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A composting toilet can be a great solution for people who live off-the-grid or on the go.Maybe you’re an RVer who’s sick of dealing with a and finding places to dump your poo.You might, and you’re looking for a simple, odorless option for a small space.Or maybe and don’t want the hassle of connecting to the sewer system or dealing with a septic tank.A good composting toilet might be just the ticket to solve all your dumping needs. What is a composting toilet?For eons, people have been trying to figure out just how to deal with their #1 and #2. The, where rumor has it they stored human waste in ceramic containers to destroy any parasites.
They’d then dump that waste on their soil, as fertilizer. Hence the very first composting toilet.Our more modern edition of the composting toilet was commercialized by the company in Sweden in the 1960s. Then, in the 1970s, another Swedish company called started manufacturing composting toilets on a larger scale.The composting toilet is special because it uses natural elements to compost human waste; no water is necessary.Bacteria and bulking agents are mixed with human waste to create compost over time, which is called humus. If the toilet is maintained properly, the its original volume. Then, you can use that humus as fertilizer, bury it, or throw it away depending on your state or city’s regulations.Read on to learn the specifics of how a composting toilet works. How does a composting toilet work?A composting toilet needs three main elements to properly digest your waste: moisture, warmth and oxygen.After you use the composting toilet, you add a scoopful of bulking agent to the bowl, which is anything from, to, to straw or sawdust.
You turn a handle to mix it all together, or some toilets do this themselves.Once everything is mixed together, anaerobic bacteria use oxygen to break down the waste. It works a lot like your backyard compost pile.The toilet needs to evaporate excess moisture to work, so many toilets have separate containers for #1 and #2. If that’s the case, you dump the urine separately, then wait for the #2 to become compost.It’s important that the bacteria have enough oxygen and moisture to work correctly, and the toilet also has to be at the proper temperature, somewhere above 55 degrees.
Portable Pop up Tent Camping Beach Toilet Shower Changing Room Outdoor Bag Green. 3.9 out of 5 stars 496. 95 'camping portable toilet' Camco 41541 Portable Toilet-5.3 Gallon. 4.2 out of 5 stars 1,300. 10 $73.50 $ 73. 50 'camping shower' Advanced Elements 5 Gallon Summer Shower / Solar Shower. Turning your living quarters into an Emergency Relief Station can be a stinky situation. I'm sure most of us have encountered the foul odor of a porta potty as some point in our lives. While a home porta potty might not be as musty as the big boys, it doesn't smell like roses.
If the temperature gets below 55 degrees, the toilet will just pause in its composting and resume when it heats back up again.According to: “The correct balance between oxygen, moisture, heat and organic material is needed to ensure a rich environment for the aerobic bacteria that transform the waste into fertilizing soil. This ensures odor-free operation and complete decomposition of waste.”When your waste is done composting, the toilet has a finishing chamber or drawer, so you can easier slide the compost out and dump it according to your state’s regulations. Why you need a composting toilet. A post shared by (@fiskybusiness89) on May 22, 2018 at 5:20pm PDTComposting toilets solve a lot of problems for people and the environment. Take a moment to think about how much water a traditional toilet needs for flushing.
Some of the older models use. That is insane! Luckily, the newer toilets use far less – a little over one gallon – but that’s still a ton of water.According to, more than 47% of water use in the average American home occurs in the bathroom, with nearly 24% being used by toilets.But when it comes to composting toilets, the environmental impacts are actually positive. In fact, one person using a composting toilet for one year and saves 6,600 gallons of water per year.
Holy crap!Besides the environmental impacts, using a composting toilet also has a positive impact on your pocketbook. Your water bills will go way down, and if you’re building a tiny home, you won’t have to pay to get hooked up to the city water and sewer system.Van lifers, RVers and sailors also love composting toilets due to their ease of use and lack of odor. It’s awesome not having to head to a pump out station, or deal with chemicals.
The negatives of a composting toiletYes, even though there are many positives about using a composting toilet in your van, RV, sailboat or tiny home, there are also negatives to be aware of before you buy. Composting toilets are expensive, so it’s good to have all the information and weigh your options to find the solution that best fits your needs.Here are some of the key negatives to be aware of, according to the:. If you don’t handle your compost correctly, it could make you sick.
You have to wait the correct amount of time to move the compost to make sure the pathogens from your poo are no longer there. Composting toilets require more maintenance than traditional toilets. The toilets could stink if not properly maintained. Most composting systems require a power source.
If you don’t properly set up the ventilation system for your composting toilet, bugs and insects could get in there (ew!). They are much more expensive than other toilet systems.
They are not meant to be moved aroundGood food for thought if you’re thinking of a composting toilet. Do composting toilets stink? Photo courtesy Nature’s HeadA lot of people wonder if composting toilets stink, and the answer is this: no. That is, if they’re installed, maintained, and properly ventilated they do not stink.A composting toilet that’s functioning properly should have absolutely no odor, and here is why:. Aerobic bacteria break down your waste, which produces odorless carbon and water vapor.
Another type of bacteria, called anaerobic bacteria smell really bad because they excrete methane, ammonia and hydrogen sulfide. Composting toilets also seal off the moment after you use them, which keeps the waste and any potential odors safely tucked away. Also, a ventilation system keeps moving the odor out of the container where all the magic happens.
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If the vents are properly routed outdoors, no nasty fumes will enter your living space.The different types of composting toiletsThere are two main types of composting toilets: self-contained and central systems.Self-contained composting toilets are the type you’d see used in a van or an RV. There’s the toilet, the bowl, and right under is the container where the composting happens.You might also like:With a central composting system, your toilet is in one room, and the composting chamber is located in another room. This is often done in a house, as it looks most like a regular toilet and the composting is kept far away from the bathroom.For this review, we’re going to stick with self-contained composting toilets as they’re the most common for campervans, RVs, sailboats and tiny homes. Factors to think about when picking a composting toilet.
On Jan 18, 2018 at 3:14pm PSTSizing: You’ll need to make sure you have enough room in your van, RV or sailboat to install a composting toilet. Some take up more space than others, and it’s important to measure the handle and see how much room it needs to function correctly.Installation: The composting toilet needs a way for its exhaust vent to reach the outside, so you may have to cut a hole in your rig. They are designed to bolt right to your floor, so aren’t really moveable. You’ll also need some sort of 12-volt fan to ventilate the compost, and a battery system to power that fan. In reading various RV and van life forums, installation tends to be fairly easy.How it diverts urine: As you’ll read below, the toilets recommended divert urine into another container, so the #2 can turn into compost faster.
Some of those containers are located near the main composting bowl, which you have to open briefly to grab the urine tank. The AirHead toilet keeps the urine container on the outside of the toilet, so you don’t have to disturb the main container, which might smell a little when opened. The best composting toilets of 2018There are so many toilets on the market right now, but there are several that stand tall above the rest. Composting toilets are designed for different needs. Some are better in vans, RVs and sailboats, and some work really well in a tiny home. In this review, we’ll walk you through the main features of each toilet, and their positives and negatives. Nature’s Head Composting Toilet.
Nature’s Head composting toilet with spider handleNature’s Head composting toilets are by far the most affordable ones on the market, and are very popular amongst van lifers, RVers and sailors. They were invented by two sailors who wanted a robust, odorless toilet for the ocean, without the need for a holding tank. These toilets, which use stainless steel hardware, can take the jostling and vibration of life on the road. They’re also small enough to fit in the tiniest space. For the price, we think this is the best choice on the market if you want a composting toilet.This toilet is self-contained and has separate containers for pee and poop. Plus, there’s a trap door design that opens when you sit on the toilet, which eliminates the need to buy separate liners for the bowl.There are two types of Nature’s Head Composting Toilets. The real difference between the two is the type of handle used for stirring the compost.
On Apr 14, 2016 at 11:58am PDTThe Air Head Composting Toilet claims its the smallest composting toilet on the market, close to the size you have at your home. The toilets have a regular toilet seat and lid, and look a lot like a regular plumbed toilet. This can ease people’s fears of using a new toilet system., Air Head says it’s the only diversion system that allows emptying of the urine bottle without opening the solids tank.
Designed for marine use, the Air Head can fit in very small spaces.
Don't have time to watch the video right now?Not a problem! Here's what you need:Tug the handle off of the bucket on one side (and bend it with pliers to get it on and off easier). This is where you'll put your toilet paper - if you'd rather carry your toilet paper, you can skip this step.You'll need to use a drill to make new holes for the handle, as the toilet paper roll is thick and won't be able to fit with the pre-punctured holes.Next, you'll need to line the 5 gallon bucket with a trash bag. Then, grab your pool noodle, cut off a 3' piece, and carefully slice it on the side (to open the noodle).Place the sliced pool noodle on the makeshift portable toilet and you're good to go!As long as there isn't any waste in the bucket, you can use this as a storage unit while traveling, too! Bucket ToiletsIf you don't want to make your own, you're able to purchase pre-made bucket toilets.The good thing about these are they come, well, made for you! The downfall is they can be pricey.Though, when you think about it, you'll probably spend the same amount on a pre-made one as you would to make a DIY one.Here's an example of a pre-made portable toilet. Chemical (Cassette) Camping ToiletsCassette toilets are pretty much like the toilets you have in your home - you flush your waste down the drain!Well, they're almost like the toilets you have at home.
The only difference is you have to clean out your waste at the end of the day.But, they're able to fit inside a camper van andare perfect for camping, hiking, andLet's briefly talk about camping cassette toilets and how they work. How Does A Camping Cassette Toilet Work?To understand how a camping cassette toilet works, you need to know what comes with it:. Fresh water holding tank.
Water pump. A detachable waste tankSo, how do you use it?Before anything, you have to fill the fresh water holding tank with water and fill the waste tank with some toilet disinfectant.After that, you can go about your business and flush your waste!
Clean it when you're finished (or after a few uses) and you're done.One of the best things about these portable toilets are that there's little to no smell after using them (which is a plus if you forget to empty it before a long drive). How To Empty A Cassette Toilet Waste ReservoirSimply detach the waste tank from the toilet and pour the waste into a proper waste area (you can also pour the waste into an actual porta potty).Wash with soap and water and latch it back onto the toilet when you're finished! Best Chemical ToiletsIf you want a chemical toilet, I recommend. Portable Composting ToiletsComposting toilets are the environmentally friendly way to use the bathroom while on the road.These portable toilets are made with no chemicals, they're lightweight, and they're known to smell better than a regular toilet (weird, right?). How Does A Portable Composting Toilet Work?One of the coolest things about composting toilets is there are two 'trap doors'. How To Dump A Composting ToiletBefore I explain anything, hear me out.With a composting toilet, you never need to worry about emptying your black tank again.Just let that sink in for a minute.Okay, let's continue.To dump your pee, pull out the liquid tank and find a place to empty it.You can dump it virtually anywhere, too! Down the shower drain, inside of a porta potty, or down into a real toilet!Once you've emptied your liquid, rinse with a bit of water (you only need enough to cover the bottom), give it a swirl, and dump that too!
Place the liquid tank into its rightful place and wash your hands.Dumping you poop is fairly simple to do, too!All you need to do is unlatch the top of the toilet (the seat) and slide it off of the bracket. Remove the liquid tank, place a garbage (or compost bag) over the waste tank, turn it upside down, and give it a good shake.Refill your waste tank and reattach the top of the toilet (don't forget to put the liquid tank back in, too).Gone With the Wynns has an incredibly informative video on this, too! Check it out.