This is why we just built our own DIY composting toilet in the couch of our van. We purchased a urine diverter, so now we poop in a bucket (with compostible bags) and pee in jugs. Works! Easy to empty!
@@WanderfulRevolution it’s pretty good! We have recently installed a diesel heater and the water pump and faucet so we now have running water (when it’s not frozen lol). We need to finish the bedroom walls, build a closet between the refrigerator and bed, and install the countertop on the driver side. Then it’s just finishing up the trim! We’re living in it 2 days per week when I have to work in the office.
A diverter above the bucket is a must. Separating #1 and #2 makes you empty #1 once a day and #2 maybe a few times a month. I built mine with a Throne separator for $160 all together.
I was desensitized to this work as a young man stationed aboard small units in the Coast Guard. Nothing bothers you when you've had compressed gasses from a backed-up shi*tter go BAR-UMPH in your face and have your ship mates raucous laughter punctuate the whole miserable experience. But I'm not bitter or in any way ruined by the experience. No I am not, lol!
Actually, the one problem I have with crapping in 5 or 6 gallon buckets, it the use of lots of plastic bags. Ok, that will work in a pinch, but I want something more sustainable, hence a composting toilet seems like a good idea. If it is composting properly, it shouldn't be that gross. Compostable psuedo-plastic bags sound nice, but won't they have an accellerated composting time underneath all the compost? And rip when you decant?
We haven’t had any problems with the compostable plastic bags… the problem we’ve had is the cleanup and the little nooks and crannies that accumulate waste! It can be a challenge sometimes to find a place to actually take the toilet out, take it apart and clean it well… we found this to be the best solution for us… thank you for your input and for watching!
@@WanderfulRevolution Nooks and crannies sounds terrible. Makes me just want to crap in a 5/6 gal bucket add agricultural lime, Barnlime, or campfire ashes and sawdust, crunched up leaves, coco fiber or peat and just stir it with a stick once in a while. Ok, the stick is gross, but no nooks or crannies. Roll it around a bit? Then you can have two buckets . . .if your RV is big enough, or if you are camping in one place long enough and then you know the older bucket load is a little better composted when you dump. Arguably, there is no point in cleaning the interior of the composter because those leftover bits contain the culture that helps the start the next batch of compost. I mean, compost doesn't stink and I want to get away from bags and cleaning. Cleaning the seat and lid makes sense. Good to know that composting bags hold up for a bit, though. You can always crap in one of those without even a bucket. How long before you are tossing one batch out with a compostable bag? I like the comfort and portability and function of a composing toilet with the pee separation and the seat and everything, but I have to know if it is worth the cost, so considering all the angles. I pee in a bottle now, using it for compost and fertilizer, so I know the challenges of that trick. I still have a city toilet and I know if you are sick or really tired or need to poop simultaneously, peeing in a reg toilet is a lot easier.
@@WanderfulRevolution Maybe your composting toilet is not working well because you clean too well and kill all the beneficial bacteria. The entire point is to have the bacteria begin the composting process in the toilet. You do NOT want to clean out all the nooks and crannies. Clean the outside of the toilet, and the urine area. Just dump the compost side and let it do it's work.
That would make it much easier to clean, but I paid an extra $400 to get a composting toilet that mixes. So not for me :) Maybe you could find a way to get the mixing part through the bag, obviously it's gonna leak but it would probably be a lot easier to clean. Hmm, I'm gonna see if I can make that work! Thanks for the idea!
Definitely easier to clean! Traditional composting toilets sprinkle a layer after each use… we found it to be just as effective… what kind of toilet did you get?
A 5 gallon pail, compost bags, kitty litter, saw dust, whatever, a handicap commode that is height adjustable, work beautifully, all in a little she-shed bathroom.
@@WanderfulRevolutionwait, I don't understand. Do you mean you don't use the agitators anymore then? Do you not agitated at all? Just lift the lid each time and cover with more compost? Does it smell more if you do it this way? Sorry for all the questions but I really appreciate your video and would like to understand more fully exactly what to do (or if this can just be done without the nature's head then, if it's not going to be agitated anyway?) Thanks so much for your video!
So you got a natures head only to turn it into a cassette..? I’m just curious how practical the natures head is because I’m considering removing the plumbed toilet on my boat and swapping for one of these
It’s great!!! So much easier than using the agitator! Quicker and easier to clean and we feel like we use less composting material over all. Definitely worth giving a try and easy to go back if you decide it’s not for you. But I honestly think you will like it so much better!
@@WanderfulRevolution Thanks. I took the toilet apart yesterday, right down to the screws and scrubbed every inch of it. I am on day one with the bag. ( I am not happy with the natures head and am disappointed I bought it. By the time it got to me it was $1,700.00 and now I’m taking it apart to improve it! Lol)
So far so good for me! It's a lot easier to keep clean AND SO EASY ! There seems to always be condensation build up in the capture basin and I was having problems with mold before. If I see any beginning now I can very easily remove the bag and start over. I'm.so disappointed that I spent all that money though... feels like such a waste.
I feel like the concept is fine but a waste to spend $1k on a compost toilet when you could accomplish this with a 5 gallon bucket, toilet seat, and urine diverter. That agitation is what allows you to go a month or more without emptying and starts the compost process. I feel as though all you did was dumb down the toilet and take away its abilty to do what it was made to do. Also I dont undertstand all the drama with emptying the toilet. Its so easy. The key is keeping the coco dry and not letting it get wet. Comes right out.
@@OneStrangeJourney I think that would be cool… maybe add a delayed motion sensor? After you get up to agitates for 60 seconds??? Sorry I’m a bit into over engineering things! Lol
Mee too, My wife gets so pissed when she comes home to my "Projects" lol. I absolutely may have to add a motor just on a timer that goes off every couple hours with a button to hit after you go. @@WanderfulRevolution
My understanding is that microrganisms in the toilet are meant to help break things down. Putting in a fresh bag each time would do away with them. The toilet isn't meant to be throughly cleaned.
@@WanderfulRevolution Yes. I worded it wrong. I meant they are in the compost residue in the toilet. A friend of mine who has one said the instructions explained it, and that by not thoroughly cleaning the interior, microorganisms don't need to start building up all over again. It's like they have a jumpstart. All that being said, I'm not an expert.
@@Lynn705Hal that makes sense… but it can get messy not going in to too graphic of detail and build up starts to occur… LOL… that being said we also are not experts and found the bag system to work ok… BUT with the bag system I think we changed it more often because having a bag bypasses the agitator inside the toilet…
@@kittyblossom7342 I decided to go with portable toilets, which seem to be very similar to RV toilets and easy to empty in a toilet which I will have access to. That makes sense but now I'm wondering if beach sand would work because of all the organic materials. I'm guessing it wouldn't be a good idea even if you bake the sand. Idk.
@@WanderfulRevolution ok what is it that you add each time ? I’m about to start living in my bus full time with my natures head and I’m going to do this thank you
