DIY Composting Head

[scuba0_1]

I think that's because it's vented out side. Does your bathroom smell after your done no reason to think your bucket wouldn't

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[thinwater]

Now that (I hope) the 7th grade stuff humor has been exhausted...

... I'm kind of doubting this is a composting system, but rather just a storage system. Without some serius mixing and air movement, this just isn't composting. It's gonna stink and it's just gonna be poo when you dump it. It's a pretty face on a simple poop bucket. Nothing new there.

A clever idea for something small that actually composts? Even the comercial units tend to fall a little short, so to make a 5 gallon bucket work is going to require inovation. Given composting takes ~ 3 weeks under ideal conditions...

I can see the purpose. Small lake sailing, small boats. My first boat had a portable toilet and there was room for improvment. But show us something more than a bucket.

[KISS]

Originally Posted by scuba0_1

I think that's because it's vented out side.

That may be - IIRC, some are and some aren't.

I'd like to hear more from the users on this....

If outside venting were necessary, I suppose that'd be easy enough - just run a line (flexible or rigid? doesn't matter?) from hole in bucket to somewhere above the waterline.

I wonder how you keep water out of such a vent though?

Same goes for any kind of venting: holding tank, water tank, etc.

...maybe it's not a enough water to matter? The vent would be quite small.

[thinwater]

Originally Posted by scuba0_1

I think that's because it's vented out side. Does your bathroom smell after your done no reason to think your bucket wouldn't

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Try your home toilet without water in the bowl. The water seals much of the smell. Certainly this can be addressed with air down flow... but show us.

[KISS]

Originally Posted by thinwater

... I'm kind of doubting this is a composting system, but rather just a storage system. Without some serius mixing and air movement, this just isn't composting. It's gonna stink and it's just gonna be poo when you dump it. It's a pretty face on a simple poop bucket. Nothing new there.

I understand that most of the commercial units have manual mixers and little electric fans. Some people say that the crucial part is keeping the solid waste dry (so: separating the liquid and adding peat, sawdust, or whatever to the solid), while the ventilation and mixing has a marginal impact...if anyone has experience with non-mixing and/or passive-venting composters, I'd like to get their input.

But if I had to add a fan or mixer, that wouldn't be a big deal. Cheap electric fan rigged outside the bucket in the vent line somehow.

For the mixer, I'd probably go with a simple manual tool kept in the bucket - mix it every once in a while after use.

A clever idea for something small that actually composts? Even the comercial units tend to fall a little short, so to make a 5 gallon bucket work is going to require inovation. Given composting takes ~ 3 weeks under ideal conditions...

I imagine it would take quite a while to fill a 5 gallon bucket with waste - just solids, no flushing water, one person. Could always increase the size of the bucket though.

[Cuttyhunk]

So...you will never, ever, have a woman on your boat? Never invite a couple over, after they've had you over twice already and you know you owe them?


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[KISS]

Originally Posted by Cuttyhunk

So...you will never, ever, have a woman on your boat? Never invite a couple over, after they've had you over twice already and you know you owe them?

If a woman moves onto the boat, then I'll have to consider her preferences on a whole range of issues. But for the occasional visitor? Nah, I'm not building the boat for them.

[smj]

I've heard of people with a similar setup. After every dump you sprinkle a little peat on top of your deposit and happiness is. The main objective is to keep the solids and liquids separated, and try to dry out the solids.

[Kenomac]

I prefer to flush and forget... rather than establishing a work relationship with my liquid and solid waste.

[smj]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

I prefer to flush and forget... rather than establishing a working relationship with my liquid and solid waste.

Only problem is when your flusher quits working, makes it really hard to forget! And then you really have a working relationship with your waste.


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[Kenomac]

That's why we have two electric heads, three replacement electric macerated pumps and a bucket on standby. Push the switch and launch... No "long goodbyes."

[smj]

But you still end up having to fix the flusher, in which case your probably elbow deep in waste. Six of one half a dozen of another.


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[KISS]

Originally Posted by smj

I've heard of people with a similar setup. After every dump you sprinkle a little peat on top of your deposit and happiness is. The main objective is to keep the solids and liquids separated, and try to dry out the solids.

bingo, that's what I've read

[KISS]

Originally Posted by Kenomac

I prefer to flush and forget... rather than establishing a work relationship with my liquid and solid waste.

There's no reason to ever have to touch the nasties when emptying the bucket. Carry it above decks with the lid screwed on tight, then dump overboard. Unless I trip and join the pooh in the drink, I'm good to go.

And there are no repairs...ever. A bucket can't break, spring a leak, get clogged, etc.

[Travelnik]

Here's a thread on SailFar.net that talks about cheap/DIY composting heads:

The $10-20 (or even free) composting toilet