Composting experiences?

[EscapingDan]

How do people feel about the composting option compared to regular black tank, any real world experiences?

Question about the installation, is the black tank still there and basically gives you double grey tank capacity?

[rbryan4]

The black tank is still there because the bath insert is molded with the riser for it, but it's not connected to the gray tank. It makes the "toilet" very tall.

Just a personal opinion but there's no "composting" going on in an RV toilet. It's essentially a litterbox.

[HABBERDABBER]

Originally Posted by rbryan4

Just a personal opinion but there's no "composting" going on in an RV toilet. It's essentially a litterbox.

It takes a year, or more, in my location, to compost my kitchen wastes. I agree that an RV "compost toilet " is just a litterbox.
Just my observation, and opinion.

[simmonjam1]

I think it all depends on how you camp. We got the composting toilet without the black tank. We have a bit more storage room under the drivers side dinette seat.

We off grid on our property back east so solar, lithium batteries and composting toilet were needed for extended stays on our unserviced property.

Word of advice…make sure you are fully aware of the trap door position if you wake up to use the bathroom. I got very intimate with taking apart all the components at 1:00 am trying to clean everything before my wife came back from the campfire.

[EscapingDan]

And a black tank is just a sewer without the convenience.

Thanks but I’m looking for opinions from present users as to their thoughts. It’s all sewage one way or another, whether it composts quickly or not doesn’t matter to me. Thanks rbryan for the installation info.

[C&G in FL]

My composting toilet experience comes not from an RV but from a close friend’s composting toilet in an off-grid cabin in the mountains. He and his wife dislike it, but have it out of necessity, and it apparently has a greater holding capacity than a composting toilet designed for an RV. But I have watched him maintain it and it is not something I would want to do. Yes, it is essentially a litter box (nice comparison, Robert) but I would compare it to a privy that doesn’t smell like hell.
A conventional black tank may be “a sewer without the convenience” but it can be conveniently connected to a portable waste tank for extended stays or quickly dumped at a dump station enroute or a sewer clean out/septic tank (also has a clean out) upon returning home. Based on my experiences, it is not an option I would personally consider if I were purchasing a new trailer.

[Camp@Home]

I like our composter. Have only used #2 tank a couple times so far since we had access to pit/vault/flush toilets typically (just like black tankers would to avoid having to clean/empty). Nice to have when you don't! Takes some getting used to, paper does not do well so now use Camco wastebasket mounted on door for that. The coconut coir works very well, no odors unless liquid gets in it (my wife has problems missing that/hitting urine holes, I installed modified 'guard' that is easily removed for using that bottom tank, helps some). Would like to figure out alternative for emptying urine tank, fills up in 2-3 days depending. Usually have public toilet or dump station for that. Lot of good videos on youtube that promote it. Technically does not 'compost' completely so have to empty in garbage, but isn't needed that often unless storing between trips. Beware, lot of apples/oranges comparisons out there.

[SageRpod]

Originally Posted by EscapingDan

How do people feel about the composting option compared to regular black tank, any real world experiences?

Question about the installation, is the black tank still there and basically gives you double grey tank capacity?

We love our composter. Have it on our 2023 5.0. We camp year round and sometimes in temps below freezing without hookups where a black tanker may be dicey. We use a mix of peat and coconut coir. The CC we got was very coarse so we mix peat in there for ease of turning. Yes, the toilet makes for a rather tall sitting experience. I made a teak shower floor board that helps with that. Just make sure you frequently clean the vent filter and make sure the shower curtain doesn't block the vent intake on the toilet.

[gklott]

We tow our E19 with our Sprinter van, and we keep a Trelino Evo-L toilet in our Sprinter. We are now trying the Trelino Evo-M in our E19. Trelino toilets are German made, liquid separating toilets, which satisfy the 6 requirements of NSF/ANSI 41: Non-Liquid Saturated Treatment Systems. Our Trelino toilets are well designed and constructed, and they are popular with the vanlife community. We are pleased with them. We always dispose of our solid and liquid wastes, black or gray, following local ordnances and regulations.

[SageRpod]

Originally Posted by gklott

We tow our E19 with our Sprinter van, and we keep a Trelino Evo-L toilet in our Sprinter. We are now trying the Trelino Evo-M in our E19. Trelino toilets are German made, liquid separating toilets, which satisfy the 6 requirements of NSF/ANSI 41: Non-Liquid Saturated Treatment Systems. Our Trelino toilets are well designed and constructed, and they are popular with the vanlife community. We are pleased with them. We always dispose of our solid and liquid wastes, black or gray, following local ordnances and regulations.

We are big fans of our Air Head composter. The Trelino looks interesting and very simple. I like how it does not require any power to run a fan to vent and dry the solid waste compartment. Do you secure it to the floor or is it stable as is?

[Ian and Sue]

Originally Posted by EscapingDan

How do people feel about the composting option compared to regular black tank, any real world experiences?

Question about the installation, is the black tank still there and basically gives you double grey tank capacity?

Composting in the quantities that an RV or boat can hold is a misnomer. This type of toilet is a urine separator and a feces dehydrator. You will be hard pressed to get enough composting to get rid of the pa,thogens. My point is if you favor this type of toilet you need to be cognizant of the still pathogenic matter when you dispose of it. Please do not put it in a dumpster or other trash receptacle. Take it home and finish the composting, bury it where it will not cause a problem to surface or groundwater, put it in a toilet....but remember it still probably contains pathogens which need to be disposed of properly. The urine is a great nitrogen fertilizer but like any strong fertilizer, it needs to be spread with care as many waterways respond to fertilizer with algae blooms or worse. Please don't think that your waste from this type of toilet is safe! Use some knowledge and dispose of it properly. End of PSA.

[gklott]

Originally Posted by SageRpod

We are big fans of our Air Head composter. The Trelino looks interesting and very simple. I like how it does not require any power to run a fan to vent and dry the solid waste compartment. Do you secure it to the floor or is it stable as is?

Simple is what we want. Right now, we secure the Trelino toilets using bungee cords when traveling.

73/gus

[SageRpod]

Originally Posted by Ian and Sue

.. My point is if you favor this type of toilet you need to be cognizant of the still pathogenic matter when you dispose of it. Please do not put it in a dumpster or other trash receptacle. End of PSA.

That statement is valid for black tank users as well. I've seen significant evidence of black tanks being emptied in open space. I would say that has greater impact than compost in a plastic bag thrown in a dumpster, but that is admittedly my opinion.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by SageRpod

That statement is valid for black tank users as well. I've seen significant evidence of black tanks being emptied in open space. I would say that has greater impact than compost in a plastic bag thrown in a dumpster, but that is admittedly my opinion.

There's plenty of rude people in the world. Pet owners that don't pick up after their pets, people who throw dirty diapers on the ground. Anyone who litters from cigarette butts to fast food wrappers to beverage bottles and on and on. RVers have a unique opportunity to be the bellwether of decorum and how we treat Mother Nature. It's up to each of us to know what's 'best' practices, not what is merely passable.

[gklott]

Originally Posted by Ian and Sue

Composting in the quantities that an RV or boat can hold is a misnomer. This type of toilet is a urine separator and a feces dehydrator. You will be hard pressed to get enough composting to get rid of the pa,thogens.

Agree. We have a NSF/ANSI 41 type toilet. We do not compost our Trelino toilet’s solid waste.

Many national parks now require campers to bag and dispose of solid waste in trash rather than burying in the backcountry. For example, “The use of a landfill-safe commercial toilet bag system (such as Wag Bag, Restop II, etc.) is required for all overnight Wilderness permit holders camping overnight.”

The BLM has similar bag rules in some areas.

Originally Posted by Ian and Sue

My point is if you favor this type of toilet you need to be cognizant of the still pathogenic matter when you dispose of it. Please do not put it in a dumpster or other trash receptacle. Take it home and finish the composting, bury it where it will not cause a problem to surface or groundwater, put it in a toilet....but remember it still probably contains pathogens which need to be disposed of properly. The urine is a great nitrogen fertilizer but like any strong fertilizer, it needs to be spread with care as many waterways respond to fertilizer with algae blooms or worse. Please don't think that your waste from this type of toilet is safe! Use some knowledge and dispose of it properly. End of PSA.

We dispose urine in local restrooms. Even when using our original blackwater toilet, we bag all toilet paper and wipes into doggie poop bags. As we learned from several boondocker’s YouTube videos, bagging toilet paper greatly extends black tank use between dumps. As for the Trelino toilet solid waste and organic material (coconut coir or peat moss), we always follow local statutes and regulations.

[Ian and Sue]

Originally Posted by SageRpod

That statement is valid for black tank users as well. I've seen significant evidence of black tanks being emptied in open space. I would say that has greater impact than compost in a plastic bag thrown in a dumpster, but that is admittedly my opinion.

Yuck! Agreed, reduce and dispose of your waste properly.

[Ian and Sue]

Originally Posted by gklott

Agree. We have a NSF/ANSI 41 type toilet. We do not compost our Trelino toilet’s solid waste.

Many national parks now require campers to bag and dispose of solid waste in trash rather than burying in the backcountry. For example, “The use of a landfill-safe commercial toilet bag system (such as Wag Bag, Restop II, etc.) is required for all overnight Wilderness permit holders camping overnight.”

The BLM has similar bag rules in some areas.




We dispose urine in local restrooms. Even when using our original blackwater toilet, we bag all toilet paper and wipes into doggie poop bags. As we learned from several boondocker’s YouTube videos, baggin toilet paper greatly extends black tank use between dumps. As for the Trelino toilet solid waste and organic material (coconut coir or peat moss), we always follow local statutes and regulations.

Ugg the trash is not a good solution unfortunately. I would rather see it put in a well running septic or wastewater treatment system or even a larger scale composting system that is being monitored for proper conditions for good composting and pathogen destruction. Burying waste in an arid environment probably is not the best either...back to the idea that you are just desiccating it and not dealing with the pathogens. I am not against composting I just want to see it done responsibly. Many of us try to do the right thing and are thwarted by a few bone heads that think it is ok to just dump your black tank on the ground....sad but true.