The Thetford 35831 Electra Magic toilet is one of the newest toilets designed for RV, boat, and other vehicle use in the Thetford lineup. In fact, this toilet is so new that it doesn’t even appear on the website as of yet. Due to the newness of this product, this review is based on very limited information. But I’ll be as in-depth and honest about the product in this Thetford 35831 Electra Magic Toilet review.
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- Thetford 35831 Electra Magic Toilet
- Country of Origin: UNITED STATES
- Package Weight: 11.271 kilograms
- Package Dimension : 44.45 cms L x 50.8 cms W x 58.42 cms H
Last update on 2023-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Table of Contents
Overview of the Thertford 35831 Electra Magic Toilet
At first glance, the Thetford 35831 is a rather nice-looking toilet. It is squarish in shape and actually sits up on legs. Before installation, the toilet is incredibly lightweight weighing only about 5 pounds. It is also what one would refer to as a full-size toilet since this toilet stands about 20X17X20. One unique thing about this toilet is that it actually stands higher than your home toilet. Oddly enough, there seem to be no pictures of what the inside of this toilet looks like.
According to descriptions, this toilet has a large contoured seat. We could find no maximum user weight for this toilet so we have to assume that it will hold most adults.
The toilet has a 12 or 24-volt hookup and a push-button flush. It has a toiler capacity (temporary waste tank) of about 7 gallons. There is an easy-to-read level indicator to let you know when the temporary waste tank is getting full and needs to be emptied.
There is a screen that filters out solid waste so that only the treated liquid recirculates through the recycling pump. This screen helps prevent the system from clogging up.
This toilet needs to be mounted either to a holding tank or by a waste discharge line by an under toilet flush valve body. The flush valve body does not come with the toilet and must be purchased separately. Buying all of the extra necessary parts only adds to the already pretty steep price of the toilet. In addition, unless you can install the toilet yourself there will also be installation costs involved.
It also needs to be connected to some type of freshwater
system for refilling the holder tank once you empty the entire holding tank.
User Reviews
There is a sheer lack of user reviews for this Thetford toilet with only about 7 reviews currently and those reviews give very little information. However, even with so few reviews this toilet only rates a slightly above average score. We could not even find any professional reviews for this toilet.
Pros
With only generic reviews and not great ratings it is difficult to determine the pros of this toilet. We were able to come up with a few.
- Toilet sits at a good height
- Permanent toilet for those who are looking for one
- Saves on water
- Holds a few days waste before the temporary holding tank needs to be emptied
Cons
- Several users got toilets with assorted broken parts
- The Thetford 35831 does not come with all the necessary plumbing
- The toilet is expensive
- Some users may not like the idea of wastewater (even treated) being recycled to flush the toilet in an area that is quite small.
- Will have the added cost of the chemicals needed for the tank
- Will need to make frequent trips to a waste station to empty the small tank.
Verdict
Due to the lack of information on this toilet combined with the mediocre reviewers, this is not a toilet we can wholeheartedly recommend. While professional installers of RV bathrooms and toilets may have an innate understanding of how this toilet is set up and works the average person will need more information to determine if this toilet is something they want to invest in especially at the potential cost. Currently going by what little information is available it is clear that the cons far outweigh the benefits of purchasing this toilet
For those who need to replace the toilet in an older RV and who are on a limited budget, we suggest that a cassette toilet may be a better choice.
- Thetford 35831 Electra Magic Toilet
- Country of Origin: UNITED STATES
- Package Weight: 11.271 kilograms
- Package Dimension : 44.45 cms L x 50.8 cms W x 58.42 cms H
Last update on 2023-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Introduction to the Thetford Corporation
The Thetford Corporation is located in Ann Arbor Michigan and has been making products for RVs and boats and those who enjoy spending time in the outdoors since 1963. Today this company manufactures, sells, and distributes a number of products throughout the world. Permanent and portable toilets are just some of the products that Thetford Corporation makes and sells.
Many RV companies and camping enthusiasts know the name Thetford and trust this company when it comes to waste disposal systems.
Types of Toilets that Thetford Makes
Thetford makes several different types of toilets. These toilets include permanent RV toilets, cassette toilets, recirculating toilets, and portable toilets. The Thetford Electra Magic toilet is a recirculating toilet. Thetford also makes a variety of accessories and attachments to go with these toilets including plumping fixtures, biodegradable toilet paper, and chemicals for their chemical toilets.
What is the Difference Between a Portable, Cassette, and A Recirculating Toilet?
Many people don’t know the difference between the different types of toilets that Thetford sells. Here is a brief description of each type of toilet.
- A portable toilet is a toilet that can easily be moved from place to place. The types of portable toilets normally used by campers are small compact toilets that can easily be packed into the back of an automobile. Some portable toilets are little more than a frame or bucket with a bag and a seat. Others are more like your home toilet with a built-in waste tank that can be detached from the toilet seat and bowl and emptied in a park bathroom or at a waste station.
- A cassette toilet is a toilet that is permanently attached to your RV or boat with a portable waste tank called a cassette. There is an outside door on the vehicle from which you remove the waste tank and empty it in a bathroom, at a waste station, or at home. Cassette toilets are like a cross between a permanent toilet and a portable toilet in that you don’t need to empty the tank at a waste station.
- A recirculating toilet is normally a permanently installed toilet that has a storage tank for water and sewage. Chemicals are added to the tank that breaks down the solids and destroys bacteria. The water is then recirculated again and again. Eventually, the storage tank is emptied out into the proper place in the waste system. The Thetford 35831 Electra Magic toilet is a recirculating tank that does have a temporary storage tank that holds a small amount of waste until it is emptied into a larger waste tank or emptied through the waste discharge line. Information for this toilet states that you don’t need a holding tank, which is true you can simply install a discharge line. However, with just a discharge line you will need to drive your vehicle to the waste station more often in order to keep the toilet’s smallholding tank empty. If you have ever flown airplanes use recirculating toilets with holding tanks that are emptied once the plane lands.
Who Would Buy the Thetford 35831?
The Thetford 35831 is not for the casual car camper who is looking for a small portable toilet to put in their tent or a pop-up camper to use for those weekend camping trips. This toilet is designed for those manufacturers or companies that repair Rvs (or small boats) and are looking for toilets to install in the vehicle.
Individuals who are looking to replace an old toilet in the RV or other camping vehicle and already has a large holding tank or built-in discharge line may also want to purchase the Thetford 35831 as a replacement toilet.
Most people who want a toilet in the RV buy an RV with the toilet already installed. These people have no need for this toilet. Tent campers and those people who own pop-up campers won’t want to go to the trouble or the cost of installing this toilet. The lack of reviews for this toilet may be due in part to the fact that few people need to replace their current RV or boat permanent toilets.
- Thetford 35831 Electra Magic Toilet
- Country of Origin: UNITED STATES
- Package Weight: 11.271 kilograms
- Package Dimension : 44.45 cms L x 50.8 cms W x 58.42 cms H
Last update on 2023-09-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Conclusion
We would advise anyone who is considering buying the Thetford 35831 Electra Magic toilet to wait until there are more reviews and information readily available before purchasing this toilet. We are not saying that this toilet is not of good quality, we are simply saying that more information will be needed to determine if this toilet is worth the price.
