toilets which is the best

[Canal Shop Man]

I've heard a fair bit of negative comment about the composting toilet - probably on one of those threads that had been pasted above.

We have sold about 60 Envirolet Composting toilets. Of these about 50 are for boats and about 45 are happy with them. The odd ones who are not happy probably shouldn't have bought one in the first place ( and the same can often be said about owners of any type of toilet as there is no perfect toilet for boats). Unfortunately those who are unhappy are usually those who make the most noise - the happy ones just get on and use them!

 

I would be pleased to discuss composting toilets with anyone who is interested and will tell you the good bits and bad bits as I would rather not have a sale than have an unhappy customer

[Bones]

John, which 38mm hose did you use to connect your toilet & cassette? I used Vetus barrier hose but it soon began to smell. LeeSan (who by the way I have only ever found to be helpful), advised me to wipe a damp cloth over the pipe and sniff it to see if it was the hose at fault. Indeed it was. I called Vetus who said they'd never heard of any faulty barrier hose before and replaced it for me. I think I may have ruptured the barrier layer in turning it through two 90 degree bends. These are sweeping bends and in Vetus' opinion it shouldn't have damaged the hose.

 

Mike

Is this an actual bucket you speak of or do you mean a standard Portapotti?

 

 

I mean a standard portapotti. They are less smelly than an oak throne with a steel bucket underneath. I heard it affectionately called a bucket and chucket - it took me ages to work out it was actually a portapotti that was being spoken of.

[paull]

Why not search the internet, no doubt you will find much information on this and your other questions? I know you have to start somewhere when you know almost nothing at all about narrowboats but doing your own reserch will soon bring you up an elementary level of knowledge

 

 

 

 

Prefer cassette. more places to empty

[NB Phoenix]

John, which 38mm hose did you use to connect your toilet & cassette? I used Vetus barrier hose but it soon began to smell. LeeSan (who by the way I have only ever found to be helpful), advised me to wipe a damp cloth over the pipe and sniff it to see if it was the hose at fault. Indeed it was. I called Vetus who said they'd never heard of any faulty barrier hose before and replaced it for me. I think I may have ruptured the barrier layer in turning it through two 90 degree bends. These are sweeping bends and in Vetus' opinion it shouldn't have damaged the hose.

 

Mike

Is this an actual bucket you speak of or do you mean a standard Portapotti?

 

 

Mike

 

I also used Vetus but more by luck than anything else I did not have any tight bends.

[Crazy Scheme]

We use poo cassettes. With two of us onboard all day long they have to be emptied about every third day, depending on the amount of tea consumed. We have three spare ones. It's worth having more than one spare if your mates like to booze as much as ours do when they stay onboard. Our poo cassettes, (lined up on the bow after a big night) have been photographed by many a tourist at Camden Lock as we make our way through!

After about a fortnight of living aboard, it became a routine thing to change them, don'teven think about it anymore, we got used to it.

[blackrose]

I mean a standard portapotti. They are less smelly than an oak throne with a steel bucket underneath. I heard it affectionately called a bucket and chucket - it took me ages to work out it was actually a portapotti that was being spoken of.

 

Yes, I have heard the phrase before and always took it to mean a Portapotti, but then one of my neighbours uses an actual bucket and actually chucks it! (No excuse as there's an Elsan point nearby). Funny thing is they're vegetarian, dreadlocked, tree-hugger types! (Bloody hypocrites!)

 

Anyway, how can you say a portapotti doesn't smell? Mine stinks. Everytime something goes in, an equal volume of fetid gas comes out. Or perhaps there's something wrong with my arsehole!

Edited January 8, 2007 by blackrose

[Bones]

Yes, I have heard the phrase before and always took it to mean a Portapotti, but then one of my neighbours uses an actual bucket and actually chucks it! (No excuse as there's an Elsan point nearby). Funny thing is they're vegetarian, dreadlocked, tree-hugger types! (Bloody hypocrites!)

Anyway, how can you say a portapotti doesn't smell? Mine stinks. Everytime something goes in, an equal volume of fetid gas comes out. Or perhaps there's something wrong with my arsehole!

 

 

Well, I suppose I am a lady, and all things lady smell of roses and delight.... I would have stern words with your neighbour if I was them... mainly by getting my non-existent dog to Sh*t right next to their door way - when they complain I would leave a message from the dog telling them to stop sh*ting in the exercise pool.

 

I might even go hunting for sh*t to do just that.

 

Oh dear - and my new years resolution was to be less grumpy. I must put my tweeds away and get some sleep.

[Duchess Omnium]

I really wanted a composting toilet, and I know Lymranger on this forum is really happy with his. I don't have one for three reasons:

 

1. They take up a lot more room than other kinds of toilets.

2. The manufacturer's instructions say they need to have a fan running for quite a lot of the time to aid evaporation, and ideally they need an overflow/sump in case there is too much liquid. I don't have a land line and it looked like these toilets were pretty electricity hungry. I wasn't sure whether the electricity downside made up for the composting upside. Anyway, without the landline I just don't have the electricity!

3. and most importantly, I bought a second hand, not a new, boat so I didn't have full choice. I was advised to try what I had first and then make a decision about any alterations.

 

The toilet on the boat I bought was a Thetford cassette. So far it doesn't stink and isn't really a problem and I am glad I gave it a try before I considered any changes. I would rather the environmentally friendly qualities of a composting one, but at the moment I am using some purple stuff in my cassette that is not chemical so I don't feel too bad about it.

 

I don't agree with the comment that it is a man's job. Having changed a few zillion nappies in my day I haven't had any problem, though if you leave it too long it is pretty heavy to lug up the tow path.

 

The only problem I had was when I first got on the boat. The vendors hadn't told me that the toilet full light didn't work. You guys can fill in the rest... After that incident I also bought a spare cassette.

 

Ideally if I had a new boat so that I could decide bathroom size from the outset, and if I had ready, even if intermittent, access to power at a mooring, I would go the composting route. For the moment I am sticking to what I have.

 

I knew I was a real boater when I started asking questions about toilets, so Shellfish is well on his way. But as a newbie myself I do recognise that you can't have a forum where it is all give and no take. I wish I had more knowledge to contribute. At the moment I mostly have questions. We are all very grateful to those on here who have answers. It is fair enough for old hands to ask that we check first to see if the questions have been (repeatedly) answered before.

[blackrose]

Well, I suppose I am a lady, and all things lady smell of roses and delight.... I would have stern words with your neighbour if I was them... mainly by getting my non-existent dog to Sh*t right next to their door way - when they complain I would leave a message from the dog telling them to stop sh*ting in the exercise pool.

 

I might even go hunting for sh*t to do just that.

 

Oh dear - and my new years resolution was to be less grumpy. I must put my tweeds away and get some sleep.

 

Well I know they have a bucket and dispose of liquids in this way which perhaps isn't too polluting. I'm just making an assumption for solids as in over a year I've never seen anyone carrying a cassette and the boat never moves so I know they don't have a pumpout.

[wrigglefingers]

Like Bones, we've gone down the PortaPotti route. I spent a lot of time thinking about it before we bought a boat and came to the conclusion that it was our best liveaboard option, especially after spending a holiday on the Mon and Brec with an overflowing pump-out and two kids on board. It works well for Elly and myself; and on one memorable occasion, Thea-the-Cat (but she had trouble with the pull-handle). I clean the cassette about once every 4-5 days (we're both out during the day) with no real problems, apart from my occasional Glastonbury fear as I lug the cassette to the door. It was a bit smelly in high (!) summer but I simply emptied it at the half-full stage instead; in winter, no real stinkiness. Elly refers to the lav as an evolved bucket which is about right, but she (and her friends) just regard the primitiveness of it as part of a boating life. As human waste is pretty elemental I don't really see why dealing with it should be a major angst, just a case for consideration and good hygienic practice.

 

The only thing that grieves me is that the only remotely bio-sensible chemical is the green stuff Thetford flog round here. It just doesn't work particularly well for us so we've reverted to Elsan Blu-stuff I remember from my church camp days (dirt cheap, smells of chemical bananas). I've considered a composting loo a few times but the space issues and routine needed have combined to put me off for the time being. It takes me about 15 minutes to sort out the loo which, in the grand list of jobs to do, is hardly worth mentioning.

 

Funny thing is, as much as the question of loos evokes the strongest emotions not only amongst boaters but also is invariably the second question asked by my students at school. I've given up trying to evade the question but just try to feed their nascent curiosity about boats.

 

Jill

[Moley]

loos evokes the strongest emotions not only amongst boaters but also is invariably the second question asked by my students at school.

 

Okay, what's the first?

 

 

I'm quite happy with the Thetford cassette system, though it's quite surprising how quickly two kids can fill it up. The spare cassette is a must, but I have learned when removing a full one to check for paper blocking the shutter and to carry it out horizontally (having trailed smelly blue spots through the boat, across a rug and the corner of a duvet).

[wrigglefingers]

Okay, what's the first?

 

D'you really live on a boat, Miss? Cool/Weird! (depends on child) I'm now a case study for GCSE geography on settlements and habitation too.

 

I'm quite happy with the Thetford cassette system, though it's quite surprising how quickly two kids can fill it up. The spare cassette is a must, but I have learned when removing a full one to check for paper blocking the shutter and to carry it out horizontally (having trailed smelly blue spots through the boat, across a rug and the corner of a duvet).

 

Be careful with the carrying it horizontally, my closest Glastonbury moment came when carrying a very full and elderly cassette horizontally I tripped over the Astro-the-Cat's tale. Without the pressure that the contents apply to the blade when vertical, a surprising large volume of bluey liquid escaped the seal. Luckily, it all remained on the top of the cassette but Elly made me carry the whole lot to the disposal unit horizontally so not to spill formaldehyde anywhere. Rapidly replaced the old lav with the new one. I'm going to replace it again in the spring.

 

Jill

[bottle]

Hi Jill

 

With reference to the 'fluid' you use in your loo have a look at Biomagic.

 

Usual proviso though not used it and have no connection, but will look into it when I get my boat.

[lymmranger]

Sorry, I came into this thread late so my comments are general and point at no one in particular

 

Loo`s ....... nearly as emotive as cc`ers!!!!!!!!!

 

 

At the end of the day there should be no need for such argumentative feelings.......

 

Life is all about choices......

 

The type of Loo you fit is your choice......

 

Just as cruser or trad, red or blue etc,

 

All Loo`s have pro/con arguments, and Green issues do not come into it as by nature the subject matter is not Green ( I know I am asking for this!)

 

Very little about boating is green - Fires, Diesel, Gas etc

 

Boating is a lifestyle choice, each stage has many choices, its your money, your choice..........

 

Answers to questions......Yes

Advice...........................Yes

 

Forcefull opinions..................?

[WJM]

"but then one of my neighbours uses an actual bucket and actually chucks it! "

 

Jeeez - they are my neighbours too - am I directly downstream of them? I thought we were much too posh round here :-) - mind you it is a bl**dy long walk or an absurdly short cruise to our Elsan Point

 

 

 

Thetford Cassettes and blue dot carpet - always carry horizontal till you are off the boat, then you can suitcase it with nonchalance!

[cyclic]

On Pump Outs:

 

Is there any wizzo piece of gadgetry that you can fit to the tank to indicate the level, perhaps like on the water tank?

Or is it a case of waiting till no more will go down the 'ole.

 

I bought my nb a couple of months ago, and have used the loo a "Few" times, but now I'm wondering how full it is.

I can't get at the tank easily to 'Sound' it, cos it's under a bed unit, and I can't dip it either, it being of the Mascerator type.

[flatplane8]

On Pump Outs:

 

Is there any wizzo piece of gadgetry that you can fit to the tank to indicate the level, perhaps like on the water tank?

Or is it a case of waiting till no more will go down the 'ole.

 

I bought my nb a couple of months ago, and have used the loo a "Few" times, but now I'm wondering how full it is.

I can't get at the tank easily to 'Sound' it, cos it's under a bed unit, and I can't dip it either, it being of the Mascerator type.

 

You can get either a simple level indicator (light comes on when its almost full), or something more like a fuel gauge, so you can see what the actual level is. Check www.leesan.co.uk for some details.

[Supermalc]

toilets which is the best

 

This one on my boat works quite well. Doesn't seem to get blocked up much

 

[alan_fincher]

toilets which is the best

 

This one on my boat works quite well. Doesn't seem to get blocked up much

I'm not sure I'd want to use it with the kind of wind speeds we are suffering down here at the moment, though !

 

(Based on past experience, Moley will now pop up and say "wind speeds ?, WHAT wind speeds ? - we are having some of the calmest January weather on record, up here!"......)

[magnetman]

toilets which is the best

 

This one on my boat works quite well. Doesn't seem to get blocked up much

 

 

Its a winch though...

Edited January 12, 2007 by magnetman

[ChrisPy]

This one on my boat works quite well. Doesn't seem to get blocked up much

commonly known as 'the heads' ...................

[bottle]

Its a winch though...

 

No, look a little closer, you will see the seat is, nearly, vertically above the bollard

[magnetman]

No, look a little closer, you will see the seat is, nearly, vertically above the bollard

 

Ah, so the winch is just to hold you in place then?

[bottle]

Ah, so the winch is just to hold you in place then?

 

Yes, it should be able to take the strain.

[blackrose]

Is it true that a poop deck was so called because they used to shit off it? Or is my mate taking the p*ss?