Are beds waterproof?

[alexvk2]

Have a new 14 44 5 -- am a bit confused over the mods to protect the bed -- question is : will the bed get wet in rain without the various covers used by owners? - and if so, what is the simplest solution. Have only spent one dry night in Holbrook on the way back to Sydney after picking up the new Panda from Albury.
Also -- never having used the toilet - what is best proceedure and chemical - is Napisan type product OK?
thanks

 

[TheExpandables]

Hey @alexvk2, I'd definitely go for the storm covers. We used them at Chrissy with a couple of rainy days and they worked a charm. Another recommendation I'd make is to pop a couple of mattress protectors / toppers on the beds too.

Can't comment on the dunny, we've got a portable one. One thing I will say about our portable dunny is that the daily emptying from our two little tackers is bloody crook, I've seen things no man should.

 

[Dobbie]

Hi.
Bed is fine in most weather but you need to be careful to keep the canvas away from the mattress. In really solid rain and wind you might need a storm cover (but we never had to use them even though we carried them). Most important is to keep the canvas and mattress apart.....and close the windows, of course.

Toilet use ...napisan or Aldi, Woolworths, Coles generic alternative is far far better and cheaper than the Thetford.

Make sure toilet and cassette are clean and empty, fill the sight gauge with water, replace cassette, add a litre of water to the bowl, then a capful of the napisan stuff and let it slosh. Best done just before you drive away from dump point but can be done by mixing the napisan with the water in a container then adding to the bowl.

The chemical will degrade if left in for ages before you move or use the toilet so just add another capful when you first use it. If you happen to get a pong add another capful.

Best emptied every two days, depending on use. If longer the extra capful of napisan will help but not for too long.

Keep an eye on the sight gauge (in the cassette hatch) and the gauge on the toilet itself and refill the gauge and empty the cassette when necessary. Don't wing it, hoping you'll last another day, it's not a great experience to deal with one that's over full.

Keep the toilet seals libricated with olive oil.

Check online for a list of dump points...we use Wikicamps for this....and enjoy the luxury of having an onboard bog.

You'll get used to the checking, emptying, etc procedure in no time.

If you don't have the Thetford manual, instructions, it's available online.

 

[Bellbirdweb]

Hi there @alexvk2, the bed ends are like any other canvas tent waterproof, however there are some issues with canvas and water weeping through the fabric.

Something that the dealers don't seem to do is to advise new owners to "season" the canvas properly.

This is usually done by thoroughly wetting down the canvas from the outside, paying particular attention to the seams where they are stitched.

This process ensures that the cotton swells properly, and closes up the small holes created by the needles when stitching the seams, and closes the small gaps in the weave of the fabric.

This will pretty much waterproof the bed ends, however, canvas has a problem with wicking when things touch the sides, allowing water to seep through, and of course, what touches the sides of the canvas? the mattress.

Jayco have tried to address this by putting vinyl on the bottom section of the canvas, however its almost impossible to stop the mattress, doona or sheets touching above the vinyl, and as a result they can get wet in heavy rain.

As others have said above, the storm covers stop this problem by creating an added layer of canvas which does not touch the inner layer, and as such waterproof's them.

 

[bigcol]

Something that the dealers don't seem to do is to advise new owners to "season" the canvas properly.

This is usually done by thoroughly wetting down the canvas from the outside, paying particular attention to the seams where they are stitched.

This process ensures that the cotton swells properly, and closes up the small holes created by the needles when stitching the seams, and closes the small gaps in the weave of the fabric.

This will pretty much waterproof the bed ends, however, canvas has a problem with wicking when things touch the sides, allowing water to seep through, and of course, what touches the sides of the canvas? the mattress.

Jayco have tried to address this by putting vinyl on the bottom section of the canvas, however its almost impossible to stop the mattress, doona or sheets touching above the vinyl, and as a result they can get wet in heavy rain.

I was going to start typing away about Seasoning the Canvas of the bed ends, then read @Bellbirdweb beat me to it

as the man said, season the canvas first - it will last alot longer if you do
then add the bed end covers if your staying somewhere longer than 2 day (what we do anyway)

the "Black" mesh privacy screens are a standard fitting, and they are great for what they are, but not as good as the Covers

 

[chartrock]

Good advice from those above but I think, if yours is a new van, it won't have a sight gauge as the later model Thetfords don't have a separate water tank, they pump from the main tank. But definitely, Napisan or a generic brand is the way to go.

 

[alexvk2]

thanks guys -- really appreciate having this brilliant forum!

 

[Doc]

Personally, I prefer the Thetford blue sachets. Easy to use, last for several days without the need to add further 'doses' after each 'use', and breaks down the waste quickly, efficiently. No mess (single dose sachets in soluble 'envelopes'). (I don't use many (any??) dump points connected to a septic system - if I did, I would use the thetford 'green' sachets)

I do not recommend other brands of chemical as I have found many of them to be less efficient. I have consistently, over many years, found the thetford chemicals to break down solids, breakup paper (no 'glugs').

At full retail price, they are $40 for a pack of 15 (and I can't ever recall paying full price for them - usually buy a couple of packets on special for ~$25 a packet). Full price works out to around 2 1/2 dollars per full cassette - discounted price works out to around a buck and a half. I think after spending 70 grand on a new van I can afford those few dollars every few days

 

[bigcol]

I think after spending 70 grand on a new van I can afford those few dollars every few days

Capitalist

 

[Doc]

Capitalist

Hey! I resemble that comment!



Admittedly, human poo and wee are two things that really don't concern me to deal with (within reason). As "'The Dalai-Lama' of Waste Management" once said: "I don't know what all the fuss is about, it's 80% water and we've got chemicals to take care of the remaining 20."


Now....should one of our dogs vomit, I am liable to go out in sympathy. Or should the cat litter tray require cleaning, I would be found retching and gagging while completely unable to function!

LOL

 

[Dobbie]

Personally, I prefer the Thetford blue sachets. Easy to use, last for several days without the need to add further 'doses' after each 'use', and breaks down the waste quickly, efficiently. No mess (single dose sachets in soluble 'envelopes'). (I don't use many (any??) dump points connected to a septic system - if I did, I would use the thetford 'green' sachets)

I do not recommend other brands of chemical as I have found many of them to be less efficient. I have consistently, over many years, found the thetford chemicals to break down solids, breakup paper (no 'glugs').

At full retail price, they are $40 for a pack of 15 (and I can't ever recall paying full price for them - usually buy a couple of packets on special for ~$25 a packet). Full price works out to around 2 1/2 dollars per full cassette - discounted price works out to around a buck and a half. I think after spending 70 grand on a new van I can afford those few dollars every few days

In relation to Thetford v napisan generic, our decision was not based on price but on functionality.

At times...not often...we have to empty our cassette into the tank at home and we are very fussy and careful with our septic system. Having really checked this out with those who service septic systems, there's a lot of misinformation out there about what can and what can't go into the system and some caravan parks now require info on what chemicals you use before allowing you to use the dump point.....Cania Gorge CP is one of these. They allow Napisan but not the Thetford chemicals.

Also, many people assume a biocycle system is a septic system. It's not, so that can create some confusion. All new installations for houses without town water in our local gov area are required to install a biocycle which works on a different principal and has to be serviced every six months with a report to council. The septic systems just do their aerobic and anaerobic thing and require no service but you don't muck around with them.

As ours is a septic system .....as with many older caravan parks....we won't even contemplate the Thetford stuff. The green bottle went to the dump and the pink smelly one we use to colour the sight tank.

Not trying to defend our choice but simply explaining the ins and outs of our decision......and it's a hell of a lot cheaper as well and is one less thing to fall over and leak.