Composting toilets

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Obelix
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Re: Composting toilets

Post by Obelix »

@bartmac,
Your warning was one of the reasons for me to ask these questions to the designer :evil: Thank you :)
@Jamie79,
I looked at their site; the toilet is $495 plus shipping and there is no price available for the bags. This company is brand new and their bag-system is so unique that should they not make it, you’re stuck with a clunker. The only source for the bags is currently the manufacturer, no distribution network, no local availability

Obelix
Hugh
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Re: Composting toilets

Post by Hugh »

parrothead wrote:I can't speak to the fit of the Nature's Head into the :macm:, or the :macx:, but the composting system itself works great! The PO had installed a Nature's Head in the Gemini that we purchased last spring, and after a full season of use, we wholeheartedly endorse it. We also used peat moss as the medium, and had no problems with any odors or bugs.

Doug
A fellow in Calgary installed a NH by cutting a hole for lack of a better descriptor where the portapotti sits to allow for more headroom. There is storage below the shelf,nothing structural.
He also uses a ratchet to turn the wastes as the unit sits too low to allow for clearance.
He is also using the solar vent.
Install time once he got over the trauma of cutting holes in his boat was 30m.

As I have no idea how to post a photo here is a link. [mod="kmclemore']No worries - fixed![/mod]
Hugh


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RobertB
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Re: Composting toilets

Post by RobertB »

I love the ratchet wrench - what a great finishing touch :)
flyboy26m
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Re: Composting toilets

Post by flyboy26m »

I have one on my 2010 26m and it is the best Mod I have done.
It is expensive but worth every penny not to fool around with the port-a- potty anymore.
Install pics are in the Mod section.
More pics at: http://s1065.beta.photobucket.com/user/ ... 6m/profile
Good luck!
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Re: Composting toilets

Post by flyboy26m »

Bobglas wrote:I made a mock up of the Nature's Head. Putting it on the :macm: 's shelf was way too tall. On the floor in front of the shelf was very doable as long as the door is replaced by a curtain that stretches to the port side. The mock up sits even with where the door used to be and is not in the way if going forward. It seems the C-head would also work. As soon as the snow goes I'm putting one in.


I have one of those tackle boxes that have the pull out plastic drawers. I store it in front of the natures head and use it as a foot rest :)
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Bobglas
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Re: Composting toilets

Post by Bobglas »

Couldn't wait for the snow to melt. Ordered a Nature's Head today for ANDALUZ :macm: (wishfully thinking that when it arrives, Spring'll be here, snow gone and I can move the boat to the work area). Plan is to just bolt it down in front of the step (door gone, curtain across to port), run the vent to the 1 1/2" fitting that was the pumpout and hook up a solar panel to the batteries to make up for any loss. If this works out satisfactorily this year I'll cut into the step next year. That's the plan anyway.
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RobertB
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Re: Composting toilets

Post by RobertB »

Bobglas wrote:Couldn't wait for the snow to melt. Ordered a Nature's Head today for ANDALUZ :macm: (wishfully thinking that when it arrives, Spring'll be here, snow gone and I can move the boat to the work area). Plan is to just bolt it down in front of the step (door gone, curtain across to port), run the vent to the 1 1/2" fitting that was the pumpout and hook up a solar panel to the batteries to make up for any loss. If this works out satisfactorily this year I'll cut into the step next year. That's the plan anyway.
Can I suggest making the window above the head hinged so you do not have to hunch over like you have severe spinal curvature?

I just ordered the shorter, modified C-Head and I am still concerned about being able to sit upright. :?
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Bobglas
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Re: Composting toilets

Post by Bobglas »

Sitting on my mock up on the floor in front of the step I had no problem sitting up I think (this was last fall).
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mastreb
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Re: Composting toilets

Post by mastreb »

Jamie79 wrote:I saw a product on an rv television show that looked interesting.

http://Www.dry-flush.com
That's exactly how the "Diaper Genie" works. It was moderately, but not completely, effective at keeping diaper smell down.
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Saxacussionist
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Re: Composting toilets

Post by Saxacussionist »

Ok - I've had my C-Head for a week now. I know it's strange, but I set it up in a small room in my basement to test it out. Here is what I have found so far...
  • To work as advertised, the composting material needs to be dry. I had been told on another blog that it was best to use coir (coconut husks) that had been compressed into bricks. The advantage was that it was easy to store on the boat and takes little room. Well, it's true that it takes little room, but to uncompress the coir, you have to put it in a bucket with some water. What you end up with is wet coir that you now must dry before using. Forget that, I'm going to buy uncompressed peat moss. Uncompressing and drying coir is just not worth the effort!

    The toilet itself is just as comfortable as the toilet in your house. Exactly what we were looking for.

    I bought some CampaChem and mixed an ounce with water in a recycled dish soap bottle. Give the urine collection funnel a little shot of that stuff every now and then and there is absolutely NO urine smell whatsoever.
I plan on buying some peat moss this weekend, so I will be able to report on the solid waste next week.
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Re: Composting toilets

Post by bartmac »

Re the coconut peat "coir"...we found if you follow the rehydrating procedure on the pack the moisture content is just right for an "airhead"(makes a 2gal bucket)...we put a layer in the bottom and slowly add some (just store moist coir in used 6 smallish yoghurt containers ie right dose for the job)after each use until the whole block has been used ...then the normal half turn of the handle to bury the "do" with good results...the key is the starting of the compost procedure...makes for very little smell...once composting underway don't churn the handle too much as it just brings uncomposted material to the surface.The whole thing has taken a bit of figuring out how best to manage it but ultimately is far and away better than porta potti's and no pump out required...we go sailing where there are no pump outs
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Saxacussionist
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Re: Composting toilets

Post by Saxacussionist »

bartmac wrote:Re the coconut peat "coir"...we found if you follow the rehydrating procedure on the pack the moisture content is just right for an "airhead"(makes a 2gal bucket)


That seems to be one of the fundamental differences between the Airhead and the C-Head. The Airhead uses moist material and the C-Head uses dry material. I asked Sandy who owns the C-Head company. He confirmed that. The object of the C-Head dry material is that it quickly absorbs the moisture from the poo and therefore, the smell. Most of us have owned a dog and know that fresh poo in the yard is very smelly, but dried poo has no smell at all. Same principle.

The theory sounds good but the proof is in the poo. I'll let you know....
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fishheadbarandgrill
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Re: Composting toilets

Post by fishheadbarandgrill »

Why bother with the coir. Just use peat moss. Works great in my Nature's Head.

Bob
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Re: Composting toilets

Post by flyboy26m »

fishheadbarandgrill wrote:Why bother with the coir. Just use peat moss. Works great in my Nature's Head.

Bob

Same thing I use.
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Re: Composting toilets

Post by Saxacussionist »

RobertB wrote:
Heaven Bound wrote:I would encourage you to check out the C-Head composting toilet. While I don't own a composting toilet yet, I will be installing a C-Head before spring. I checked out the Nature's Head and the Air Head at the Strictly Chicago show. While doing a little research on them, I found out about the C-Head. Do yourself a favor and read through this guy's website. His design, while essentially the same as the others in principle, is much better than the others. He uses off the shelf parts where possible, thereby allowing you to repair it yourself with readily available parts. His collection system is greatly simplified, resulting in fewer parts, and the best of all, it requires significantly less cleaning. He even provides instructions on how to build a cardboard mock-up that you can make in about 20 min. It can be used to determine how it will fit in your boat, or which of a couple different models he offers that best fits your requirements. The best part is the price. They start at about 1/2 the cost of the Nature's Head or the Air Head. I know, you're thinking the same thing I did - It can't be as good, right? I Googled the C-Head and found all kinds of posts from those who actually use them - for several years. They swear by them!
His website: http://c-head.com/C-Head.html
Did you finish this installation? What are your impressions of the system?
I have a final update on the C-Head. We used it for 3 weeks in our home, then finally got a break in the weather today and I installed it in the Heaven Bound 26S. It is everything I had hoped it would be. Since there was absolutely no smell whatsoever, I decided not to hook up the ventilation system. Using the 1 gal. plastic milk jugs instead of a proprietary urine collection container is pure genius. There is no temptation to dump it overboard just because you filled it up. Just cap that one off, stow it and throw in another one. It couldn't get any easier. The solids collection container is smaller for the Mac version, so I would suggest you empty it once a week if used by 2 people every day. I was dreading the first emptying of that container. I couldn't believe it. NO objectionable smell whatsoever. The whole job took 10 min and you are ready for another week. Best of all, it feels like a 'real' toilet. Same size, same height, even uses an off the shelf toilet seat. You do lose a little headroom when compared to the porta-pottie, but it's well worth it! This is probably the best $500 I've spent on improvements so far! It was also the final hurdle to getting the Admiral to agree to a two week liveabord vacation this year!
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