OGO toilet install in Monaco LaPalma

[Sunsetsailor]

2004 LaPalma - I need to connect the OGO composting toilet to a 12V source, but this MH is very well made and therefore diffiult to peer inside the floors and walls to work with the innards. The toilet room is close to the battery room below. Would it be a mistake to attempt to reach the batteries directly by drilling through the floor, or up from the fibreglass-encased battery compartment?

Similar issue for the venting: how to access the tolet or black tank pipe rather than drilling through the unblemished side of the MH?

Anyone with experience dealing with these issues?

[l1v3fr33ord1]

Sunsetsailor-

Which 2004 LaPalma model? Your iRV2 user profile doesn't say. Depending on model, I may be able to offer suggestions.

You should add a "signature" to your profile. It contains whatever info you want; most people put info about their coach there, so they don't have to type it into each message. Instructions for adding a signature are here.

[Sunsetsailor]

Originally Posted by l1v3fr33ord1

Sunsetsailor-

You should add a "signature" to your profile.

Let's see if that clicks in. the vents emerge on either side of the toilet room hatch (circles and arrow). I would like to open the wall and tie into one of those vent pipes but fear making an unholy mess of things.

I also wonder whether I could tie the power into the light switch on the wall - although it is not evident how the switch casing can be opened up.

[l1v3fr33ord1]

Stephen-

OK- The vent pipes for both tanks appear to go through the toilet room. To make recommendations, I'd like to see pictures of the inside of the toilet room. Pictures should show all four walls. What I'm looking for is "covers" or the like for the vent pipes. Also, a picture of the wall outside the toilet room would be helpful.

Just asking- why do you want to access the vent pipes?

Another question: What is the max. current needed at 12V for the composting toilet?

Pictures of the toilet room interior that show the light switch and 120V electrical outlet (if any) locations are also valuable.

If you close the pocket door and open the pantry (both forward of the toilet room), can you get access to the forward toilet room wall?

Is the house battery bank immediately below the toilet room?

What's your reason for switching to a composting toilet?

[Sunsetsailor]

The layout does not provide for a pantry - fridge-pocket door - toilet room. pic 5
Pics of toilet room below - no indication of any access port.
pic of switch and plug below.
Reasons:
1. We will be largely off-grid without convenient access to pumpouts, so switching to the composting toilet.
2. toilet incorporates a 12V fan and powered mixer, 5 amp draw.

I will be installing rooftop solar and lithium house batteries. It looks like the toilet room is directly above, or just adjacently above, the battery hatch.

[Sunsetsailor]

Switch wall and exterior layout

[l1v3fr33ord1]

Stephen-

I may be incorrect, but I believe the vent pipes are behind the covers marked by the red arrows, below. You should be able to confirm at least one of those by removing the thermostat from the exterior wall, behind which you should see the black tank vent pipe. The grey tank vent should be in the aft, inside corner of the toilet room.

My coach had one vent in the rear corner (the black), with a similar cover, and one vent inside the wall al the front corner (the grey). I was able to remove the black tank vent cover and replace it without noticeable damage. For the grey tank vent pipe I cut a hole in the interior wall and made a nice-looking plate to go over the hole.

Based on the location of the light switch, I'd say you'd be best off bringing a new 12V line up from the battery box. There's probably a 12V bus bar there, which would give you a tie-in point. The black tank vent "shaft" would be my choice for routing the wire up behind the toilet. You could remove the cover, then fish the wire up through the floor. I'd consider a small, splash-resistant box with a 12V connector inside, then a short cable to connect to the toilet.

Should you uncover one or both of the grey and black vent tank floor penetrations you should stuff them with stainless steel wool after you're done, to prevent mice entry. I had mice get in by both those routes.

[Sunsetsailor]

Thanks Mark - helpful comments! I am considering using the same vent pipe pathway for the solar cabling to the battery room.

[Rocketman3]

Hello,

I just installed the Ogo into my 2000 Dynasty- here are a few pictures and a writeup.

https://www.irv2.com/forums/f115/com...ll-612435.html

I got the positive lead power from the light switch (so when I start the electrical stirring motor the light flickers). Next to my bathroom is the slide mechanism for the kitchen slide. I found a common wire there and ran it over by the other wire (there was no common wire in the light & fan switch).

For vent - my roof tank vents were on the other side of the rig - so I drilled a hole through the side and installed the shell vent that Ogo sells.




I even managed to hit the grey stripe 😀.

Good Luck

[Sunsetsailor]

Thanks Michael. Encouraging!
Q: was the wall cut-out pre-existing? Or did you make it? If so, how did you make the matching cover piece? I think that cutting a nice big opening like that would solve my issues, but I lack confidence in being able to restore the wall section esthetically.

Also - I wonder whether the base ring that extends above the floor can simply be removed.

[Rocketman3]

For the vent hole - the shell vent is on OGO’s website cost about $20 - it just came in a grey color - there are other vents availability from other companies- but that one worked well for me. I also needed a few inches of (I believe) 1-1/2 PVC Pipe that I got from the local hardware store. I had the hole saw (Milwaukee) in the right size.

As I was drilling the hole, I hoped I did not hit one of the metal supports. I didn’t. The interesting thing to me was my wall composition on my 2000 Dynasty. From inside out - wallpaper, 3/4” plywood, 1/4” of foam insulation, 3/4” plywood, outside fiberglass.

The PVC pushes onto the vent (which is caulked and screwed in) the the vent hose pushes onto the pvc - and that part is done.

As far as taking off the top of the toilet closet flange. I didn’t want to - it is glued to the pipes going into the black tank. I wanted to retain the ability to easily put back a RV toilet into the space. My old toilet was on a step, and below the step were plumbing pipes and heater vents, so I just covered the tile step with the plywood to raise the base to cover the toilet flange - and to give a good surface to screw the Ogo down.

The wall cutout was factory (pre- existing). That is where you access the slide stuff for the kitchen slide.

Good Luck with the project.

[Sunsetsailor]

Found the vent pipe! It was inside the beveled corner behind a panel that was easy to pry open. Now to figure out the electrical solution. (oops sideways)