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Old 09-23-2015, 08:47 PM   #1
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Question compost toilet mod

Looking into the 17b.
I saw an earlier thread on this topic, but no one there seems to have actually done it. So, has anyone replaced the standard toilet with a compost toilet? Looking at nature's head toilet [ Nature's Head Composting Toilets: Saving Our Water for Tomorrow ].

related question:
Has anyone had/done a modification to change the shower/toilet room into a closet space?

thanks ahead of time ...
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Old 09-24-2015, 01:15 PM   #2
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I have a 5.0TA on order and would love to install a Nature's Head toilet to eliminate messing with the black tank and extend our boondocking capability. However, my understanding is that it won't fit into the existing wet bath. This may be the same for your 17B.
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Old 09-24-2015, 01:19 PM   #3
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Do some research on other trailer forums too. Generally, the consensus is that for use in an RV, they are not very practical. I believe it has been done though.
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Old 09-24-2015, 02:43 PM   #4
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You might think about getting a 17A and asking Reace if he can modify a front dinette seat to hide the toilet underneath the seat. I think the 17B wet bath has a molded fiberglass section that hides the black tank and the marine toilet sits on top of that .This would put the Nature's Head quite high off the floor, if you just substituted the composting toilet for the standard ETI toilet.

The trade off of a 17A is needing to use Campground facilities for showering, or use an outside shower on the Escape. The 17A has more storage space vs the 17B though.

I really like the idea of getting rid of the black tank so you are not looking for dump facilities out in the boonies during an extended stay.
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Old 09-24-2015, 03:43 PM   #5
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From pictures I have seen, compared with the dimensions they give, it seems the composter would fit, but might require a step or platform over the shower drain.
I have a question pending with the Escape folks about a 17b, but putting in a dinettte instead of the bed, and then make the "closet" bigger.
I would love to have the 17b without the black tank, then use that black tank space for storage.
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Old 09-24-2015, 03:52 PM   #6
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composting toilet Archives - Gone With The Wynns

Happy rv composters
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Old 09-24-2015, 06:49 PM   #7
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.... extend our boondocking capability...
You dig a hole and bury it. Depending on rules, you may even be able to dig the hole first, run the sewer hose to the hole and empty as needed. But, I think in all cases the hole has to be covered with something (plywood?) and you're only allowed to do this when you are so-many-feet away from waterways. Check the local regulations where you want to camp.
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Old 09-24-2015, 08:41 PM   #8
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Scout View Post
I have a 5.0TA on order and would love to install a Nature's Head toilet to eliminate messing with the black tank and extend our boondocking capability. However, my understanding is that it won't fit into the existing wet bath. This may be the same for your 17B.
I have never understood the concept of MESSING with the black tank.
How is getting rid of composted human waste any easier than draining the black tank ? .
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Old 09-24-2015, 08:48 PM   #9
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And, I assume, like the rest of us, you wipe your bum. Emptying a black tank is no more difficult than flushing a toilet.
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Old 09-24-2015, 09:09 PM   #10
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You dig a hole and bury it. Depending on rules, you may even be able to dig the hole first, run the sewer hose to the hole and empty as needed. But, I think in all cases the hole has to be covered with something (plywood?) and you're only allowed to do this when you are so-many-feet away from waterways. Check the local regulations where you want to camp.
We've done this on BLM land. Asked the folks at the BLM office if it was OK, and you're right Donna - it depends on whether or not you're near a watershed/land that drains into a river or creek. In our case, it was fine.
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Old 09-24-2015, 09:25 PM   #11
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And, I assume, like the rest of us, you wipe your bum. Emptying a black tank is no more difficult than flushing a toilet.
Or to put it another way... blow out dirty diapers on a baby vs a black water tank... One can be several times a day, the other once in a while and at least with a black water tank you get to wear gloves!
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Old 09-24-2015, 09:42 PM   #12
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I am a conservationist at heart. Until this year, it's been pretty dry around here. i have a well, and wanted to cut my use of water. I heard about some research that said the toilet is what uses the most water in a household (though many think it is the shower). So I began using a "bucket" compost toilet at home - not full time, but sometimes. Some of the idea came from the people promoting Permaculture. And see https://humanurehandbook.com/downloa...ion_manual.pdf .
I just put the waste in a compost bin, then plan to use it to "feed" non edible plants in a year or two.
I want to continue this practice as I camp also.
The pre-fab compost toilets separate the liquid from the solid, making it a much nicer system than the bucket.
I also like the compost idea relative to cold weather camping where I have been reading about people having trouble dumping black tanks due to freezing.
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Old 09-24-2015, 09:46 PM   #13
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I have a question pending with the Escape folks about a 17b, but putting in a dinettte instead of the bed, and then make the "closet" bigger.
meant to reference the 17a here not the 17b
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Old 09-24-2015, 10:02 PM   #14
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I have never understood the concept of MESSING with the black tank.
How is getting rid of composted human waste any easier than draining the black tank ? .
This is a pretty easy answer, for me. I've backpacked and primitive camped for years, and have come to appreciate a *well-functioning* composting toilet vs. a "Pit John" type of facility with the blue fluid in it. I've found the composting toilets to have less odor and the end product, including toilet paper, is basically dirt, after only a few days.

So, if I had a composting toilet in my trailer, it would allow many more "cycles" before it was full, it would contribute less weight to the trailer, and when I returned home, I could dump the compost, just like a trashcan, in a corner of my yard without having to worry about a sewer connection.
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Old 09-24-2015, 10:13 PM   #15
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This is a pretty easy answer, for me. I've backpacked and primitive camped for years, and have come to appreciate a *well-functioning* composting toilet vs. a "Pit John" type of facility with the blue fluid in it. I've found the composting toilets to have less odor and the end product, including toilet paper, is basically dirt, after only a few days.

So, if I had a composting toilet in my trailer, it would allow many more "cycles" before it was full, it would contribute less weight to the trailer, and when I returned home, I could dump the compost, just like a trashcan, in a corner of my yard without having to worry about a sewer connection.
To each their own . It still seems like more work with no gain to me.
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Old 09-24-2015, 10:17 PM   #16
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I've found the composting toilets to have less odor and the end product, including toilet paper, is basically dirt, after only a few days.
Only a few days?
If that's the case, maybe I'll not use a toilet and just hold it.
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Old 09-25-2015, 05:37 PM   #17
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i had a nightmare about these posts -a huge room of composting toilets some were just buckets of saw dust we had to use them in a big group...need less to say i will not be exploring this option unless zombies attack and i have no choice. But i do think its great that others want to try something like this to conserve water...
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Old 09-25-2015, 06:05 PM   #18
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These compost toilets are supposed to work really well and I've seen them done before on molded fiberglass trailers. To me, seems more fitting a project for a custom trailer rehab project where you go ground up on an old project trailer, and design and build an entire unique trailer around green design.
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Old 09-30-2015, 06:45 PM   #19
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what is the depth of the "step" that the standard toilet sits on - front to back?
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Old 09-30-2015, 09:42 PM   #20
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Quote:
Originally Posted by jerrywin View Post
I am a conservationist at heart. Until this year, it's been pretty dry around here. i have a well, and wanted to cut my use of water. I heard about some research that said the toilet is what uses the most water in a household (though many think it is the shower). So I began using a "bucket" compost toilet at home - not full time, but sometimes. Some of the idea came from the people promoting Permaculture. And see https://humanurehandbook.com/downloa...ion_manual.pdf .
I just put the waste in a compost bin, then plan to use it to "feed" non edible plants in a year or two.
I want to continue this practice as I camp also.
The pre-fab compost toilets separate the liquid from the solid, making it a much nicer system than the bucket.
I also like the compost idea relative to cold weather camping where I have been reading about people having trouble dumping black tanks due to freezing.
Toilets used to use far more water so do not know if that fact stands today, but people do not use nearly as much water in their trailers for toilets as at home, I would guess. Trailers do not have much water, at least not our small ones. Most people also spend little time in the trailer compared to home. Not really the consideration it is at home. I would say that we are saving plenty of water for cooking and everything by having a small trailer. You can always save more but there is just not that much water involved to begin with.

We have stayed in a spot a month and dumped and filled once a week by using little water, but that included showers at a building nearby. That is about as good as we want to do. You can do better than that but not sure the amount is worth the effort.
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