LooSeal ELITE vs Clesana C1 - The comparison

General advantages of sealing toilets

Both the LooSeal ELITE and the Clesana C1 are based on sealing technology but use two different, patented technical approaches. Unlike conventional toilets that rely on chemicals or tank systems, sealing toilets offer an innovative and odor-free disposal of solid and liquid waste.

Each use is hygienically sealed in an opaque film, which ensures maximum cleanliness and discretion. No more unpleasant odors, complicated cleaning tasks, or the search for disposal stations!

These self-sufficient systems are not only ideal for motorhomes, but are also excellently suited for boats, tiny houses, or anywhere a reliable and uncomplicated sanitary solution is required. They thus offer the freedom and comfort that freedom-loving campers desire.

Size & Space Requirements

Every camper can sing a song about it. Space is a scarce commodity and must be used as efficiently as possible – especially in small wet cells and bathrooms. That's why the size of the toilets plays a crucial role. The Clesana C1 has overall dimensions of 461x363x515mm (DxWxH)* and is therefore significantly larger compared to the LooSeal ELITE with 442x366x482mm (DxWxH).

Especially in depth and height, the toilet sizes differ by important centimeters. In width, the Clesana C1 is 3mm smaller than the LooSeal ELITE. However, the LooSeal ELITE compensates for this with a narrow, round base with a diameter of only 330mm. Because, although both toilets are rotatably mounted, the base of the LooSeal ELITE remains in place and thus does not take up any additional space during rotation. If you turn the Clesana C1, almost the entire toilet and thus its overall dimensions are rotated with it. Due to these dimensions, the LooSeal ELITE offers potential advantages over the Clesana C1 in tight spaces.

The weight of the sealing toilets

In addition to space conditions, weight specifications also play a crucial role in camper life. With notoriously overloaded campers & motorhomes, experience shows that every gram of weight that can be saved counts. The LooSeal ELITE, at 9.7 kg, is lighter than the Clesana C1 (incl. base) at 13.1 kg*. The LooSeal ELITE does not have its own base, as it can be mounted directly on the floor. Both manufacturers offer optional so-called L-adapters for retrofitting, which can slightly increase the weight.

Seat Height & Load Capacity

While we are on the subject of sizes and weights, the conditions of use are also an interesting point of comparison. Both toilets are approved for persons up to 150kg*. However, differences can be found in the seat height. The LooSeal ELITE is specified with a seat height of 45cm, while the Clesana C1 is 47.8cm*.

A brief excursion: Standard seat heights

Basically, there is no fixed norm or standard for toilet seat heights. Instead, there is a consensus that many manufacturers adhere to out of habit. In most households, toilets will be found at a seat height of about 40cm, which is the classic standard. Modern bathroom installations offer a bit more comfort. Especially in new buildings and during renovations, seat heights between 43 cm and 45 cm are becoming increasingly popular. This comfort seat height is also very well suited for elderly or tall people.

When it comes to public facilities, the DIN 18040 standard must be adhered to for reasons of accessibility. This prescribes a seat height of 46-48 cm so that people with physical impairments can also use the toilets.

In relation to use in motorhomes, however, a different picture emerges. The LooSeal ELITE is in the range of comfort seat height, while the Clesana C1 is in the range of accessible seat height. In motorhomes and campers, however, it can happen that the toilets are mounted on platforms or ledges, which further increases the height between the footrest surface and the seat surface of the toilet. In certain installation situations, especially on raised platforms, a lower seat height might be perceived as more practical. Increasing the height of the toilets is usually easy to implement with appropriate substructures if needed. However, reducing the seat height becomes much more difficult in practice, as the toilets would have to be recessed or sunk into the floor.

Installation effort for retrofitting

Once the space and weight question has been settled, the question arises as to how complex the installation is, for example, when retrofitting the two toilet models. Basically, the effort in each vehicle is always very individual and depends on the installation situation. The greatest effort is not necessarily in the installation of the new toilets, but in the removal of the existing cassette toilet.

L-adapters are available for both the Clesana C1 and the LooSeal ELITE, which significantly simplify the installation of the most common cassette toilets and cover and seal any openings that arise. The manufacturer of the Clesana C1 states the installation effort for a retrofit is 4-6 hours, so an average of 5 hours. This figure applies to an installation without Power Management. With Power Management, the installation effort for a retrofit is reduced to an average of about 3 hours. For the installation of the LooSeal ELITE, an average installation effort of 2 hours is estimated. But where exactly are the differences?

If a Clesana C1 is to be retrofitted, the following steps must be roughly followed*:

1. Removal of the existing cassette toilet
2. Laying a new 10mm² or 16mm² cable
3. (Alternatively) Installation of the external Power Management system
4. (Alternatively) Installation of an external backup battery
5. Replacement of the display control in the wall
6. Mounting the Clesana C1 toilet

In contrast, the following steps must be roughly followed for the LooSeal ELITE:

1. Removal of the existing cassette toilet
2. Mounting the LooSeal ELITE

The big difference between the two toilets is that the LooSeal ELITE already has an integrated battery with a battery management system as well as integrated control elements in the toilet. This eliminates the need to lay new cables, as the existing cables, e.g., from the toilet flush, can continue to be used. This is because the cable only has the task of charging the integrated battery and therefore does not require particularly high cross-sections. In addition, the LooSeal ELITE is controlled with only 3 buttons on the front of the toilet and does not have an external control panel like the Clesana C1. The existing control panel of the cassette toilet can simply remain in place during a retrofit to the LooSeal ELITE or alternatively be used as a free switch. The installation of the LooSeal ELITE is generally less complex due to these features.

Power consumption

Power management is much simpler today than it was a few years ago. Nevertheless, almost every camper wants as few permanent power consumers on board as possible to maintain a high degree of self-sufficiency. Since sealing toilets are intended to contribute to improving self-sufficiency, power consumption is a critical factor.

The Clesana C1 requires 0.55 Wh* per sealing process just to close bags or 1.7 Wh* if the bag is not only to be sealed but also separated. In standby mode, i.e., when the toilet is not active, the Clesana C1 still consumes 0.28Wh. With an additional installation of the Power Management, the consumption in standby can be reduced to 0 Wh.

In comparison, the LooSeal ELITE requires only 0.4 Wh per sealing process including bag separation. This means the power consumption is over 5.5 times lower than that of the Clesana C1 in the version without Power Management with a power consumption of 0.28 Wh. Another special feature of the LooSeal ELITE is the distinction between standby mode (ready for operation) and sleep mode (off). In standby mode, the LooSeal ELITE requires only 0.05 Wh and in sleep mode almost 0 Wh. Even in standby mode, the LooSeal ELITE therefore requires more than 5.6 times less energy than the Clesana C1 in the version without Power Management. The internal BMS of the LooSeal ELITE also ensures that the on-board power is only used to charge the battery when the charge level of the toilet battery drops below 50%. Otherwise, no energy is taken from the on-board power or an external source. Likewise, no energy is taken from the on-board power if the on-board power is manually switched off (even if the toilet battery charge level is below 50%).

Voltage compatibility

Most camper and motorhome owners pay attention to the most efficient use of the available energy reserve. Every conversion from one voltage to another is associated with losses and therefore costs more energy than necessary. A wide range of possible voltage inputs is therefore an advantage for all devices in the camper. The Clesana C1 only supports connection to a 12V supply*. The LooSeal ELITE supports both the 12V and the 24V connection, which is often the more common internal vehicle voltage, especially in larger vehicles. Both models optionally offer the possibility of operating the toilets on a standard household socket with 230V using a power supply unit.

Maintenance intervals

An important topic for many: What can break and how must the toilet be maintained? Here, too, there are some differences. While the Teflon tapes on the Clesana C1 have to be changed every 1,500 seals*, the Teflon tapes on the LooSeal ELITE last for at least 20,000 seals. This difference results from the use of film materials in the LooSeal ELITE, which require lower temperatures for the sealing process and thus reduce wear.

The LooSeal ELITE is designed for minimal maintenance. For example, the integrated battery also lasts for at least 10 years with daily use 365 days a year before it drops below 80% capacity. Nevertheless, there is a maintenance opening on the back of the LooSeal ELITE. If necessary, this opening is very easy to access and can be opened with a few screws. Behind it are both the battery and the circuit board, which can be replaced by the user with relatively little effort and without a mandatory workshop visit in case of damage.

What happens in case of a power failure in the vehicle?

The two toilets behave differently in the event of a power failure in the vehicle. The Clesana C1 is directly connected to the on-board battery in standard operation and would no longer be operable in such a scenario. The LooSeal ELITE, on the other hand, has its own integrated battery as standard, which allows up to 100 toilet uses even in the event of a power failure in the vehicle. The battery variant is also possible with the Clesana C1. However, this requires the Power Management system as well as a suitable backup battery in the installation.

Are the sealing toilets waterproof?

Here, the information is a bit more complicated. A distinction must be made between official certification and practical application. Both toilets are certified according to the IPX4 standard* and are thus considered splash-proof. However, the LooSeal ELITE is also designed in such a way that the toilet can be explicitly and safely installed in wet rooms and rinsed with the shower head without water penetrating the toilet (with the lid and sliding door closed). For the Clesana C1, on the other hand, according to the manufacturer, jet water from the shower head is explicitly excluded and a protective cover is recommended.

In which temperature range can the toilets be used?

For a sealing toilet to function properly, it must be operated under the ambient temperature conditions prescribed by the manufacturer. The sealing process itself as well as the film material depend on a certain temperature range. If this is not adhered to, leaks in the bags or even damage to the toilet can occur. The Clesana C1 may be operated between 5°C and 40°C*. The LooSeal ELITE, on the other hand, can be used between 0°C and 40°C and can therefore often also be used in winter in a not yet heated motorhome.

How many bags do you get out of one liner?

Another important comfort question is how often the liner needs to be changed, or how long a film liner lasts. To be able to compare this metric, the special features of the respective models must be taken into account. Clesana, for example, offers 4 different bag sizes. Each bag size is intended to cover a certain scenario. The number of bags per liner is as follows*:

• 50 bags of size XS (small business without paper)
• 38 bags of size S (small business or large business with little paper)
• 26 bags of size L (large business with normal amount of paper)
• 19 bags of size XL (large business with a lot of paper)

With the LooSeal ELITE, on the other hand, there are only 2 preset bag sizes, one size for small business and one size for large business. If the standard sizes are not sufficient, each bag can be manually and continuously enlarged if necessary. The number of bags per liner is as follows:

• 70 small bags (small business with little paper)
• 35 large bags (large business with normal amount of paper)

In a direct comparison of the maximum number of bags per liner, the LooSeal ELITE offers a higher capacity.

How opaque are the liners?

Once the waste is in the bag, you preferably don't want to see it anymore. Opaque films therefore protect against unpleasant situations. We have illustrated the opacity of the individual films with a simple light test. A light test conducted by us (see figure) shows that the liners from Clesana as well as the blue and white liners from LooSeal have a certain transparency, so that contents may still be perceptible under certain circumstances. The black LooSeal liners, on the other hand, are completely opaque.

How odor-proof are the liners?

The topic of odor proofness is as important as it is complex. There are now a whole series of tests, both professional and amateur, that attempt to depict the odor proofness of the various films. Unfortunately, all of these tests are often of little relevance in practice. Why? Because they are not tested with the actual ingredients. For hygienic or disgust reasons, substitute substances are often used for these tests.

In a scientific context, for example, oxygen permeability is tested, which is considered the standard for gas tightness. In practice, however, it is not oxygen that causes the odors, but a variety of other substances (e.g., dimethyl sulfide, skatole, or butyric acids). On the one hand, these substances have a different molecular size than oxygen and also attack the film in a different way. Due to the different molecular structure, other substances do not diffuse to the same extent as, for example, oxygen. For the same reason, substitute substances such as garlic are not reliable test scents. If the films have been optimized for odor proofness against human excretions, reputable & practical tests should only be carried out with these substances. Unfortunately, there is still no reliable scientific test for this (but we are working on it).

These laboratory and amateur tests also do not take into account how kinks, UV radiation, and temperature changes affect odor proofness. Even the smallest micro-holes or micro-cracks can already massively affect the result. Likewise, it is not possible to generalize and, for example, attribute an equally large deterioration to every film material at higher temperatures. The film thickness also plays an important role. While thick materials often have a higher odor proofness in their raw state, these thicker materials can form micro-cracks more quickly through kinks and mechanical action than comparable thinner materials that are more flexible. Therefore, laboratory results based on certain measurement methods may vary under real practical conditions. For a practical assessment, it is crucial to consider all influencing factors.

In this comparison, we focus on odor proofness under standard conditions (room temperature) over a certain period of time, as this, in our opinion, provides the most relevant practical values. Accordingly, the liners of the Clesana C1 keep odors sealed for about 2-4 weeks*. The LooSeal ELITE liners differ depending on the variant. The white liners included as standard keep odors sealed for up to 2 weeks. The same applies to the black, opaque liners. The compostable¹ blue liners are designed for short-term use and offer an odor proofness of only a few hours up to a maximum of 5 days, as they are optimized for compostability¹.

Are the film liners environmentally friendly after disposal?

A sealing toilet generates waste. This waste then ends up in residual waste, where in Germany at least it mostly ends up in an incineration plant. In other countries, however, the generated bags still end up in landfills. Therefore, properties such as biodegradability are an important factor to be compared between the two models. The standard liners of the Clesana C1 are based on materials such as polyamides and PE, which are known to have a long decomposition time and are considered non-biodegradable³. These materials can form microplastics under certain environmental conditions. In addition to the standard liner, Clesana also offers a Bio Liner, which is also considered non-biodegradable³.

The standard liners of the LooSeal ELITE (white/black) consist of materials such as PBAT and are, on the other hand, already biodegradable² – but unfortunately not compostable¹. The process takes a few years depending on environmental conditions. A significant proportion of the material used is also obtained from CO2.

If that is not ecological enough for you, you can also use the compostable¹ blue liners with the LooSeal ELITE. The blue liners are fully compostable¹ according to the EU standard EN 13432 and decompose in a few months. However, the blue liners are intended for short-term use. Collecting them in the collection container is therefore only recommended for the white or black liners, but not for the blue liners.

Definitions:

¹ Compostable:
Compostable materials are substances that are broken down by microbial processes within a defined period of time into nutrient-rich humus (compost), (CO2), and water without leaving harmful residues. Composting requires rapid decomposition and is often precisely defined by standards such as the EU standard EN 13432.

² Biodegradable:
Biodegradable refers to materials that can be decomposed by microorganisms into water, CO2, and biomass. This process is not limited in time or bound to specific conditions.

³ Non-biodegradable:
Non-biodegradable substances are materials that are not or only extremely slowly decomposed into natural components (CO₂, water, biomass) by microorganisms in nature. They remain in the environment for decades or centuries, accumulate, and often cause pollution.

Where are the price differences?

For many, the pricing of the products is one of the most interesting topics. In order to depict a comparable range of functions as much as possible, we have added the costs for the Power Management system and a comparable external battery for the Clesana C1, as these are already integrated in the LooSeal ELITE. In addition, estimated installation costs are included in the price consideration.

The Clesana C1 has a list price of 1,450 €*. The Power Management system is an additional 125 €*. Since Clesana itself does not offer an external battery of this type, the cost point for a Clesana-certified external battery (99 €)* was taken into account for comparable functionality. For the installation costs, we assume a retrofit of a common model of a cassette toilet. In addition, for the sake of simplicity, we apply an hourly rate of 100 €* for costs at a workshop for the installation. This results in an average of 5h working time * 100 € hourly rate = 500 € if no Power Management is installed. If one is installed, the installation costs are reduced to an average of 3h working time, resulting in a cost factor of approx. 300 €. The total costs for the Clesana C1 in this calculation example are 1,950 € without Power Management, or 1,974 € with Power Management.

Under the same conditions of the example calculation, the LooSeal ELITE is 999 €. The battery and the battery management system are already included. The installation costs are an average of 2h working time * 100 € hourly rate = 200 €. In addition, the optional L-adapter can be purchased for about 50 €. This means the total costs of the LooSeal ELITE for this example calculation are 1,249 €.

In this example calculation, taking into account the listed components and services, the LooSeal ELITE is 701 € to 725 € cheaper than the Clesana C1.

What follow-up costs should be expected?

In addition to the acquisition costs, the follow-up costs are also an important price indicator. For the most objective comparability possible, we simply calculate the follow-up costs for the first 1,000 toilet uses, taking into account the bag sizes recommended by the providers. We assume that every large business is followed by 4 small businesses. This means that for 1,000 toilet uses, we calculate with 200 large businesses and 800 small businesses. For this example calculation, we also assume that we use one packet of super-absorber from the respective provider for every business, whether large or small. This results in the following calculation:
 

The follow-up costs of the LooSeal ELITE regarding the liners are therefore about 137 € to about 259 € cheaper per 1000 toilet uses. The inclusion of other factors such as maintenance and electricity costs could further increase this difference.

If you do not stick to the recommended bag sizes of the Clesana C1, but generate the bags 1 size smaller each, correspondingly lower costs of 265.79 €* to 317.88 €* result for 1000 toilet uses.