Composting Toiltes

[first230sl]

Has anyone had any experience with composting toilets for marine use? The toilet in the forward head gave up the ghost. It is a Raritan Crown (I rebuilt one just like it in the mid head last year). I had decided that to make the holding tank last longer, I would try a Vacuflush this time. But then I saw an ad for a composting toilet.

Looks like a reasonable thing to do environmentally, but I am concerned about odour, capacity, ease of use, etc. Do they smell in the head? Do the outside vents smell a lot (making it painful to walk by us as the dock)? How many "uses" do you get before you have to empty?

Any experience would be helpful.

Best regards - Murray

 

[drburke]

Hi Murray,

It does seem like strange technology, but I am curious to hear the answers you get.

As far as outside odors, the boat across and one over from me had one installed a year ago, and I never detected any smell, but that's just me.

DAN

 

[SKYCHENEY]

Sounds horrible to me. I think I'll stick with water flush. It's not like we have any lack of water--this is a boat we are talking about. It floats on water.

 

[first230sl]

Sounds horrible to me. I think I'll stick with water flush. It's not like we have any lack of water--this is a boat we are talking about. It floats on water.

In some ways I agree. But when I am on holiday tied up at the club outstation, I like the idea of not having to leave the dock (and my coveted space there) to empty holding tanks - not to mention the hassle of doing so.

I did some more looking into it. Apparently it is a bit of a finicky process – you have to make sure you do it right. And not everything is automated – you need to turn a handle every few days (not sure if that is also true when the toilet is not being used). And then there is the issue that there is no water flushing in the bowl, so I am not sure how clean the bowl stays.

The more “automated” ones also use some power to for heating and ventilation.

I do find the whole idea quite interesting. I mean – hey – we already have tanks full of nasty stuff we don’t want to be around (in our holding tanks) – how much worse is it if the tank is elsewhere, has a MUCH higher capacity, and is composting the stuff while it is sitting there. And – if all works well, all you have to do is empty a drawer full of stuff that looks and smells like peat moss once in a while. In addition, I could get rid of two holding tanks and 8 through-hulls (for my three heads and two holding tanks).

That’s the theory. My question is how it behaves in practice. I would not be surprised if more people start going this way if it is as good as the manufacturers say.

Take care - Murray

 

[Capt Ratty]

http://www.mmair.com/content/pdf/918

Take a look at this.

 

[first230sl]

http://www.mmair.com/content/pdf/918

Take a look at this.

Yes - i saw that brand. It is an example of a type of composting toilet that separates urine into a separate bottle that must be disposed of when it fills.

There is a more sophisticated class that uses heat to evaporate excess moisture and therefore does not require a separate urine bottle. One example of that is at http://mtlion.com/sunmar/marine.htm

Is simpler better? I have no idea not having spokenwith anyone who has experience with these.

Take care - Murray

 

[Capt Ratty]

I spoke to a client today that put one of these units in his last boat, and he raved about it. In fact he inquired today about another boat he wants to buy and install the same thing. That says something.

 

[Maynard Rupp]

In some ways I agree. But when I am on holiday tied up at the club outstation, I like the idea of not having to leave the dock (and my coveted space there) to empty holding tanks - not to mention the hassle of doing so.

I did some more looking into it. Apparently it is a bit of a finicky process – you have to make sure you do it right. And not everything is automated – you need to turn a handle every few days (not sure if that is also true when the toilet is not being used). And then there is the issue that there is no water flushing in the bowl, so I am not sure how clean the bowl stays.

The more “automated” ones also use some power to for heating and ventilation.

I do find the whole idea quite interesting. I mean – hey – we already have tanks full of nasty stuff we don’t want to be around (in our holding tanks) – how much worse is it if the tank is elsewhere, has a MUCH higher capacity, and is composting the stuff while it is sitting there. And – if all works well, all you have to do is empty a drawer full of stuff that looks and smells like peat moss once in a while. In addition, I could get rid of two holding tanks and 8 through-hulls (for my three heads and two holding tanks).

That’s the theory. My question is how it behaves in practice. I would not be surprised if more people start going this way if it is as good as the manufacturers say.

Take care - Murray

Thanks, but I would just as soon buy my peat moss at Home Depot when I need some..Yuk!!

 

[J's Dream]

How about the Incinolet (I think thats how its spelled). It incinerates the waste, and all you do is empty a little tray that collects the ashes. I met a guy a couple years ago that had one on his boat, and he loved it!

 

[first230sl]

How about the Incinolet (I think thats how its spelled). It incinerates the waste, and all you do is empty a little tray that collects the ashes. I met a guy a couple years ago that had one on his boat, and he loved it!

I found it (you did spell it correctly). It is at http://ssl3.adhost.com/incinolet/

Thanks so much for pointing this out!

This looks *very* interesting to me. It uses 1.5 KW/h per cycle, so you would not want to use it a lot when on batteries. However, we rarely anchor and are almost always plugged in. For when we are not, we could run the genny a bit - not a big deal for me (hey dear - I am going to charge the batteries and incinerate the poo ).

I really like this idea. Get rid of the holding tanks. Close off 8 through-hulls (if we do all three heads). Never have to worry about pumping out. I have to say, this seems like it is worth a very close look.

OK - has anyone had one of these?

Take care - and thanks so much for the pointer.

Murray

 

[Brian Degulis]

We put them on some comercial boats with very limited use In a word DISGUSTING really DISGUSTING

Brian

 

[SKYCHENEY]

I closed off all 6 of my thru hull fittings just by switching to fresh water flush toilets and dedicating them to the 2 holding tanks. With 165 gals of holding tank, we have no problem with capacity until we reach a pump-out.

 

[first230sl]

We put them on some comercial boats with very limited use In a word DISGUSTING really DISGUSTING

Brian

Brian - which is disgusting. The composting toilets, or the incinerating toilets?

Thanks -

 

[Brian Degulis]

The inconelet is the one we used. My friend put in an airhead. they are both disgusting They're right there with the construction site porta poti.

Brian

 

[first230sl]

The inconelet is the one we used. My friend put in an airhead. they are both disgusting They're right there with the construction site porta poti.

Brian

Not to keep pressing the point - but can you give me any more detail about the problem with the incinolet? I am considering it seriously so don't want to make a mistake.

Thanks - all details (however disgusting) are appreciated.

Murray

 

[yachtsmanbill]

A couple of tugboats here use them...
1. need dependable electricity
2. bowl needs to be lined with special paper bags ( $$$ )
a. Hope no one misses!
b. the maid hates them!
3. way too institutional for a yacht
4. just a plain "creepy" looking unit
5. DO NOT get downwind when the shits burnin' !!!
6. they aint cheap
7. they just try to cheat the hangman
8. you might as well rent a port-a-jon for the back deck

Consume a quart of hot chili then go for an all day boat ride with one and make your decision ...
Waste is just part of the human equation. From the 110th floor of the sears tower, to a submarine, its a plain hassle, but ya gotta deal with it! ws

 

[Brian Degulis]

Not to keep pressing the point - but can you give me any more detail about the problem with the incinolet? I am considering it seriously so don't want to make a mistake.

Thanks - all details (however disgusting) are appreciated.

Murray

Basically it burns shit and boils piss it vents to the outside and needless to say it's not pleasant smelling. They come with a warning telling you never to start the incineration process while your sitting on it. If there was a fault in the seal that seperates the incineration chamber from the bowl I guess you could set your ass on fire. I really think if you got on a boat with one of these you would forget it very quickly. DISGUSTING did I mention that?

Brian

 

[first230sl]

Well - after reading all the comments (which, BTW are extremely helpful) I think I will go for the tried and true Vacuflush. While it still means I have to store and pump, at least I know what I am getting.

It is incredibly helpful to be able to hear from people who have seen and used these.

Thanks! You may have saved me some heartache.

Murray

 

[REBrueckner]

I field tested an Incinolet toilet around 1969 in a microwave repeater tower building for AT&T. It incinerates waste via heating coils, much as an oven does on the "clean" (high temperature) cycle. The union had filed a grievance over the dam thing (I forget the list of complaints) so the supervisor of the tower (my subordinate) and I were dispatched for a late night test and evaluation. The thing worked fine, we disposed of all the claims the local union had made, and the thing worked fine and the union people at the site ended up being rather satisfied with it.

I can't recall the exhaust arrangement, but it must get pretty hot, so routing the end of an exhaust towards the aft end of a boat for downwind disposal when at anchor is not likely an easy task. Since the thing incinerates crapola, as noted above the waste burning stinks and in my opinion would be inappropriate for use aboard a recreational boat, and definitely not something you'd want to operate in a marina.

 

[mike]

Well - after reading all the comments (which, BTW are extremely helpful) I think I will go for the tried and true Vacuflush. While it still means I have to store and pump, at least I know what I am getting.

It is incredibly helpful to be able to hear from people who have seen and used these.

Thanks! You may have saved me some heartache.

Murray

Murray, You may want to look at Headhunter Marine, in Ft Lauderdale, we have three on our 53MY for 10 years, and have never had a failure. You can use fresh or sea water, no special vac pumps,etc. The system uses a std 30-60 psi water pump system, it works by venturi action for the flush process. Its very forgiving and no moving parts other than the pump and solenoid valves.