Composting Toilet

Caravan Happy · Member

Composting Toilet

yobarr · Guru

Caravan Happy wrote:
Hi All
We are finally gearing up to get going. Its been a long time in the planning. After a few shorter trips we are finding things that we would like to change. One of them being a composting toilet instead of the cassette one we already have. Lack of dump points and odour in hot weather is prompting us to lean this way.
Any information and advice would be greatly appreciated. We are looking at Natures Head and using peat moss. Other brands you are using and the availability of medium?
TIA. Jo

Hi Jo....before you rush out and buy a composting toilet,you might like to consider fitting a SOG unit,which is a breather system.....just Google it for details,but there will be no smell in the van,no matter what the weather,and the fact that the cassette can breathe means that ordinary toilet paper can be used,as everything decomposes.Down side is that you still need to find a dump point when necessary,or carry a decent shovel! Cheers

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

If you go seriously off road, be careful with the detail design of an SOG. Getting the contents of the cassette into the SOG fan is not a good scene.
From 16 years experience, ordinary toilet paper in a cassette is fine with or without an SOG.
Our next OKA build project will have a composting toilet for both reduced water use (nil) and emptying reduced to up to once per month and the disposal options are also more numerous.
Cheers,
Peter

BAZZA44 · Senior Member

Depending on your age and/or physical ability it may be a problem to empty. It appears you have to remove the whole toilet from the van to empty. Take outside and take apart. May be too heavy or awkward. Also composting takes a certain time to break down everything, and if the toilet has been used with a short lead time to being emptied there will be solids in view, are you prepared for that.

Also there may be a problem in cold weather with smell and breaking down of solids, I am sure I read somewhere a heater had to be fitted for this.

If you have room to store it, having another cassette will give you more time to get to a dump point. Works for us.

We hardly ever have any smell. Might depend what chemicals you use.

Emptying is not unpleasant, we use Thetford Blue and it is blue liquid that is seen when pouring.

Do your homework and get as many answers as you can. Hopefully from someone who is using one.

Barry

Dougwe · Chief one feather

Welcome to the gang Jo, enjoy here and out in the playground.

I would stick with the Chemical canister personally. I have been living full time in my aluminium tent for six years now and only use my toot, very rare for me to use a public one for #2's. I also use the Thetford Blue sachets when I know I will be emptying into a Dump point or suitable emptying area for the 'Blue'. If not and will be emptying into a septic or similar, I use the Thetford Green. I personally don't like the Green as I don't think it is as good. I never have a problem with smells etc. I also don't put paper in the canister, just #2's and night time #1's. The paper gets put into a degrading bag and disposed of with normal rubbish and appropriately. I have tried other flavors of chemicals and also the no brand nappy treatment products but the latter has never worked for me for some reason. I also don't 'flush' as it saves water and the Blue works better. I just spray and wipe clean.

When I empty I rinse out and put 2lts of cold water plus one sachet and shake. If the teepee doesn't move for a few days I go out and give the canister a shake. I am solo and find the canister only get empty about every 5 days, depending on how many people give me the s...s I spose.

This system has worked now for six years and have had no problems.

Keep Safe on the roads and out there (and around dump points)

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

BAZZA44 wrote:
Depending on your age and/or physical ability it may be a problem to empty. It appears you have to remove the whole toilet from the van to empty. Take outside and take apart. May be too heavy or awkward. Also composting takes a certain time to break down everything, and if the toilet has been used with a short lead time to being emptied there will be solids in view, are you prepared for that.

Also there may be a problem in cold weather with smell and breaking down of solids, I am sure I read somewhere a heater had to be fitted for this.

Maybe a tad of research would assist?

https://www.natureshead.com.au/overview/faq/

https://www.google.com.au/search?sxsrf=ALeKk032zlZEInRG0ht7XQ9A1gJkjwDdlg%3A1606114163080&ei=c1u7X4mkBOOG4-EP2_aQgAM&q=emptying+nature%27s+head+toilet&oq=emptying+a+natures+head+toilet&gs_lcp=CgZwc3ktYWIQARgAMgkIABDJAxAWEB46BAgAEEc6BAgAEA06CAgAEAcQChAeOggIABAIEAcQHjoECAAQCjoICAAQFhAKEB5QrKolWKPvJWCzhiZoAHACeACAAYsDiAG2JZIBBjItMTYuM5gBAKABAaoBB2d3cy13aXrIAQjAAQE&sclient=psy-ab

The top of the toilet comes off to empty it. The waste can then be put into composable plastic bag (while in the toilet compartment) where composting will continue, if not complete. The top of the toilet and the waste are both lighter than a cassette.

Composting is best at 12C and over. The inside of our MH is higher than that if we are using it due to our diesel heater. If the van is very cold due to not being inhabited, composting will simply start again when it warms up.

All reports confirm that no smells ever exist.

The urine collection container needs emptying about every 3 days, alternatively it can be plumbed to a larger container and maybe even into the grey water tank?

Cheers,

Peter

-- Edited by Peter_n_Margaret on Monday 23rd of November 2020 06:40:13 PM

BAZZA44 · Senior Member

Peter_n_Margaret wrote:
BAZZA44 wrote:

Also there may be a problem in cold weather with smell and breaking down of solids, I am sure I read somewhere a heater had to be fitted for this.

Maybe a tad of research would assist?

Cheers,
Peter

-- Edited by Peter_n_Margaret on Monday 23rd of November 2020 06:16:22 PM
Yes Peter I have seen how they come apart and in a van it would be against a wall as a cassette toilet would be. To take it apart it has to be removed from the wall to enable the top part to swing back and slide off the hinge. Not much room in a van ensuite for that but it could be done in some.

As I said it will depend on physical limits. Ok for a young person but maybe not grey nomad age.

I did not say not to use one but to check it out first and be sure it suits.

Barry

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

BAZZA44 wrote:

Yes Peter I have seen how they come apart and in a van it would be against a wall as a cassette toilet would be. To take it apart it has to be removed from the wall to enable the top part to swing back and slide off the hinge.

The unit is not attached to the wall.

Allow approximately 1.5 inches behind toilet if against a bulkhead or wall for the bowl to lt for servicing.

https://www.natureshead.com.au/media/uploads/pdfs/natures_head_installation_manual_users_guide_2016.pdf

Cheers,

Peter

Bobakers · Newbie

hi
I have a natures head in current truck after having chemical toilet in van. Would never go back.
Natures head is easy to clean, no smell. Its positioned approx 200 ml off rear wall which allows the top to pivot back to access the pee tank which is emptied every second day and the poo side to be emptied every 3-4 weeks depending on usage.

Bob

Caravan Happy · Member

Thanks for all the feedback. Bobakers, how long does your medium last? Do you use peat moss or something else. Is it readily available if we travel for a year or 2? How heavy is it to empty? Is there a way that you dont have to lift the whole unit out to empty the compost?

Mike Harding · Guru

Bobakers wrote:
I have a natures head in current truck

At A$1600 you'd need to spend a lot of pennies and you still have to empty the urine tank and you have a fan running 24/7.

Whilst I can see some advantages they are not enough to tempt me away from a standard van toilet and a tub of sodium percarbonate.

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

One of these once per month. They are about half the size of a house brick.
www.bunnings.com.au/brunnings-9l-coir-peat-brick_p3023170
We will be plumbing the urine to a larger tank under the floor.
Cheers,
Peter

Caravan Happy · Member

Hi Peter
Do you have to add water to the brick or just crumble it in?

Cuppa · Guru

We have a similar set up to the composting toilet at home - a waterless toilet (Separett Villa 900) . For two people it needs emptying around every three to four weeks. We think it was a good choice for us so would have no qualms about an 'Airhead' composting toiet in an RV . We are currently purchasing a new travelling vehicle which is fitted with a vacuum toilet. We'll try that & see what we think, but the fact that it's cassette only lasts for around 3 days for two folk seems like a retrograde step from the portapotti we have used for years. If we decide the vacuum one is not for us, we will replace it with a 'Airhead' composting toilet.

-- Edited by Cuppa on Tuesday 24th of November 2020 10:06:26 PM

Tony LEE · Guru

"At A$1600 you'd need to spend a lot of pennies and you still have to empty the urine tank and you have a fan running 24/7." Thetford cassette toilet doesn't come cheap or is that 1600 the extra cost. Yes, doesn't seem like much advantage - find a suitable place to dump a cassette legally or find the same place to empty a jug of pee.

Bobakers · Newbie

Caravan Happy wrote:
Thanks for all the feedback. Bobakers, how long does your medium last? Do you use peat moss or something else. Is it readily available if we travel for a year or 2? How heavy is it to empty? Is there a way that you dont have to lift the whole unit out to empty the compost?

Hi Camp Happy

Medium last as long as it takes to fill the bin (3-4 weeks or until the handle gets hard to turn)

We use brunnings coir brick available from Bunnings, Woolworths or nurseries ($3 each). add one brick to 4.5 litres of water in a bucket until the brick absorbs all the water and breaks up than add it to the holding bin in the toilet.

Not heavy to empty at all, depending on your installation just unclip the top and tilt it back then remove the bin.

regards

Bob

BAZZA44 · Senior Member

Bob are you saying that in the confined space of a caravan, that you unclip the top part before you take the toilet outside. If so have you considered the fact that your eating area is now exposed to fecal bacteria.

I had looked at these toilets for us a while ago but decided not for us. What I did see on you tube videos of people who actually used these, was they all took them outside complete except for the urine container that was removed first to save weight.

Barry