An entertaining look at composting toilets.

[2kool4skool]

 

[Rameses-SKO]

I'm planning to build my own, so that's some good first hand info to have. Lots of useful stuff to incorporate into my design.

Thanks for posting that!

 

[EastCoastCB]

Definitely build one.

Man, this video is the most realistic, informative one of its kind. Seems like a lot of downsides to me, idk if I could live with one. A black tank isn't nearly as bad as some of this stuff sounds but that's just my opinion.
Thanks for sharing!

 

[Rameses-SKO]

Definitely build one.

Man, this video is the most realistic, informative one of its kind. Seems like a lot of downsides to me, idk if I could live with one. A black tank isn't nearly as bad as some of this stuff sounds but that's just my opinion.
Thanks for sharing!

I don't know, man.

I've heard some pretty bad horror stories about black tanks if things go wrong.

 

[EastCoastCB]

At least its not INSIDE.
My hat is off to you green folks who don't mind wiping out diarrhea and menstrual materials. Definitely never thought about a lot of the points they bring up. All the more reason I can't see why anyone would pay a grand for a plastic throne with a litter tray.

 

[AlleyCat67]

I can't see why anyone would pay a grand for a plastic throne with a litter tray.

I'm not. I'm using a 5 gallon bucket with a plastic bag in it, with the cover material, inside a custom built cabinet. Maintenance will consist of removing the bucket, tying up the bag and disposing of it. And I already have 5 of those buckets with lids, so all it will cost me is a few bucks in lumber for the enclosure and a toilet seat, and of course the ongoing expense of bags and cover material. I figure only about 40-50 bucks at most to build it.

 

[Rameses-SKO]

Yep, I'm going the bucket and bag route too. As far as cover material, I have a cabinet shop nearby where I can get large quantities of free sawdust.

And mine won't be inside. I'm building the enclosure in front of the side emergency exit door, so it'll be emptied from outside.

 

[AlleyCat67]

Yep, I'm going the bucket and bag route too. As far as cover material, I have a cabinet shop nearby where I can get large quantities of free sawdust.

And mine won't be inside. I'm building the enclosure in front of the side emergency exit door, so it'll be emptied from outside.

I'm not sure how well sawdust will work as cover material, seems like it would take an awful lot of it to keep the moisture and odor under control.

Good plan, putting it right by the emergency door. I presume you will lift the bucket and bag out of your enclosure, set it down by the door, then go outside to go through the process, or that the entire enclosure will move to a position in front of the door, perhaps on a slide-out platform like a drawer... I'm not so sure I'd want to have it permanently mounted in a way that would block that emergency door, even partially.

 

[Carytowncat]

I am currently using Home Depot 5 gal bucket with trash bag, and kitty litter.
I used saw dust and it worked fine, i just ran out and kitty litter was close.

 

[Rameses-SKO]

I'm not sure how well sawdust will work as cover material, seems like it would take an awful lot of it to keep the moisture and odor under control.

Good plan, putting it right by the emergency door. I presume you will lift the bucket and bag out of your enclosure, set it down by the door, then go outside to go through the process, or that the entire enclosure will move to a position in front of the door, perhaps on a slide-out platform like a drawer... I'm not so sure I'd want to have it permanently mounted in a way that would block that emergency door, even partially.

No, I'm planning to build the enclosure permanently in front of the door. When you open the door from the outside, the bucket slides straight it through the door.

My bus has 8 emergency exits, designed to evacuate 91 people. If that exit were to ever be needed, the door can still be opened from the inside, you would just have to climb over the toilet and then jump out the top half of the door. Would actually be easier than using an exit window. And two of us should have no trouble finding a way out with 7.5 emergency exits.

 

[1olfart]

I experimented with the composting toilet this year, while on a hunting trip. Usually I replace the plastic bag after every "session". but this year I used the same bag 4 times before tossing it. I did spray some foofoo stuff after every "deposit", and kept the seat closed between "squats". This all inside of a small travel trailer.
I am happy to report that there was no foul odor the whole time. Never used any type of cover material either. The only bad smell was from a dead rodent between the floor and side wall. The 1st good freeze should solve that problem.
What I'm getting at, is that if your internal plumbing is in decent working order, I believe the composting method is not too bad at all. I think that I will build my own "squat box", and use the "5 gal. bucket and a bag" system. ( it will look nicer than the current handicap toilet, that I got when I had my stroke) There have been some very nice examples shown, in various builds, and I hope that I will be able to build another.

Happy squatting

 

[snonut]

I appreciate the video, the info was a welcome addition to all the polly-anna info you get everywhere else. Somehow black water systems don't seem near as bad now.

 

[milkmania]

..

10 kinds of wrong!
Some things cannot be unseen... I'll never be the same

 

[PNW_Steve]

Definitely build one.

Man, this video is the most realistic, informative one of its kind. Seems like a lot of downsides to me, idk if I could live with one. A black tank isn't nearly as bad as some of this stuff sounds but that's just my opinion.
Thanks for sharing!

I have a home built composter that we have been using for several months. It is MUCH simpler than the "Airhead". No mechanicals, no coffee filters.....

While we did have a few speedbumps along the way, we have not had nearly the challenges that those folks have.

I live full time in my rig(s) and, if added together, my full time living totals about 10-12 years. Lots of black tank experience.

Every time I empty my composter I do a little "happy dance" as I am Soooo Happy at how much easier, cleaner, less stinky & disgusting my weeky task has become.

Added bonus in my current situation is it saves me about $500 a year because I had to have the porta potty guys come 4 times a year to empty my big storage tank.

My bathroom smells better, my weekly sanitary tasks are easier and I am saving $$.

Don't write off composting too quickly :biggrin:

 

[PNW_Steve]

Yep, I'm going the bucket and bag route too. As far as cover material, I have a cabinet shop nearby where I can get large quantities of free sawdust.

And mine won't be inside. I'm building the enclosure in front of the side emergency exit door, so it'll be emptied from outside.

I have tried a number of cover materials and settled on sawdust from a local cabinet shop. It worked better than coco or peat moss or a mix of the two or all three. The sawdust by itself covered more effectively and easily.

The downside was a particular smell, especially if it got a little wet. I finally recognized the smell as the glue in MDF that has kind of a sharp odor. It didn't bother me much but my wife commented on it.

Recently I ran low on sawdust on a Saturday and the cabinet shop was closed. I stopped at the local Farmers Coop and picked up a 3.2 cu.ft. bag of pet bedding labeled "fine pine" ($9). It is just a bit more coarse than the cabinet shop sawdust. It has a nice sweet smell and covers wonderfully.

My bathroom/toilet smells better now than at any time we were using the conventional toilet.

As a side note: We did install a factory made urine diverter in ours. With that our total materials cost was around $100.

 

[EastCoastCB]

I have a home built composter that we have been using for several months. It is MUCH simpler than the "Airhead". No mechanicals, no coffee filters.....

While we did have a few speedbumps along the way, we have not had nearly the challenges that those folks have.

I live full time in my rig(s) and, if added together, my full time living totals about 10-12 years. Lots of black tank experience.

Every time I empty my composter I do a little "happy dance" as I am Soooo Happy at how much easier, cleaner, less stinky & disgusting my weeky task has become.

Added bonus in my current situation is it saves me about $500 a year because I had to have the porta potty guys come 4 times a year to empty my big storage tank.

My bathroom smells better, my weekly sanitary tasks are easier and I am saving $$.

Don't write off composting too quickly :biggrin:

Yeah, I'm not here to argue this vs that or anything... But to me those expensive "composting" toilets are just trendy, consumeristic BS. I'm ALL FOR building a shitter bucket... But lets be realistic- these "composting" toilets for sale are a HUGE rip off and there are MANY tradeoffs and downsides to "going poo green".

 

[PNW_Steve]

Yeah, I'm not here to argue this vs that or anything... But to me those expensive "composting" toilets are just trendy, consumeristic BS. I'm ALL FOR building a shitter bucket... But lets be realistic- these "composting" toilets for sale are a HUGE rip off and there are MANY tradeoffs and downsides to "going poo green".

I agree on all three points:

Here to share & discuss.

$1000 plastic mechanical wonder? Not for me.

Build my own $100 Simple composter? I already did....

Some folks I run into have preconceived notions of what it may be like to live full time with either a black tank or with a composting toilet. Sometimes those notions are pretty accurate, sometimes not. I have lived with both and enjoy sharing my own experiences.

Edit: Last note, my motivation to change was not to "go green". It was to rid myself of dealing with the black tank.

 

[AlleyCat67]

$1000 plastic mechanical wonder? Not for me.

Me either.

Build my own $100 Simple composter? I already did....

Haven't yet but soon....

my motivation to change was not to "go green". It was to rid myself of dealing with the black tank.

I've never dealt with a black tank, and I don't want to. So we're in agreement there.

 

[PNW_Steve]

Me either.



Haven't yet but soon....



I've never dealt with a black tank, and I don't want to. So we're in agreement there.

A smarter man than I......

I bought my first black tank containing rig in 1993 and my first composter in 2016. Took me a while to figure it out....

 

[retrogeek42]

Our goal is to use the bucket system, with a urine diverter, and to have a dedicated compost tumbler for secondary composting. I'm sure we will deal with a fair amount of yuck, but some yuck is inevitable given the nature of what we're dealing with.

This video is good info, thanks for sharing.