Composting Toilet - Nature's Head

[clockwork orange]

So glad to see such a ringing endorsment of the C-head, i am looking to buy a composting head for my Gemini cat in the next few months and since the c-head is a newer product ive been holding off waiting to hear real life experiences like this before choosing which one to buy, i am leaning the C-head way, i have already removed the old head, tank and plumbing and will need a composter by spring so i have a bit of time yet to decide.

Steve.

[Ram]

Im also looking at buying one or two of these heads, but Id like to see them and how they work in Person, anyone in S.Florida have any one of these I can look at ?

[Mike OReilly]

I finally ordered our Nature's Head. It's on its way here now. I'll be installing it as soon as the ice starts to recead around here; likely in early April. We plan to use it for our extended cruising this summer. I'll certainly post our results in the fall.

FYI, Nature's Head is offering $50 off the original grey granite coloured ones while supplies last. I assume its b/c most people prefer the porcelain-white versions.

[Reiheld]

Ram, you might check with Sandy (chead.com) to see if he has a customer near you. The company is located near Jax, I believe. Also, the website has links to the blogs of cruisers who have used theirs far more intensively than we have,who seem happy. The main complaints I have heard have been bugs (I believe for that reason I would steer clear of garden center peat) which some have handled effectively with a sprinkle of diatomaceous earth.Some, mostly those who haven't tried it,I gather, take issue with C-Head's smaller collection containers. We make it a habit to remove and screw the cap on the urine jug every night,replacing it with a fresh one of which we have a ready supply. Dumping the solid waste into a larger container is not much of a chore to us.YMMV. Disposal is simple and inconspicuous. (I would hate to be seen trudging up the canopied entry to La-de-Dah Yacht Club lugging a big jug, a three-day supply of pee on its way to the ladies' loo. Nobody gives my little shopping bag a second look.)

[Ram]

[QUOTE=Reiheld;1130649]Ram, you might check with Sandy (chead.com) to see if he has a customer near you. The company is located near Jax, I believe. Also, the website has links to the blogs of cruisers who have used theirs far more intensively than we have,who seem happy. The main complaints I have heard have been bugs (I believe for that reason I would steer clear of garden center peat) which some have handled effectively with a sprinkle of diatomaceous earth.Some, mostly those who haven't tried it,I gather, take issue with C-Head's smaller collection containers. We make it a habit to remove and screw the cap on the urine jug every night,replacing it with a fresh one of which we have a ready supply. Dumping the solid waste into a larger container is not much of a chore to us.YMMV. Disposal is simple and inconspicuous. (I would hate to be seen trudging up the canopied entry to La-de-Dah Yacht Club lugging a big jug, a three-day supply of pee on its way to the ladies' loo. Nobody gives my little shopping bag a second look.)[/QUO

Thanks- I looked at their website and was wondering about smell- as there is no fan for exhaust or gasket to keep smell out- - also in Europe where I’m sailing I’ve not seen the 1 gal milk jug- will any kind of jug fit in there? How many poops can you get before time to empty the bucket?- I’m wondering if 4 people can use the solid side for how long before it needs to be empted, daily? Or every 3 days??

[Reiheld]

Ram, email the manufacturer for definitive and straightforward answers to your questions.
The standard US plastic gallon jug fits perfectly, and for us has the big advantage of being available anywhere, filled with water, milk, juice, etc., so, it's essentially free. I would suspect the head could be modified to accept another commonly used container, but Sandy at chead.com would be your authority, and perhaps engineer. Oh, and it does come with one. I'll bet he would be glad to toss in an extra jug or two.

[Reiheld]

The head doesn't come with a fan, but good directions are enclosed as to how to use one from a computer or a commercially available solar fan. It does come with vent hoses. Ours go from our head to the special lid on a five-gallon collection bucket (this what paint and industrial products come in, a potential snag for you?) and thence out a hole in a sternward bulkhead. So far, that has produced enough of a gentle airflow that we have not felt the need for a fan. If you spend most of your time well out at sea, perhaps the collection bucket wouldn't be necessary. Just vent the head itself, and dump the lumpy stuff overboard when the crank gets hard to turn. Again, Sandy is your authority. I have found him to be responsive.

[Ram]

Thanks for the info - im looking into all 3 of these heads and will have to see them first hand before I can decide the ones I will buy !

[jongleur]

Y'all might want to know the website is "c-head.com"

Not chead.com

[Reiheld]

Ooops. You're right, of course. Can I blame darn Autocorrect?

[boatsail]

In my study of the 3 crapper units, I found the natures head to be the more sanitary to use and handle. Let me explain.

Chead....lift top, remove bucket containing crap and dump.
airhead and natures head...lift top off of unit and place somewhere (top can have poo on it) pick up the bottom base, dump and put back together.

chead seemed simpler and after owning one, I am glad I made the decision I made. Also, with chead, if your pee container overflows, it goes into the basin, but is seperated by a bucket from the poo... With airhead and natureshead, you overflow into the poo...much harder to clean up...also, airhead and chead have a trap door that can get poo on it. c head has no trap door as the urine collector part/thing has a better way of funneling into hte piss container.

Not telling anyone what to do, just why I concluded what I did. I looked at an analysed all 3 units. Even joined a yahoo group for chead and then came to my conclusion and ordered.

You could always take a regular toilet, plaster the drain, put a bag in and crap then store the doggie bags in the tank. (<<<<if you don't know what I'm talking about with that one, read some more threads about crappers on CF)

[boatsail]

realized to late to edit....

I wrote...
In my study of the 3 crapper units, I found the natures head to be the more sanitary to use and handle. Let me explain.


I meant...In my study of the 3 crapper units, I found the c head to be the more sanitary to use and handle. Let me explain.

[Reiheld]

I have friends who live aboard their 40-something-foot vintage catamaran--- on the hard, yet, while renovations are underway. They have been doing so for a couple of years, relying on their Nature's Head. The other day she came by and carefully examined our C-Head inside and out, sniffed, sat down to try it on for size, and seemed impressed with what she learned. I don't know what their decision will be, but I suspect if these very frugal people are thinking seriously about replacing a two-year-old NH, there must be a pretty convincing reason for it. I believe cleaning may have been an issue, with caked-on s(tuff) being hard and unpleasant to remove.

[Mike OReilly]

Coir questions:

#1. Where do you buy the compressed bricks? What are the best sources? Ideally a Canadian source would be best for me.

#2. Is all coir created equal? Are some sources/types/brands better or worse?

I just received my Nature's Head today. Looks great. I won't be setting it up on the boat for another couple of months (way too cold around here until April), but I may give it a try here at the shack we call a home.

[boatsail]

Just emptied my head today, would have made a video to show how easy it is, but really, it is nothing more than dumping a five gal bucket into a trash bag...only thing left behind in the bucket is the diust from the peat moss. Very clean and took all of two minutes.

Could not make the video because I forgot my phone