Composting Toilets

[Doodlebug]

On the subject of building your own, I would say that the main problem with ours is that there is no way of rotating a drum to mix it all up. I don't know if ours smells more than it should, as mentioned there is the acidic smell you get. I don't know if lots of mixing would help.

[Ex- Member]

On the subject of building your own, I would say that the main problem with ours is that there is no way of rotating a drum to mix it all up. I don't know if ours smells more than it should, as mentioned there is the acidic smell you get. I don't know if lots of mixing would help.

 

The mixing is important you have to make sure the compost gets plenty of oxygen. a small garden claw on a longish pole will rake it through ok, a bit like turning soil in the ground. If you make the seat removable you'll have a good sized hole to do this through.

 

If you have a chimney you shouldn't get a smell, a fan in the chimney stack can help. Avoiding urine in the compost reduces smell.

 

There should be no small at all, although an occasional whiff when windy is possible or during use.

 

I'm not sure how yours is constructed though doodle?

Edited November 16, 2013 by Julynian

[Doodlebug]

It is basically the same as the link above, with the separating toilet seat kit. The urine goes into a large jerry can and everything else goes into a big storage box. I think its 80l.

 

There is a cpu fan which sucks the air through.

 

I know that the posh toilets have the flap that opens when you sit down but to be honest having looked at photos of them after some use it looks rather dirty.

 

We use medium sized sawdust, i.e. not very fine but its deffo not shavings.

 

I still don't fancy mixing it up with a gardening thing because where do you put it after you've used it?

[peterboat]

If I had seen these kits I would have built my own loo the parts they supply are the bits you need great find, When I use my loo I throw in a mixture of fine sawdust mixed with composter, my friend then when its full puts it on his heap

 

Peter

[smileypete]

Ikea do a range of plastic storage boxes in black, the larger 45L/65L sizes might work OK as a bottom compost container.

 

http://www.ikea.com/gb/en/search/?query=storage+samla&category=products&color=black

 

Looks like they're just a little bit see through but not too bad, the smaller sizes could be used for the sawdust.

 

 

cheers, Pete.

~smpt~

[Ex- Member]

The best way to set this up IMO is 2 bins in a ply box. One bin front and one bin at the back. Fresh waste goes in the front urine separated, when bin reaches 3/4 full swap with empty bin at rear. When new bin is 3/4 full, remova and empty back bin. This will be partially composted and should be very dry and non smelling, needs to be left 6 weeks to achieve this though.

 

You now move the fresh bin you've removed to access the back bin, and put it to the back. You now put the newly emptied bin to the front to start collecting fresh waste.

 

Simply continue with this cycle.

 

The problem with a single bin unit is that it's going to be very difficult to extract only the partially composted/dried waste, new stuff will be mixed in as well. There really needs to be some kind of separation.

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

As previously stated,I am a big fan of Composting toilets,or any way that safty & practically disposes of human waste, but it did get me thinking.

Can I ask

1, What you do with the end product, once partly or if stored on your boat for the six wks or so required,fully composted human waste. Who has the final say on '@ what stage of the composting process it is safe to discard.

2, Is it legal or acceptable to scatter,or tip in 30/40 or more ltr quantities of untreated composted human waste in or adjacent to a water table.

3, Would it be possible or practical,to make bricks out of the dried wastes,& burn them on your stoves, Ultimate recycling.

4, What do you do with the even larger quantities of untreated urine.

POO BRICKS !.

It's funny what you think about when you can't sleep !.

Edited November 17, 2013 by Paul's Nulife4-2

[Ex- Member]

As previously stated,I am a big fan of Composting toilets,or any way that safty & practically disposes of human waste, but it did get me thinking.

Can I ask

1, What you do with the end product, once partly or if stored on your boat for the six wks or so required,fully composted human waste. Who has the final say on '@ what stage of the composting process it is safe to discard.

2, Is it legal or acceptable to scatter,or tip in 30/40 or more ltr quantities of untreated composted human waste in or adjacent to a water table.

3, Would it be possible or practical,to make bricks out of the dried wastes,& burn them on your stoves, Ultimate recycling.

POO BRICKS !.

It's funny what you think about when you can't sleep !.

 

 

1, What you do with the end product, once partly or if stored on your boat for the six wks or so required,fully composted human waste. Who has the final say on '@ what stage of the composting process it is safe to discard.

 

 

Ok, you can discard in an elsan like any other poo waste.

 

You could finish composting it and put it on your roses. Either in a bin or a compost heap you have access to.

 

You could bury it where it would do no harm.

 

2, Is it legal or acceptable to scatter,or tip in 30/40 or more ltr quantities of untreated composted human waste in or adjacent to a water table.

 

 

Of course not

 

3, Would it be possible or practical,to make bricks out of the dried wastes,& burn them on your stoves, Ultimate recycling.

POO BRICKS !.

 

 

Now you're talking, save it all up for those hot summer days though and dry it out on the boat roof for winter, you don't want to wast energy drying poo bricks in a kiln

 

There is some facility somewhere that does this though. can't remember at the mo, it will come to me possibly.

 

It's funny what you think about when you can't sleep !.

 

 

The fact that us supporters of compost toilets can make people think about them is quite pleasing Or possibly it's akin to counting Sheep poo

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

Thanks for that,,

So now I can tell who's got a composting toilet in there boat,by looking at the magnificent array & condition of the flowers on there roofs !.

I do think I would have gone down that root,if I remained on the inland waterways.

So what are the honest negatives in your opinion ?.

Edited November 17, 2013 by Paul's Nulife4-2

[Ex- Member]

Thanks for that,,

So now I can tell who's got a composting toilet in there boat,by looking at the magnificent array & condition of the flowers on there roofs !.

 

Not on our roof. I struggle to see why people put a multitude of plant's on their boat when they have the wonderful English countryside as a garden.

 

Although we might decide to do some herbs

[Radiomariner]

I looked into it a long time ago (about 20 years) then they were too expensive. Later 16 or seventeen years ago when feeling a little flush (pardon the pun) I looked again and found they were too big. The one we almost bought would have been a very tight fit, but we still considered it until when enquiring how it can be brought through the narrow door and re-assembled, (which it could) e we discovered that it had a griddle handle which had to be shaken at intervals, and which also pulled out to empty the damned thing. Exasperation, to room to pull the handle out!!! We instead fitted a vacuum/Pump out. My advice for that is that because you pay for pump out, you do not pay for the quantity pumped, get as big a holding tank as possible. I wish I had gone at least twice the size of the one I have now

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

Yes,I chickened out,for pretty much the same reasons, & even more weirdly got a vac loo & fair sized holding tank.

But ime sure cost / design & ease of use has come along way in the composting loo world now.

[Ex- Member]

I looked into it a long time ago (about 20 years) then they were too expensive. Later 16 or seventeen years ago when feeling a little flush (pardon the pun) I looked again and found they were too big. The one we almost bought would have been a very tight fit, but we still considered it until when enquiring how it can be brought through the narrow door and re-assembled, (which it could) e we discovered that it had a griddle handle which had to be shaken at intervals, and which also pulled out to empty the damned thing. Exasperation, to room to pull the handle out!!! We instead fitted a vacuum/Pump out. My advice for that is that because you pay for pump out, you do not pay for the quantity pumped, get as big a holding tank as possible. I wish I had gone at least twice the size of the one I have now

 

That sounds like the Envirolet composting toilet, when we first looked in to these the Envirolet and the Sun-Mar which we now have were the final 2 we chose from. I know a couple of boats that bought the Envirolet but not heard from them or seen them since fitting.

 

Maybe they'r out there somewhere looking in. How did the Envirolet fair, I would love to know. To be fair it was a close call between the 2, it was probably money that made the difference rather than operational or perceived performance,

[Doodlebug]

The ikea box is what we have and i've had no problems with it.

 

Can I ask how you put the contents down the elsan? How do you stop it blocking it?

[Paul's Nulife4-2]

The ikea box is what we have and i've had no problems with it.

 

Can I ask how you put the contents down the elsan? How do you stop it blocking it?

Yes,,good point.i was thinking that. Some people get very protective over Elson points,,ime given the impression by other recent loo threads, they are only for the cassette loo use,not even for use by any other type of container,,just cassette !.

What do you do with your fallout ?.

Edited November 17, 2013 by Paul's Nulife4-2

[Ex- Member]

The ikea box is what we have and i've had no problems with it.

 

Can I ask how you put the contents down the elsan? How do you stop it blocking it?

 

Haven't a clue, Much easier to bury it. I would think though in much the same way as general poo but bit by bit and washed down with water possibly and a poo stick.

 

It's not exactly a large amount, about the quantity of a bedside cabinet drawer.