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First year with a composting toilet


frahkn

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4 hours ago, haggis said:

And nappies soak up an amazing quantity of liquid. Don't understand the "don't fit anywhere" comment. Not an expert on nappies used for the intended purpose but they are amazing at getting water out of bilges. Just have a strong poly bag handy to put them in when you lift them ?

 

Haggis

 

Perhaps LadyG was thinking of the Terry type rather than disposable nappies? ???

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  • 3 weeks later...

I'm going to resurrect this thread cause we've just seen the 'Silver foxes' clog on composting bogs, so I hope @frahkn is still looking.......and it's too boring with all these virus threads.

How do you get on keeping the toilet clean? With a pump out or cassette, you have a water supply to flush the bowl and so after flushing it is fit for the next person. Maybe a few times a week (or daily) if listening to Mrs Bob, the toilet gets a good clean down as not everybody 'sits down'! How do you find cleaning it? Is your liquids bottle getting full because you are flushing it down with water each time?

What is interesting from the vlog.....and what you are saying ..... is that the solids don't don't seem to be a problem. I'm more concerned about the increased contact with the liquid waste (daily)than our current pump out and the general cleaning, where contact with the waste is a couple of times a year when the vacuum pump needs attention. It certainly sounds better than a cassette when you see the state of some of the Elsan points.

 

 

 

 

 

Edit to ad......how the hell did Vlog end up as clog? I'd like to blame the speeel chucker!

 

Edited by Dr Bob
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1 hour ago, Dr Bob said:

I'm going to resurrect this thread cause we've just seen the 'Silver foxes' clog on composting bogs, so I hope @frahkn is still looking.......and it's too boring with all these virus threads.

How do you get on keeping the toilet clean? With a pump out or cassette, you have a water supply to flush the bowl and so after flushing it is fit for the next person. Maybe a few times a week (or daily) if listening to Mrs Bob, the toilet gets a good clean down as not everybody 'sits down'! How do you find cleaning it? Is your liquids bottle getting full because you are flushing it down with water each time?

What is interesting from the vlog.....and what you are saying ..... is that the solids don't don't seem to be a problem. I'm more concerned about the increased contact with the liquid waste (daily)than our current pump out and the general cleaning, where contact with the waste is a couple of times a year when the vacuum pump needs attention. It certainly sounds better than a cassette when you see the state of some of the Elsan points.

 

 

 

 

 

Edit to ad......how the hell did Vlog end up as clog? I'd like to blame the speeel chucker!

 

The "solids" hole is closed when not in use - with the Nature's Head the flap is operated by an external lever rather than being a bung as with the Silver foxes. In use, the flap is open and with practise, you don't often miss the hole (you will recall that I said that a little practise is required).

 

No water is used to flush, it is vital to keep liquids out of the solids container so really sitting is best. Very little urine remains in the toilet after use. Any cleaning is recommended to be done with a spray bottle (provided) of water and white vinegar and a tissue. We have found that to be adequate for our purposes.

 

As I said, composting is not for the overly squeamish. Of course our toilet is only used by the two of us, I'm not sure it would be viable if it were to be used by a third party.

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7 minutes ago, frahkn said:

The "solids" hole is closed when not in use - with the Nature's Head the flap is operated by an external lever rather than being a bung as with the Silver foxes. In use, the flap is open and with practise, you don't often miss the hole (you will recall that I said that a little practise is required).

 

No water is used to flush, it is vital to keep liquids out of the solids container so really sitting is best. Very little urine remains in the toilet after use. Any cleaning is recommended to be done with a spray bottle (provided) of water and white vinegar and a tissue. We have found that to be adequate for our purposes.

 

As I said, composting is not for the overly squeamish. Of course our toilet is only used by the two of us, I'm not sure it would be viable if it were to be used by a third party.

Thanks for the explanation. All useful information.

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9 minutes ago, Tracy D'arth said:

Sounds like a load of faffing about rather than a comfy relaxing egestion. Bungs, levers, separators, flaps? No, not for me, a comfy seat on a porcelain bowl, easy to clean is my ideal.

My "ideal" would be to have the boat toilet connected to the sewer as at home but there apparently is some technical "faff" which prevents this being done.

 

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1 minute ago, frahkn said:

My "ideal" would be to have the boat toilet connected to the sewer as at home but there apparently is some technical "faff" which prevents this being done.

 

What you need is a 'matter transporter'. Cap'n Kirk had one when Scotty could keep it working. I am trying to build my own but struggling to get parts during this lockdown.

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2 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

What you need is a 'matter transporter'. Cap'n Kirk had one when Scotty could keep it working. I am trying to build my own but struggling to get parts during this lockdown.

Catch 22 - if you had already built it there would be no problem with the lockdown, you could "transport" any spares you wanted.

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7 minutes ago, frahkn said:

My "ideal" would be to have the boat toilet connected to the sewer as at home but there apparently is some technical "faff" which prevents this being done.

 

You could always use the waterways that allow 'sea-toilets'.

 

Dump it straight out of the bottom of the boat - never to be seen again (unless you have been eating lots of Bran)

6 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

What you need is a 'matter transporter'. Cap'n Kirk had one when Scotty could keep it working. I am trying to build my own but struggling to get parts during this lockdown.

Didn't they have some sort of 'replicator' machine where you just asked for what you wanted (coffee, biscuit, ice cream, woman etc) and it made one.

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8 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

What you need is a 'matter transporter'. Cap'n Kirk had one when Scotty could keep it working. I am trying to build my own but struggling to get parts during this lockdown.

You would want to be very very careful with the aim of that transporter

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37 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Didn't they have some sort of 'replicator' machine where you just asked for what you wanted (coffee, biscuit, ice cream, woman etc) and it made one.

This thread has just answered where the feedstock came from for the replicator!

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44 minutes ago, Dr Bob said:

What you need is a 'matter transporter'. Cap'n Kirk had one when Scotty could keep it working. I am trying to build my own but struggling to get parts during this lockdown.

 

How about building yourself a time machine first, then nip into the future after you've finished the matter transporter and ask yourself where you got the bits? 

 

There is a video on youtube showing how to make the time machine.

 

 

41 minutes ago, Alan de Enfield said:

Didn't they have some sort of 'replicator' machine where you just asked for what you wanted (coffee, biscuit, ice cream, woman etc) and it made one.

 

I'm really not sure that is always a good idea......

 

 

 

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4 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

How about building yourself a time machine first, then nip into the future after you've finished the matter transporter and ask yourself where you got the bits?

 

I've already got one (a time machine) - the one that @rusty69 sold me - but the di-cerium oscilator is buggered and they are not invented until 2073. I should have got a survey done.

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1 minute ago, Dr Bob said:

I've already got one (a time machine) - the one that @rusty69 sold me - but the di-cerium oscilator is buggered and they are not invented until 2073. I should have got a survey done.

 

I've got a box of them up in the shed, I think. I'll have a look for you later. 

 

 

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9 minutes ago, TheBiscuits said:

This thread has just answered where the feedstock came from for the replicator!

Its all made of carbon, hydrogen, oxygen with the odd bit of nitrogen thrown in.

Just a matter of changing round where the 'bonds' are.

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Question for Frahkn: did you put toilet paper in the solids bit, or in a separate bin?

 

We found it necessary to use a separate bin for toilet paper (seems odd but you soon get used to it - and it is normal in many countries).

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45 minutes ago, Mike the Boilerman said:

 

I've got a box of them up in the shed, I think. I'll have a look for you later. 

 

 

Make sure it is the 3533 GHz version with the dual polarity switch. Have they been calibrated? If the voltage threshold is wrong then it will have a big effect on performance. I havent got the calibration kit.

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20 minutes ago, Alastair said:

Question for Frahkn: did you put toilet paper in the solids bit, or in a separate bin?

 

We found it necessary to use a separate bin for toilet paper (seems odd but you soon get used to it - and it is normal in many countries).

I know its usual in many countries with poor drain systems but in a civilised country its disgusting especially in the confines of a small boat.

And just how do you then dispose of the soiled  -contaminated-  paper? Please don't tell me you bin it, that would be gross.

Edited by Tracy D'arth
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2 hours ago, Dr Bob said:

What you need is a 'matter transporter'. Cap'n Kirk had one when Scotty could keep it working. I am trying to build my own but struggling to get parts during this lockdown.

If you are bored, you should borrow Mrs Bob's Dyson and convert it in to a respirator to cool down tube passengers and remove nasties from the air, everyone brings their mini Dyson from home, connects it up, et voila image.jpeg.f6cfa399860321332952fe308631f9e3.jpeg

Edited by LadyG
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58 minutes ago, Alastair said:

Question for Frahkn: did you put toilet paper in the solids bit, or in a separate bin?

 

We found it necessary to use a separate bin for toilet paper (seems odd but you soon get used to it - and it is normal in many countries).

We do bin the toilet paper, we use a small 'swing bin'. I was very concerned about this at first but, as you say, it's not a problem in reality.

 

We plan to try using "camping" loo rolls and putting the paper in with the solids on an experimental basis when we have an opportunity.

Edited by frahkn
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2 hours ago, Tracy D'arth said:

I know its usual in many countries with poor drain systems but in a civilised country its disgusting especially in the confines of a small boat.

And just how do you then dispose of the soiled  -contaminated-  paper? Please don't tell me you bin it, that would be gross.

People put their kids nappies straight in the bin!! I confess the whole composting bog thing to me makes zero sense whatsoever when we have a perfectly accesible sewer system along most of the inland waterways system.

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On 12/03/2020 at 19:33, cuthound said:

 

Perhaps LadyG was thinking of the Terry type rather than disposable nappies? ???

Used nappies  when I nursing sick horses!, a lot more difficult.

I did try a real baby once, never again.

Edited by LadyG
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