A solution ...

[Sinifar]

Two posts down a gent speaks to having to go to the head, badly, but no place to go. That is an embarrassment of the first class, and something you should have planned on - being commercial I can usually use the local facilities if I have to but there is another solution.

First off, I am an innovator - I do things which other do not think of - or worse would never do.

For over 35 years I have had some kind of RV - and most RVs have a marine toilet in them of some sort. Why don't you have on in your work truck?

PLAN when designing your work truck to put in a Marine Toilet. Not the full one but a Thetford self contained unit (Port-a-potty IV). Here is how you do it.

First design your steel shelving layout and leave about 2 feet off one end, usually the curb side, at the back. Now construct a small wooden "cabinet" to fit in there. you will need two sides to fit the van body, a floor, so this unit does not sit on the steel, and a back to hold the whole thing together. This will house the Thetford unit. You do not need a door, but some kind of cloth cover would be nice to "hide" the fact that you are carrying this unit. The unit has two parts, a top tank and a lower "black water": tank which comes off and can be taken into the house or office and emptied out.

YOU say you can't use it in freezing weather? Yes you can. Use windshield washer anti freeze as your flushing medium, that will also keep the black water from freezing.

I have two of those units down here in the office from our old trucks. SO Been there done that and solved my own problem.

To use your own portable john unit - just close up the van and go -- you are in the back and nobody will notice anything going on. If you feel funny, you can use an small blanket stretched across the aisle as a privacy screen like we did in the VW camper ages ago.

Unfortunately the 14 Transit Connect is way too small to stuff this in - otherwise I would have. if I ever get back into a full sized van - it is part of the normal interior up fit.

There are solutions to every problem if you think ahead, and have RV experience.

Just another "Running the Railroad" feature from an old timer...

Sinifar

[GWiens2001]

Great solution, Sinifar. It makes sense, if you have the space.

Perhaps a small spray can of something to cover the smell if you have to use it might be advisable.

Gordon

[billdeserthills]

Great solution, Sinifar. It makes sense, if you have the space.

Perhaps a small spray can of something to cover the smell if you have to use it might be advisable.

Gordon

OMG Gordon, you are gonna take all the funny out of it, with that can of spray...

I like to keep an empty quart bottle of gatorade in the back of my truck, but that only takes care of #1
For #2 emergencies I like to rely upon lots of sitting & scootching around, until something in the back end gets the
point, that nothing will be coming out until Later

[Big Jesse]

Two posts down a gent speaks to having to go to the head, badly, but no place to go. That is an embarrassment of the first class, and something you should have planned on - being commercial I can usually use the local facilities if I have to but there is another solution.

Sinifar

Your referring to my post undoubtedly. Thank you for the advice. But it wasnt my van. And after 3 tours to iraq and afghanistan, I can just about sh*t anywhere. But when fish tacos hit you while on a job, that you are not in control of, you have no choice but to "seek shelter elsewhere" lol. IF it was my van, I would have had a 5 gal bucket, with trash bags and even a legit toilet seat. The story was meant to be more funny, than problematic. Eitherway, thank you for the advice.

[Sinifar]

Nam 68 - 70 thru Tet .. been there done that - hope like Hades I never have to go into another hell hole like that ever again!

This is a problem for almost anyone, and since nobody had brought it up before, I did n't mention it. The story is, having a Coleman tent "pop up" for ages before we got into Class B motorhomes, 1990 VW Westy, and now a 2000 Roadtrek, having your own rest room, on board is a saving grace, especially since in a public or private campground, the public johns are just terrible, with the stuff kids mainly go in there and do -- the Family revolted when we got into the Coleman in 76, there was a place for a Thetford unit - so I put one in. Family quit complaining.

Fast forward - we were building our service trucks, #2 specifically, the 78, the green one if anyone remembers - and talking with the guys why not? So we did, it became a staple on our units. Not that it got used all THAT much, but BOY was it sure handy when needed. Also that cabinet was used to hang rain gear, and tool belts as well. Just inside the rear doors.

Just a few more notes to the story --

SOMEPLACE, deep around here is our 89 E250. The dark blue one with a fully tricked out everything. I got to find those photos one of these days, I have a few, but there is a full final construction set someplace -- deeply buried .,... Will try to find it.

Anyway - that unit was totally a shop on wheels, and we got almost 290,00 out of it, two transmissions, two engines, and finally the front end totally gave out. Body was good to go after 12 years, but .... miss that unit to this day.

Sinifar

[Big Jesse]

SOMEPLACE, deep around here is our 89 E250. The dark blue one with a fully tricked out everything. I got to find those photos one of these days, I have a few, but there is a full final construction set someplace -- deeply buried .,... Will try to find it.

Anyway - that unit was totally a shop on wheels, and we got almost 290,00 out of it, two transmissions, two engines, and finally the front end totally gave out. Body was good to go after 12 years, but .... miss that unit to this day.

Sinifar

Cant wait to see some pictures!

And thank you for your service to our country. I know what you had to go through, and because of men like you, my generation is being taken care of instead of spit on and hated. Thank you for doing all the hard work for us young veterans. War never gets any easier, the struggle never changes, but my life is much much easier with the benefits your generation fought for. So thank you!

[shutterstuff]

SOMEPLACE, deep around here is our 89 E250. The dark blue one with a fully tricked out everything. I got to find those photos one of these days, I have a few, but there is a full final construction set someplace -- deeply buried .,... Will try to find it.

Anyway - that unit was totally a shop on wheels, and we got almost 290,00 out of it, two transmissions, two engines, and finally the front end totally gave out. Body was good to go after 12 years, but .... miss that unit to this day.

Sinifar

I love looking at van setups! I get good ideas for my own that way. My current van is a downsized setup I saw in a mid size van by searching Google Images. I must have downloaded 30 or 40 images to finally come up with what I have now (posted last summer in another thread).