The problem I see here is if you have pitched up by a van with this, and your awning is facing the rear of their van, need I say more?
Dave

Charcoal filter! Problem is the waste will smell absolutely awful when emptying - and I don’t think I have ever noticed a bad smell from the loo with green fluid in use?

This is even better if you watch it with the sound off and sub-titles on.

Anyone with any experience of SOG or Thetford ventilation systems? Seems like a good idea to me

Its not when its in the tank that Im thinking of, its the transfer process into it, especially in a confined space.

Forced air extraction seems a good idea to me at least, just like my bathroom at home has:)

Open the window!
I'd worry about the fan noise at 3 in the morning. Often fans start out being very quiet but with time.....

Not very private when you’re close to neighbouring vans otherwise that’s what I’d be doing:)

Fans that get noisy over time is usually because they need cleaning:) - they collect dust on the leading edge/surface of the fan blades which imbalances them

this was fitted to one of our previous vans, didn't realise until reading this post it was for use without the blue added, we always used the blue and I think it did make a difference, the fan was very quiet and I think only worked when the toilet was in use, not as noisy as say a domestic fan you would have at home

The SOG and the Thetford systems are a bit different.

The idea of a SOG is for a fan to be running all the time and in theory taking any whiffs away. This seems based on the idea that toilet fluids don't do anything except act as a masking scent. Whether they do or they don't I couldn't say, not being a chemist. Whether they do actually waft the smells away, again, I couldn't say because I haven't used such a system. Whether the fan makes a noise, especially when quiet overnight, again I couldn't say.

I do have experience of the Thetford system however, having had it as standard in an Adria motorhome we owned. The fan used to run for a few minutes after the toilet had been flushed. The air around the cassette was supposedly sucked through a cardboard charcoal filter packet that resided in the hole under the cassette and then out under the van. AFAIK it was for use alongside Thetford toilet fluids, not as an alternative. Whether it made any practical difference I didn't notice but we reserve more serious matters to the site facilities, so didn't really test that meaningfully. I fairly rapidly came to the conclusion it was just Thetford's marketing dep't wizard idea to get more money out of punters, like the rip off ink cartridge scam by printer makers.

I have messaged SOG UK to ask if the fan runs constantly: I dont think it does. I think it only comes on when the slide valve is opened but Im not sure

My reserach has identified that the Thetford system only comes on and runs when the system is flushed (and as youve confirmed): this is not at all the function I require.

I require something to minimise odours before the flush is used since, since like a previous post, I dont have a problem with smells once the valve is closed and the lid lowered.

The science of aerating waste is well-proven and is used in sewage treatment plants across the world: however, this is a secondary benefit for me.

I'd plan to try the system without the green Elsan Organic that I use to see if it worked (satisfactorily): I understand the SOG system provides oxygen to the holding tank that isnt normally available without it - Im interested to understand how that oxygen is provided if the fan doesnt run constantly albeit if in trickle mode

Think Ive found the answer to my question on the SOG site:

"The underlying principle of SOG ventilation systems is the passing of oxygen over the surface of the waste, whether this is accelerated when the fan is in use or passively as pressure escapes from the cassette via the SOG piping system to the outside of your vehicle. This is the natural curing “oxidisation” process used by Sewerage Treatment plants."

Active oxygenation is when the pump runs when the toilet valve is opened: "passive" oxygenation is when the pump is not running but the ventilation pipework still provides content exposure to the air