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View Poll Results: What Head Do You Have And Are You Satisfied With It Poll
<$200 Manual Pump Head ~Satisfied 41 20.10%
<$200 Manual Pump Head ~Unsatisfied 2 0.98%
>$200 Manual Pump Head ~Satisfied 41 20.10%
>$200 Manual Pump Head ~Unsatisfied 2 0.98%
Vacuum Head ~Satisfied 20 9.80%
Vacuum Head ~Unsatisfied 0 0%
Electric Head ~Satisfied 41 20.10%
Electric Head ~Unsatisfied 6 2.94%
Composting Style Head ~Satisfied 34 16.67%
Composting Style Head ~Unsatisfied 1 0.49%
Bucket And Chuck It ~Satisfied 4 1.96%
Bucket And Chuck It ~Unsatisfied 0 0%
Other...? 6 2.94%
Porti Potties! Duh! ~Satisfied 4 1.96%
Porti Potties! Duh! ~Unsatisfied 2 0.98%
Voters: 204. You may not vote on this poll

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Old 05-12-2013, 17:17   #31
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Re: Head Poll -What Do You Have, satisfied?

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Originally Posted by smj View Post
Yes. Last three boats all had composting heads and all were live aboard. I personally would go with nothing else.
Really? COol, I have a few questions.

I looked into it a while back and couldn't figure out how it would work well. I have seen a couple of threads on it here before. The issues I have seen are numerous, starting with keeping the water out of a hole in the deck if one is actually cruising, you seem to need the hole for ventilation, running a small fan 24x7, having multiple buckets of poop so that they are composting one while using the other, storage of the absorbent medium (How big a bag of wood dust, or peat moss would you need to a month long cruise?).

The other issue seemed to me to be that you had to constantly have two buckets of stuff, one under the "head" and the other ventilating and turning into dirt somewhere else but that it still had to have ventilation. Where are you going to put that on a boat?

Everyone that I have seen around here is basically pooping in a bucket covering it with moss, or wood shavings, and throwing the poop in the garbage can instead of actually correctly dealing with it. The idea of one on land where you have some space makes sense to me. On the boat though it seems people around here are not actually letting it compost, they are just throwing raw sewage into the garbage can at the top of the dock.

One of them recently told me they use it all weekend, then dump it in the garbage on the way up the dock to go home. (Which isn't composting, it is just incorrectly dumping sewage).

I am interested in hearing if anyone actually composts it all the way to dirt. Or if there is something I am missing.

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Old 05-12-2013, 17:47   #32
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Re: Head Poll -What Do You Have, satisfied?

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Any of you that have a composting toilet live aboard?


Yes. Wont ever change back.
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Old 05-12-2013, 17:52   #33
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Re: Head Poll -What Do You Have, satisfied?

Guy, there are some great threads about composting/desiccating here that address just what you are asking. But the short of it from my perspective: I'm desiccating poo, starting the composting process as best I can. If I dump it in the trash before completely composting is not illegal or even wrong. Consider the diaper, not illegal or wrong to dispose in trash. I dispose after one to two months in a compostable bag. It is a remarkably small amount, looks and smells like dirt. What I would love is a compost bin at the pump out stations, I think that would help the folks who are not using the toilet correctly.

Peat goes a long way. You can buy cocotek, a renewable peat, in small bricks. You reconstitute one brick to make about a gallon of peat, which is perfect to start the batch, you may have to add another gallon before the head needs emptying. So the storage of peat can be very easy. I add some cedar shavings for a natural bug repellent.

For more info and debate, feel free to check out these threads.

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ead-85662.html

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ers-96246.html

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...rds-74706.html

Hope that helps.
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Old 05-12-2013, 17:57   #34
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Re: Head Poll -What Do You Have, satisfied?

We bought a C-Head and it's been so superior to the holding tank system.
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Old 05-12-2013, 18:12   #35
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2 Par electric heads, very noisy but dependable.
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Old 05-12-2013, 18:21   #36
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Installed a C-Head recently, still tweaking the installation but already very satisfied.
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Old 05-12-2013, 18:55   #37
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Re: Head Poll -What Do You Have, satisfied?

Thanks for voting, looks like majority are happy with their heads.
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Old 05-12-2013, 20:59   #38
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Re: Head Poll -What Do You Have, satisfied?

Groco Model K manual toilet for me. I'd like to switch to an electric toilet (Raritan Marine Elegance) but the Groco just won't die.

http://www.hopkins-carter.com/raritan.html
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Old 06-12-2013, 00:14   #39
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Re: Head Poll -What Do You Have, satisfied?

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Any of you that have a composting toilet live aboard?
Yes but I only ripped out my old head a couple months ago and I live alone.

I do have a secondary compost bucket. After 6 weeks I transferred the contents of my toilet, it wasn't full but I was curious. The mixture was non-poopy (technical term) and looked like garden mulch. I'm throwing paper in mine which doesn't breakdown quite as fast as the biomass, but I'm adding a stirrer next week that should help.
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Old 06-12-2013, 08:11   #40
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Re: Head Poll -What Do You Have, satisfied?

Wow, 77 votes and mostly satisfied, that's great. I know this poll is rather vague, as it cannot reflect how long folks have had their head or the amount of usage. I do appreciate the posts clarifying their vote.

I have a feeling the unsatisfactory percentage would go up if the poll asked about the holding tank and hoses.

It would be great if the electric head voters would say why they are unsatisfied, i know rw58ph in post #4 said he liked his electric but not the Raritan. Rivercruise in #35 said he was satisfied with his electric head, but it was a bit noisy(great feedback).

Anyways thanks again for contributing, I'm going to keep this poll open until we get a large sample of votes, say couple thousand..?
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Old 06-12-2013, 08:36   #41
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Re: Head Poll -What Do You Have, satisfied?

I've got a composter (Nature's Head) and wouldn't go back. I've done a 10 day "cruise" with two aboard for the last two years and add weekends to that. TP goes in a plastic bag in a coffee can ... each guest gets his/her own coffee can. The compost from the last two years is still composting (well actually right now it's probably frozen) as I haven't had to empty it yet, but by this time, having had the boat on the hard since mid-October, I'm pretty sure it's composted and not just dessicated. I don't hesitate to use it even when docked at my yacht club - no worrying about making a trip to the pump-out and all it entails.
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Old 06-12-2013, 13:30   #42
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Anyone converted their manual Lavac over to electric? Good move? Any issues?

(We have 2 and are thinking of converting 1 to electric)
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Old 06-12-2013, 15:00   #43
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Re: Head Poll -What Do You Have, satisfied?

Thanks for the participation in this poll. The Mods are kindly fixing my goof of leaving out porta potties..Duh, I know. So the PP boats can vote soon.
Thanks again
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Old 06-12-2013, 16:24   #44
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Re: Head Poll -What Do You Have, satisfied?

Another Lavac owner that is more than happy. You can flush almost anything down it. Yes lady's, that too (not a good idea though). Live aboard and never a clog in 5 years.
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Old 06-12-2013, 16:48   #45
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Re: Head Poll -What Do You Have, satisfied?

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Anyone converted their manual Lavac over to electric? Good move? Any issues?

(We have 2 and are thinking of converting 1 to electric)



Yes. Great move, easy conversion. No problems. Easy to revert to manual operation if the electric motor fails. I have two, family of four living aboard. Awesome system.


http://www.blakes-lavac-taylors.co.uk/pdf/lavac.pdf
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Air Head, C Head, composting Head, Deccicating head, Electric head, head, Jabsco Head, lavac, Manual Head, Natures Head, poll, raritan, toilet

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