Visit our Popular Forums

**Blongsea** · 17-12-2009, 15:57

I agree with blahman. However, I like to add that unfortunately a waste-tank is a great breeding vessel for all sorts of harmful micro-organisms. So what you put in - is not necessarily similar to what you pump out!
Regardless of where and what you pump out - it is allways a good idea to add household bleach (or pool-cleaner powder...) at least one hour before pump-out. Ideally you ad some Chlorine every day until pump-out. The resulting waste is just harmless and nutrient "mud" that won't harm anyone or anything anywhere. Just do it!

**sarafina** · 17-12-2009, 16:58

So, I have found a cool kit for making a solid/liquid waste separating toilet, which makes it VERY affordable for us.

Today I bought 2 bricks of coir and we are starting the "solid" waste in a 5 gallon bucket, with a small seat for during use and a lid that screws on with a vent hose plumbed into the top of it and exiting out a convenient dorade vent. we are going to give it a try and see what the pit falls and pluses are of this whole deal. I need to get a small inline fan that I can insert into the vent to make the test realistic as the venting seems to be a big issue. I am going to dedicate a large metal spoon from the camp kit that can be used as the stirrer.

wet waste just goes overboard for now, via the old head. TP goes in a small trash can.

I figure in 3 months I will know if this is going to work for us. If we decide it works and is manageable I am ordering the privy kit and installing a built in system where the head is now. if not all I'll have lost is a used 5 gallon bucket and an old metal spoon!

ecowaters · 17-12-2009, 21:59

Check out ecovita for small and efficient composting toilets.
Dig down and you'll find plans for making your system without buying anything on this site.
Check out the DIY urinal system in the book, Liquid Gold.
Also see: ecoboat @ chrisjmelo.blogspot.com

knothead · 20-01-2010, 12:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarafina

So, I have found a cool kit for making a solid/liquid waste separating toilet, which makes it VERY affordable for us.

Today I bought 2 bricks of coir and we are starting the "solid" waste in a 5 gallon bucket, with a small seat for during use and a lid that screws on with a vent hose plumbed into the top of it and exiting out a convenient dorade vent. we are going to give it a try and see what the pit falls and pluses are of this whole deal. I need to get a small inline fan that I can insert into the vent to make the test realistic as the venting seems to be a big issue. I am going to dedicate a large metal spoon from the camp kit that can be used as the stirrer.

wet waste just goes overboard for now, via the old head. TP goes in a small trash can.

I figure in 3 months I will know if this is going to work for us. If we decide it works and is manageable I am ordering the privy kit and installing a built in system where the head is now. if not all I'll have lost is a used 5 gallon bucket and an old metal spoon!

Sara, could you tell us a little more about the kit? Is this something that can be purchased or did you put the kit together yourself?

Brent Swain · 20-01-2010, 13:34

Airhead charges $1300 for this type of composter . Natures head charges $800 I can make up the top out of fibreglass and sell it for $80 and still make $30 an hour. A standard black plastic bucket, which are free everywhere make sup the bottom. An ss shit disturber ( Mixer ), Can be welded up with two dollars worth of scrap stainless.
It's a good cottage or onboard industry for anyone who wants to make up a mold and make themselves a job while cruising. I've sold a couple of the tops , but don't want to mail them , just sell them off my boat.

**Solitude** · 20-01-2010, 14:18

Do any of you have drawings or pictures of these home made units?

**sarafina** · 20-01-2010, 16:30

This is the privy kit I was referring to. Gven the skills and time and materials it would be pretty easy to fabricate one. Think a big funnel with a little funnel in it... I figure for the price it's worth getting something that already has the kinks worked out, and has a seat with a tightly fitting lid. The lid fit was one of the things that my imagination has not been able to solve in a do it yourself rig. Currently we have a screened hole in the lid of the 5 gallon bucket and we keep it in the back of the cockpit most of the time. A built in permanent system needs to have the lid fit and ventilation issues addressed.here's a link.

Ecovita Privy Kit

Over the holidays and with the nasty weather we haven't been out much so we haven't really given our test drive much of a run yet.

knothead · 21-01-2010, 09:49

Thanks Sara. I've ordered one.

**sarafina** · 21-01-2010, 12:18

oh cool! One thing I was trying to figure out from the photos, but couldn't is how it works in profile. as in does the urine collection cup fit in the diameter of the ten gallon bucket (and thus need a way for the hose to come out of the bucket for separate collection, or does that smaller urine cup fit OUTSIDE the bucket, and facilitate collection of the liquid waste without adapting the bucket in some way? O please when you get it would you let me know? Pics would be great but even just a description would be appreciated!

Brent Swain · 21-01-2010, 12:28

Quote:

Originally Posted by Solitude

Do any of you have drawings or pictures of these home made units?

The drawings and details are in my book.
The great breakthru was a seat that separates the liquids form the solids Avoid any composter that doesn't do this. They are huge, smelly and have no place on a boat.
The volume of liquids is huge compared the volume of solids you put out.

Brent Swain · 21-01-2010, 12:29

Urethane foam can be sanded and resined to make the mold for a composter bowl.

**Solitude** · 21-01-2010, 12:50

I looked at the link thanks. I lived in Sweden for may years and there were many summer houses that had these systems in indoor toilets. They worked well and had electric fans. There were also flush versions that you only flushed for solids.

As for ventilation I put in a solar fan in my head a couple years ago. Its been great. Could you modify a solar fan (running 24hrs a day they have batteries) for venting this.

**sarafina** · 21-01-2010, 12:55

All the designs I have looked at show the head being vented in a direct fashion. So either the container has a vent hose to a vent fan that exits thru the deck, or the container is enclosed in a cabinet/box that has a direct vent thru the deck with a fan in it. I was figuring on using one of the solar fans that goes 27/7.

Brent Swain · 21-01-2010, 12:59

If you have a solar panel feeding your main battery and a computer fan you have the same deal as a solar fan at a fraction the cost.

**Solitude** · 21-01-2010, 13:10

Quote:

Originally Posted by sarafina

I was figuring on using one of the solar fans that goes 27/7.

Wow thats 3 more hours a day than mine

Yes Brent your right, I just like the solar fan because its independant of everything else. I am sure it will ever dain my house battery when away. I like the idea of independant distributed systems.