Composting toilets

JimS · Nov 4, 2015

Does anyone know anything about composting toilets? I work for someone who wants to install one of these. How many people can they handle? How do they work? What is clean up like if there is no running water through them? Are they microbial? If so, how difficult is it to keep the microbes functioning? Is there anything else I should know?

Thanks

Ray IN · Nov 4, 2015

sounds like what my grandma and grandpa had in their back yard about 50 years ago.

Bob Harvey · Nov 4, 2015

Had a pal years ago that installed one in his house, never heard of any issues. Google is your friend.

CenTex Farmall · Nov 4, 2015

I checked into that a few years ago and there's a place near hear that has some. Apparently they work fine as long as you can maintain an aerobic environment (ventilation) and cover the waste with enough carbon as you go. They do require some height to be able to work as there is a cleanout area well below where you sit. Use Google for images.

In our area the county still required having a septic system for graywater though. Bummer.

Andy Martin · Nov 4, 2015

Do an internet search, there are some good multi-product reviews available. Most require electricity to operate.

https://www.comparethebrands.com/compare/134

Bob · Nov 4, 2015

I'm with you, Ray!

Back "in the day" in my area in remote rural ND there were often a half-dozen houses and farms per "section", now it is down to probably less than ONE house per SIX or ten sections.

All sorts of outhouses and home-made "septic systems" back then, never ONCE heard of an issue/anybody getting sick, but now that there's not many folks left around here we have a public health district that requires $$ for engineering that requires $$$$$$$$ to construct a basic sewer system.

Another case of "I'm from the government and I am here to HELP"!

phil_n · Nov 4, 2015

I was told that a septic system in our area could be anything up to $70,000 depending on the percolation of the soil.

big fred · Nov 4, 2015

Can't take too much vertical space. I've heard of people have them on a boat. Gotta be better than a head with holding tank.

CenTex Farmall · Nov 5, 2015

The systems I looked at had an incline which made the compost gradually slide toward the cleanout. They did not require any power or mechanism other than gravity. No doubt there are other ways to make it work.

We had holding tanks on the aircraft. I always felt bad for the mechanics when somebody plugged one up. Get the gloves!

37chief · Nov 5, 2015

All we had growing up is a outside toilet. The bath water just ran out on the plants. No one ever got sick from that that I know of. I have a very poor system in my house now, I run my washing machine water out under a tree, same with my bath water. I had to hook up a old house on my property where I keep my tractor to city sewer. It had a good working septic system. It cost me around 25k, and 500.00 for sewer fees forever. This was due to a lot split. Stan

4520BW · Nov 5, 2015

The place we stayed on St. Thomas had one. They churned it everyday and add stuff to it. No worse than a pot a potty I guess.

Mike M · Nov 5, 2015

I saw something on TV about a couple that makes seats to sit onto 5 gal buckets. They go on there and you have to keep sawdust handy to cover it. They then empty it onto a compost pile.

John T · Nov 5, 2015

As an RV owner who does a lot of long term remote dry camping on BLM or Natl Forest lands I have been interested in one of those but haven't taken the "plunge" yet. With my current Marine Recirculating Toilet and having added an extra auxiliary black water holding tank the wife and I can go off grid dry boondock camping maybe 14 or so days before we are "full of it" and need to dump and that is long enough to get us by. After that long were ready to move anyway.

John T

Blackhole49 · Nov 5, 2015

If it was me, I sure wouldn't be posting on a public forum that my septic system was failing, especially in CA.

Brown Swiss · Nov 5, 2015

The ones that I have seen just had a tray at the bottom you pulled out and emptied, as far as microbial not sure but probably just add some in once in a while. I wanted one when the county said the septic didn't pass, so the old guy paid over ten thousand to have a new one put in, and needs cleaned out and inspected every three years in Grant county WI, a joke if you ask me! Composting toilet costs around two thousand far as what I have seen!

dr sportster · Nov 5, 2015

No worse than a porta potty which is a horrible thing.

Composting toilets

JimS

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Ray IN

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Bob Harvey

Well-known Member

CenTex Farmall

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Andy Martin

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Bob

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phil_n

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big fred

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CenTex Farmall

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37chief

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4520BW

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Mike M

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John T

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Blackhole49

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Brown Swiss

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dr sportster

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