Shake Test

BO

bobsals

Senior Member
Joined
Mar 4, 2004
Posts
271
I know there has been discussion here on the shake test for toilet paper. I have seen some that like Angel Soft. Well, I did my own test this morning and the results were VERY surprising. I compared three different makes of paper. Hannaford's Home 360, Angel Soft, and Thetford Aqua Soft. I took three empty Aquafina water bottles and filled them half way with water. I dropped in one sheet of each paper into the bottles. The results:

The worst was the Angel Soft ! It was in the bottle for at least two hours and still would not dissolve. Some of it flaked off, but overall I had to rate it POOR.

Better was the Thetford Aqua Soft. It dissolved better than the Angel Soft, but even after two hours there were un-dissolved pieces.

The best was Hannaford's Home 360 two ply. It started dissolving only after a few minutes in the water without shaking. After two hours, it was just murky white water with particles floating around.

Bottom line, the Angel Soft and the Thetford will be coming in the house and I'll be restocking the Monty with Home 360.

Anyone else do their own tests and want to share results?
 
Just my opinion but I do not put a lot of trust in the "shake test" We have used about every brand of TP over the years and have never had a clog problem. We do see white T P flow past the clear elbow when dumping but we dump often and use a lot of water. I have as we speak a sheet of charman double ply.(I like double ply for obvious reasons) It had been in the water for about one hour and it is still a sheet of soggy TP suspended in water As I stir it around it comes apart a bit. We normally dump the black tank about every two or three days since we are at full hook ups and we flush well .We just have not had a issue doing and dumping like we do with both of our Montana's and the TT's before that so I think we will just keep on doing what we have been doing...
 
No, we haven't had a problem with clogging in the Monty. Just want to keep it that way. We too use a lot of water. Put about 3-4 gallons in the tank along with additive before leaving and let it slosh while on the road. We too have seen un-dissolved paper come through the clear elbow and just thought that was the norm since we were using Thetford. However, my feeling is, if there is a better product out there for probably even less money, why not use it. About 7 years ago in our old camper we had the dreaded "pile". Needless to say, once you deal with that, you learn from your mistakes. Better paper = better flow and less chance of a problem.
 
Yep, Scotts extra soft NEVER had problem for 10 years like everybody said use a lotta water when flushing stopped using that lame and expensive "RV only " stuff along time ago
 
I think a big key is using a lot of water. When using an RV, there's a tendency to stop the flush as soon as the contents leave the bowl. This guarantees not enough water has been used. We use a 5/10 count. 5 for number 1, and 10 or more with number two. For places where the water pressure is pretty low, these counts allow more water to enter the tank than not. The water helps prevent the undesirable pyramid that causes long term problems.

We use Scott tissue in the rig, two-ply or single-ply. At home we use Kirkland, but it's a 1.6 gallon flush and lots of agitation at home. It the rig, it mostly just drops into the tank and WE must provide the long flush per the count above since there is little agitation. We also use the tornado spray a lot to keep the black tank cleaner than not. I wish we had tornados in both grey tanks too, but have not bothered installing them.
 
the charmin TP I mentioned is still in the jar of water and is mush. We do normally use Scotts in the RV but this charman brand was handy here in the S&B. As long as it is suspended in water it is not going to be a problem. We did get to see the inside of out last black tank that split when it was being replaced and it was not pretty but no piles of anything. That was in the 2006 3400.
 
For the Montana we use POM from Sam's Club stores where we buy it by the large box, it states on the label that it is septic tank approved and RV recommended and it has worked well with no clogging or any other problems. That stuff is reasonably priced and fits our needs. We dump every 2 or 3 days, and do a double flush with a lot of water plus keep the flush lever down so the Blade Seal stays open a while for water to continue flowing. We also use the deodorant stuff in every tank. We never dry camped and have only stayed a few times where we had to use the CG dump station. There are small pieces of TP in the clear elbow when we dump if we do so every 1 or 2 days as in when we travel. This is our 2nd Monty and this TP brand and our pattern of use seems to be working well for us.
 
Family Dollar/Dollar General brands work well and are cheap. You do have to use more as they are pretty thin.
 
We usually use whatever is on sale. I try to fill the tank with water before I dump, and rinse good. I like the use of hot water
 
For years we tried every RV or septic paper out there in our boats. In a boat holding system you have to pump out the black and the hose can be pretty small and a long run depending on the type and make of vessel. Scott's RV (sold at Wal-Mart) has been the best for us. Good price, thick, and never an issue dumping.
 
quote:Originally posted by bobsals

".....The worst was the Angel Soft ! It was in the bottle for at least two hours and still would not dissolve. Some of it flaked off, but overall I had to rate it POOR.


.....Anyone else do their own tests and want to share results?....."
Click to expand...
AngelSoft used to disintegrate just sitting in water for a few minutes, .....that is, until they "improved" it about a year ago. For a while there when they were changing it over, it was a crap shoot (pun intended) as to whether you would get the good stuff, or the "new and improved" stuff that does not easily break down.
 
Recently We had a stuck Thetford Black Tank valve that wouldn't seal fully closed which in turn leaked, wasn't fun at all hooking up the drain hose with the line full on black tank water. I flushed with hose, filled tank several times with clean water and still couldn't get the valve to close. Dealer took the valve apart and Paper was the issue not allowing valve to seal. Reading this thread prompts me to make some changes in paper, drain / flushing practices.
 
quote:Originally posted by Bigsky3625RE

quote:Originally posted by DQDick

We use Scott's RV paper and seldom see any coming out the drain and then just tiny pieces. We get it by the case from Amazon, but I'm sure you can get smaller quantities elsewhere: http://www.amazon.com/Scott-Rapid-D...66632&sr=8-1&keywords=scott's+rv+toilet+paper
Click to expand...

Amazon shows it in stock......2 new and used!!?? Go with the new.......
Click to expand...

Oh, go with the used and let someone else take the depreciation! [:o)]
 
quote:Originally posted by Overlord

quote:Originally posted by bobsals

".....The worst was the Angel Soft ! It was in the bottle for at least two hours and still would not dissolve. Some of it flaked off, but overall I had to rate it POOR.


.....Anyone else do their own tests and want to share results?....."
Click to expand...
AngelSoft used to disintegrate just sitting in water for a few minutes, .....that is, until they "improved" it about a year ago. For a while there when they were changing it over, it was a crap shoot (pun intended) as to whether you would get the good stuff, or the "new and improved" stuff that does not easily break down.
Click to expand...

There was a long thread on AS on this forum when they came out with the new updated paper. Might be "updated" but not good for RVs.
 
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