Picked up the toilet at the post office yesterday and installed it today. Lots more room in the bathroom now and it is taller than the old one. Bonus. We plugged the old drainage hole in the floor in case we decide to change trailers in the future and bolted the new toilet in place. Just have to hook up the 12 volt fan now and we are done. Great toilet. I am so glad that we went with this option and hubby is glad that we are not slaves to dump stations any longer. :)ThmbUp
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Holy crapper, Batman! I didn't know you could get nice, new toilets at the post office! :)rotflmao
Based on your posts and a lot of research on our part, we are also going to go with a Nature's Head toilet...sometime in the next few weeks actually. I think Patti is more thrilled with the fact that I'll have to pee sitting down than anything else... :)rotflmao
The way our toilet sits, the bathroom cabinet right behind it happens to have a holding tank roof vent pipe already going to the roof, so we are planning on gluing in a T-fitting on the vent pipe, and running the vent hose from the side of the new toilet, through a hole drilled in the lower part of the cabinet where you can't see it, then to the T-fitting.
I'm going to permanently plug the holding tank flange hole though, since we are going to replumb the black tank into the grey tank to double our greywater capacity.
We are very excited about not being slaves to the honey wagons and dump stations as well!
Thanks for turning us on to the composting toilet from Nature's Head! And let us know how it works out for you!
Kev
:)clap Good on you, Mark.
Ordered our Nature's Head yesterday morning...should be here by Thursday! Gotta finish all the plumbing today so I can install it on Friday. Sure am going to be glad not to have to worry about blackwater anymore!
Kev
:)ThmbUp We like ours.
Kevin I thought you would wait to get to sea and then just blow the sanitary. :-)
Hey Joan.... is it possible to for you to post those two photos larger?
Is there some way to get the manufacturer info on CW? (owner's manual?) I'm sure a lot of folks would like to see how it's configured and how it works. It would make a great article! Unless of course, you're willing to post a video of it in action from end to... uh, end....
??? :-[ ???
I looked at these online and have been wondering how the urine gets separated. Does it explain that in the users manual at all?
I will post the owners manual. It explains how it works and better yet, we should let Mark explain it to everyone. He has a wonderful way with words. :)rotflmao
Here's another picture showing the magic of this toilet. Yes ladies, the men are going to have to learn how to do it when they are sitting down. :) :)ThmbUp
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I think I could stand and pull it off w/out a splash. See Diagram below....
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hm, I think you have to see it in action to believe it. I mean why wouldnt the urine sit right in the indented spot in the bottom?
Its all in the momentum! Trust me, I'm a professional!
LMAO! The inside of the bowl angles down to the urine drains. Ideally you are supposed to pee first before opening the ball valve to do the other.
And Brian, we only blow our sanitary when being tailgated by old fat men in convertible BMWs, Porches, and Mercedes...especially when they have the top down. :)rotflmao
Kev
I like it here, very convenient!!
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:)rotflmao I'm dyin' here = LOL! :)rotflmao
I still think that we should start a movement!
Quote from: joanfenn on August 22, 2012, 12:17 PM
I still think that we should start a movement!
Did you say..MOVEMENT? :-[
Uh oh, it looks like we're beginning to get the bowels of the issue.... ???
Our arrived yesterday...talk about fast shipping!
Very well made unit, if a little unconventional looking. We'll be doing the install tomorrow. Already have a 12 volt source picked out, and we are going to tie the vent hose into one of the holding tank vents...which there happens to be one in the cabinet behind where the toilet is being installed. I've already reconfigured all my holding tank valves by simply replacing the old questionable valves with new ones, and adding another valve right at the exit. I tested it yesterday morning, and by keeping the primary valve closed and the two original valves open, the grey water does indeed fill the black tank as well. SWEET! I think the biggest challenge tomorrow is going to be sealing the top of the holding tank where the flange now enters it. I'll figure it out though.
Kev
u should be able to buy a plug at any plumbing supply house or even a home depot. its what we call a tee cone plug. fits inside the flange and sits flush with top of pipe. it has a tapered rubber sleeve that slips in the pipe and a tapered cone that screws in. we use them all the time for testing lines under pressure so i know it should seal for u. don't get the one with the metal top that has a wing nut they don't seal good and the metal tends to rot away after awhile.
hope this helps a little
sal
This head would also be great for a boat!!!
These were made for boats, so will work great in a RV.
Good idea Sal! After doing some measurements, I'm going to have to jockey the toilet over a little more than the stock one for clearance for the vent fan fittings, so I'm going to have to cover my floor repair with new vinyl tiles,and will have to run down to Home Depot anyways to get them...I'll see if they have a plug that will fit, since that will certainly simplify things! Also have to pick up peat moss and gallon zip lock bags...and a box of raw sugar packets. And since I'm tying the vent hose into my existing tank vent with a T-fitting, I'll have to get a reducer fitting, since the vent pipes in the RV are 1 1/2 and the vent hose is made to fit on a 1 1/4 fitting. Then I have to dump the black tank one final time into the tote tank, dump the tote tank, rinse it out and gift it to our friend Julie (a member here), and never have to dump a black tank again...SWEET!
Kev
Good to see it's all coming together. Although if the word gets out, I may be out of business. :( Keep us posted on how it works out. Rick
To get a gander at the Nature's Head Toilet installation/users manual, click on this link:
http://www.mediafire.com/?odffuzj9lma6x87
A big thank you to joanfenn for scanning the manual to share with everyone! :) :)ThmbUp
All installed, and it works just like its supposed to! Everything goes where its designed to go...lol.
Turns out, after using a reciprocating cutting tool on the flange, that its a screw in flange after all! The vibrations loosened it up, although I couldn't get it to turn before that at all...thus the reason I thought it was a glue in fitting. So back to Home Depot I went for a 3 inch threaded pipe plug and thread sealant, returned the tee plug, and then came back to the RV and installed the pipe plug...easy as that!
The hard part was the hole in the plywood floor since the new toilet sits in a totally different place than the old one...but I traced a pattern on a piece of paper, cut it out, drilled it for 8 pocket screws, and sanded it at a slight taper on my benchtop sanding belt. It was a perfect tight fit the first go around, and then screwed in place. Henry premixed floor leveler filled in the cracks and pocket screw holes.
While the leveler was drying, I used a hole saw to make a hole in the lower cabinet, then used the same hole saw to cut the included polyethelene hull flange into just a disk with a hole in it...then drilled 4 countersunk holes in it and screwed it down with brass screws over the hole in the wooded cabinet as a trim piece.
Next I glued the reducer into the T fitting, then cut the vent pipe under the cabinet and glued the t fitting in place.
Then I ran a long 2 wire cable behind the cabinet and shower, through the rear dinette compartment, under the dinette along the wall under the table (already has a cable and water line routed that way under a carpet piece.), and into the front dinette compartment where the inverter is, and where the hot water heat is. Then I wired it in direct to the batteries with the provided fuse and fuse holder. Once that was done, i wired in the provided cable to the wire, and was ready for the next step.
By now the leveler was dry, so I installed the 2 new tiles and a new floor register...the old one was broken...and marked the bracket alignment on the floor. Screwed those down, and installed the toilet to the floor with the provided knobs.
All that was left was to add the dampened peat moss and a table spoon of raw sugar to the urine bottle...and to hook up the hose and plug in the 12 volt plug.
It looks great! A very clean install. And as preambled in the post, it works just like its supposed to without any special position on the seat.
Grey water only from now on...SWEET!
Kev
Quote from: ibdilbert01 on August 23, 2012, 10:19 PM
This head would also be great for a boat!!!
Where would you put the motor? W%
Alright! You folks are a riot! :)clap
I can't wait to go look this toilet up... cuz I'm not interested in the black water tank and frankly was thinking of taking out my charming puke yellow toilet and replacing it with something else. A composter like this looks absolutely ideal. Thanks for sharing your adventures.
Glad to see that everything has been coming out alright!! :)rotflmao
So far so good! No odors at all, and the seat is big and comfy. Only been a couple of days...I'll let you all know in about a month how it all works out in the long run for us fulltimers.
Kev
raw sugar to reduce urine oder? really? dose that work or is it just some thing that just is and can't really explain.
I think it may be some new way o' makin' shine.
Had to empty the urine bottle this morning (not shine, and certainly wouldn't wanna drink it...lol), and true enough, there wasn't a heavy urine smell while dumping it into the campground toilet. Guess the raw sugar works!
Also, you have to raise the top to get the bottle out, and there was no odor at all from the peat moss compost...it works!
Lets see how it all pans out after a month of use!
Kev
Cant wait to hear the results after a month of use, but I just cant get my head around not having water to flush. It seems to me the toilet would get awfully dirty. I dont think I could make the switch.
Its actually very well designed and doesn't get dirty. Especially since us menfolk have to pee sitting down...lol! The trap door is large enough and perfectly situated such that if you go the other number it drops down into the compost and never even touches the toilet bowl. A quick spritz with a water spray bottle rinses the urine trap, and if you really want to be neat, just wipe it down with some TP every time you use it. Ours is as clean as the day we got it.
Kev
Hmmm.... you still have to dump the holding containers and apparently quite frequently compared to an OEM holding tank.
Sit down to pee?! N:(
Look, I fought in the Revolutionary War and WWII to retain our right to stand up and pee! Sniper(00)
Also seems like just as much maintenance... adding sugar, butter, crushed peanuts, color sprinkles... BanDan
I suppose it would be advantageous when you aren't going to move for a long time and you don't have a dump station or direct dump outlet but you still have to dump it somewhere...
I mean, why couldn't a similar process be used in a regular holding tank? Hm?
I'm not pooh-poohing this system at all but I'm just not seeing the incredible advantage to this option compared to the high expense of it. i??
A lot of bathroom/lav sinks drain into the black tank.What say ye Kev?
Also, what if a barf is unavoidable? Trash can I suppose i?? How about unstoppable squirts? Hm?
Okay, to answer some question as to the advantage of this system over the conventional, especially fulltiming it and boondocking it on the cheap or in remote areas:
- The urine bottle is the only thing you have to dump on a fairly frequent basis. Its a 2.5 gallon bottle though, and lasts Patti and I for over 3 days before having to take it out, screw on the cap, and carry it over to a toilet, porta potty, or even a tree if necessary, since it won't hurt anything...us guys have been peeing against trees for years...lol. At sea in a boat, owners of these toilets just dump it over the side.
- There are no chemicals, period. And a box of raw sugar packets will last over a year, at a whopping 2.75 cents...and its not necessary to add the sugar, but makes the job of dumping the bottle more pleasant since it really does pretty much eliminate the urine smell.
- You'll never have to pay a dump fee again, unless you are in a place where you can't dump the grey water. Only 5 bucks at a Flying J, but we've paid as high as 40 bucks to dump at a campground we weren't staying in...just one along the way and our tanks were getting full...and as high as 45 bucks to have a honey wagon truck come pump us out at renfaires, where they don't usually have dump stations or full hookups. The cheapest we've ever had our tanks pumped out at renfaire campgrounds is 25 bucks, and had to be done about once a week. Now do the math on that one...an 8 week long show, at 25 bucks a week, costs us 200 bucks to keep the tanks empty...and that is at the cheapest rate. 4 shows a year, plus dump fees in between, and the toilet easily pays for itself in just one year with our fulltimer lifestyle.
- There are no unpleasant odors. The compost bin smells like dirt from your garden. The sugar keeps the urine odor away. The toilet stays clean because of its design.
- It saves a LOT of water! The only water used is the tiny bit you spray into the urine trap after using the toilet to keep the potty smelling nice. We haven't even used half the spray bottle we keep next to the toilet since we got it.
- Since the poo is composted and decomposed when you dump it, except for the last couple of days of use, when you do finally have to dump it (supposedly not until after over a month of use for 2 adults), in addition to not having any unpleasant odor, they designed the toilet so a 13 gallon kitchen trash bag fits snuggly over the opening to the compost bin...you just turn it over, shake it into the bag odor free, and add more dampened peat moss. Then you can just take the bag over to a dumpster and throw it in. Or a trash can. Or deep in the woods to fertilize the trees. Homeowners with big compost bins for their gardens dump it in with the compost and use it for fertilizing ornamental plants. Gloves aren't even required, although not a bad idea since its human waste and the last couple of uses won't be fully composted yet.
- As in our case, you now have the option of replumbing your black tank so that it becomes an additional greywater tank. Thus effectively doubling your greywater holding capacity, which allows for longer boondocking in sensitive areas where dumping the grey to ground isn't an option.
- Peat moss is cheap! It only uses two gallons of peat moss, and a bale at Home Depot was 8 bucks...we divided it into gallon zip lock bags and stored it in a compartment. That is over a year of peat moss for 8 bucks. 24 bags in the compartment, very light and don't take up much space, and the bale is still over a quarter full...we'll just store it here in our workspace for next year.
So yeah, it pays for itself, uses no chemicals, has no odors, and you never have to worry about your tanks getting full before you can find a dumpstation or schedule a honey wagon dump. And your greywater capacity goes up, and your water usage goes down. The toilet looks nice too...lol!
Not saying this system is for everyone, like the occasional weekend camper that always goes to campgrounds with full hookups...but for us fulltimers that boondock a LOT, its the perfect system. It would also be highly advantageous to those that like to go to state parks or national forests to camp instead of expensive campgrounds that don't feel like camping. A lot of state parks and national forests don't have dump stations and have very limited hookups, but they are way cheaper and way prettier than most RV parks, and this toilet gives you the option of staying at them without worrying about holding tanks.
As far as the occasional bouts with the squirts, the instructions for the toilet say its just fine, although if they start making the compost material too damp, you simply add a little more dry peat moss to the bin and you're all set. Same with vomiting, although I'd recommend a trash can for that one. And since you've already converted the black tank to grey, if your lav sink drains into it, its all good.
The only downside really is that it only comes in one color...white speckled with little grey dots. And its polyethelyne so it can't be painted as no paint will stick to it. So if you are trying to color match it to Harvest Gold or Avocado it can't be done. Because of the speckles, it doesn't clash glaringly with the bone colored sink or shower in our rig though. Installation is more complicated than an OEM toilet, especially if you want to replumb the black tank to grey, and you have to run 12 volts to the toilet and a vent hose, but these little details are easily overcome with a little creativity.
Again though, I'll let you all know after a full month of fulltime use, when its time to empty and refill the compost bin, just how pleasant or unpleasant that turns out to be...so far so good though, with absolutely no odor at all from the compost bin, even when lifting the lid to dump urine bottle.
Kev
:) :)ThmbUp
Well said Kevin. I wanted to wait for your reply before posting mine. The reason that we went with this was because of all the problems that we were having with the toilet in our trailer. Small space, too low, etc. To change the existing toilet in the trailer could have created more problems by raising and moving the toilet back to gain height and the needed KNEE ROOM. Then we discovered with the little ledge inside the black tank where the discharge was for the toilet could still cause problems with blockages, this was the easiest solution for us. We removed the old throne, blocked off the water line to the old toilet and put a plug on the floor to the black water tank. Installed the new head and ran the electrical to the power in the bathroom and the vent out the side of the trailer.
We aren't full timers but even though we are alternating between the trailer and the motor home we still like the conveniences of stress free camping. And if we don't have to worry about dumping the black tank every trip out great. Worth every penny. Will probably get another for the motor home or easier yet, just move the toilet from one to the other depending on the type of camping we are going to do at that particular time.
These are much easier to dump with trees and pit toilets all over the place where as the sani dumps are harder to find and when you do there is usually five other RV's in front of you. I am happy that I did all the research on toilets that would solve all the problems that we were having and came across these.
I think that the idea is great from the composting point of view. We are doing our little bit for nature. Also if it is embarrassing for you to carry 2 gallons of pee to the outhouse every few days to empty it just get one of those cloth bags and put the jug in there to disguise it. You can also dump it in the bathtub drain, urine is sterile so it isn't going to kill you or anything else. Great idea, we like it and worth every penny. :)ThmbUp
So, using this unit as a replacement for the black water tank system, you can either remove the black water tank and make it into a storage area or additional battery compartment or re-plumb it to increase your greay water capacity.
:)clap Re-plumbing is a great idea that Kevin came up for more capacity with the grey water. We are just leaving the tank there in case we ever sell our trailer and we will replace the toilet with a regular RV type. And then we will have the natures head toilet to use either in the MH or new trailer. These are made to last with a 5 year warranty, are light weight, easy to clean, etc. etc. They will pay for themselves before the warranty is up. :)clap
Its been 10 days so far, and absolutely no odor at all from the compost bin! Had to empty the bottle again today...3 times in 10 days and not a big deal (way easier than dumping the black tank into the tote tank and towing it with the Jeep all the way down to the dump station to dump it out once a week, and smells a lot better too!)...The peat moss compost smells just like peat moss without a trace of foul odor.
The toilet is just as clean as the day we got it. It's a brilliant design!
I'll update this again at 20 days, then at 30 days when I have to dump the compost bin.
So far so good!
Kev
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:)rotflmao
LMFAO! Not quite what they meant I don't think...hehehehehe!
:)rotflmao
Kev
Sorry gang but, I just couldn't piss this one up... I mean, pass.. yes, pass...
Day 20 since the installation, and its still working exactly like its supposed to, and is as clean as the day we installed it.
No odors at all...still smells like peat moss when the lid is lifted to remove the liquids bottle for emptying. Also doesn't appear to be filling up very quickly. The instructions say to empty the solids bin when its 3/4s full, but since we put the TP in the little lidded trash can next to the toilet, the bin is barely over 1/2 full at this point.
We'll see how its going in another 10 days. Working perfectly so far!
Kev
Awesome! Anything which greatly improves your quality of RV enjoyment is well worth the price.
Yep! Not for everybody, but if you do a lot of dry camping and boondocking or are a fulltime RVer, its the ideal setup, especially if you convert your black tank to grey and get even more greywater capacity.
Pricey, but for us it will save us a LOT of money in a short time...it will pay itself off in less than a year.
* A side note about Nature's Head customer service. I wrote them a letter telling them how pleased we were with the unit, but mentioned in the letter that the fan was now audible, whereas when first installed it was so quiet you had to put your ear next to it to hear it. They sent me a new fan, no charge! Coincidently, the fan on the toilet stopped making the humming noise as soon as the new fan arrived, so I put it in the cabinet as a backup. Just thought it was really nice of them to send out a new fan and housing priority mail when all I did was mention the mild increase in fan noise and ask if it was normal. Great company and great customer service!
Kev
Sounds like they care about their sh-- !!!!
Because of a little bit of user error I had to dump the compost bin a few days early...was trying to go for a month to see what happens, but I goofed up a little. A few days ago I noticed the compost looked a little too damp when emptying the urine bottle. No odors at all, but the instructions for the toilet say to add a little dry peat moss if the compost looks too damp (it should stay looking like the slightly damp peat moss you add initially).
I made the mistake of adding a whole gallon bag of dry peat moss to the compost and mixing it in with the turn handle. Level didn't change right away and it brought it right back to what it was supposed to look like.
Over the next couple of days, it got harder and harder to turn the handle, and Patti was having a very hard time of it. I opened the bin, and the dry peat moss added had expanded when absorbing the moisture so the bin was now over 3/4 full and the handle very hard to turn. Oh well, live and learn! Next time I'll only add a couple of cups of peat moss if I notice the compost a little too damp!
Very very easy to dump the unit. You pull the hose and wire plug off the side, undo the latches for the top and lift it, remove the urine bottle, then slide the top to the left and it comes right off the base. I set the top in the shower while emptying the bin. Next you take a 13 gallon kitchen garbage bag...we use the ForceFlex bags since they don't get holes in them as easily...and place it over the top of the compost bin. They added a lip all the way around it, and the garbage bags fit tightly over it. Just remove the two knobs that secure the base to the floor brackets, turn it over, and shake it into the garbage bag. You have to beat on the sides a little like a drum so all the compost falls out into the bag, but it doesn't take long at all...super easy, and very light compared to a tote tank!
The toilet is small enough and well designed enough that I was able to complete the whole operation right in our RV bathroom.
So you put the compost bin back between the floor brackets, put the knobs back on, and then you have to add your fresh dampened peat moss. We have a 2.5 gallon bucket that is perfect for mixing the peat moss. The peat moss we bought is bone dry, sealed in gallon zip locks, so 2 gallons into the bucket, and 8 cups of water, well mixed in, is the formula we found for the perfect compost mix. That is just enough water to slightly dampen the peat moss without making it too wet. I suppose you might have to modify that formula if the peat moss you buy is already damp from sitting out in the weather, especially if there were any small holes in the bag.
Once mixed outside on the porch in the bucket, I brought the bucket into the bathroom and carefully dumped it into the compost bin...didn't want loose peat moss all over everything in the bathroom. Just a note...the instructions recommend you DON'T clean all the residual old peat moss out of the bin...you just leave it...it contains the bacteria that will make the next batch of peat moss start to compost the solids even faster than the very first batch you used.
Then you simply put the top back on...its a slide hinge on the back...reinstall the urine bottle, plug the hose and wire plug back in, clip the latches, and you are ready to go!
I am amazed at how well this thing works! When dumping the compost bin into the 13 gallon kitchen trash bag, there were absolutely no odors at all...it just smelled like dirt from your garden without a trace of foul odor at all...simply amazing! And that is after nearly a whole month of fulltime use!
The trash bag I put into our lined large bear proof garbage can on the porch we use here in New York, so by the time in makes it to the dumpster next week it will be fully composted from the last use.
The handle turns easily now as it should, and Patti is quite happy...lol!
I really really have to highly recommend this composting toilet. Wasn't sure if it would work as it should, but it sure as shite does...lmao!
And the toilet is just as clean as the day we got it. This thing is going to make my life a lot easier, and save us a lot of money!
Kev
:) Yes, it is a great little invention. Works like a charm for us. We are not full timers like you and Patti but definitely like the ease of use of this toilet. Spent a whole week camping in the trailer the week before last and never noticed any bad smells at all, even with the bathroom door open. Got home and dumped the toilet into our compost pile out back to use next year in my flower beds. We will be using it in our motor home also. That is a definite. Just have to get some extra clamps for the floor, we have an extra fan that the company sent with the toilet and still have some of the exhaust hose left over from the install in the trailer. So it certainly won't be too expensive to install in the motor home at all. It is light enough to carry from one to the other depending on what we will be using for our getaways. Great not having to look for a place to dump the black water tank.
Oh yes and I forgot to add that the fresh water savings is great also with not wasting water with a conventional RV toilet. With the trailer and two people using this toilet our fresh water lasted five days instead of the two days that it did before. We carry extra fresh water with us on our trips and we only had to dump one five gallon jug into the tank on day five. After we got home the trailer tank was still 1/4 full. Great toilet. :)ThmbUp
Just a reminder from your resident Horticulturist... if you are adding the compost from your toilet to your compost pile do not use the compost in your vegetable garden beds..... in a perfect system compost piles will reach 140F which is pasteurization. Most home piles are not perfect systems and the presence of coliform bacteria ??? may still be found. Same reason you should not use the compost if there is dog waste in it or meat scraps..... N:(
Tina
Certified Professional Horticulturist
Plant Pathologist
Yes you really have to be aware of where you put it. That is why I said flower beds, and it is great around the trees and shrubs also. Thanks for pointing that out Tina.
After reading the procedures for installation and emptying (not to mention having to sit ) I do not see where this would be any easier than a partial packing every 2 weeks (useing the campground restroom as much as possible) to drive to dump site. Then reset up camper seems a lot easier than dealing with all that .
Yep Tina, the instructions for the toilet definitely make it clear not to use the compost on anything but ornamental plants.
And for Frank, this toilet isn't for everyone, but for fulltimers that do a lot of dry camping its the prefect solution. When we set up camp at a Renfaire, the toilets and shower houses are usually disgusting, so we elect to use our own potty. Most Renfaires don't have a dump station, so you have to pay the honey wagon guys 20-45 bucks to come dump your tanks. New York has a dump site, but its not accessable from even a small vehicle, never mind pulling your RV up to it...you have to dump your black tank into a tote tank, tow it over with your car as close as you can get to the dump site, then drag the heavy tank by hand the 50 yards or so over rocks and roots and gravel. North Carolina and Arizona don't have dump stations at all, so you have to either pay the honey wagon guys, or pack up the camper and drive off site...not as easy as you might think with how narrow the roads are in Renfaire campgrounds, especially once everyone else arrives and has their vehicles parked everywhere...drive down to a campground...the nearest one to NC is 20 miles away, AZ has one right down the street...and pay them to use their dump station since you aren't camping there. Oklahoma has a dump site, but again, no way to get your RV anywhere close to it, so its the heavy tote tank dragged by hand most of the way.
When we dry camp we are out in the desert...BLM lands and National Forests in the winter. No dump sites and a VERY long drive to anywhere that we can dump the black tank.
So for us, the composting toilet is the perfect solution. It lasts a whole month or more of fulltime use...occasional use would probably last a single person a year! Its very easy to install, very easy to use, and very easy to dump the compost in the 13 gallon trash bags. Dumping the urine bottle every few days might sound annoying, but its way easier to dump that than it is to dump a 35 gallon tote tank, and way less smelly...lol! We just carry that over to the site porta potties or bathrooms and dump it in.
So again, not for everyone, but for fulltimers and those of you who do a lot of dry camping, its the way to go.
Kev
Oh yeah...and the process for us to actually partially pack down the RV to bring it to a dump station...never mind the vehicles parked everywhere at a Renfaire campground...involves unstaking the awning and rolling it up, dropping the antenna, making sure everything on the counters and table are secured, and a whole list of other tasks before we can even move the RV off site...then getting back to camp and backing the RV into a tiny campsite, leveling it all over again with leveling blocks, plugging back in, bringing the awning back out and staking it down, etc.etc.etc...
Way easier to just dump the lightweight compost bin once a month or so, and walk the urine bottle down to the portapotty every few days...lol!
Kev
Okay, I have a question no one has asked yet: Does the fan run all the time? Does that mean this is a full-time draw on your batteries?
Hello: The fan runs all the time to keep odors out of the bathroom. It is a small fan about the size of a computer fan with minimal draw on the batteries.
Yep, the fan runs all the time...draws any odors for recent use out to the roof vent, and also helps with the compost process. Draws VERY little amps, so unless your batteries are already toast it won't draw them down.
Nature's Head also sells separately this neat little vent cover that powers the fan with a small solar panel, and has a battery that gets charged at the same time and runs the fan at night. Not all that expensive either.
Kev
After reading all this... I'm totally pooped!
:)rotflmao
How about this: $800?!?
I almost crapped my pants when I saw how much they want for it!!!!!!
Yep...800 bucks, and never have to deal with dumping a stinky sewer tank ever again, find dump stations, or have to pay big bucks to get your tanks pumped out. We camp 8 weeks at a time at Renfaires with no dump stations, so every week we had to shell out and average of 35 bucks. Two of the faires actually have a place to drag a tote tank to and dump, but 40 gallons of poo in a plastic tank is bloody heavy, time consuming, and did I mention gross and stinky?
We go on 2 long vacations a year, not including the little ones between shows. We dry camp and boondock during these times. If the black tank filled, we'd have to break camp and drive all the way to the nearest dump station or campground and pay to dump the RV...from 5 bucks at a Flying J, to 45 bucks or so because some campgrounds don't have a separate dump fee, but rather you have to pay for a night to use their dump station. So if you think now about your gas to get there and back to camp, your time which is worth money, and cost of dumping, you've just shelled out a big chunk of change!
These toilets aren't for everyone, and if you only camp once in a while in campgrounds, the expense might not be worth it to you. For us and other fulltimers, it will pay itself off in less than a year. Heck, in my opinion its already paid for itself just by freeing up more of my time, and eliminating my most hated of jobs when it comes to RVing.
Kev
The handle was getting hard to turn again, and the peat moss looked too damp, so THIS time I added 2 cups of dry peat moss, and problem solved! Easy fix, not nearly near full, the peat moss looks normal again, and the handle is easy to turn again, even for Patti with her RA. Its a learning curve!
Kev
Hi Kev: We found out that the peat moss I bought here was all ready premoistened so when I added what I thought was the right amt of water it got all hard to crank too. Like you said, it is a learning curve. But it is a problem that is easy to fix. :-[ Still am glad we bought ours. We will be using it in the MH also.
Yep, if the peat moss gets too wet, or is too wet to begin with, the handle gets hard to turn. By adding the 2 cups of peat moss to the bin and using the handle to mix it in it freed it right up, and made the peat moss look just like it was supposed to. Might sound like too much maintenance, but really its way easier than a conventional toilet. If for some reason you don't notice the peat moss getting too damp when you dump the pee bottle, you'll notice pretty quickly when the handle gets hard to turn, so its like a built in alarm...lol! I'd much rather have to simply add 2 cups of dry peat moss than open a ball valve and see the black tank filled right to the top and have no place to dump it!
I think these composting toilets are the best things to hit the RV market in years, and sure am glad we bought one! Thanks Joan for getting yours and posting the info about it and turning us on to this labor saving and clean alternative! It makes a whole world of difference.
Kev
So... you can lay out the dough up-front and, if you're a frequent boonocker, you'll be happy as a pig in poop in a very short time...
or... you can pay out the butt to the pooper-piper to dump your poo...
or... you can pray someone steals your poop. No, it's not the poop fairy... it's the...
(https://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi115.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fn314%2FLiv42dayOK%2FTurdBurglar.jpg&hash=45138b69cfe03feebd131550aa2c29bc455bd1e9)
Potty mouth! ;-)
:)rotflmao Too funny!
Kev
Its been just over a month and we changed the compost again. And again, no foul odors, just smells like peat moss!
This is one damn fine product and worth every penny to us! As time goes by my recommendation is getting stronger and stronger!
Gadgetman suggested another use for this toilet I didn't even think about...if your tanks are toast and your valves leak and pipes drip, its cheaper to get one of these then to repair all your old crusty holding tanks. Its a thought!
Kev
That would be a very good option instead of going through the time, cost and hassle of replacing a crapped-out waste system.
Here's a pic of how we installed our Nature's Head composting toilet:
(https://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1114.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fk526%2FClydesdaleKevin%2FProjects%25202012%2FNewHolidayRamblerPicsNov1012014.jpg&hash=967920065e0f0093bfcc1882b9b67fe918616e7e)
The little trash can next to the toilet is for the TP.
Kev
A few more pics of the install in our 89 Holiday Rambler Imperial:
This is just another angle of the install, where you can see how I routed the vent hose and made a flange for it:
(https://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1114.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fk526%2FClydesdaleKevin%2FProjects%25202012%2FNewHolidayRamblerPicsNov1012013.jpg&hash=47a33c14bb0e6dffa71e2e3ce0974f57069af297)
Here it is from the front:
(https://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1114.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fk526%2FClydesdaleKevin%2FProjects%25202012%2FNewHolidayRamblerPicsNov1012015.jpg&hash=c2b7cfc9f8b1e8fdcb4e87f50d66b8621812301e)
And this is the hose where it ties in under the sink with a T-fitting. Yep its horizontal on our rig...it comes out of the black tank at an angle, then across, then up and out to the roof.
(https://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1114.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fk526%2FClydesdaleKevin%2FProjects%25202012%2FNewHolidayRamblerPicsNov1012016.jpg&hash=81f6e90b6e1d31ebe7524e9ad52eaed0d0b35482)
Finally, one last pic, showing the revised sticker on what used to be the black tank...lol!
(https://www.classicwinnebagos.com/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi1114.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Fk526%2FClydesdaleKevin%2FProjects%25202012%2FNewHolidayRamblerPicsNov1012075.jpg&hash=5f8752c6ed01fde2a75c14760cc7e3dfa3322daa)
These toilets really are worth the money!
Kev
Update on how much water to add to the Nature's Head composting toilet when being a fulltimer.
VERY little! Add a 1 gallon bag of dry peat moss to the toilet, spritz it with a spray bottle, maybe 20 pumps or so, then add the other gallon and spritz it again with 20 pumps or so. Once the top is back in place, turn the handle about 10 times to mix it all up, and you are all set for a whole month. If you premoisten the peat moss too much, you'll only get about 3 weeks out of it. Trial and error here of course, but this seems to work the best for us fulltimers...just two adults.
Kev
Hmmm... Let's see... There's Patti... that's one adult... but, who's the other?
:)rotflmao
One year later, and we are still VERY happy with the Nature's Head composting toilet.
Just a couple of notes though on its usage.
If the pee bottle overfills into the peat moss, don't try to save the peat moss. You HAVE to change it out, or else the composting stops completely and it starts to smell almost immediately. Keep a very close eye on your pee bottle level and make sure it never overflows, even a little bit, into the peat moss chamber.
Also, if you do a lot of boondocking where you can't rinse the pee bottle out every time you empty it, you would be well advised to buy an extra pee bottle. Urine forms crystals almost immediately if you don't rinse it every time, and then you can't see into the bottle as well to make sure its not getting too full. With a spare bottle, once you get back to a campground you can rinse the bottle out every time at, you can take the crystal coated bottle out and fill it with cleaning strength vinegar which cleans out the bottle completely when soaked for 24 hours, and still have another bottle to use while its soaking.
Lastly, if you are in a public campground and don't want the offensive odor of the pee bottle filling the public bathroom while you dump the bottle into a toilet, use 1/4 cup of Thetford Natural holding tank deodorizer in the pee bottle each time you dump it. It keeps the smell down to nonexistant! If out in the wild and boondocking, we don't bother with the deodorizer.
Its an awesome investment and I still very highly recommend it!
Kev
Best investment we made. Use the one unit in both the trailer and the motor home. Just bought an extra installation kit for the MH and depending on what we want to take, just move the toilet to that one. Sure don't miss the dump stations. :)ThmbUp
Yep! The foam seal on the bottom of the top unit started to come off on ours a couple of months ago (since nothing sticks to polyethelene for long...lol!), and Nature's Head sent us a whole roll of the self adhesive foam weather strip they us as the seal. Great company that really stands behind their product!
Even as I type this our new pee bottle is in use, and we are soaking the old bottle in cleaning strength vinegar. Should be clean as a whistle this time tomorrow!
Kev
"Even as I type this our new pee bottle is in use"
God now THAT picture is in my mind. OUT,OUT..............
LMAO!!! Installed is what I meant to say...lol! No laptop in the loo!
Kev