Have BOTH a composting toilet and marine head

[wooden head]

Originally Posted by Canibul

Re: venting, I had thought of running an intake hose from the intake side of the toilet down to the bilge, so that the fan would pull bilge air through the composter. Just as an easy way to ventilate the bilges, too.

.

Sounds like a good idea unless the fan failed. If you vented methane to bilge or had vapor a fuel leak in bilge drawn to head you might be asking for trouble. Would really suck to be sitting on the head when a non marine fan sparked. Yes I know I'm paranoid but it could happen.

[Canibul]

Can put the fan on the other side, blowing in. They have interchangeable fittings with filters and supply a small 12 volt muffin fan. No fuel in our bilges.

[SURV69]

jheldatksuedu

28% is TP paper?

... Wow!

But, in all fairness to whoever uses that much TP, the TP might actually help the process even more ... after all ... it's like pressed miniature wood chips

[clockwork orange]

We don't put TP in our Airhead preferring to use minimal paper, folding it when finished so it looks clean and bag it in a ziplock bag. When I lived in Taiwan for a while this is what they do, the TP does not go down the sewer. When we did a 32 day trip with 2-4 onboard in 2013 nobody had a problem with this and it had to extend the range.

Steve.

[Mycroft]

Bill and Mike, could you provide links to the Amazon coir you purchased?

Thanks,
Bob

[Uncle Bob]

Originally Posted by Canibul

Re: venting, I bought a couple of the Nicro solar vents and didn't use the small 12 volt muffin fans that came with the Nature's Heads. I also put four other ( total six) Nicro solar vents on the boat. . But Now we're having issues with the solar vents failing, and so far I haven't determined whether it's the batteries or the motors three out of six are having issues within one year of installation. Fans don't turn in bright sunlight.

So I am planning to install the small fans that came with the Nature's Heads, in the fitting and in series with the solar vents. We like the new smell of this old boat, with all those vents ( when they're working) and the vents on the Nature's Heads ventilate the boat, too. Not just the head. I had thought of running an intake hose from the intake side of the toilet down to the bilge, so that the fan would pull bilge air through the composter. Just as an easy way to ventilate the bilges, too.

For those considering different brands, note the height of the Nature's Heads. They are pretty tall. I think short people would have their feet swinging during use.

And we do have two complete Baby Blake toilets, and enough parts for half of another one. They need paint and kits but they're the real deal and we'll sell them cheap. If anyone knows a good way to sell these....

Funny that you should mention this but that is the problem I am having with my nicro solar vents. One is worse than the others and after close examinatiion with a multi meter I found that the tiny wires from the panel to the battery were damaged and after resoldering the positive to the resistor ? the output went from .23 of a volt to over three volts.
Perhaps a check of the voltage produced may be in order.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by Mycroft

Bill and Mike, could you provide links to the Amazon coir you purchased?

Hi Bob, here's my recent order from Amazon:

http://www.amazon.ca/Natures-Footpri...9440279&sr=1-2

The seller is Nature's Footprint.

[jaybird1111]

Originally Posted by Scout 30

The C-Head does not require a vent unless there is a really significant humidity problem. From the research I've done, including corresponding with an owner in South Carolina, the C-Head works fine without a vent.

I live/sail in the Central Gulf of Mexico and I found that (seasonally) I need to run a vent, but so far I've been ventilating by leaving the lids up when the head isn't in use. Has worked but I'm in a catamaran.

Bottom line is yes, there are parts of the world where the C-Head needs to be ventilated. Mine had a lot of condensation under the lids in the humid seasons (a lot of the year down here). Bear in mind, I don't have A/C, YMMV.

Coir:
I bought coir bricks and learned that either I have to put them in a sealed bag with just a tiny bit of water and give them time to break down or else water them, break the brick down, and allow the coir to re-dry. If I just hydrated the coir brick as per its directions, it came out too wet (see above, it's humid down here)

Flies:
I had, for a short time, a problem with tiny flies. In researching, I discovered that a handful of diatomaceous earth in the bin cures that, and so it does.

[Mike OReilly]

Originally Posted by jaybird1111

Coir:
I bought coir bricks and learned that either I have to put them in a sealed bag with just a tiny bit of water and give them time to break down or else water them, break the brick down, and allow the coir to re-dry. If I just hydrated the coir brick, it came out too wet (see above, it's humid down here)

Yes, I've learned to add as little water as possible when preparing the coir. Same process; I put a brick in a sealed plastic bag with a bit of water (~1/2cup to a cup depending size of brick) and leave it in the sun. I then mechanically break it down, using a knife to wedge it apart. It needs to be crumbled enough so the churner can mix the pile. It will expand through use as you naturally add more moisture.

[Canibul]

We're using the coir bricks, too. Put one in a bucket with about an inch of water in the bottom. Flip it over after about half an hour, adding water if needed. Then it seems to split and break up pretty easily.

The reason the Nature's Heads need emptying after about three to four weeks is not because of TP or smell. It's simply that they eventually start to fill up. Smells like potting soil. Way better than a pump out. Especially one of those manual pump outs when a hose clamp on the Henderson lets go.. and the contents of the hoses fall back into the bilge.....
never again. This is simple. Five minutes, no way for anything to clog. no tools needed. Nothing ever contacts any part of the boat. I'd rather empty a Nature's Head than any litter box I ever saw.

[Canibul]

Originally Posted by Uncle Bob

Funny that you should mention this but that is the problem I am having with my nicro solar vents. One is worse than the others and after close examinatiion with a multi meter I found that the tiny wires from the panel to the battery were damaged and after resoldering the positive to the resistor ? the output went from .23 of a volt to over three volts.
Perhaps a check of the voltage produced may be in order.

Bob, emboldened by your post I prised one of these apart, and I see the connection you had an issue with. Mine was intact, but checking further, and further, I found corrosion between batt and + contact. But major issue for this one was corrosion where the six little wire brushes ride on the commutator in the motor. Had to take the motor apart to find it, but it wasn't running anyhow so nothing to lose. cleaned up the little contacts with fine emery cloth and reassemble and it runs again. But that will be a weak point, due to corrosion. There are six little wires acting as brushes. Very fragile, and when they corrode away that's the end of it. A shame, since they'd be easy to replace if we could find spares.

[The Way]

Originally Posted by Canibul

Bob, emboldened by your post I prised one of these apart, and I see the connection you had an issue with. Mine was intact, but checking further, and further, I found corrosion between batt and + contact. But major issue for this one was corrosion where the six little wire brushes ride on the commutator in the motor. Had to take the motor apart to find it, but it wasn't running anyhow so nothing to lose. cleaned up the little contacts with fine emery cloth and reassemble and it runs again. But that will be a weak point, due to corrosion. There are six little wires acting as brushes. Very fragile, and when they corrode away that's the end of it. A shame, since they'd be easy to replace if we could find spares.

I too have had a wire corrode thru on a Nicro. I always buy the extended warranty and have had to replace 2 Nicros after a year. I think replacing the tiny o-rings under the screws annually might be prudent.

Also, periodically make sure the fan blades are running. Sometimes the fan hub wears out, so the spindle turns but the blades do not.

Fair winds,
Jack

[The Way]

Originally Posted by jaybird1111

I live/sail in the Central Gulf of Mexico and I found that (seasonally) I need to run a vent, but so far I've been ventilating by leaving the lids up when the head isn't in use. Has worked but I'm in a catamaran.

Bottom line is yes, there are parts of the world where the C-Head needs to be ventilated. Mine had a lot of condensation under the lids in the humid seasons (a lot of the year down here). Bear in mind, I don't have A/C, YMMV.

Coir:
I bought coir bricks and learned that either I have to put them in a sealed bag with just a tiny bit of water and give them time to break down or else water them, break the brick down, and allow the coir to re-dry. If I just hydrated the coir brick as per its directions, it came out too wet (see above, it's humid down here)

Flies:
I had, for a short time, a problem with tiny flies. In researching, I discovered that a handful of diatomaceous earth in the bin cures that, and so it does.

I'm trying cedar chips -- they come compressed but fluff up when you pull them out of the bag. They don't need much water to be usable. They smell great! They seem to repel flies if sprinkled over the compost, but not once mixed in.

Tried diatomaceous earth with no luck at all. Maybe my flies were different from yours?

Fair winds,
Jack

[SV THIRD DAY]

Damn it....after reading this I just have ran out of excuses. So we will turn one of our two heads into a composter and and leave the other one old school to see how we like it. I'm imagining getting the 30gal holding tank worth of space back for storage...but it seems too good to be true.
A family of 4 will certainly be a test, especially with a teenage boy.

[Mycroft]

Close your eyes and just think about removing two full heads, (pun intended), from your maintenance lists if this experiment works Rich!