Diesel Incinerator Head?

[Ride]

Any one have any experience with or comments on a marine diesel incinerator head? Anyone know of brand that runs 12V DC and diesel?

I just learned about these types of heads; no water, no holding tank, and only clean ash as a waste product. I found the Cinderella and Incinolet brands that burn each "flush". These are for homes and motor-homes. Cinderalla has a version that runs on propane. Incinolet seems to only run on AC electricity. I don't plan on carrying propane and an AC 120V head would be a battery killer.

I am hoping for something with the compact size, looks, and burn intensity of the Cinderella but that uses diesel instead of propane; something small and self-contained like Webasto or Wallas diesel air/water heaters setup.

Anyone have any experience with these or know of a brand that runs 12V DC and diesel?

Thanks

[peghall]

You do need to be aware that incinerator toilets require a rather large (4") vent stack through the coach roof that has a catalytic converter in it that requires rather frequent cleaning. And that the burn isn't just a 'whoosh' of heat...it runs intermittently for over an hour and still doesn't always reduce everything to ash. You might want to read the Incinolet owners manual Incinolet owners manual Except for the power source, they all work pretty much alike.

If your goal is just to have a self-contained system, an "MSD" portapotty is the simplest and requires -0- power. The "MSD" designation in the model name/number means it has fittings for a pumpout line and vent line, and is designed to be permanently installed (actually just sturdier brackets than portables, so you could still take it off the boat if you absolutely have to), which means that although it's still called a PORTApotty, you don't have to carry anything off the boat to empty it.
A 5-6 gallon model holds 50-60 flushes...you'd need at least a 30 gal tank to hold that many from a manual marine toilet. No plumbing needed except a vent line and pumpout hose--so no new holes in the boat...and -0- maintenance needed except for rinsing out the tank--which you can do with a bucket while it's being pumped out. Total cost including the pumpout hose and vent line is about $200--a fraction of what you'd spend for toilet, tank and all the related plumbing needed unless you want to have the ability to dump it at sea...that would only require a y-valve in the pumpout line, a macerator or manual diaphragm pump and little more hose. And the best part is, you have all the advantages of a toilet and holding tank without giving up a single square foot of storage space.
Check out the Thetford 550P MSD (recently discontinued but still available from Defender and other retailers) and the Dometic/SeaLand 975MSD Sanipottie.

A "composting" toilet--Head Airhead Toilet or the Nature's Head Nature's Head Composting Toilets is the only other viable choice unless you're in waters where it makes sense to install a Type I MSD (USCG certified treatment device legal in all waters except those specfically designated NO Discharge)...check out the Raritan ElectroScan ElectroScan promo sheet and PuraSan Raritan PuraSan Promo Sheet All of the above do require some power, but they all run on 12v.

--Peggie

[Ride]

Thanks for the insights. My goal is to skip the hassle of a holding tank and remove then need for below the waterline through hulls. I'm not interested in the waste management required for a composting head.

I have seen the Raritan ElectroScan before and have been looking for ways to get raw water in and waste water out without below the waterline through-hulls. Then I came across the incinerator heads and thought that this could be the answer. If there was a diesel version as compact as the propane version that I would find a way to make the stack work. The diesel air/water heaters don't have 4-inch stack ducting; perhaps because they are not burning solids.

In any case, I an hopeful someone out there knows of a compact diesel model.

[peghall]

The diesel air/water heaters don't have 4-inch stack ducting; perhaps because they are not burning solids.


They aren't burning anything, they're just heating a very large pot.


--Peggie

[Lepke]

I have 2 incinolets. Marine version is stainless. It uses a paper liner and rarely gets dirty. Easier to clean that the typical toilet. Lot nicer than taking apart a failed marine toilet. I have a powerboat with a large bank and 120/240 inverter. Yes it needs a plastic pipe vent but no plumbing. Each flush is about 1 kwh. I've been running mine on a daily basis for 8 years without issue and no failed parts. The blower wheel needs to be cleaned about every 6 months. About a 30 minute job. If you do that you have no burn problems.

I don't pee in mine, but guests do. I have a urinal in the crew area the men use or pee over the side.

[Ride]

Thanks for sharing.

I have come across this video of a Cinderella metal exhaust. It seems to be a dealer's or company booth at a convention so I think that a narrower exhaust is workable.

I'm thinking that the 4 in PVC is that wide because its PVC. This video appears to support that notion. Have seen/heard of an installation with a narrower metal ducting for exhaust?

[Carryonsailing]

This is really helpful, thanks for the energy info also. you still happy with them or it?
If you ran out do you think you could use a made up liner?

Originally Posted by Lepke

I have 2 incinolets. Marine version is stainless. It uses a paper liner and rarely gets dirty. Easier to clean that the typical toilet. Lot nicer than taking apart a failed marine toilet. I have a powerboat with a large bank and 120/240 inverter. Yes it needs a plastic pipe vent but no plumbing. Each flush is about 1 kwh. I've been running mine on a daily basis for 8 years without issue and no failed parts. The blower wheel needs to be cleaned about every 6 months. About a 30 minute job. If you do that you have no burn problems.

I don't pee in mine, but guests do. I have a urinal in the crew area the men use or pee over the side.

[Eidolon65]

Gotta wonder about the smell

Peggy,
Great review of different types!!!

[Lepke]

If you route the exhaust right, you don't smell the Incinolet burning. When you do is smells like leaves or general trash, not sewage.

You could make a liner, but using the manufactured one is easy and cheap. Liners cost about 14¢. Before Brandon they were 7¢.

What I like is no holding tank, no repairing a traditional marine toilet while it's full of waste, and no head smell. I have 2 Incinolets, the oldest about 11 years old, no failures.

I looked into Marine Sanitation Devices about 12 years ago. I went with Incinolet because MSDs can't be used in no discharge zones.

My boat is setup to supply 120/240v 24/7, either with an inverter or generator, so I just expanded the battery bank to cover the Incinolet use. When cruising alternators keep the inverter bank up so I rarely run a generator.