into the holding tank/overboard. Our oem GM heads, for example, don't have a macerator in the head itself; the macerator is remotely located. There's no macerator at all in a VF system?

 

[Sparky1]

I've used Vacuflush heads for over 20 years now and have never used marine toilet paper. The only macerator on any of the VF systems I've had was for direct overboard discharge only. Not a factor if you pump your holding tank.

 

[Pascal]

on a VF the macerating is done by the venturi at the bottom of the head. when "stuff" is sucked in at high speed by the vacum in the vac tank, the venturi effect breaks down paper and stuff... so by the time it gets to the duck bills and the bellow pump, it's already macerated.

 

[MikeP]

"... "stuff" is sucked in at high speed by the vacum in the vac tank, the venturi effect breaks down paper and stuff... "

I'm not sure I'm buying that there is enough venturi effect to actually do that even remotely close to what a macerator does but you guys are the VF experts!

 

[Sparky1]

"... "stuff" is sucked in at high speed by the vacum in the vac tank, the venturi effect breaks down paper and stuff... "

I'm not sure I'm buying that there is enough venturi effect to actually do that even remotely close to what a macerator does...

I would have to agree. You don't end up with pea soup by shooting a pea through a straw.

 

[fissioneng]

I talked to a Vacuflush service guy at one of the boat shows last year. He told me the two most frequent problems he encounters are:

1. Vacuum leaks
2. Toilet paper clogs from the use of too much paper - he said that if you use the RV/1 ply paper, if it does clog, it has a good chance of unclogging after waiting awhile. He said regular paper has glues and binders in it that don't dissolve well while the RV/1 ply stuff binders are very water soluble.

FWIW

 

[GJH]

We too use the Scott single ply in our VFs. We buy it in bulk at Sam's/Wmart or Costco. Cheapest stuff they sell. Marked in fine print on the label as "safe for septic and RV", but not marketed as "RV" . No problems in a year and a half of full time living aboard and any number of guests.
By the way, yes, you would get pea soup if you sucked hard enough on the right diameter straw.

 

[Jaxfishgyd]

A lot of boaters use the 1 ply "bio friendly" TP that you can buy at Publix. A LOT less than any marine or rv TP.
Course at the other end of the spectrum, we have one old couple who have done many many cruises and insist on never flushing TP for any reason. They put the used paper into zip lock bags that they toss into the dumpster when they stop at a marina...

 

[SKYCHENEY]

we have one old couple who have done many many cruises and insist on never flushing TP for any reason. They put the used paper into zip lock bags that they toss into the dumpster when they stop at a marina...

That sounds like fun. If they told me that, I think I might opt for the gunnel hunch instead.

 

[Sparky1]

We too use the Scott single ply in our VFs. We buy it in bulk at Sam's/Wmart or Costco. Cheapest stuff they sell. Marked in fine print on the label as "safe for septic and RV", but not marketed as "RV" . No problems in a year and a half of full time living aboard and any number of guests.
By the way, yes, you would get pea soup if you sucked hard enough on the right diameter straw.

I've yet to see waste hose diameters on VF's to be smaller than the "stuff" they suck into a holding tank. It's rather a moot point in terms of comparing that to a mascerator.

That point aside, unless you use massive amounts of TP and clog the thing, it won't matter if you use higher quality TP. The VF sucks it into the holding tank, and a pumping station sucks it out of the tank. No doubt you have to use twice as much single ply as double ply, so it would seem to be a draw in that respect. Outside that, the comfort and absorbency issues speak for themselves.

 

[Pascal]

usually, a VF can easily handle 8 to 10 sheets of Charmin per flush... that would be 15 to 20 sheets of single ply i guess...

a non issue.

 

[Captned]

"we have one old couple who have done many many cruises and insist on never flushing TP for any reason. They put the used paper into zip lock bags that they toss into the dumpster when they stop at a marina..."


Say what?

Captned
MBMM

 

[Angela]

Scott Tissue is perfect for marine heads. I NEVER buy "boat toilet paper." And never will. Wet your hands and try to pick up Scott Tissue whole or handle it in any real fashion....you can't because it falls apart instantly. It's great for the boat. I've been using it for years and never, never a problem...well, not from toilet paper anyway.