SOG’s Cassette Toilet Ventilator Removes Foul Odors in RVs Without Additives

When it comes to today’s RV toilets, there’s no getting away from foul odors. Even our favorite portable RV toilet, the Thetford C402C cassette toilet, is prone to getting these nasty smells especially on hot summer days. The smell gets worse as the cassette fills up. Sure, deodorizers and other additives help, but eventually the unpleasant odors from the cassette will start encroaching inside your camper. Wouldn’t it be nice if there was a way to eliminate these odors, quickly and efficiently, or prevent them from happening altogether, without the need for tank additives? Fortunately, there is. SOG, a German-based company, produces a number of 12 volt ventilation kits for Thetford and Dometic Cassette Toilets that take care of this problem once and for all.

How the SOG ventilation system works is simple. Each time the dumping mechanism of the cassette toilet is activated, a microswitch activates a small 12 volt fan that extracts the odors from the cassette. The ventilation system not only creates suction at the valve opening, but also draws fresh air in, thereby acting like a seal to prevent any unpleasant odors from rising out of the tank. After each use, the fan switches off automatically, thus conserving battery power in the RV. Better yet, the fresh oxygen brought in by the SOG system not only helps eliminate odors, but also helps with the break down of the waste inside the cassette without the need for additives.

SOG produces ventilation kits for Thetford and Dometic Cassette toilets of all models including those found here in the United States and Canada like the Thetford C402C and C403L bench-style cassette toilets and Thetford C224 swivel-style cassette toilet. Three types of SOG systems are produced to accommodate campers of all makes and models including door, floor, and roof exhaust models. SOG’s product finder will help determine which SOG kit you should buy for your truck camper or van. If you’re thinking about buying this product, we highly recommend that you use the product finder. When in doubt, reach out to the company. SOG’s customer service rep speaks pretty good English.

Each SOG ventilation kit comes complete with everything you need to install the system in your truck camper or van. The installation instructions are well-written in eight languages, including English, French, and Spanish and comes with plenty of illustrations to make things easy. Every SOG kit comes with a small 12 volt fan, a micro switch, a filter housing, a charcoal filter, wiring, hoses, and the hardware needed to install the kit. Basic tools and material will need to be provided by the installer, including basic hand tools, silicone caulking, a power drill, and a 46mm (1.8 inch) hole saw. The typical installation takes about two hours.

Overall, our initial impressions of the SOG Cassette Toilet Ventilation System are very positive. In concept, the retrofit/modification is fairly easy, though it will take a bit of thought and planning before any holes are drilled and any hoses and wiring run. The positioning of the microswitch, which is attached using VHB tape, is also critical in order for the fan to properly operate. For us, the installation took about three hours. Your installation might take less time or more. Some study of the instructions and planning is needed before you can even start the installation.