composting toilet versus conventional

[tedtucci]

Hello again,

We are considering a composting toilet for our 5.0. We would love to hear from people out there who have used a composting toilet. This is our first travel trailer with a toilet so black water tanks would also be new to us.
Any advice to novices in this area would be appreciated!

[HABBERDABBER]

The forum has a search function. If you use it, you will find previous threads, posts and discussion of your topic.

Ya gotta look.

[JudyS]

Would not have gotten it if we had done a build sheet, but we wound up buying an inventory 19 last November and it had a compost toilet. Turns out, we like it because when the trailer is winterized, you still have use of the toilet. We picked up the trailer in Washington state and drove it back to Wisconsin when it was winterized, as well as for a trip to Florida in December/January. With the compost toilet and a 5 gallon water container with a little pump by the kitchen sink, we were good to go for both trips.

[AndNeitherDoI]

This might be the most heated topic on this forum. So don’t be surprised if you get some heated responses!

I have been full timing in our 21c with the airhead composting toilet for 18 months now and I would 100% do it again.

The answer for you all depends on how you want to camp. If you’re boondocking a lot, that tends to make more sense to go with the composting. If you’ll only stay in campgrounds with full hookups, I’m not sure it makes much sense.

I’m happy to answer any questions you may have. Reply here or PM me.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by JudyS

when the trailer is winterized, you still have use of the toilet.

I use my flush toilet when the trailer is winterized. I just turn off the water to the toilet and flush with a jug of water. Easy/peasy.

[cpaharley2008]

That is what we do also..............

[Perry Butler]

Our #1 problem when camping for a week (or a couple of days for some) is grey water capacity. Our 5.0 has a 28 gallon grey water tank. At first, after a week we filled the tank once after a 10 day stay, leaving three days with a full grey water tank, despite using as little water as we thought possible, and have come close at other campsites.

Then we realized we had a 30 gallon black water tank. Thirty gallons? Are you kidding me? We used to get by with our Scamp with a 8 (?) gallon tank. Even figuring 15 gallons (and I doubt we've ever used 10) that leaves 15 gallons unused. We now pour our sink water down the toilet and just finished two weeks without dumping, our longest time yet. So by using the black water tank we figure we have about 45 gallons for grey water, allowing us to extend our stays.

Another benefit of pouring our sink water down the toilet is it helps eliminate the smell. Before, after a few days we'd have to add an ounce or more of Odorless every few days. Now we have yet to add more Odorless because the Dawn in the dishwater helps with the smell.

We've had cassette toilets in the past and really don't want to be dealing with carrying a container of urine outside frequently, nor are these really composting, but merely separating toilets.

I won't even get into the environmental problems with "composting" toilets.

As stated above, just looking at our grey water problem we don't want a "composting" toilet.

If you want to think you're "Cool" get a composting toilet and fool yourself, but you won't fool me. I know our black water goes into a proper area when dumped. We'd much rather have 45 gallons of grey water storage.

Enjoy,

Perry

[Mike G]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

I use my flush toilet when the trailer is winterized. I just turn off the water to the toilet and flush with a jug of water. Easy/peasy.

A jug of water, a loaf of bread, and Thou

Beside me, sitting on the toilet... in the wilderness.

(Omar Khayyam is spinning in his compost about now)

[JudyS]

Doesn’t it then go into the black tank? And you risk the black tank freezing?

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by JudyS

Doesn’t it then go into the black tank? And you risk the black tank freezing?

The black tank is inside the trailer. Only the discharge pipe is outside. That's been filled with anti-freeze when winterizing. Although it may get diluted with the toilet is used, I haven't had a problem dumping the tank. However, I don't camp in much below 25 degree weather either...

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by tedtucci

Hello again,

We are considering a composting toilet for our 5.0.

You can find extensive discussion of composting toilets and other subjects you've expressed interest in, by using the bottom box of the search function.

[AndNeitherDoI]

Hey Perry, I think you misunderstood something originally asked for - "We would love to hear from people out there who have used a composting toilet."

People camp can camp in all kinds of different ways. Y'all get so excited to share an opinion about something they didn't ask for.

Originally Posted by Perry Butler

I won't even get into the environmental problems with "composting" toilets.

As stated above, just looking at our grey water problem we don't want a "composting" toilet.

If you want to think you're "Cool" get a composting toilet and fool yourself, but you won't fool me.

I don't know why every detractor cites environmental problems as a knock against these toilets. There is nothing environmental about RV's. For example, fiberglass doesn't decompose. So all of our Escape trailers are going in to the landfill to stay. The best environmental impact we could all make is to not get an RV.

And for the last part, no one thinks they're cool for their toilet. I don't even know where this comes from.

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by AndNeitherDoI

And for the last part, no one thinks they're cool for their toilet. I don't even know where this comes from.

You'd be surprised. I've heard toilet talk... do you have a composter?... used as a conversation starter at egg gatherings!

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by AndNeitherDoI

I don't know why every detractor cites environmental problems as a knock against these toilets. There is nothing environmental about RV's.

So, let's throw everything out the window, into the ditch?

[HABBERDABBER]

Flushers versus composters.

Or is it the other way around?

[Iowa Dave]

I prefer the conversation starter as either “who has a bottle opener or corkscrew.” Even “man I love those shiny wheels” is better than toilet talk.
Iowa Dave

[Iowa Dave]

Originally Posted by HABBERDABBER

Flushers versus composters.

Or is it the other way around?

Either way it’s a crappy argument
Iowa Dave

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by Iowa Dave

I prefer the conversation starter as either “who has a bottle opener or corkscrew.” Even “man I love those shiny wheels” is better than toilet talk.
Iowa Dave

I agree! But gosh, the interesting things you hear during trailer tours

[Iowa Dave]

True story, happened at Alf’s Rally
Lady visited out trailer
Asked what the silver things between the wheels were.
I told her x chocks that kept the trailer from rocking.
“What’s the fun in that?” She asked.

I was almost speechless but not quite
Iowa Dave

[Viajante]

I'm always perplexed by the animosity expressed toward composting toilets and the people wo have them in their trailers. But I've never seen any animosity toward people who have Escape 15A or 17A trailers. Apparently composting toilets are worse than having none at all.