catalinajack
Guru
Murray, wasn't it you who suggested that the discussion be confined to dessicating toilets? My, my how you change your tune when the thread drifting changes to something in which you have an interest.
Composting toilets
- Thread starter ronobrien
- Start date
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MurrayM
Guru
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catalinajack
Guru
So says Murray, the hypocrit, so it must be so. Isn't it nice to never be wrong about anything? An answer for everything but often ignoring salient points made by others. Your contributions to this forum are truly monumental.
"Last word"
There, I got the last word.
We can put this to rest now
MurrayM
Guru
This will never end. Teachers must have adored you.
Now, where was that "ignore" button again...
Alaskaflyer
Guru
Alaskaflyer
Guru
This seems like the perfect application, as I mentioned in my hypothetical boat which is plumbed for overboard discharge but which now needs a treatment and holding system, a desiccating toilet looks much more attractive. For me, a profound maintenance issue with an existing system might deserve one too instead of a difficult repair.
Capt Dan
Senior Member
We started out 9 years ago on our single head vessel using an Airhead. Now we have moved on to a two head vessel and brought the airhead and added a C-Head.
We like the C-Head better, mostly because it has an easily emptied gallon milk jug for the urine. We are not too worried about putting it overboard, just use discretion.
The vent fans running 24/7/365 make for a very fresh smelling vessel and I think you’d have much less mold issues as well.
Guest use may be the only factor against these units, but you know what, if they complain about these heads, they probably have a problem with a lot of other things about life aboard, so they can stay home.
As far as stinky hoses I can’t think of a boat owner that hasn’t changed out his stinky hoses, or needs too and either doesn’t want to, or thinks for some reason that that is the way boats are supposed to smell. Problem is the bad smell comes on slowly and often the owner is the last to realize. I’ve been on boats at boat shows, expensive boats that stink, and all I can say to the broker is “REALLY?”.
Check out C-Head. Next time I would opt for the unit without the mixer.
We also use wood pellets as medium, figured if it worked for the cat it would work for us. Also have a covered foot operated SS trash can for toilet paper. Unlined, (well, it has its own plastic liner.). No smell there either.
One note about non-traditional use. NO UPCHUCKING. Use a bucket.
We like the C-Head better, mostly because it has an easily emptied gallon milk jug for the urine. We are not too worried about putting it overboard, just use discretion.
The vent fans running 24/7/365 make for a very fresh smelling vessel and I think you’d have much less mold issues as well.
Guest use may be the only factor against these units, but you know what, if they complain about these heads, they probably have a problem with a lot of other things about life aboard, so they can stay home.
As far as stinky hoses I can’t think of a boat owner that hasn’t changed out his stinky hoses, or needs too and either doesn’t want to, or thinks for some reason that that is the way boats are supposed to smell. Problem is the bad smell comes on slowly and often the owner is the last to realize. I’ve been on boats at boat shows, expensive boats that stink, and all I can say to the broker is “REALLY?”.
Check out C-Head. Next time I would opt for the unit without the mixer.
We also use wood pellets as medium, figured if it worked for the cat it would work for us. Also have a covered foot operated SS trash can for toilet paper. Unlined, (well, it has its own plastic liner.). No smell there either.
One note about non-traditional use. NO UPCHUCKING. Use a bucket.
Small Dinghy
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Bkay
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My apologies if this was previously posted (I kinda stopped reading when the arguments broke out).
I have an Natures Head in a new build. I had a switch installed. But now that I've seen how easy it is just to unplug the fan, I probably would have skipped the switch. But you do want to make sure you can shut off the fan to extend it's life when the head is decommissioned.
My fan stopped working after 10 months. That's a REALLY short life-span. I emailed the company about it and expected a little grief because I didn't buy the head (the builder did) and I never registered it for warranty. So no receipt and no specific purchase location. I emailed and asked them what I should do (and included my address) and their response the next day was "You don't need to do anything. Replacement fan went out in the mail today." I do think I want a couple spare fans just in case.
The only reason I knew the fan was out was an occasional whiff of coco coir when I was heading into the wind. Even without the fan I didn't have any real noticeable smell after a week of "enthusiastic use".
For my purposes, I'm a fan of these heads.
I have an Natures Head in a new build. I had a switch installed. But now that I've seen how easy it is just to unplug the fan, I probably would have skipped the switch. But you do want to make sure you can shut off the fan to extend it's life when the head is decommissioned.
My fan stopped working after 10 months. That's a REALLY short life-span. I emailed the company about it and expected a little grief because I didn't buy the head (the builder did) and I never registered it for warranty. So no receipt and no specific purchase location. I emailed and asked them what I should do (and included my address) and their response the next day was "You don't need to do anything. Replacement fan went out in the mail today." I do think I want a couple spare fans just in case.
The only reason I knew the fan was out was an occasional whiff of coco coir when I was heading into the wind. Even without the fan I didn't have any real noticeable smell after a week of "enthusiastic use".
For my purposes, I'm a fan of these heads.
How do you manage that? I don't currently have a dessicating head, but due to limited tank capacity, keep the TP out of the head (use dedicated wastebasket). How do you keep a container of used TP from smelling?
ronobrien
Guru
He is a friend and an accomplished surveyor who has seen a couple dozen and never had one on his own boat. Accuracy is improved with increase sampling rate. So to ask, perhaps thousands of people who have actually used them, is simply a statistical improvement in information database.
rsn48
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Skid marks, no one ever talks about skid marks. Skid marks are the big reason people don't like using composting toilets, along with men having to sit down. Most people have a spray bottle with a 50/50 % of vinegar/water and paper towels. I use a couple of types of bags in clean up.
First the dog bag, these things are dirt cheap from a dollar store and are compostable. In actual fact, the early dog bags were too compostable and would break down after 3 or 4 months. I had an unused one I left in a jacket, last time worn in the spring. When I put the jacket back on in the fall, a million little pieces of plastic in the pocket. So just like you do with dog pooh, put hand in bag, grab the spray bottle and a paper towel, clean up, fold the bag inside out then into the garbage can beside the toilet.
I used to have a newspaper delivered and it would come in a plastic bag. I would use those bags much like the doggy bags only they weren't compostable. I will also use plastic bags bread comes in.
I edited this in, time for one story. So again its spring and I'm out with my dog. He does his thing and I grab it securing it in a doggy bag. And I put it in my jacket pocket as I am want to do. But........... I forgot to throw the bag into the dog pooh bin at the park. And........... it was the last time I wore the jacket until the fall.
I proceeded to forget anything was in my pocket. But in the fall when I put the coat on, I noticed an unpleasant odor around me. And I looked all over for the source (except for my pocket). I had been an orderly earlier in life and notice that many older folks smelled more than younger folks (they reduce the showers and baths they take). So I begin to think, maybe I just smell more as I'm older now. This went on for a couple of days. One day even check my underwear in case something untoward occurred. And then one day my hand went into my jacket pocket and I wondered what the lump was in the bag.
First the dog bag, these things are dirt cheap from a dollar store and are compostable. In actual fact, the early dog bags were too compostable and would break down after 3 or 4 months. I had an unused one I left in a jacket, last time worn in the spring. When I put the jacket back on in the fall, a million little pieces of plastic in the pocket. So just like you do with dog pooh, put hand in bag, grab the spray bottle and a paper towel, clean up, fold the bag inside out then into the garbage can beside the toilet.
I used to have a newspaper delivered and it would come in a plastic bag. I would use those bags much like the doggy bags only they weren't compostable. I will also use plastic bags bread comes in.
I edited this in, time for one story. So again its spring and I'm out with my dog. He does his thing and I grab it securing it in a doggy bag. And I put it in my jacket pocket as I am want to do. But........... I forgot to throw the bag into the dog pooh bin at the park. And........... it was the last time I wore the jacket until the fall.
I proceeded to forget anything was in my pocket. But in the fall when I put the coat on, I noticed an unpleasant odor around me. And I looked all over for the source (except for my pocket). I had been an orderly earlier in life and notice that many older folks smelled more than younger folks (they reduce the showers and baths they take). So I begin to think, maybe I just smell more as I'm older now. This went on for a couple of days. One day even check my underwear in case something untoward occurred. And then one day my hand went into my jacket pocket and I wondered what the lump was in the bag.
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Alaskaflyer
Guru
It dries out and there is little smell there, just like when poop desiccates in a desiccating head. We regularly visit a family cabin with a slowly-failing septic and all TP goes in a covered trash can next to the loo. Little if any smell even when you open the lid. Though I will say that we are in drier climates than some others here.
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The main take I'm getting out of this "Hole" thread is not so much where to put "It" but rather what "hole" to put "it" in and what "it" will do once "holed"!
There is no doubt in my mind that a well designed and good working septic tank that drains its top fluids into a well designed and good working leach field is the best for ongoing sanitary disposal of human waste.
In a rural district we have three houses on different properties, all with really good condition septic systems. One house's septic system has two completely separate leach fields. We annually alternate use of each field with a bull run valve. That gives each field 12 months to cleanse themselves from rain that filters through while encountering no new septic bacteria input.
Sooo... if there is access to such a septic system it seems the remains of human stools could be separated from the dry-out materials and they plus the urine could be deposited into the septic tank.
Of course doing so may be a bit of a hassle for storage of wastes on a boat or in an RV until carting them home for disposal.
There is no doubt in my mind that a well designed and good working septic tank that drains its top fluids into a well designed and good working leach field is the best for ongoing sanitary disposal of human waste.
In a rural district we have three houses on different properties, all with really good condition septic systems. One house's septic system has two completely separate leach fields. We annually alternate use of each field with a bull run valve. That gives each field 12 months to cleanse themselves from rain that filters through while encountering no new septic bacteria input.
Sooo... if there is access to such a septic system it seems the remains of human stools could be separated from the dry-out materials and they plus the urine could be deposited into the septic tank.
Of course doing so may be a bit of a hassle for storage of wastes on a boat or in an RV until carting them home for disposal.
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HeadedToTexas
Guru
Missed the fireworks. Probably for the best.
The trick is to keep liquids and solids separate. The urine diverter does a great job of it. So help me think through this urine diverter thing. I apologize in advance for the imagery.
What am I missing? I have used that very system at my off grid cabin. The diverter part works great. So does the composting part. No smell. Simply close the trash bag when sufficiently full and chuck it in a dumpster.
The trick is to keep liquids and solids separate. The urine diverter does a great job of it. So help me think through this urine diverter thing. I apologize in advance for the imagery.
- It is legal to pee off the swim platform into most bodies of water.
- It is legal to stand in the pilothouse door and pee over the gunwale into most bodies of water.
- It is legal to stand on a chair in the salon and pee out the window into most bodies of water.
- It is legal to stand on a chair in the salon and pee into a funnel connected to a hose running out the window into most bodies of water.
- It is legal to stand on a chair in the galley and pee into the sink which drains overboard into most bodies of water.
- It is legal to sit on a urine diverting composting toilet and pee into the diverter section which is plumbed directly overboard into most bodies of water.
What am I missing? I have used that very system at my off grid cabin. The diverter part works great. So does the composting part. No smell. Simply close the trash bag when sufficiently full and chuck it in a dumpster.
