Paul lives in his campervan most of the year, traveling around the country, seeing places, meeting people, and making the most of every day on his limited income. For a few months each year, he stays with friends and family, contributing to rent and expenses.
His self-contained campervan is small, falling into the category of vehicles like the Alford, Bongo, Serena, Odyssey, Elgrand, and others, with about 1.6 meters of vertical room inside. Before the advent of new regulations, he had been using a small porta-loo toilet. Given that New Zealand has toilets and stopping areas approximately every hour along major routes, the porta-loo wasn't used much, sparing him from significant costs associated with a more substantial toilet system.
Paul says, "I never took it seriously that these toilet regulations would make such a big difference until now. The clock is ticking, and I don't know how or where to arrange the NZD $2500 I've been quoted for installing a fixed toilet seat in my van. I'm not going to gain anything from it—instead, I will lose the space I need to sit, read, eat, or enjoy the rain or sun inside my campervan. I'm even wondering how I'll get into my campervan after the modification, as I'll only have about a 40cm gap left from the sides to enter, and I'm 5'9" tall. How am I going to get inside, to begin with?"
"I wish they could make my life a bit less miserable. But there’s nothing I can do, is there? I think I'm going to give up on my campervan if this is the case," Paul said, his voice filled with sadness as we spoke on the phone.
"A friend of mine saw a post about a smaller fixed toilet that claims to comply with the new regulations and is only about 320mm high. Is it vented as well? And how am I going to fit it in my van?"
"Paul, first of all, there's nothing to worry about. Rest assured, you won’t have to pay NZD $2500, and you won’t lose a single inch of space in your campervan. You won’t need to give up your campervan, which has been your home on wheels for a long time."
He responded skeptically, "Well, that sounds good, but they all say that, and things never happen, you know? How are you gonna do that?"
I reassured him before explaining everything over the phone to help reduce his stress and make him feel calmer. I cracked a few jokes, spent a good five minutes discussing regulations as we often do, and then provided him with the most cost-effective solution for having a fixed campervan toilet with a removable cassette in New Zealand.
"So, Paul, we have designed this fixed campervan toilet seat with a Removable cassette specifically for New Zealand’s campervan community. This bespoke solution addresses both the height and cost problems, saving New Zealanders, our valued tourist community, and fleet owners thousands and even millions of dollars."
"Okay, I got that, but how are you going to fit it? What does it look like? When can I have it, and what's the price?" Paul was calmer now, but his curiosity was growing with each question.
We all understand this panic and stress, as it’s not just Paul going through this—thousands of campers are trying to figure out a solution.
I further explained: "It is a 12L water tank fixed toilet with a 12L waste tank. The tank is vented and equipped with a 2-3 meter long opaque irrigation hose, which can be maneuvered anywhere in the campervan to find an exit point. The cassette is removed from the front, rather than from the back or other sides. It is only 320mm high, with a width of 400mm and a depth of 480mm. It is very lightweight, made with HDPE plastic, and can bear at least 150kg."
To install it, simply drill screws through the bottom casing directly onto the campervan floor or plywood. You can then slide it out from underneath a bed or into an available cavity in a suitable position, ensuring you have enough leg space when the bed is made. This might cost you about $5 for the screws or around $50-$80 for the sliding rail and plywood.
"And that’s it?" Paul asked. "Yup, that’s it."
"How much is this toilet, then?" "Only $600 including GST and free delivery, with a 10% pre-booking discount, bringing the total down to $540 for the end user."
"Any other discounts?" he asked. Of course, we did what we could. Some things are better left unsaid, as well as his response to it. 😊
"Do you have a name for it? What do you call it?" " BlackMOA™. We named it BlackMOA™, designed and trademarked in New Zealand."
"I like the name. Make sure no one copies your thing by being cheeky; people do that." I smiled and said, "Nope, they can’t. Our Patent filing is ready, and our purpose is to serve this community by providing comfort without any uncomfortable experiences."
"What else do you do?" asked Paul, laughing.