LooSeal ELITE vs Clesana C1 - The comparison

General advantages of welding toilets

Both the LooSeal ELITE and the Clesana C1 are based on welding technology but use 2 different, patented technical approaches. Unlike conventional toilets that rely on chemicals or tank systems, welding toilets offer an innovative and odor-free disposal of solid and liquid waste.

Every use is hygienically welded into an opaque film, ensuring 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 excellent for boats, tiny houses, or anywhere a reliable and uncomplicated sanitary solution is needed. They offer the freedom and comfort that freedom-loving campers desire.

Size & Space Requirements

Every camper knows the story well. Space is a scarce commodity and must be used as efficiently as possible – especially in small wet rooms and bathrooms. Therefore, the size of the toilets plays a crucial role. The Clesana C1 has overall dimensions of 461x363x515mm (DxWxH) and is thus significantly larger compared to the LooSeal ELITE at 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 mounted to rotate, the base of the LooSeal ELITE remains in place and thus takes up no additional space during rotation. If you rotate the Clesana C1, almost the entire toilet and thus the overall dimensions rotate with it. Due to these dimensions, the LooSeal ELITE offers potential advantages over the Clesana C1 in tight spaces.

The Weight of Welding Toilets

In addition to space conditions, weight specifications also play a decisive role in camper life. For notoriously overloaded campers & motorhomes, experience shows that every gram of weight saved counts. The LooSeal ELITE is lighter at 9.7 kg 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

Speaking 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, whereas the Clesana C1 is 47.8cm.

Small Excursion: Standard Seat Heights

Basically, there is no fixed norm or standard for toilet seat heights. Instead, there is a consensus that many manufacturers follow 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 slightly more comfort. Especially in new buildings and renovations, seat heights between 43 cm and 45 cm are becoming increasingly popular. This comfort seat height is also very suitable for older people or tall people.

As soon as public facilities are involved, DIN standard 18040 must be adhered to for reasons of accessibility. This prescribes a seat height of 46-48 cm so that people with physical impairments can use the toilets.

However, when it comes to use in motorhomes, a different picture emerges. The LooSeal ELITE is in the comfort seat height range, while the Clesana C1 is in the barrier-free seat height range. In motorhomes and campers, however, it often happens that toilets are mounted on pedestals or ledges, which further increases the height between the footrest area and the seat surface of the toilet. in certain installation situations, especially on raised platforms, a lower seat height could be perceived as more practical. Raising the toilets is usually easy to implement with appropriate substructures if necessary. However, lowering the seat height is much more difficult in practice, as the toilets would have to be let into or recessed into the floor.

Installation Effort for Retrofits

Once the space & weight question has been clarified, the question arises as to how complex the installation is, e.g., for a retrofit for the two toilet models. Basically, the effort in each vehicle is always very individual and depends on the installation situation. The greatest effort consists 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 resulting openings. The manufacturer of the Clesana C1 states the installation effort for a retrofit as 4-6 hours, i.e., an average of 5 hours. For the installation of the LooSeal ELITE, an average installation effort of 2 hours is estimated. But where exactly do the differences lie?

If a Clesana C1 is to be retrofitted, the following steps must roughly take place:

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 roughly take place for the LooSeal ELITE:

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

The major difference between the two toilets is that the LooSeal ELITE already has an integrated battery with a battery management system as well as integrated controls in the toilet. This eliminates the need to lay new cables, as existing cables, e.g., from the toilet flush, can continue to be used. The cable merely has the task of charging the integrated battery and therefore does not require particularly high cross-sections. In addition, the LooSeal ELITE is controlled by 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 significantly easier today than it was a few years ago. Nevertheless, almost every camper wants to have as few permanent power guzzlers on board as possible in order to maintain a high degree of self-sufficiency. Since welding toilets are intended to improve self-sufficiency, power consumption is a critical factor.

The Clesana C1 requires 0.55 Wh per welding process and another 1.7 Wh if the bag is not only to be welded but also separated. In standby mode, i.e., when the toilet is not active, the Clesana C1 still consumes 0.28 Wh. With a more complex relay installation, consumption in standby can be reduced to 0 Wh.

In comparison, the LooSeal ELITE requires only 0.4 Wh per welding process including bag separation. This puts the power consumption 5.625 times lower than that of the Clesana C1. 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.

Voltage Compatibility

Most campers and motorhome owners pay attention to the most efficient use of the available energy reserve. Every conversion from one voltage to another involves losses and therefore costs more energy than necessary. A wide spectrum of possible voltage inputs is therefore advantageous for all devices in the camper. The Clesana C1 only supports connection to a 12V supply. The LooSeal ELITE supports both the 12V connection and the 24V connection, which is often the more common internal vehicle voltage, especially in larger vehicles. Both models offer the option 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 must be changed every 1,500 welds, the Teflon tapes of the LooSeal ELITE last at least 20,000 welds. This difference results from the use of foil materials in the LooSeal ELITE that require lower temperatures for the welding process and thus reduce wear.

The LooSeal ELITE is designed for minimal maintenance effort. For example, the integrated battery lasts at least 10 years before falling below 80% capacity, even with daily use 365 days a year. 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 just a few screws. Behind it are both the battery and the circuit board, which can be replaced yourself in the event of damage with relatively little effort and without a mandatory workshop visit.

What happens during a power outage in the vehicle?

The two toilets behave differently in the event of a power outage in the vehicle. The Clesana C1 is connected directly to the on-board battery in standard operation and could no longer be operated in such a scenario. The LooSeal ELITE, on the other hand, has its own integrated battery as standard, which allows up to 100 toilet flushes even in the event of a power outage 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 welding toilets waterproof?

Here the specification is somewhat more complicated. A distinction must be made between official certification and practical application. Both toilets are certified to the IPX4 standard and are therefore 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 entering the toilet (with the lid and sliding door closed). For the Clesana C1, on the other hand, 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 welding toilet to function properly, it is essential that it be operated under the ambient temperature conditions prescribed by the manufacturer. The welding process itself as well as the film material rely on a certain temperature range. Failure to adhere to this can result in leaks in the bags or even damage to the toilet. 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.

Size of the Collection Container

Once the bags are welded airtight, they end up in the respective collection container of the welding toilets. The Clesana C1 offers space for 6 bags in the drawer underneath. The LooSeal ELITE offers space for 3-4 large or 6 small bags in its flexible and hygienic silicone tray.

How many bags do you get out of a liner?

Another important comfort question is how often the liner needs to be changed, or how long a foil liner lasts. To be able to compare this size, the specific 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/liquid without paper)
• 38 bags of size S (small business/liquid with paper)
• 26 bags of size L (large business/solid)
• 19 bags of size XL (especially large business/solid)

With the LooSeal ELITE, on the other hand, there are only 2 preset bag sizes, one size for small business (liquid) and 1 size for large business (solid). Should the standard sizes not be 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 paper)
• 35 large bags (large business)

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 want to see it as little as possible. Opaque foils therefore protect against unpleasant situations. We demonstrated the opacity of the individual foils with a simple light test. A light test carried out by us (see illustration) shows that the liners from Clesana as well as the blue and white liners from LooSeal show a certain transparency, so that contents may still be perceptible under certain circumstances. The black LooSeal liners, however, are completely opaque.

How odor-proof are the liners?

The topic of odor tightness is as important as it is complex. In the meantime, there is a whole range of tests, both professional and amateur, trying to depict the odor tightness of the various foils. Unfortunately, all these tests are often of little relevance to practice. Why? Because they are not tested with actual ingredients. For hygienic or reasons of disgust, substitutes are often used for these tests.

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

These laboratory and lay tests also do not take into account how creases, UV radiation, and temperature changes behave in relation to odor tightness. Because even the smallest micro-holes or micro-cracks can massively affect the result. Likewise, one cannot generalize and, for example, attribute an equal deterioration to every foil material at higher temperatures. The foil thickness also plays an important role. While thick materials often show higher odor tightness in their raw state, these same thicker materials can form micro-cracks faster due to creases and mechanical impact than comparable thinner materials that are more flexible. Therefore, laboratory results based on certain measurement methods can vary under real practical conditions. For a practical assessment, it is crucial to consider all influencing factors.

In this comparison, we focus on odor tightness under standard conditions (room temperature) over a certain period, as we believe this provides the most relevant practical values. According to this, the Clesana C1 liners 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 compostable blue liners are designed for short-term use and offer odor tightness of only a few hours to a maximum of 5 days, as they are optimized for biodegradability.

Are the foil liners environmentally friendly?

A welding toilet generates waste. This waste then ends up in the residual waste, where – at least in Germany – it usually ends up in an incineration plant. In other countries, however, the bags generated still end up in landfills. Therefore, the eco-balance is also an important factor to compare between the two models. The standard liners of the Clesana C1 are based on materials such as nylon and PE, which are known to have a long decomposition time and are considered non-biodegradable. These materials can form microplastics under certain environmental conditions.

The standard liners of the LooSeal ELITE (white/black), on the other hand, are already biodegradable – but unfortunately not compostable. The process takes a few years depending on environmental conditions. A significant proportion of the material used is also obtained from CO2, which can contribute to the reduction of greenhouse gases.

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

Where are the price differences?

For many, the pricing of the products is one of the most interesting topics. To depict a scope of functions that is as comparable 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 costs an additional €159. Since Clesana itself does not offer an external battery of this type, the cost point for a standard market external battery (approx. €120) 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 simplicity's sake, we set an hourly rate of €100 for costs at a workshop for installation. This results in an average of 5h working time * €100 hourly rate = €500. The total costs for the Clesana C1 in this calculation example are €2,229.

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 2h working time * €100 hourly rate = €200. In addition, the optional L-adapter must be purchased for about €50. Thus, the total costs of the LooSeal ELITE for this example calculation are €1,249.

The LooSeal ELITE is €980 cheaper than the Clesana C1 in this example calculation, taking into account the listed components and services.

What follow-up costs must be expected?

In addition to the acquisition costs, 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 trips. We assume that every large business is followed by 4 small businesses. That means for 1,000 toilet trips, we calculate with 200 large businesses and 800 small businesses. For this example calculation, we also assume that we use a packet of Super-Absorber for every business, whether large or small. This results in the following calculation:

Clesana C1:

• Liner (Standard) €362.50
• Super-Absorber €199.50
• Total: €562

LooSeal ELITE:

• Liner (White) €233.10
• Super-Absorber €133.65
• Total: €366.75

The follow-up costs of the LooSeal ELITE are almost €200 cheaper per 1000 toilet trips. Including other factors such as maintenance and electricity costs could increase this difference even further.