Composting Toilet - Nature's Head

[terminalcitygrl]

Awesome info, thanks sarafina!

I wanted to highlight some info in that first link which I was happy to read:

"The lightweight and uniform composition of coir enables it to retain its physical properties longer than other mediums. Biologically, coir is inert when shipped, and completely devoid of pests, weeds or disease."

I guess that doesn't mean little bugs cant find their way in but it does seem most folks with bug issues have them from peat.

[EighthWonder]

Sarafina!

Thank you ;-)
Most of our garden centers are closed for the season but the one link you sent ships.
How many bricks do you feel you use for one change?

[sarafina]

Well, keep in mind that we have different systems. I have the C-Head. I use maybe 2/3 of a block to start and then add in over time.

With the blocks it helps if you put them in a plastic bag and add some water the day before you are going to do a change. It makes them softer and easier to crumble. In their dry state I am convinced they could be used for construction. In a desert ; -)

I don't add a lot of water, maybe a cup or so. I want all that absorbent quality to be in the bucket!

[Blue Crab]

Sara, ballpark. one block = one change? 2 blocks per one change? One change for one person = 6 months? Normal tp right in the bucket for #2?

[Tony_Owen]

coir is inert when shipped, and completely devoid of pests, weeds or disease."
I guess that doesn't mean little bugs cant find their way in but it does seem most folks with bug issues have them from peat.

Yes...we had a batch of peat with some Gnat eggs in it from where ever the peat is gathered...and they hatched...latest fill of peat moss no Gnats....

But.... here is a wrinkle... because of the location of the C/H our exhaust pipe has to do a dip before it goes up the stack...wondered why We were getting compost smell in the boat...condensation had filled the dip in the pipe with water...thus no exhaust (it is a clear see through tube with the Natures Head) I am going to monitor that in the future...just passing that on...anyone had anything similar?

[sarafina]

Originally Posted by Blue Crab

Sara, ballpark. one block = one change? 2 blocks per one change? One change for one person = 6 months? Normal tp right in the bucket for #2?

I use about half a block or a bit more to start and then add the rest of the block over time. The only TP I put in is the soiled that I use to wipe up the chute if it needs it, otherwise, into a tiny covered garbage can that lives in the head. But you can add the TP in. It will just fill up a bit faster.

I've been trying to be a bit more methodological about tracking usage so I can be helpful to folks trying to figure this out.

I would calculate it this way; a load seems to be around 15 to 20 deposits in the solid waste bucket, 25 to 30 in the jug. That's for us. YMMV ; -)

If your family will take on average one and a half dumps a day then you might need to swap out the bucket every 4 days or so. Maybe kids take smaller dumps?

If they take 3 leaks a day then I would think that it would be best, since it's so easy, to change jugs every night. Just to, you know, be safe...

The TP would be your own call, for sure the 'just wet' into the trash. And with guys that isn't an issue. As far as the soiled goes, we make a call on how nasty it is and then pick into the bucket, often with a wipe around the chute, or into the trash. Just remember the more you put in the sooner you need to empty.

[Blue Crab]

Originally Posted by sarafina

I would calculate it this way; a load seems to be around 15 to 20 deposits in the solid waste bucket, 25 to 30 in the jug. That's for us. YMMV ; -)

If your family will take on average one and a half dumps a day then you might need to swap out the bucket every 4 days or so. Maybe kids take smaller dumps?

Yikes. My guesstimates were way off. Well, that's why I asked. Thanks.

[sww914]

Originally Posted by Tony_Owen

Yes...we had a batch of peat with some Gnat eggs in it from where ever the peat is gathered...and they hatched...latest fill of peat moss no Gnats....

But.... here is a wrinkle... because of the location of the C/H our exhaust pipe has to do a dip before it goes up the stack...wondered why We were getting compost smell in the boat...condensation had filled the dip in the pipe with water...thus no exhaust (it is a clear see through tube with the Natures Head) I am going to monitor that in the future...just passing that on...anyone had anything similar?

Yes, I put a tiny hole in the bottom of the droop so that the water could drip out a drop at a time rather than backing up the whole system. No smell from that.

[SimonV]

Originally Posted by sarafina

I use about half a block or a bit more to start and then add the rest of the block over time. The only TP I put in is the soiled that I use to wipe up the chute if it needs it, otherwise, into a tiny covered garbage can that lives in the head. But you can add the TP in. It will just fill up a bit faster.

I've been trying to be a bit more methodological about tracking usage so I can be helpful to folks trying to figure this out.

I would calculate it this way; a load seems to be around 15 to 20 deposits in the solid waste bucket, 25 to 30 in the jug. That's for us. YMMV ; -)

If your family will take on average one and a half dumps a day then you might need to swap out the bucket every 4 days or so. Maybe kids take smaller dumps?

If they take 3 leaks a day then I would think that it would be best, since it's so easy, to change jugs every night. Just to, you know, be safe...

The TP would be your own call, for sure the 'just wet' into the trash. And with guys that isn't an issue. As far as the soiled goes, we make a call on how nasty it is and then pick into the bucket, often with a wipe around the chute, or into the trash. Just remember the more you put in the sooner you need to empty.

I don't want to sound so negative as I feel anything that makes life aboard easier, should be embraced, BUT this sounds like a lot or work. If you need to empty it every week, how does it get a chance to compost? TP in a bag, well that has its own issues. If you remember I met an Yank who chucked his because of the little black flies. Well being a good cruiser and environmentalist I rescued the head from being binned. It just seems a big call to swap it out.

[sarafina]

Guess it's all relative. I have had traditional systems and now I have an untraditional system. They both have issues of one sort or another. Any marine sanitation method will involve dealing with waste in some form or another. Either will have to be maintained to work properly.

I could have a tank and a head. I could use my fresh water to flush and be limited by my water tank size and holding tank size. Or I could use sea water and deal with the smelly effects of that, and still have to deal with the size of my holding tank and the smells that most folks experience with the set up, hoses and pumps and joker flaps (doesn't that name give you sort of a bad feeling about it all?) and maybe a macerator or electrasan unit. I could deal with the sloppy maintenance and repair of the system, with all the pleasant activity associated with that.

I could hire a pump out company to come to my dock and clean me out every week or so. I could maneuver my boat into the tiny crowded slip that houses my marina's pumpout every week or so and deal with the joyous task of hooking up, pumping out, rinsing and cleaning up as needed. Or while out and about I could make sure to know where to go when I was close to getting a full holding tank for pumpout. I could hope to find a free or cheap pumpout, but when I couldn't I could pay for each service.

Or I can crumble up a small block of dry clean coir, use the toilet as needed, and then every few weeks pull the bucket out and dump the dry contents that smell of dirt into a bag to take ashore to the garbage. Or if I am cruising where over board isn't allowed and garbage isn't available, transfer the contents into a spare 5 gallon bucket that has a modified lid to it that allows the material to continue breaking down and drying out until there is overboard or ashore available.

These composting toilets are only composters in the sense that they begin the composting process. They of course do not actually create compost. Human waste needs to be composted for 2 years to be considered safe for use as a soil additive. They do make it into a dry inoffensive easy to handle lightweight material, that is simple to deal with.

Essentially I never run out of capacity. Never have a clogged system. Never have an explosive event that ends with **** all over me or my boat. Like I said, it's all relative ; -)

Why don't you find a place to sit it reasonably securely and use it for a few months and see how it works for you. Since you already have it you have that luxury!

[clockwork orange]

Time to refresh this thread, i have removed the head, 14gal holding tank and all the nasty hoses and valves etc from my Gemini Cat and am ready to purchase a composter which i will instal in may so i have a bit of time, what i would like to know is how many folk on here have actual experience specifically with the C-head, ive installed a couple of airheads, one on a customers boat and one on a boat i used to own but have no actual experience living with them, however i have heard very good reports, mostly on this thread from people with both the AH and NH and would be comfortable with either of them but kinda like the C-head for both the design and of course the price.

Steve.

[sww914]

We already had a working head but it dumped straight overboard. The boat came with the holding tank and Y valve so we figured just plumb it and all would be well. We spent about $200.00 on hoses, clamps, and a vent and installed everything. We had to make a sturdy shelf for the holding tank, all together it took 2 days.
After the second s**t shower as a result of the vent clogging , we were sick of the hassle and the smell.
We bought a C-Head. I doesn't stink unless us boys don't sit to pee and a little splashes into the poo bucket, that'll make it stink.
It took 2 hours to install. We vented it though the old pumpout deck fitting, we screw the cap on if it rains or if there's water coming over the bow.
It has been hassle free. Dump the pee bucket once a day, dump the poo bucket once a week and it's all good.
VERY HAPPY!
My wife wrote about most of it on our blog. Here- http://landfallvoyages.com/?p=1542
And here- Landfall Voyages » **** Tank Shenanigans

[Kettlewell]

Can't remember if I already mentioned this earlier in the thread, but one nice advantage of the c-head (like that term!) is that you can use it while hauled out too. Makes life just a little bit easier when your boat is on the hard. If you've ever seen some boatyard restrooms you might appreciate this. I let the contents compost over the winter and in the spring dump it before launch--by then it is nearly odorless and looks like dirt.

[Tony_Owen]

I have posted before about our love of the composting toilet...love...well yes...it is so nice to sit in peace in a crowded lagoon and not have to finish up with the maceator reverberating accross the bay...and when rafted up...all is quiet.

[Ram]

I just read this entire thread & I am looking at replacing one if not both of my heads with a composting head- what are the costs<