Question 1

A lot of portable toilets look the same, how are Merlin’s different?

Accepted Answer

Merlin actually design many unique toilets that you simply can’t buy anywhere else. However, a number of cheap imitations have entered the market which look similar to our current range of Ultras and Executives. Our Ultra and Executive range offer these features that set them apart:

Largest waste tank on the market – up to 750 uses
Highest grade components – European marine grade quality pumps
Generally hand pumps – they last longer. We can do foot pumps on request.
Easy access to pumps and pipes – do not require you to access the pumps under the toilet floor or through the waste tank – they are to the side for easy access. No need to take off the walls to service our toilets.
Highest grade steel skids on every toilet.
Lifting systems that are certified -12mm high grade steel that go right into the skid – this provides extra strength to the entire toilet frame.
A proper steel top frame (in toilets fitted with a lifting system). We are the only company in Australia that offers this feature – everyone else cuts this corner to save money and your safety.
Rear evacuation valves – we use the best quality fittings and we provide a fitted galvanised door cover -it is not left uncovered and open to the elements or vandals.
Don’t be fooled by imitations buy the original – buy the best.
Don’t take our word for it - ring any hire company and ask them who makes the best toilets in Australia

Question 2

How are Merlin Toilets different from other toilets on the market?

Accepted Answer

The majority of portable toilets on the market are imported or their parts are imported and assembled in Australia, these components are regularly cheap imitations or simply not built for Australian conditions. We use Australian made cabinets and internals manufactured in our factory with stringent quality control and import top grade European marine grade components – so they last up to 20 years. Please peruse our spare parts page to understand the quality of the components we use. We are proud to tell you what is in our toilets – we have nothing to hide.

We stand by our products and honour our warranty. Please be careful buying from overnight start ups pretending to have been in business for 40 years. Ring and speak with any reputable hire company and ask them what brand of portable toilet do they buy and stock. They may carry a couple of brands and Merlin is always one of them.

Question 3

Can you lay down the portable toilets for transport?

Accepted Answer

We would not recommend it. However, yes you can transport the toilet lying down.

The toilets have a number of parts which are designed based on the toilet being in an upright position. So transporting them over a long distance may cause damage. We are unable to suggest what may happen as we have never tranpsorted them lying down.

Transporting the units lying down may result in the cabinet being marked.

Question 4

What is the life span of a Merlin Portable toilet?

Accepted Answer

Our early model toilets have been in the market for over 25 years now and they are still in good condition. We would expect a life of up to 20 years from our Ultra series toilets and approx 15 years on our other models. This lifespan is achieved through using our extensive range of spare parts. Raw plastic product is the same – the difference is the UV stabiliser used to provide resistance to the sun and UV. Most imported product are not stabilised to same level as our product. Most imported toilets on the market today have approx 5 – 8 year lifespan.

Question 5

Why are there no prices on the website?

Accepted Answer

Most toilets need to be delivered and we provide a tailored quote for the product that best suits your needs and we can arrange delivery. Our cheapest product does not provide some features customer’s desire.

Question 6

What chemicals / treatments do I use in my portable toilet?

Accepted Answer

There are a number of different chemicals / treatments available for your portable toilet.

The first type is added to the waste tank to control smells. There are two different types of chemical — one that reacts and treats the waste and the other is a strong perfume to mask the odour. The odour masking version will last approx 7 to 10 days and then you will need to add more treatment to continue the perfume. The other type is a biological treatment that will release bacteria and it will control smell by breaking the waste down and turning it in to an inert material. The biological version will continue to work for long periods as long as there is waste present to keep the bacteria alive. If you do not use your toilet for long periods then the bacteria will die and you will need to add a new dose.

Both types of treatment are available as either a liquid or sachets. Sachets are a little easier to use as you don't have to measure and you simply drop it into the waste tank. The perfume version is ideal for short term projects/rentals that require a great smell and you are happy to add more toilet additive when the fragrance is no longer noticeable. The biological product is ideal for toilets that are not serviced/emptied regularly — roughly periods longer than 2 weeks.

The second type of treatment is a deodorising disc that is hung in the cabin and release a perfume for approx 2 to 4 weeks depending on brand and conditions. These are ideal when being used by the public as they work out to approx $1 each and don't represent an attractive item to take. If the toilet is for personal use then using a deodoriser available at a local supermarket is ideal for a long term solution. Additionally, using a product equivalent to “Glen 20" achieves an immediate outcome.

We supply commercial strength products designed for large holding tanks over 200 litres. We are often asked about chemical used in camping toilets for use in our large holding tank toilets. Carefully read the product directions as most products are designed for 20 litre camping toilets and often require changing every 5 days. This can work out to be an expensive way to treat your toilet.

Question 7

What is a Rear Evacuation Valve (RSV)?

Accepted Answer

The Rear Evacuation Valve (RSV) is a gate valve installed in the rear of the toilet's waste tank and gives you direct access to the waste tank and its contents.

The RSV is installed in portable toilets that are situated in a location that has access to a sewer connection point or septic system. The RSV enables a gravity empty of your toilet by positioning the toilet above the location you are going to empty the tank into and opening the valve, after connecting a hose (it is quite messy if you don't use a hose). The RSV is also an ideal addition to a trailer mounted toilet that can be positioned next to a sewage access point e.g. recreational vehicle points provided by councils on major roadways used by caravans.

Things to consider:

You generally will need to move the toilet from its normal location to the sewage access point. Do you have equipment to move the toilet eg tractor, forklift etc. A full portable toilet can weigh up to 500 kg.
You will need a hose connected to control / guide your waste to the desired location.
All waste disposal is conditional on your local council regulations.
You can add an RSV to an existing toilet by buying the valve from Merlin. We also sell the hose kits.
It costs approx extra to add the valve to a toilet, however, it will save you the ongoing cost to have the toilet pumped out by a service contractor.
Service contractors will not use the valve to pump out a toilet — they will access the waste tank via the bowl assembly.

Question 8

How do you empty a portable toilet?

Accepted Answer

The bowl assemblies on the toilets flip up to give full access to the waste tank and the vacuum pump can then remove the waste. The toilets can be fitted with a Rear Evacuation valve which enables the toilet to be emptied over a dump point. Some units (older fibreglass) will have an access point next to the toilet seat.

Question 9

What is a sewer connect portable toilet?

Accepted Answer

A sewer connect portable toilet looks like your normal toilet at home with a cistern and porcelain pedestal. It requires a water source and connection to a sewer, septic tank or separate holding tank. This unit does not have its own built in water tank or waste tank.

If you don't have access to a water source or somewhere to connect the waste pipe then you should look at our holding tank toilet range.

Sewer connect toilets are very popular with builders in the construction industry where a sewer connection is easily accessible. It lowers overall costs as you don't require a weekly or fortnightly service pump out as the waste is disposed of directly in to the sewer line. It is also popular as an additional toilet around an entertainment area or pool where a sewer line is present.

It is easy to clean with a floor drain for easy wash down. All our toilets are made from hard wearing plastic with long term life spans.

Question 10

Why has my portable toilet stopped flushing?

Accepted Answer

Your flush pump has a number of parts that will require replacing over time. We carry spare parts for all our pumps and most likely you will require a diaphragm, inlet and outlet valve for a hand pump. Some foot pumps require a new boot/diaphragm.

Our main pumps are the Whale Compac hand pump (silver handles with a rubber grip) in the Executive and Ultra. Our foots pumps have changed over the years with early models (before 2016) with a rubber cover and internal diaphragm, inlet and outlet. Our recent pumps install with a Merlin Pump have a boot diaphragm.

Our early toilets have a Chimp Henderson pump with a red handle and octagonal diaphragm, inlet and outlet valve.

Question 11

How often should portable toilets be emptied?

Accepted Answer

On commercial building sites the toilets should be emptied every 2 weeks. In situations where usage is minimal if the correct treatments are being used then you only need empty them when the tank is full. The fresh water tank will need to be filled up regularly.

Question 12

How can I tell which Merlin product / model I have?

Accepted Answer

Please refer to our product pages or take a photo of your Merlin Product and we can assist you to identify your model.

Question 13

Does Merlin sell spare parts?

Accepted Answer

We have a full range of spare parts for all our products. If you are not sure of what model you have please take a photo and we can let you know which model you have.

Question 14

Can Merlin organise delivery?

Accepted Answer

Yes, We can arrange delivery. We will need to know your location and what equipment, if any, you have at the delivery address to unload a truck.

The cheapest delivery cost will be when you are able to unload a truck and the most expensive will be when we have to hire specialist equipment to unlaod the truck for you eg tail lift, crane truck etc.

We also offer the option for you to collect your purchase from our warehouse in Acacia Ridge, our trading partner's yard in Brisbane or numerous tranpsort depots throught Queensland and the Northern Territory.

If you decide to collect your purchase in a trailer or ute, please ensure it is large enough to accommodate the unit you are picking up. Eg most toilets are approx 120cm X 120cm x 230cm tall.

Question 15

Does Merlin Rent or Hire their portable toilets/showers, waste tanks etc?

Accepted Answer

No, we dont hire or rent our products. We are a wholesaler/retailer - we sell our products to both individuals and businesses.

We dont hire our equipment as the majority of our customers are hire/rental companies and we do not wish to compete with our customers.

Question 16

Why should I buy a Merlin Portable Toilet?

Accepted Answer

We have been designing and building portable toilets for Australians for over 25 years. You can see that from our extensive range that we are experts in the portable sanitation industry and cater for all needs. We manufacture every toilet we sell and use the best components on the market. We stand behind our product with a two year manufacturer’s warranty, after sales service, spare parts and on going supply of treatments to keep your toilets in the best condition. There are 25 year old Merlin portable toilets still in use today – we build them to last. We support all the major rental and hire companies in Australia and they buy our product because they demand the best.

Question 17

Do you have second hand portable toilets?

Accepted Answer

Sometimes. But the majority of the tiime we have a very long waiting list.

We are very selective of which toilets we will sell second hand and it is hard to get our hands on large volumes of second hand units. Most second hand equipment available is approx 15 years old.

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