Composting Toilet

Posts about the Galley and Head systems, including plumbing, water, and propane
gary green
Posts: 58
Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2009 6:59 am
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Composting Toilet

Post by gary green »

Hi Alan,

The holding tank switch and monitor refer to the Airhead liquid waste containers (I bought an extra and have two) which I rigged up each an electric tank monitor kit I purchased from West Marine. Since I re-located the liquid waste containers to the back of the toilet the monitor lets me know when they are full. I plumbed from the front of the toilet with a marine grade waste line to the cap that goes on top of the liquid waste container. I have never used the boats holding tank so I am thinking of having it cleaned and maybe use as a second water tank for a shower I hope to install in the future.

I am not sure where I got the rotisserie motor but if you go on-line and google the word you will see a lot of manufacturers. Mine is battery operated and I installed it on a small shelf on the starboard side attached with a screw and wing nut to that it can rotate it away from the toilet when I need to remove at the end of the season. The only modification I needed to make was to mill a square piece of steel so that one side fits the rotisserie insert and the other the crank insert.

I also have a solar panel that I have yet to install. I have all the hardware and stainless tubing but have yet to get around to the installation. My panel is 80watt. I completed all the wiring including the charge controller and an electrical panel (Wired in reverse) to control which battery I want to charge. I have included a picture.

I have two 220amp/hour batteries. One is installed under the starboard side stern cabin and the other at the front of the boat to distribute the weight. I was able to fish a line and found the conduit that goes under the cabin sole to fish the wires from the nav station to the bow. I left a sender line in there just in case I need to do further plumbing or wiring.

I also installed a refrigerator. The first one was too large so I got a smaller one that also draws on average only .6 watts. I mounted it on a shelf I fabricated and have since relocated it to the starboard side of the boat although the attached photo shows it on the port side.

I would be devastated if I had to sell the boat as it has provided me great sailing and a lot of fulfillment. The marina where I keep her has been very accommodating as I block and tackle my way through this bad part of my life.
wooden
Posts: 111
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2012 7:37 am
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Re: Composting Toilet

Post by wooden »

I installed a NaturesHead composting toilet in the Telstar a few months ago, and I recently had the opportunity to put it to the test on a 5 day sailing trip. I wanted to report that the product performed as advertised. I was very pleased with the simplicity of installation, the use design, and the total lack of odor.
Installation:
The design is flexible enough to install it in a number of ways, but I wanted to make a few modifications to the boat as necessary. I used the existing head hatch, removed the hinged lid, and made a small modification to the lip of the hatch to accommodate easy removal of the urine canister. The fit was perfect in the hatch and allowed for the needed lifting of the seat in order to remove the urine canister.
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The head requires venting outside. I elected to vent directly up at the rear and use a solar powered vent that is bought through NaturesHead. The head comes with an electric vent, but I did not want to use the limited boat power supply. I found the solar power vent works very well. I used a simple PVC adaptor to connect the 1.5 inch flexible vent pipe to the 3 inch vent. I secured it in place with stainless screws, and it is working well.
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Nature 5.jpg
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I will need to empty the holding container about every 4-6 months, but the content will be well composted and can be used on flowering plants. The amazing thing is that the smell is completely absent, even when the head hatch is open for use. The design allows all solids to go in the back and the liquids to go in the front. Easy for women and men both to use, even in rough seas. Paper also is deposited in the back. I do use the paper designed for easy compost, but normal paper is OK.
I cannot say enough good things about this product. Although some of you might not like the look of a head being so visible in the back of the cabin, with a little work, it can be “prettied-up” and even covered up. The back berth is eliminated, but I never considered this area big enough for anything but storage anyway. It still allows easy access to storage and to the hatch below the bow.
Steve & Mittie Wooden
Bayou Vista TX (Galveston)
"Gnarly's Poop Deck" Hull #340
Gene
Posts: 80
Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2009 7:54 am
Location: "Tri Again" Plash Island, AL
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Re: Composting Toilet

Post by Gene »

Looks great, I've always been a fan of being green. Can you give us a ballpark $$$ estimate?
#318
Plash Island, AL
USA
wooden
Posts: 111
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2012 7:37 am
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Re: Composting Toilet

Post by wooden »

The head itself is $875 and the optional solar vent is $169 . Because the maintenance is so simple, and the utility is tremendous, I think the cost compared to other options is reasonable. Installation was simple and took me about two hours. The item is well built and the only ongoing cost is to add peat moss periodically. I looked at the AirHead, which is a similar device, but it would require extensive changes to the hatch for it to work.

Steve Wooden
Steve & Mittie Wooden
Bayou Vista TX (Galveston)
"Gnarly's Poop Deck" Hull #340
Gene
Posts: 80
Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2009 7:54 am
Location: "Tri Again" Plash Island, AL
Contact:

Re: Composting Toilet

Post by Gene »

Yes, not unreasonable at all. I have considered attaching a mascerator pump with overboard discharge to the holding tank, but have done nothing to date. I do like your choice better. Have you removed the holding tank and/or doing anything with the space now?
#318
Plash Island, AL
USA
wooden
Posts: 111
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2012 7:37 am
Contact:

Re: Composting Toilet

Post by wooden »

Gene,

My boat was plumbed for a conventional head and holding tank, but that was never installed. A porta-potty was in the head hatch when I bought the boat and I learned rather quickly that it was not a good solution and the odor was not acceptable.

Most of my sailing is coastal Keys, and because the entire area is a no discharge zone, I never considered a pump out head. I have nothing under the lid covering the holding tank area except a hose, and nothing was changed there. The platform that existed for the conventional head was a perfect height for the NaturesHead. The minor modifications I had to make were as follows:

1. Removed the hinged lid over the head hatch
2. Trimmed out a moon shaped area on the stern lip of the head hatch to accomidate the easy removal of the urine cannister
3. Drilled a 3 inch hole on the deck forward and port of the bow window to accomidate the solar powered vent.

Everything else was just a matter of mounting and making sure it was positioned properly to raise the seat and move the handles required for the solids hatch and stir stick. I left the plumbing intact just in case a future owner of the boat wanted to put a convientional head in.
Steve & Mittie Wooden
Bayou Vista TX (Galveston)
"Gnarly's Poop Deck" Hull #340
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