Toilet questions

[squid]

Hi

Not sure if this has been answered on another thread as it seems like a basic question. But what are people's experiences with composting toilets on boats, especially if you're continuous cruising? I've lived with composting toilets before, but on land with places to store the barrels while they compost and not sure how it will work on a boat - do you end up storing barrels of waste on the roof while it's composting? I'm looking to move onto a boat early next year and will be continuous cruising, so I won't have a regular place to empty the compost. It will be just me most of the time, sometimes with one other person. The last boat I lived on had a casette toilet so I know a bit about what that is like. The boat I'm looking at buying currently has a pump out toilet that needs fixing.

Thanks in advance!

 

 

[Ianws]

If you do a search you will find one or two posts about this. 

[Rob-M]

I think a good number of compost toilet owners don't compost and got a bit annoyed when CRT said they couldn't bag it and bin it.

[booke23]

Oh we haven't had a good toilet debate thread for a while!

 

My advice having bought a boat with a composting toilet is not to bother with them. The network is totally geared up for cassette and pump out toilets and if you CC you'll pass these facilities very regularly. Even if you do properly store and compost the waste for 2 years, there are no compost disposal sites on the canal. IMO it's just unnecessary hassle. After trying to live with it for a few months I replaced my compost toilet with a cassette toilet and haven't looked back. 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

Is the pump out an easy fix?

 

I see places are now charging £20 to pump out. 

 

personally, I use a cassette toilet and it keep things simple, 

there are plenty of places to empty a cassette, and at no extra cost. 
 

If and that’s a big IF, I had a private mooring with a bit of land I’d go for the composting method and use the compost on the land. 
 

but as it is, with being on the move all the time a cassette is so much easier. 
 

save time, effort and stress,

go boating instead 👍

[magnetman]

I have never used a composting loo but if there is not too much "product it might be possible to spoon it into a roaring fire. Soup ladle with a slightly bent handle. Cover ladle in ash from the fire to make it less sticky. 

 

The fire does have to be running hot. 

 

Combustibles do belong in fires. 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

2 minutes ago, magnetman said:

I have never used a composting loo but if there is not too much "product it might be possible to spoon it into a roaring fire. Soup ladle with a slightly bent handle. Cover ladle in ash from the fire to make it less sticky. 

 

The fire does have to be running hot. 

 

Combustibles do belong in fires. 

or shit straight into a paper bag and no need to ladle 👍

job done (so to speak) 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

I think we’ve reached a quick conclusion/solution here for you Squid. 
 

 

[blackrose]

Or just shit straight into the ladle, no need for the bag! 

[magnetman]

1 minute ago, blackrose said:

Or just shit straight into the ladle, no need for the bag! 

 

Practical considerations. Keep a round pan full of ash from the fire. You need to size it (imagination takes over here)

[Jon57]

2 minutes ago, blackrose said:

Or just shit straight into the ladle, no need for the bag! 

Better still shit in the stove. Not lit of course.😜

[magnetman]

1 minute ago, Jon57 said:

Better still shit in the stove. Not lit of course.😜

 

Shit in the ash pan then ladle the materials into the fire. 

 

I'm only trying to help. 

Edited December 29, 2022 by magnetman
Edit to remove complex description of procedure

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

4 minutes ago, magnetman said:

 

Shit in the ash pan then ladle the materials it into the fire. 

 

I'm only trying to help. 

good idea 

but if there’s a bit of ash in the pan the shit should slide without need to use a ladle 👍

 

but do clean the ash pan before frying your bacon and eggs

 

…and don’t mix your sausages !!

[magnetman]

You can get incinerator lavatories.

 

https://www.cinderellaeco.com/gb-en

 

I imagine they use "shed" loads of electric or gas and the hygiene levels may leave something to be desired but yes it is a combustible product so logically the best disposal solution is going to be burning. 

 

 

 

[ditchcrawler]

There is a very good Facebook page about composting toilets by people who actually do it. I know one of them and she has three large buckets on the go on her boat at different states of decomposition

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

But the cost of them incinerators is well expensive,

£5000 or something to install ?

 

best use ladle 

Edited December 29, 2022 by Goliath

[magnetman]

2 minutes ago, Goliath said:

good idea 

but if there’s a bit of ash in the pan the shit should slide without need to use a ladle 👍

 

but do clean the ash pan before frying your bacon and eggs

 

…and don’t mix your sausages !!

Have you tried transferring a stool from an ash pan into a fire without a ladle? Maybe your fire has a larger door (mine has a 4 inch porthole as a door). Still, you don't want to smother the fire with ash as it is going to have extra work driving off the moisture anyway. 

Just now, ditchcrawler said:

There is a very good Facebook page about composting toilets by people who actually do it. I know one of them and she has three large buckets on the go on her boat at different states of decomposition

In the real world does it go in the bin or the elsan or the hedge? 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

Just now, ditchcrawler said:

There is a very good Facebook page about composting toilets by people who actually do it. I know one of them and she has three large buckets on the go on her boat at different states of decomposition

but the old argument is what happens to the compost? Unless used on land it’s pointless generating the stuff. 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

2 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Have you tried transferring a stool from an ash pan into a fire without a ladle? Maybe your fire has a larger door (mine has a 4 inch porthole as a door). Still, you don't want to smother the fire with ash as it is going to have extra work driving off the moisture anyway. 

yep minimum ash on the pan obviously 

 

can’t say I’ve yet tried transferring a stool using either method, ladle or no, 

 

if you’ve only a 4” door you need to park shorter stools, or coil them for an easier fit. 
I guess 🤷‍♀️

 

[magnetman]

7 minutes ago, Goliath said:

but the old argument is what happens to the compost? Unless used on land it’s pointless generating the stuff. 

It goes in the bin (a local dog bin probably) or blocks the elsan facility. 

 

 

The compost loos seem interesting but at the end of the day pointless on canal boats and even worse than pointless they are actively a problematic nuisance. 

 

2 minutes ago, Goliath said:

yep minimum ash on the pan obviously 

 

can’t say I’ve yet tried transferring a stool using either method, ladle or no, 

 

if you’ve only a 4” door you need to park shorter stools, or coil them for an easier fit. 
I guess 🤷‍♀️

 

Crimping off into a coil is the general scheme here. The pan is external to the stove and is full of ash when in use.  

Edited December 29, 2022 by magnetman

[Jon57]

6 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Have you tried transferring a stool from an ash pan into a fire without a ladle? Maybe your fire has a larger door (mine has a 4 inch porthole as a door). Still, you don't want to smother the fire with ash as it is going to have extra work driving off the moisture anyway. 

In the real world does it go in the bin or the elsan or the hedge? 

 

1 minute ago, Goliath said:

yep minimum ash on the pan obviously 

 

can’t say I’ve yet tried transferring a stool using either method, ladle or no, 

 

if you’ve only a 4” door you need to park shorter stools, or coil them for an easier fit. 
I guess 🤷‍♀️

 

This is a problem with a 4 inch port hole door and a 5 inch arse hole 😬😬😬

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

4 minutes ago, magnetman said:

Crimping off into a coil is the general scheme here.

I was wondering how to describe it. 
I was gonna suggest pooing like Mr Whippy does, one full turn and a half then close the door. 

[Jon57]

1 minute ago, Goliath said:

I was wondering how to describe it. 
I was gonna suggest pooing like Mr Whippy does, one full turn and a half then close the door. 

Need one of your old ice cream van machines installing in the bathroom. Shit in that then create nicely formed shitettes for the stove.🤣🤣🤣

[magnetman]

1 minute ago, Jon57 said:

Need one of your old ice cream van machines installing in the bathroom. Shit in that then create nicely formed shitettes for the stove.🤣🤣🤣

 

Adjustable height is useful here. 

[beerbeerbeerbeerbeer]

1 minute ago, Jon57 said:

Need one of your old ice cream van machines installing in the bathroom. Shit in that then create nicely formed shitettes for the stove.🤣🤣🤣

you’ve hit the nail on the head!

and I can supply the cones needed

 

single cones, twin cones or giant cones

simply self fill from your ‘ole and bung on fire. 
will fit through any size stove door