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Charles Coushaine, Punta Gorda, Florida
Plastic to Ceramic Toilet Upgrade
2022 Ford F-550
2012 Chalet DS116RB
On our last RV camping trip, our 12-year-old plastic toilet sprang a leak. To continue the trip, we pinched off the water feed line with vice grips. When we got home, I replaced the old all-plastic RV toilet with a new ceramic bowl-style toilet with increased height and added a shut-off valve.
Discussing our leaking toilet with friends garnered one piece of advice–upgrade to a ceramic bowl to allow for a better cleaner toilet experience. To that end, we purchased a new Thetford Aqua-Magic Style II toilet.
It had the desired ceramic bowl, but was considered a hybrid toilet because the bowl was supported by a plastic pedestal to help reduce weight.
Above: The 12-year-old plastic toilet
Although our 12-year-old toilet could have been repaired, it not only needed new parts for the feed line, but also needed a new bowl seal to make it work properly. Given its age, getting a new upgraded toilet seemed to be the right thing to do.
After turning off the water, and releasing the pressure in the lines, removing the old toilet was quite easy. I just disconnected the water feed line, removed the two hold-down nuts at the bottom, and lifted out the old toilet.
Putting in the new toilet was a little more work. The new toilet required a 90-degree connection.
I also wanted to add a shut-off valve just in case I had a leak in the future. A simple trip to the hardware store got these parts and I put together the feed line quite easily. Then it was added to the water supply line in the camper.
The seal was added to the bottom of the new toilet and it bolted back to the floor with the same hardware as the old toilet. I then attached the new right-angle water supply line, turned on the water, and checked for leaks.
The video below shows how this was installed.
So far this mod has worked out great! The new ceramic bowl toilet is about two inches higher than the old one which allows for easier sitting. Also, the ceramic bowl is much more slippery than the older plastic bowl so things don’t stick and make the entire operation much cleaner. The extra benefit is that I now have a shut-off valve just in case I need it in the future.
Above: The new Thetford Aqua-Magic Style II toilet installed
It took me three hours to complete this modification and cost me $225. In my opinion, the skill level of this modification is medium.
Disclaimer: The modifications above are submitted by Truck Camper Magazine readers. It is your responsibility to make sure that any do-it-yourself modification project you undertake is safe, effective, and legal for your situation.
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