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Composting vs cassette toilet vs pump out


fergyguy

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That's a good point Adam 1 surely those disposing of liquid waste only need to cap the bottle and pop it in a bag and whilst having a countryside stroll away from to path deposit under a hedge or in a field used by cows then no one will ever notice.

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As mentioned before it is the nitrate that is the problem, pee is a very good fertiliser, as for dumping it on the tow-path ,this is a no no. If you have to dispose it at least take well away from the canal area, there is a law regarding this . I think a minimum of 15mtr from any watercourse.

 

I have looked at this and the only way I can see is by evaporation into the atmosphere, you could use the boats exhaust system for this, Don't know what it would smell like, but you could add some essence to it.

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.

 

I have looked at this and the only way I can see is by evaporation into the atmosphere, you could use the boats exhaust system for this, Don't know what it would smell like, but you could add some essence to it.

It do. When I was an apprentice boy I did some work in a block of new flats, no windows in Norwich. The builders had a fire in a drum in a corridor and one of them pee'd against it. Not a nice place to be.

Edit, not sure which law you are refereeing to about distance from a watercourse

Edited by ditchcrawler
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Don't know if this link has been posted for composting toilets https://www.offgriddesigns.co.uk/

 

Yes, it has, I posted that a couple of weeks ago in another topic that I can't find through the search box anymore.

 

I posted that together with another good one, they are friends of each other that are on the Facebook page of composting loos too.

 

http://littlehouse.co

 

but as I've said before it doesn't do any harm to post the links to this sort of most informative sites again.

Peter.

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We have a Vetus system. The Eco option uses 3 litres, the Normal, 4 litres.

 

I have just purchased a Vetus to replace my Lavac, which wasn't as problem-free as I had hoped.

 

It's great that Veti and other similar toilets use comparativey little water per flush, but one consequence of that is that unless the discharge hose is very short you are liable to find that after flushing there is still some solid matter sitting in the pipe, which in time is likely to lead to smells.

 

Even the best sanitation hose appears to have a limited life.

 

Being in a marina I tend to use extra water in order to ensure the discharge hose is always full of sweet water, and nothing else. This is another reason to ensure you have as big a tank as you can find space for.

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I have just purchased a Vetus to replace my Lavac, which wasn't as problem-free as I had hoped.

 

It's great that Veti and other similar toilets use comparativey little water per flush, but one consequence of that is that unless the discharge hose is very short you are liable to find that after flushing there is still some solid matter sitting in the pipe, which in time is likely to lead to smells.

 

Even the best sanitation hose appears to have a limited life.

 

Being in a marina I tend to use extra water in order to ensure the discharge hose is always full of sweet water, and nothing else. This is another reason to ensure you have as big a tank as you can find space for.

The previous owner of my boat had the flexible sanitation hoses replaced with rigid pipes to avoid reoccurring smells.

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I have just purchased a Vetus to replace my Lavac, which wasn't as problem-free as I had hoped.

 

It's great that Veti and other similar toilets use comparativey little water per flush, but one consequence of that is that unless the discharge hose is very short you are liable to find that after flushing there is still some solid matter sitting in the pipe, which in time is likely to lead to smells.

 

Even the best sanitation hose appears to have a limited life.

 

Being in a marina I tend to use extra water in order to ensure the discharge hose is always full of sweet water, and nothing else. This is another reason to ensure you have as big a tank as you can find space for.

The other option, of course, is to have as short a run of hose as possible. Best case is a length of a few inches, if the holding tank is directly behind the loo, with just a bulkhead in between; much better than a hose which runs half the boat length, probably under floors or behind furniture. The hose will need replacing, and you might as well make it as easy as possible. If you're buying secomd hand there's not much that can be done about the relative positions of toilet and tank, but in a new build I say make the hose as short as you can.

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I hired a cabin cruiser on the Gt Ouse and to my surprise it had a sea toilet where the contents is pumped overboard. The hire company told me that this was allowed as the river was open water. Does this apply to all rivers or just EA rivers?

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The previous owner of my boat had the flexible sanitation hoses replaced with rigid pipes to avoid reoccurring smells.

 

I know some people have done that, but why should rigid pipe be any more impermeable than sanitation hose which is claimed to be odour-free?

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I hired a cabin cruiser on the Gt Ouse and to my surprise it had a sea toilet where the contents is pumped overboard. The hire company told me that this was allowed as the river was open water. Does this apply to all rivers or just EA rivers?

No to both of those. You are very limited on which waterways you can use a sea toilet

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I know some people have done that, but why should rigid pipe be any more impermeable than sanitation hose which is claimed to be odour-free?

I think it is to do with the thickness of the walls. Certainly the sanitation hose was replaced on DQ within a year of launch, due to odours. The rigid pipework has been in place 7 and a half years and is odour free.

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I haven't read the whole thread so apologies if this is a repeat, but I've seen an ad for (I think) "Eco Toilets" which describes a loo which separates the liquids and solids. Liquids can be emptied under the hedge perfectly legally, or added to a compost heap if you have one; the solids, with no added chemicals, begin to break down and also turn into compost, or put into a conventional loo or an Elsan. I know someone who has a similar system and it works really well for their family. It's what I'll aim to convert to eventually- far better for the environment and great for cruisers.

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  • 5 weeks later...

We installed a composting loo on our W/B in Feb 2015. The one we purchased was a ‘Natures Head’ and I’m still not sure if we have done the right thing. We had trouble with urine getting into the solids compartment, there was a fault with the top half of the loo, and a new one was supplied FOC. Still found that some of the urine was getting into the solids so made some alteration to stop this happening, we put a physical barrier between the two compartments which has made it a lot better.

We find that with two of us staying on board we have to empty the urine bottle every two days and the solid compartment about every six weeks, so have purchased a second bottle and a second base unit to allow the solids to finish composting. The jury is still out on this.

When the urine was getting into the solids we found that the liquid sludge was creeping out around the paddle wheel shaft on both sides of the base unit running down the sides and making a mess on the floor, so there is not a good seal around the paddle wheel shaft.

As to any smells you do get a whiff of an earthy smell now and again.

Prior to this installation we had a pump out macerator toilet with a holding tank in the engine room, approx. 280ltrs that lasted 10-14 days before needing to be emptied. We left the holding tank in-situ just in case we change our minds again.

We have just purchased a Natures Head after looking at some great videos from the US, mainly from RV owners who swear they work great. I'm surprised about urine leaking in the composting bin. Can I ask, have the male users sat down to 'pee'? Long term RV users have not highlighted this problem at all. Of course, we have yet to install it. Also, what do you use in the composting tank?

Cherrs

Rob

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We have just purchased a Natures Head after looking at some great videos from the US, mainly from RV owners who swear they work great. I'm surprised about urine leaking in the composting bin. Can I ask, have the male users sat down to 'pee'? Long term RV users have not highlighted this problem at all. Of course, we have yet to install it. Also, what do you use in the composting tank?

Cherrs

Rob

Confirmed all males sit down. We did notice that urine was splashing around the sides (male or female using) and if you had the flap open then it would go into the solids compartment.

We were using peat moss at start but just changed over to Coconut coir, got this of eBay, a little bit more phaffing about break it up and soaking it.

When you do install it try giving it a slight fall forward as this helps with any urine that gets on the flap to run into the bottle.

Did you buy an extra bottle? This help when it’s being emptied. Our bottle lasts about 2days with 2 of us using it.

If you would like to have a chat about this PM me and I will send phone number to contact me.

Regards

Fred.

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No to both of those. You are very limited on which waterways you can use a sea toilet

 

You can pump-out on the majority of Rivers (unless byelaws have been passed)

 

My local Rivers where it is quite legal to pump-out (ie sea-toilet) include the Trent, The Humber and the Ouse

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Confirmed all males sit down. We did notice that urine was splashing around the sides (male or female using) and if you had the flap open then it would go into the solids compartment.

We were using peat moss at start but just changed over to Coconut coir, got this of eBay, a little bit more phaffing about break it up and soaking it.

When you do install it try giving it a slight fall forward as this helps with any urine that gets on the flap to run into the bottle.

Did you buy an extra bottle? This help when it’s being emptied. Our bottle lasts about 2days with 2 of us using it.

If you would like to have a chat about this PM me and I will send phone number to contact me.

Regards

 

 

 

 

Fred.

Why do you need an extra bottle. Surely you empty it wash it out and replace it. Quite safe to empty it in hedgerow.

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