We are saddened to learn that C-Head's website is down, and that as far as we know, they are no longer selling composting toilets. We don't know what happened but we hope those of you who purchased toilets and didn't receive delivery find a resolution with C-Head. When we purchased our toilet, C-Head was extremely responsive and helpful and we received our toilet without delay. We hope all parties find their way through this unfortunate circumstance.
Thank you for your videos on life off the grid . I have always heard that waterless composting toilets all smell no matter what you do and they're always breaking down and nobody nearby to repair it . I was researching Sun-Mar waterless toilets and it was way more problems than anybody mentioned .
@@georgevavoulis4758 This hasn't been our experience. I don't have experience with the current Sun-Mar, but the one I purchased in 2011 was a nightmare for me. The C-Head and the Nature's Head have been great upgrades.
The original creator of the C-head passed away around Aug 2022. His son had taken it over before he passed. Not sure if it's because he was in poor health or what. Hope that shines a little light on the situation.
I really appreciate your candid review. I grew up using an outhouse, and I championed a poop bucket and pee bottle system, when I was a nomad. I eventually even built a few bucket and diverter systems for friends getting into nomad life. If you ever decide to do a self-built compost toilet with a diverter, here's a few tips: 1. Use a plywood box with a front or side access door to encase your gallon pee jug and 5 gallon poop bucket. 2. If you choose not to just buy a pre-made diverter, use a plastic automotive funnel with a tube to divert the pee into the jug. 3. A DC computer fan can be incorporated to vent out fumes drawing only about 1.5 volts at a fraction of an amp hour. 4. By using a plywood box, you can attach a standard seat. 5. Like a c-head, you'll want to cover the solids bucket, when not in use. If you cut your hole in the plywood for the "bowl" carefully, you can use a rubber door gasket to trim out your cutout for use as a cover. 5. When incorporating the funnel for the urine diverter, most like to notch out part of the solids bucket to accommodate the pee funnel. This also needs a gasket to prevent leaks and smells, and honestly, I prefer to fabricate this gasket from silicone caulk. Put a bead on your cut edge of the bucket, wrap the funnel in aluminum foil and fit the funnel into place, being careful not to press too tightly, causing excess squeeze out. You just want the silicone to crown over the rough edge and make contact with the foil on the funnel. After the bucket has its silicone, carefully remove the funnel, then the foil. If the foil won't release, trim around it. Then, add about a 2 inch strip of foil over the silicone which has cured, replace the funnel, and caulk on both sides of the funnel where it meets the bucket. Again, the foil prevents the silicone from just gluing the funnel to the bucket, during molding. Once the funnel side is cured, remove the funnel and foil, and you have a removable urine diverter for a sawdust bucket toilet for your solids. This might be intimidating to some to build, but ultimately, I like the way these work better than the C-head or Nature's Head compost toilets, especially for cleanup. I always coat the toilet cabinet with marine polyurethane inside and out for easy cleaning, and I really like being able to remove the funnel and have my solids in a 5 gallon bucket to empty. I can even line the bucket with a kitchen trash bag or compostable bag to make emptying solids even easier. Personally, I prefer to just add medium, rather than use an agitator. I rather agitate the waste in my compost bin, after it's been buried awhile, and if I'm traveling, I rather use a trash bag liner, so it's no harder than emptying a trash bin. I hope my comments inspire the more DIY types.
Thanks that was very useful. I'm getting rid of my nature head because it's a pain to clean out. A pail seems a much better solution and a hell of a lot cheeper. Should have gone with my gut instinct in the first place oh well live and learn
Do you make these to sell? How long would you be able to go before emptying it? If you aren't agitating it, like Natures Head, are you going to end up having to empty it a lot more frequently? What about odor? I like the fact the Natures Head, for one person, can hold up to 4 months worth of deposits. I don't see how its even possible to even go 1 week, only having experience using a regular bucket & sawdust method. And that's only good for a few days before it needs emptying. How does the Natures Head compost down so much waste for such a long period of time into so much less than you put in? Where does it all go? To be frank, one large deposit seems like it could easily fill half the tank! I need a hybrid, easy care compost toilet solution that serves both for the home base as well as for a camper van. Would appreciate any education, links, tips you can provide that would accomplish this and explains how to vent the kind of setup you are describing to make diy inside the van. Thank you!
@@christinemcintosh1450 I was thinking to get the natures head because of the features of composting down so much into so little over a long period of time, for one person, up to 4 months! Was that your experience? But after watching this video and reading the comments, there's no freaking way I can manage such a complicated, heavy contraption. I like Jay Spell's suggestion, but had a few questions. Did you make the one he described yet?
Plastic buckets and funnels can be heated up and reshaped using a heat gun or even over an electric stove or in an oven ( don't do this over an open flame) the plastic will be soft and very malible until it cools back down. You don't need to cut notches in plastic for anything! This also works well for PVC pipe. You can even pick tubing thought a plastic container, if you need to. Always pack pipe and tubing with sand to prevent folding, while bending.
@@kricketkitty use a plastic bag to line the poop bucket, and throw it away as soon as possible! It is no worse than throwing away a diaper. I would also recomend that you use a smaller bucket, like a dollar tree waste basket or mop bucket, they work much better with 4 gallon trash bags and only cost a dollar, so if you have an accident you can throw the bucket away, instead of dealing with something really nasty! Plus with a plastic bag, you don't have to deal with stinky stuff or compost material, with a bag, you just tie it off and throw it away, I buy 4 gallon scented waste basket bags, but you could buy tall kitchen bags and tie them off between uses. Never just poop in a bucket! Plastic absorbs smells like nothing else, always line the bucket or container, if you accidentally pee in your poop side, it is no big deal, just don't try to pick up the bag, carry the bucket with the tied off bag directly to the trash.
My dad, (in our fully sewage attached home) had a poem for the bathroom wall: "If you are more than 3ft tall, Sit down to pee, don't splat the wall! If you MUST stand up to pee, Go outside & find a tree!" (Our family had five brothers & many " come & go" relatives & foster kids)
I have a Nature’s Head in my tiny house and just love it.There was definitely a learning curve for me. I just had to be patient when learning how to use it. But, once I got the hang of it, booyah! It’s just me, so I only need to empty the bowl every 3-4 months. If the bowl accidentally gets wet, I put a cup of peat moss in it & crank it. When it is ready to be emptied, I just dump it in my compost bin and reassemble it. I don’t use a bag, just disassemble & take it to the compost bin. No need to clean it as that will hinder the next composting process. I drink a lot of water, tea, & coffee and I don’t mind emptying the container as needed. The less I drink, the less I empty it. By the way, mature trees love human urine, so I just walk down the tree line to a mature tree and empty the container at the base of it, put a squirt of Dawn it, and reattach it. I look at the care of my Nature’s Head in two ways: 1) I’m conserving water and 2) It helps keep me active. Thanks for the honest review. I had similar issues until I learned how to work it how I needed it to be worked. 😋
I have the C-Head and love it. I live full-time in a 33' travel trailer. There is NO SMELL whatsoever. Every time I empty the pee jug, I rinse it, fill it with water, a drop of dish soap and about a Tbs of bleach. I shake it real well and let it sit then rinse it very well again. I looked up a recipe for homemade Poo-Popurri and (since it only costs pennies making it myself), using the empty Poo-Popurri bottle I have, I spritz the pee jug 24 times and put the cap on. (I have two jugs I rotate.) When I go to use the clean jug, I spritz it 24 more times. It really helps keep down that strong urine smell. When I empty my pee jug, I keep it separate from the compost so that my compost pile remains smell free. I use the urine along my fence line which kills weeds and saves on weed wacking string. Also, I don't put any toilet paper in my solid waste. I use a garbage can with a lid and put the poopy side down so when you open it you're not seeing anything yucky and there is NO STINK either. I later burn it with my burnables.
Last comment best of all! I wish you had lost your inhibitions a bit more and talked about menstrual issues and diarrhea but, I think you did an awesome job with everything else. I can't afford any of these but I built my own very similar system for $50. Similar to C-head with a long urethaned paint stick to stir bucket. I use laundry detergent bottles ( free at laundromats) for urine which smell amazing and are stealth for emptying ( I use public toilet and recycle bottle.) As for fecal matter I use 1/3 peat moss which has microorganisms to speed up composting and 2/3 red cedar pet bedding (which btw I use instead of cat litter.( No smell weigh nothing cheaper!) The cedar smells great and peat moss coats and dehydrates faster. When I move into a THOW I will probably buy an AirHead Unit (has best of both you use) for aesthetics and guest use. I'll plug diverter into a wider drain line no back ups. I use a computer fan to blow out air from my box which you can easily add to your C-head system. I also use an empty Oatmeal canister for TP fill and chuck in compost or recycler. I find it makes compost last longer between changes. TY
Great info! I’ve used my friends’ bucket with sawdust for years, no smell, no biggie. They don’t mix tho, just cover each deposit with fresh sawdust. I wonder which is easier: scoop or stir?!
@@hestiodite Get some peat most. It works a whole lot better. Make sure it's just a teeny bit moist so there will be bacterial action going on in there.
When you consider how much water is wasted on a daily basis by billions of toilets being flushed multiple times a day, perhaps moving to some kind of composting system might be better. Perhaps there could be some service that comes by and collects your solids holder dumps it and slides it back into your bathroom via a cat or dog door sized door, where it would go to some larger composting facility or even used to make methane gas for cooking or heating. How many steps does our sewage have to go through now?
I have watched 3,000 videos and you are the only ones that showed how it works and all the parts in such detail as would help me understand how it would be to actually live with the thing and to a degree that I can decide whether I would want one of those or something else. Brav0! And thank you.
So I noticed in several videos that no one really used any gloves to empty their toilets, I’m sure they all cleaned them first but with the Natures Head toilet being somewhat cumbersome, I as a female always have my “grippy gloves “! It’s just a pair of those blue working gloves with grippy plastic on them, they enable me to do many things and when you have a good finger and hand grip on something it takes a partial load off your back and body when pushing, pulling or picking heavy things up, so get a pair of those and your won’t have any problem changing and lifting that toilet, thanks for your great review from years of experience, much appreciated! 😃
I just became a member, and I appreciate all the brutal facts about the composting toilet Some of the information that a lot of RUclipsrs have not shared before. Thank you for the details and thank you for your effort in providing correct and informative information.😊
We've used peat moss for 12 years, never had a bug problem but if you used potting soil maybe you got bugs in that. This inspired me to do the same sort of thing with my dog's poops, drop in a can of peat moss and roll it around!
You’ll find that if you’d like to keep the urine area clean I use a spritzer bottle with a mix or water and 3% peroxide and a bit of baking soda and just spritzer the area with the mixture. It stops the oxidisation that comes of the urine. In a pinch you can use the same mixture on your dog if it gets skunked. Takes the skunk smell away almost instantly. You might put some dish soap in it to create a lather.
@@ClarityOffGrid I had a funnel in my boat for years and use the peroxide trick and never had that bad smell you would get from it sitting in the plastic funnel. Peroxide is H2o with an extra oxygen atom in it that inhibits growth of organic things and oxidation like the skunk spray. It doesn’t smell until it starts to oxide in the Air.
@@deniseb3715 btw the mixture can also be used when your dog or cat gets sprayed by a skunk, add a little dish soap to it and shampoo the animal the smell vanishes in seconds. Quite amazing!
Gracias, Matt and Kristina, for this valuable comparison of two composting toilets. The companies who sell these various composting systems always tout their system as THE BEST, without addressing the less savory aspects. We are wise to rely on the uncompensated consumer evaluations (not paid for by the product maker, or product supplied free in return for a purported "consumer review"). When I got my conversion Ram Promaster camper van last spring I researched various toileting systems suitable for RVs and opted for a simple dry toilet (the sturdy Stansport). As I was absolutely NOT into lugging around a cassette of gallons of raw sewage for dumping by hand. I designed the potty cabinet in this compact RV to allow for larger cassette-type toilets (in case I changed my toileting mode and/or for van resale aspects). I placed sections of 4x4 posts in the bottom of the potty cabinet to raise the Stansport up level with the edge of the cabinet and the roomy interior of the cabinet allows me to stash other related items. I have not regretted the dry toilet methods: I bag the poop with a bit of kitty litter (not unlike how I pick up after my large-breed dog) and I collect the urine separately. Both human waste products get disposed of appropriately per the VanLife code of ethics (leave no trace). Now however, I am acquiring a waterfront property that is subject to strict environmental regulations. I intend this waterfront lot for off-grid seasonal use (a base camp at that side of the country). So my plans to set up a 'dry camp' require an indoor composting toilet. The more expensive composting toilets seem way too complicated. Whereas these two composting toilet options you have demonstrated seem so much more do-able, with their respective strengths and fall-backs. I heartily agree, separating the urine from the poop is essential. Considering the comfort of guests who need a more conventional toileting experience, plus overall onsite ease of use, I favor installing the BoonJon C-Head. Just discovered you two and your Clarity Off-Grid channel here on RUclips, you have gained a new subscriber. Cheers!
Thanks Judith for you endorsement of our unpaid product reviews. We wanted to share our experience so others could better choose what works best for them. We look forward to learning more about your off-grid endeavors. Some of our first videos/playlists are specific to off-grid homes and living. Check those out if you like if you haven't already found them. Welcome to our channel!
Thank you so much for the awesome and honest review! My husband and I were close to buying the natures head purely because we hadn't heard of any other companies until today when I saw a van tour and their van featured the shorty c-head...and then I came across your AMAZING review and I think you've convinced us to move towards the c-head brand! Started following your page and excited to watch all your adventures!!!
Thanks for the review. We are also Promaster 136 owners and just purchased a C-Head. We look forward to the independence it will give us during the times of Covid over a basic porta-potty. We did use it at home, and found in a bath room using 'hamster shavings' no odor after 4 days plus it was so easy to dump the medium. Note, it did come with a vent system (no fan) so will see how it goes. A great review. With our first trek with it next week I will report back on any odor and its ease of use + emptying.
Great video. I’ve been leaning towards the c-head, and this has confirmed my thoughts. If I add a ventilation system, I don’t think I would have to change the solids bucket as frequently. It would be easier to change the solid bucket inside. It is easier for a single person to handle. I like the top turner for tight spaces.. Also it is considerably cheaper. I will check out your book. Thanks for posting.
Thank you for such an informative video. These were the 2 toilets I was looking at, still haven’t made my decision but feel a lot more prepared to now.
As an older lady, I also have the problem of not always being able to keep urine and poop separate. I read the idea of using a soup ladle (plastic/silicon) with a suitable sized hole made in it helps with this. I want to change to a CT for my yacht as I do not have, nor want, a holding tank. The problem of urine getting into the solids container is one of my biggest concerns. Also the ease of emptying the containers given the confined moving space of my yacht’s head (name for a boat’s toilet) and that the containers need to be taken out through the cabin.
When I was first watching this, my mind thought about using a funnel for ladies. There just might be one available that would work? Rinsing it out wouldn't bother me.
It turns out to not be a problem. With a bit of practice you learn how to sit so that even if you pee and poop at the same time, everything goes where it belongs. I have that issue myself.
A little bit of pee getting into the solids container is not a big deal. You'd just need to add an extra sprinkle of the composting medium to absorb the extra liquid.
Something yall didn't mention (or I missed) is the upfront cost for a c-head is about $200 less than a natures head. And if something were to break on the c-head you can easily get a replacement part at a hardware store, natures head will charge an arm and leg because the parts are all custom made and you'll have to wait days or weeks to get it in the mail. If you're a handy individual I encourage you to consider making your own. You can use recycled parts for a lot of it and then the rest will be relatively cheap. You can really make it to fit your needs too, use a smaller bucket if you have a smaller space to work with, make the finish match your desired aesthetic etc.
Thank you for that info. I am surprised how ofter you have to change the C-head. I lean toward the nature's head, but then think about building one myself. Great info!
The C-Head definitely needs emptying more than the Nature's Head. A rule of thumb is that it can take 10 solid deposits. So if you're solo, that wouldn't be too bad to empty it every 10 days. And it's easier to empty. Even with Matt's talents as a carpenter we didn't consider building one because when you see these toilets you realize how much thought went into the urine diverting - it has to be just right to work. Let us know how it goes for you.
Not sure what the difference is but we didn't empty it nearly as often. More like every 2 weeks. I think the material you use may account for that. The shavings smell nice and are very absorbent but bulky. The coir is very compact and absorbs a lot more by volume and sine 5 gallons will never be bigger than 5 gallons, a compact material may be the difference.
Great review! I have the C- head shorty and really like it. I would prefer to empty the composting toilet than a cassette. I was looking at the nature’s head as well but the shorty was smaller, easier to handle, and has replaceable parts.
The boon john looks like it’s easier. Thanks for giving a thorough demonstration of the Nature’s Head. It would be too difficult for me, too big, too heavy, too awkward.
This is great! A couple ideas while watching; could you run a hose from the boon’s runout, through the observation slit/drill a hole in the floor, to a collection tank? Also, just like the essential oils, urine stops the solids from composting well, and it’s best to have a separate collection tank that can off-gas the ammonia, then dilute with 50 parts water to one part urine and that’s known as “liquid gold” 😸👍 great fertilizer you can spray right on vegetation that also combats mildew and aphids 🥳
Sorry for taking so long to respond to this! We had a hose that ran directly to our gray water outdoor planter. We found it plugged up with scale regularly even with putting vinegar down it weekly and finally decided it was easier to just use the one gallon bottle. When Kristina used the Sun Mar she found the compost with urine in it was beautiful loamy compost. Love the fertilizer idea. Thanks for your comment!
Our pleasure! The more we use them the more we like the Natures Head. My friend I'm building out the 1976 Argosy with bought the Air Head. That looks like a good one too. It's a bit smaller.
I have been in situations(where the water goes out due to winter storms or a closed off grid system) where you needed to conserve your water and not flush as often. I found that using the poo-porri toilet spray worked awesome at trapping the smell. So I think it would help alot on the urine bucket odors.
Put a few glugs of white vinegar in the liquids container after you empty it out and there will be much less odor. I think the vinegar and the ammonia in the urine cancel each other out.
My friends on their boat have a Natures Head. They spray Vinegar on the bowl after use. We had 3 of us on the boat for over a month and had no problems or smell.
Wow, thanks for sharing. It sounds very efficient. Were you guys putting toilet paper into Nature's head unit as well? What composting medium were you using?
@@hakubaholiday9006 Cocoanut Husks. We’d empty the bottle almost nightly. We had a spray bottle of Vinegar and a couple of squirts after you pee’d. Otherwise you’d turn the crank about a dozen times. Only negative is due to the design guys have to learn to sit when peeing.
I must say, you both did a great job explaining the benefits of both toilets. You were frank but used discretion! I’ve been thinking of purchasing a composting toilet, so I really appreciate the tips and points you brought up.
I have a nature head in my tiny home. It works very well but cleaning it is a pain. I totally agree with you that the lack of hand holds is a big issue. Because it's a square box stuff gets jammed in the corners as a result I have never been able to just tip it all into a bag. So I have to balance it on the corner of the garbage can and bang the sides. I also find it hard to clean the flap on the solids side, I'm very impressed with how clean that part is on your toilet because I can not get to that area. I'm now building my own toilet using a pail for the solids that way I can just lift that part out without having to take the entire unit out.
Brutally honest indeed. I wish our world was brutally honest, so life would be less stressful. I'm in the market for a composting toilet for my boat, and the C-head could be a solution, though I'm leaning towards a DOY solution because of the cost of buying one. So thank you so much for the video.
I purchased the C Head for my 170 Sprinter conversion over The Usual Suspects for 4 main reasons: a) completeness of mixing action: vertical rotation mixing in a round bucket (no corners) b) space saving foot print (top crank is great!) c) mostly non-propietary components. If any part gets too nasty, toss and replace inexpensively. d) price advantage My C Head is in a cabinet, on sliders. The cab is vented like the air head - sucks air out, does not push it - but I have intentions to connect the commode to the cab vent tube (probably never will)
It looks like your wood shavings/chips come from kiln dried lumber. I have been utilizing a compost toilet for a number of years now and have found that shavings from kiln dried lumber are a very poor compost medium. The stuff is basically sterile and doesn't promote the decay of waste. Raw saw dust or shavings, on the other hand, still contain bacteria and other microorganisms to aid in the composting process.
Thanks for the tips! We've figured the problem has been the wood chips, but have yet to find a reasonable replacement. I hadn't thought that the chips would be kiln dried.
@@ClarityOffGrid Loved your review of the 2 composting systems and family anecdotes (also your time codes list in the description). If you haven't seen it, I think you would like David the Good's (Compost Everything) visit with Sandy Graves, BoonJon c-head inventor, at his shop. About 3 minutes in, he runs through a number of composting materials, not with a lot of detail, but may give you some ideas. At about 6:20 minutes, he talks about black soldier flies; and then at 18:30, they go to Sandy's garden location. ruclips.net/video/0efTfdB3FHM/видео.html Best Composting Toilet System I've Seen Yet April 16, 2016
@@kdbaxter That's a great video! I watched it many times before I bought the C-Head. I talked to Sandy on the phone and he even wrote a review for my book. The soldier flies really sound like a great idea - except they won't survive a Colorado winter. Sandy lives in Florida so it's a different climate for composting.
I love the C-head and have the urinal attachment (oversized flat at the back funnel mounted to the side, similar to porta-potties) which is very convenient for my sons and 6’7” hubby. Camping the urinal is stored above the toilet far enough that it’s not in the way when you are sitting, the tube was run through a length of pvc so out of the way and just kind of invisible. The boys are grown so have no problem taking the urinal off the shelf, hang on a hook in the cabinet for that purpose and using it that way, spritz and return to the shelf (I use an old dish drainer mat on the shelf and clean it once a week when I am cleaning the rest of the components-more thoroughly than the after each use cleaning). Works well for us!
@@ClarityOffGrid I don’t have one of my own, but, I think there may be a video with the C-head and urinal connected or being set up that way. I’ll check!
Wow, this video is a plethora of real-life, real-use knowledge. Thank you! While I haven't yet pulled the trigger on my van build, I was planning on purchasing (or DIY) the C-Head toilet and instead of attempting to compost I was planning to use a bag liner, add some kind of composting material, and then simply throw the poop bag away in the garbage every few days. Any thoughts on that system for a one- or two-person van goer? Also, with my fluid consumption, I'd probably have to empty the 1-gallon urine jug daily. How annoying do you think that would be?
Thanks. I'm glad this video was helpful. Hmmmm. I don't have any experience with the system you're talking about. I used to have a diaper genie that worked a bit like that. We try to make our life as sustainable as possible and we feel using the composting toilet systems like the C-Head and nature's head are the best way to accomplish that. As far as emptying a bottle - you would have to do that with any composting toilet system that you would have in a van. So using a larger container like the Nature's Head might work better. I haven't used it myself, but you might check out the P-Tank for the C-head, it holds 1.5 gallons. Or,,,,, you can always pee outside (where appropriate - of course). Good luck with your "maybe" van build. Let us know it goes. We have an entire playlist of our van build and a van build video called - The Epic Van Build. Those might help you as well.
Love the NH. There is something new coming called the Thinktank Waterless Toilet which will be airtight. Apparently you draw ventilation air from outside, rather than inside your home or van. I'm looking forward to seeing this.
Thank you so much for this! It seems that it takes some "running hours" on the people in order to share honest and healthy information regarding these compost toilets on "the Tube" :-). I'm going to replace my water toilet in my little boat, and it seems that I'm leaning towards C-Head Composting Toilet. Is this (with your experience) a good choice? I live in Sweden, so perhaps it might be difficult to get my hands on this particular brand of toilet? Sincerely, Tony
You are very welcome. I'm glad we could shed light on the reality of composting toilets. In spite of the honest details, we would never go back to flushing water down a toilet. The C-Head is a great choice and it is designed specifically for boats. I'd give Sandy Graves (the owner of the company) a call to see about getting a C-Head shipped to Sweden. I'm pretty sure he sends them all over the world. I think you'll love it! Keep us posted!
What a great video! I live in my 80 sf box truck, converted to tiny home full time, I built a bag style toilet, mostly because of the issues with dumping a nature's head, and of course the cost. The calcium that builds up in urine containers, is salt peter ( the third component of gun powder) it will also develop in your compost heap as crystals if you are dumping your urine in with the compost. I know using plastic bags is not exactly environmentally friendly, but at least you can pee in a bag, without worrying about the cleanup, I found your video while looking for a better diverter design, we all have our off grid toilet stories I guess... God bless and thank you for presenting such a wonderful, well thought and detailed video, you gave me just the inspiration I needed for a new urine diverter using an RV blade valve, in accord with the nature's head design.
I've been using the C-Head for just over a year in my RV. I use a combination of coir and pine pellets for the medium. With two people I change out the solid bucket about once per week. This allows for HOT composting in the bucket. I typically see temps over 100F in the bucket. This is of course after a few days of use, since you cannot have a biological reaction (thermophilic) until you have (a) food, (b) water and (c) oxygen. We add a little CampaChem (liquified) to the pee jug. No odors at all!
Thankyou for your frank assessment of both toilets. I found it very refreshing to hear from people who use both toilets in their daily lives at different times of the year. I must say I have decided I will be having the Nature's Head Toilet. Currently and for the last several years, I have used a similar toilet in my house so it is not a big change for me in anycase. Yes it is true, separating the solids and liquids removes the smell. Currently I put the solids in the big bathtub worm farm compost which goes onto the fruit trees at the beginning of each spring. I then start the farm over with some fresh worms. The liquid component goes onto the bananas and tomatoes mostly about every 4th-5th day. The bucket does need washing out and this is my only issue with the all-in-one type of toilet. There is no way to wash out the pee bucket properly. I would much rather have one with a full-width lid that was easy to get into for washing.
Thanks for your thoughtful and informative comment. I agree with on the pee bucket. We've tried putting gravel and vinegar in the bucket and shaking it around to clean off the sides. It was better than nothing. It would likely work best if we had starting doing that at the beginning rather than waiting a year. It's inspiring to hear from you.
Definitely would go for the C as it seems so much easier, maybe it's the medium you use that makes a difference so you could maybe find another one. I also suppose you could build your own quite easily
I agree that the medium is the key. It's a balance of cost, availability and if you're using it in a van or RV there's the storage issue. If you feel inspired to build one - that great. Matt's a carpenter and builder, but we decided to buy the C-Head because there a lot of details in getting the urine diverting piece just right. Let us know how it goes for you.
dont put your toilet paper in the toilet, put it in a small composting bag, thats what we have been doing for years now and it doesn't clog up the toilet and you can get a longer use out of your toilet
For the Nature's Head we use Coco-Coir. I believe you get a box of it when you order a Nature's Head. It comes in a brick and you soak it in water and then "fluff" it up before putting it in the toilet. It's great for a van, because it's compressed and hard and easy to store several bricks while you're on the road.
Wow! This was an awesome video. My husband and I are just starting to look into getting a travel van and I want to keep the toileting process as simple as possible. Either of these toilets would be great for off grid camping, as we have found traditional RV campsites crowded and don’t like messing with all the black water hook-ups and such. Thank you so very much for sharing your expertise!
@@ClarityOffGrid I enjoyed your video but I have not been able to get any purchasing information about the c-head composting toilet. Do you have any contact information I can use to get additional information. TIA Best Regards Sylvia
@@sylviasmall7059 I just checked their website and it looks like it is down. I've always used www.c-head.com/ I've heard from other comments that they aren't getting much of a response from C-Head. You might check eBay or see if you can get a used one. This was a small company and they may not have been able to keep up with business. Good luck with your search.
Glad it was helpful! It's important to know what you're getting into! Thanks for watching. I hope you also enjoy some of our other videos. Happy Holidays and a wonderful new year!
We've lived with a composting toilet for over 10 years and we like aspects of both of these toilets. Leave a comment and tell us what toilet you favor. Is it for an RV/Van or your home?
Wow, you are making it SO expensive and time and effort consuming. I saw that you are dumping both solids and liquids in the same compost bin. Why are you paying for expensive store bought compost toilets, especially since the upkeep and usage is so tedious and time consuming? Just get a couple of 5 gallon buckets and either make or buy a cover for them with a built in toilet seat. When you use the toilet, no matter WHAT you DO in it, just cover your business with an inch or two of sawdust or shavings and close the lid. When the bucket is getting full, dump it in the compost bin, and rinse it out. Easy peasy. Virtually every off grid homestead I've heard of that uses composting toilets, uses such homemade systems, with minor variations. Why bother with expensive store bought toilets that are so complicated, and that require separating liquids and solids, just to dump them in the same place anyway? Why make something so basic into rocket science.
@@juliebaker6969 I partly agree with you. I think the separator is still good as the urine is what smells. And the volume in the day is mostly liquid. But your right about cost of install is ridiculous. But when it comes to anything regarding this subject it’s stupidly expensive. People are so afraid of shit.
We use the bucket system on our off grid home in a very posh outhouse that we outfitted with a small fan vent. We do not separate the liquids from solids and use a cover material that is a blend of cedar shavings, peat moss and sometimes biochar that we make ourselves. It makes the best compost after a couple of years, and there is no smell. Yes, we have a yearly bay, then we shut it down and let it sit and compost for a couple of years (or more!), then we will switch over to another bay. We are just two people but have our adult kids and their friends visit and stay on the property as well, so emptying the bucket can be weekly. It's literally a 5 gallon bucket system that sometimes piles up when sealed and then every 3 months, I'll empty them, clean them with a little water and castile soap that goes right into the compost pile. We have had absolutely no problems, and it breaks down very nicely. Because I save up the full buckets every quarter year or so, nothing in the bucket resembles pee or poop really. Sometimes you can see white toilet paper, but we are using a new recycled paper that breaks down wonderfully. We will continue this way as it's easy and clean up is a breeze. We also get to sit on a regular toilet seat of our choice. Thanks for all that you share with us. You both are so inspiring!
Isn't it wonderful all the solutions available to us? You found a way that works for you and your family and friends. That's what counts. Your system sounds great for you. Awesome!
Guys, have the courage to say it "don't buy the boon john" ..... I agree it needs remaking .... thanks X3 for sharing your video with us.... the world is already better with people like you and I....
I disagree. I (Kristina) really like the Boon Jon and it has it's place - I would choose it over the big composting toilets if I were single. It's much easier to empty and clean. Sadly, we've received word that the owner of C-head passed away and the company's website has been removed. I am grateful that folks today have so many more choices in a composting toilet than I did 12 years ago. Features that work for one person may not be the answer for another.
Welcome aboard! We’re glad you found us. If you haven’t found them already, there are more off grid videos and playlists on our channel page. Let us know if there’s something you’d like to know more about.
Great video! Thank you for your honesty, both in descriptions and visuals. So many people gloss over some of the icky details that are so important when thinking about switching to a compost toilet!
I installed the C-Head in my 18 ft teardrop trailer and have been very happy with it. Awesome for extended boondocking. I did get the urine diverter that connects to the trailer's black tank.
Also, while it came with venting setup I didn't install it - and haven't missed having it. Really no smell. (Venting might be more needed in areas with high humidity?)
I think you're right about the venting. I have heard that from others. They say they installed it without the vent just to see and never needed to hook it up. Thanks for sharing!
Hi, I had already decided on the boon John since it doesn’t require electricity or tube through the floor for odor for the class B RV I’m planning to buy. Your video was very helpful. Thanks.
Very well done. Final a video showing the whole picture unadorned. You helped me a lot getting an idea how our composting toilet is going to operate. Thank you !
Thanks so much. Acquired a composting toilet inadverently when I bought a house with a barn and there it was. Now visitors are coming and I decided to kick it into action, but where to start? This has been a great help. Thanks again!
Thank you for giving us the real life experiences from both styles of composting toilet. i am getting ready to start my skoolie conversion so this is the important "real talk" i need to make sure i make a well informed decision. The video quality is great and your home and land is absolutely stunning.
I've had the Boon Jon for 4 years now. Live full-time in an RV with 2 people. We love it, I would never go back to a black tank. The secret I have found for odors is to hook up a small .01 amp DC fan and not only does it stop odors from the bucket it stops odors while using it. Instead of an exhaust fan sucking the air out into the room this fan sucks air directly out of the Boon Jon. I also went back to using the milk jugs for urine.
We have a Nature's Head in our trailer and water flush toilets in our house. I actually prefer the Nature's Head and go out to the trailer sometimes, (as long as we're being so detailed...) because it doesn't have the splashback problem that water flush toilets can have!
I absolutely love you two. I appreciate that you shared your experiences honestly too. My husband and I can't wait until we have a property in the mountains of Colorado. It is my home state and I really miss it there.
Thank you so much! I hope you can return too. My family has old roots in Durango. I spent 25 years away and I am so glad to be back in the mountains. Good luck to you!
Thank you for your wisdom! Haven’t started travelling yet, but I’m doing all the research right now. Great job on visuals, humour and clear explanations!
hi this is my first time watching. very interesting and informative video. I live full-time in a large van and have designed what I think is a better toilet. I call it a dry toilet as it does not compost in the time it is in the van. I use a diverting system with a jug catcher, however I use Stainless steel for the urine bowl and drain pipe which eliminates the oder. I also position the bowl ( a flat bottom 6 or 8" dog dish with a 1 1/4" bar sink drain and pipe) slightly over the bucket using a 3 gal size bucket rather than a 5 gal. the bowl is attached similar to the C head. with this setup, one (male or female) just has to sit no more finding that sweet spot, which makes peeing while 1/2 asleep a no brainer. my system also uses either a round or an elongated standard toilet seat of your choice , mine is padded. to clean just lift the hinged ( on the side) lid and remove the bag from the bucket and dispose in a dumpster. for the rare chance of urine over fill I use puppy pads under the jug and bucket. the medium I use after of years of experience is coconut couir and hamster shavings, I also have a separate waste bin for the paper. I can keep and use my unvented toilet in the van for two weeks. just long enough for the 14 day limit on most BLM sites, without oder. I have a video of my build on my channel (traveling with the Gramkracker) and also detailed building plans for the asking. with the cost of lumber at this time the materials for the compleat toilet are about $200. thanks again for your information. Gramkracker.
I debated for years on which on of these 2 I wanted and decided on a C-Head mostly because of the simplicity and the 5 gallon bucket and 1 gallon milk jug which can be replaced easily . I bought mine for my off grid tiny house I am building later this year (hopefully). Thanks for the honest truth on both. It is hard to find real experience videos on this subject.
Nicely done and informative. Who know poop would get this complicated? Everyone should have this basic knowledge and the how's. why's and where's of pooping.
Good, straight talk video about the poop problem on and off grid. I have always wanted to know this stuff and people never really talk about it. Thank you so much for you openness, tact and honesty. Great job!
Great information, thank you. Kristina, your face when Matt was talking about the odor is priceless haha! We're still debating on what we're going to put in ours. We definitely want something, Nature's Head is in the discussion, but we've also seen quite a few videos where people build their own composting version. We'll see what happens when we get to that point!
We have a c-head and love it but to much urin goes into the compost when I use it so at night I use a bucket with a toilet seat and just pour it into the urine diverted. After I empty the gallon jug I rinse it out with water then put in a little vinegar which prevents the scale buildup
I was looking into building a skoolie for my first home but decided to save a little more and just build a small shop house. I'm still going to use a lot of the same appliances and amenities you would find in a skoolie though. it will save me thousands up front and thousands more on utilities
Congrats on moving off-grid! Have you found our other off-grid home videos. Here's a playlist that may help you - ruclips.net/p/PLFWHEDkCWKfSW9xf2nCDtUzov8V968K7Y Let us know if you need any further info that may guide you. Oh - here's our website - www.sustainablehomeresource.com/
We are saddened to learn that C-Head's website is down, and that as far as we know, they are no longer selling composting toilets. We don't know what happened but we hope those of you who purchased toilets and didn't receive delivery find a resolution with C-Head. When we purchased our toilet, C-Head was extremely responsive and helpful and we received our toilet without delay. We hope all parties find their way through this unfortunate circumstance.
Thank you for your videos on life off the grid . I have always heard that waterless composting toilets all smell no matter what you do and they're always breaking down and nobody nearby to repair it . I was researching Sun-Mar waterless toilets and it was way more problems than anybody mentioned .
@@georgevavoulis4758 This hasn't been our experience. I don't have experience with the current Sun-Mar, but the one I purchased in 2011 was a nightmare for me. The C-Head and the Nature's Head have been great upgrades.
The original creator of the C-head passed away around Aug 2022. His son had taken it over before he passed. Not sure if it's because he was in poor health or what. Hope that shines a little light on the situation.
@@ClarityOffGrid hopefully you got a notification of my post above 🙂
@@georgevavoulis4758 hopefully you got a notification of my post above 🙂
I really appreciate your candid review. I grew up using an outhouse, and I championed a poop bucket and pee bottle system, when I was a nomad. I eventually even built a few bucket and diverter systems for friends getting into nomad life.
If you ever decide to do a self-built compost toilet with a diverter, here's a few tips:
1. Use a plywood box with a front or side access door to encase your gallon pee jug and 5 gallon poop bucket.
2. If you choose not to just buy a pre-made diverter, use a plastic automotive funnel with a tube to divert the pee into the jug.
3. A DC computer fan can be incorporated to vent out fumes drawing only about 1.5 volts at a fraction of an amp hour.
4. By using a plywood box, you can attach a standard seat.
5. Like a c-head, you'll want to cover the solids bucket, when not in use. If you cut your hole in the plywood for the "bowl" carefully, you can use a rubber door gasket to trim out your cutout for use as a cover.
5. When incorporating the funnel for the urine diverter, most like to notch out part of the solids bucket to accommodate the pee funnel. This also needs a gasket to prevent leaks and smells, and honestly, I prefer to fabricate this gasket from silicone caulk. Put a bead on your cut edge of the bucket, wrap the funnel in aluminum foil and fit the funnel into place, being careful not to press too tightly, causing excess squeeze out. You just want the silicone to crown over the rough edge and make contact with the foil on the funnel. After the bucket has its silicone, carefully remove the funnel, then the foil. If the foil won't release, trim around it. Then, add about a 2 inch strip of foil over the silicone which has cured, replace the funnel, and caulk on both sides of the funnel where it meets the bucket. Again, the foil prevents the silicone from just gluing the funnel to the bucket, during molding. Once the funnel side is cured, remove the funnel and foil, and you have a removable urine diverter for a sawdust bucket toilet for your solids.
This might be intimidating to some to build, but ultimately, I like the way these work better than the C-head or Nature's Head compost toilets, especially for cleanup. I always coat the toilet cabinet with marine polyurethane inside and out for easy cleaning, and I really like being able to remove the funnel and have my solids in a 5 gallon bucket to empty. I can even line the bucket with a kitchen trash bag or compostable bag to make emptying solids even easier. Personally, I prefer to just add medium, rather than use an agitator. I rather agitate the waste in my compost bin, after it's been buried awhile, and if I'm traveling, I rather use a trash bag liner, so it's no harder than emptying a trash bin.
I hope my comments inspire the more DIY types.
Thanks that was very useful. I'm getting rid of my nature head because it's a pain to clean out. A pail seems a much better solution and a hell of a lot cheeper. Should have gone with my gut instinct in the first place oh well live and learn
Do you make these to sell? How long would you be able to go before emptying it? If you aren't agitating it, like Natures Head, are you going to end up having to empty it a lot more frequently? What about odor? I like the fact the Natures Head, for one person, can hold up to 4 months worth of deposits. I don't see how its even possible to even go 1 week, only having experience using a regular bucket & sawdust method. And that's only good for a few days before it needs emptying. How does the Natures Head compost down so much waste for such a long period of time into so much less than you put in? Where does it all go? To be frank, one large deposit seems like it could easily fill half the tank! I need a hybrid, easy care compost toilet solution that serves both for the home base as well as for a camper van. Would appreciate any education, links, tips you can provide that would accomplish this and explains how to vent the kind of setup you are describing to make diy inside the van. Thank you!
@@christinemcintosh1450 I was thinking to get the natures head because of the features of composting down so much into so little over a long period of time, for one person, up to 4 months! Was that your experience? But after watching this video and reading the comments, there's no freaking way I can manage such a complicated, heavy contraption. I like Jay Spell's suggestion, but had a few questions. Did you make the one he described yet?
Plastic buckets and funnels can be heated up and reshaped using a heat gun or even over an electric stove or in an oven ( don't do this over an open flame) the plastic will be soft and very malible until it cools back down. You don't need to cut notches in plastic for anything! This also works well for PVC pipe. You can even pick tubing thought a plastic container, if you need to.
Always pack pipe and tubing with sand to prevent folding, while bending.
@@kricketkitty use a plastic bag to line the poop bucket, and throw it away as soon as possible!
It is no worse than throwing away a diaper. I would also recomend that you use a smaller bucket, like a dollar tree waste basket or mop bucket, they work much better with 4 gallon trash bags and only cost a dollar, so if you have an accident you can throw the bucket away, instead of dealing with something really nasty! Plus with a plastic bag, you don't have to deal with stinky stuff or compost material, with a bag, you just tie it off and throw it away, I buy 4 gallon scented waste basket bags, but you could buy tall kitchen bags and tie them off between uses. Never just poop in a bucket! Plastic absorbs smells like nothing else, always line the bucket or container, if you accidentally pee in your poop side, it is no big deal, just don't try to pick up the bag, carry the bucket with the tied off bag directly to the trash.
I just watched a near half-hour video about poop. And then subscribed. 'Nuff said.
Me too!
And me as well!
✊🏾
Ditto. I subscribed too 🤣💩
Me #2
My dad, (in our fully sewage attached home) had a poem for the bathroom wall:
"If you are more than 3ft tall,
Sit down to pee, don't splat the wall!
If you MUST stand up to pee,
Go outside & find a tree!"
(Our family had five brothers & many " come & go" relatives & foster kids)
My lovely husband does NOT sit down so we now have separate bathrooms ;)
Luckily we have two...
Your dad was smart and with a good sense of humor
@@M_J_nan Hope he has to keep his own clean!
Uhh we had a septic system and the saying was,, if it,s yellow let it mellow,,, if it,s brown flush it down!
I have a Nature’s Head in my tiny house and just love it.There was definitely a learning curve for me. I just had to be patient when learning how to use it. But, once I got the hang of it, booyah! It’s just me, so I only need to empty the bowl every 3-4 months. If the bowl accidentally gets wet, I put a cup of peat moss in it & crank it. When it is ready to be emptied, I just dump it in my compost bin and reassemble it. I don’t use a bag, just disassemble & take it to the compost bin. No need to clean it as that will hinder the next composting process. I drink a lot of water, tea, & coffee and I don’t mind emptying the container as needed. The less I drink, the less I empty it. By the way, mature trees love human urine, so I just walk down the tree line to a mature tree and empty the container at the base of it, put a squirt of Dawn it, and reattach it. I look at the care of my Nature’s Head in two ways: 1) I’m conserving water and 2) It helps keep me active. Thanks for the honest review. I had similar issues until I learned how to work it how I needed it to be worked. 😋
I have the C-Head and love it. I live full-time in a 33' travel trailer. There is NO SMELL whatsoever. Every time I empty the pee jug, I rinse it, fill it with water, a drop of dish soap and about a Tbs of bleach. I shake it real well and let it sit then rinse it very well again. I looked up a recipe for homemade Poo-Popurri and (since it only costs pennies making it myself), using the empty Poo-Popurri bottle I have, I spritz the pee jug 24 times and put the cap on. (I have two jugs I rotate.) When I go to use the clean jug, I spritz it 24 more times. It really helps keep down that strong urine smell.
When I empty my pee jug, I keep it separate from the compost so that my compost pile remains smell free. I use the urine along my fence line which kills weeds and saves on weed wacking string. Also, I don't put any toilet paper in my solid waste. I use a garbage can with a lid and put the poopy side down so when you open it you're not seeing anything yucky and there is NO STINK either. I later burn it with my burnables.
Good for you! We love to see how people navigate the details of off grid and van life! thanks for the comment! Looks like others like your ideas!
Love this video! It is about damn time someone shared all of this and the comparison as well!!
Thanks for sharing. I'm so glad you liked it. I wished I had this info 10 years ago. Hope it helps.
Yes! So appreciate you both spelling it out. Just bought a van and this was gold!🌿
I'm so glad it was helpful.
Last comment best of all!
I wish you had lost your inhibitions a bit more and talked about menstrual issues and diarrhea but, I think you did an awesome job with everything else.
I can't afford any of these but I built my own very similar system for $50. Similar to C-head with a long urethaned paint stick to stir bucket.
I use laundry detergent bottles ( free at laundromats) for urine which smell amazing and are stealth for emptying ( I use public toilet and recycle bottle.)
As for fecal matter I use 1/3 peat moss which has microorganisms to speed up composting and 2/3 red cedar pet bedding (which btw I use instead of cat litter.( No smell weigh nothing cheaper!)
The cedar smells great and peat moss coats and dehydrates faster. When I move into a THOW I will probably buy an AirHead Unit (has best of both you use) for aesthetics and guest use. I'll plug diverter into a wider drain line no back ups.
I use a computer fan to blow out air from my box which you can easily add to your C-head system. I also use an empty Oatmeal canister for TP fill and chuck in compost or recycler. I find it makes compost last longer between changes. TY
Wow! Awesome. Thank you for sharing!
Thanks!! Great info.
Great info! I’ve used my friends’ bucket with sawdust for years, no smell, no biggie. They don’t mix tho, just cover each deposit with fresh sawdust. I wonder which is easier: scoop or stir?!
@@hestiodite Get some peat most. It works a whole lot better. Make sure it's just a teeny bit moist so there will be bacterial action going on in there.
When you consider how much water is wasted on a daily basis by billions of toilets being flushed multiple times a day, perhaps moving to some kind of composting system might be better. Perhaps there could be some service that comes by and collects your solids holder dumps it and slides it back into your bathroom via a cat or dog door sized door, where it would go to some larger composting facility or even used to make methane gas for cooking or heating. How many steps does our sewage have to go through now?
I have watched 3,000 videos and you are the only ones that showed how it works and all the parts in such detail as would help me understand how it would be to actually live with the thing and to a degree that I can decide whether I would want one of those or something else. Brav0! And thank you.
You are welcome. We are so glad it helped!
True
I agree with the comment at the end. Changing my diet has dramatically reduced the odor.
Awesome!!
This is the graphic video about composting toilets I've been looking for. I've decided to make my own with the best of both. Thank you for sharing.
You're welcome. Good luck with the build.
I'd love to view a video of how you make it and the pro's and con's. Best of luck to you!
So I noticed in several videos that no one really used any gloves to empty their toilets, I’m sure they all cleaned them first but with the Natures Head toilet being somewhat cumbersome, I as a female always have my “grippy gloves “! It’s just a pair of those blue working gloves with grippy plastic on them, they enable me to do many things and when you have a good finger and hand grip on something it takes a partial load off your back and body when pushing, pulling or picking heavy things up, so get a pair of those and your won’t have any problem changing and lifting that toilet, thanks for your great review from years of experience, much appreciated! 😃
👍🏻😀
I just became a member, and I appreciate all the brutal facts about the composting toilet Some of the information that a lot of RUclipsrs have not shared before. Thank you for the details and thank you for your effort in providing correct and informative information.😊
You are welcome. Welcome to our channel.
Tip: C-head Boon Jon...I store the cap to the urine jug in the little hole in the back so there is no poke
Brilliant!
Peat moss is what I use, Large block at box stores for about 30$ lasts months to years.
The one time we used peat moss we got a massive bug infestation. Never again.
Peat moss itself smells pretty bad.
We've used peat moss for 12 years, never had a bug problem but if you used potting soil maybe you got bugs in that. This inspired me to do the same sort of thing with my dog's poops, drop in a can of peat moss and roll it around!
@@JennyYasi it was peat moss from Lowe’s. Never again!
@@PaDutchRunner was it fungus gnats?
You’ll find that if you’d like to keep the urine area clean I use a spritzer bottle with a mix or water and 3% peroxide and a bit of baking soda and just spritzer the area with the mixture. It stops the oxidisation that comes of the urine.
In a pinch you can use the same mixture on your dog if it gets skunked. Takes the skunk smell away almost instantly. You might put some dish soap in it to create a lather.
Great advice. We'll try it.
@@ClarityOffGrid I had a funnel in my boat for years and use the peroxide trick and never had that bad smell you would get from it sitting in the plastic funnel. Peroxide is H2o with an extra oxygen atom in it that inhibits growth of organic things and oxidation like the skunk spray. It doesn’t smell until it starts to oxide in the Air.
Thank You John, I have used the mixture for 3 days now in my C Head and cant thank you enough. It works, no smell when we empty the urine container.
@@deniseb3715 btw the mixture can also be used when your dog or cat gets sprayed by a skunk, add a little dish soap to it and shampoo the animal the smell vanishes in seconds. Quite amazing!
What's the recipe? How much of each ingredient?
Gracias, Matt and Kristina, for this valuable comparison of two composting toilets. The companies who sell these various composting systems always tout their system as THE BEST, without addressing the less savory aspects. We are wise to rely on the uncompensated consumer evaluations (not paid for by the product maker, or product supplied free in return for a purported "consumer review").
When I got my conversion Ram Promaster camper van last spring I researched various toileting systems suitable for RVs and opted for a simple dry toilet (the sturdy Stansport). As I was absolutely NOT into lugging around a cassette of gallons of raw sewage for dumping by hand. I designed the potty cabinet in this compact RV to allow for larger cassette-type toilets (in case I changed my toileting mode and/or for van resale aspects). I placed sections of 4x4 posts in the bottom of the potty cabinet to raise the Stansport up level with the edge of the cabinet and the roomy interior of the cabinet allows me to stash other related items. I have not regretted the dry toilet methods: I bag the poop with a bit of kitty litter (not unlike how I pick up after my large-breed dog) and I collect the urine separately. Both human waste products get disposed of appropriately per the VanLife code of ethics (leave no trace).
Now however, I am acquiring a waterfront property that is subject to strict environmental regulations. I intend this waterfront lot for off-grid seasonal use (a base camp at that side of the country). So my plans to set up a 'dry camp' require an indoor composting toilet. The more expensive composting toilets seem way too complicated. Whereas these two composting toilet options you have demonstrated seem so much more do-able, with their respective strengths and fall-backs. I heartily agree, separating the urine from the poop is essential. Considering the comfort of guests who need a more conventional toileting experience, plus overall onsite ease of use, I favor installing the BoonJon C-Head.
Just discovered you two and your Clarity Off-Grid channel here on RUclips, you have gained a new subscriber. Cheers!
Thanks Judith for you endorsement of our unpaid product reviews. We wanted to share our experience so others could better choose what works best for them.
We look forward to learning more about your off-grid endeavors. Some of our first videos/playlists are specific to off-grid homes and living. Check those out if you like if you haven't already found them.
Welcome to our channel!
Thank you so much for the awesome and honest review! My husband and I were close to buying the natures head purely because we hadn't heard of any other companies until today when I saw a van tour and their van featured the shorty c-head...and then I came across your AMAZING review and I think you've convinced us to move towards the c-head brand! Started following your page and excited to watch all your adventures!!!
I’m so glad it was helpful.
Thanks for the review. We are also Promaster 136 owners and just purchased a C-Head. We look forward to the independence it will give us during the times of Covid over a basic porta-potty. We did use it at home, and found in a bath room using 'hamster shavings' no odor after 4 days plus it was so easy to dump the medium. Note, it did come with a vent system (no fan) so will see how it goes. A great review. With our first trek with it next week I will report back on any odor and its ease of use + emptying.
Awesome! We look forward to your report. We love having a bathroom onboard during COVID. Even for just running errands in town.
Great video. I’ve been leaning towards the c-head, and this has confirmed my thoughts. If I add a ventilation system, I don’t think I would have to change the solids bucket as frequently. It would be easier to change the solid bucket inside. It is easier for a single person to handle. I like the top turner for tight spaces.. Also it is considerably cheaper. I will check out your book. Thanks for posting.
I think your reasoning is very sound. Let us know how it works out for you. I think you’ll enjoy the book. Let me know.
Thank you for such an informative video. These were the 2 toilets I was looking at, still haven’t made my decision but feel a lot more prepared to now.
You are very welcome. We're so glad the video was helpful.
Thank you. Very helpful. I think we'll buy a C-head for our van build.
Glad it was helpful! Let us know how it works for you.
As an older lady, I also have the problem of not always being able to keep urine and poop separate. I read the idea of using a soup ladle (plastic/silicon) with a suitable sized hole made in it helps with this. I want to change to a CT for my yacht as I do not have, nor want, a holding tank. The problem of urine getting into the solids container is one of my biggest concerns. Also the ease of emptying the containers given the confined moving space of my yacht’s head (name for a boat’s toilet) and that the containers need to be taken out through the cabin.
When I was first watching this, my mind thought about using a funnel for ladies. There just might be one available that would work? Rinsing it out wouldn't bother me.
It turns out to not be a problem. With a bit of practice you learn how to sit so that even if you pee and poop at the same time, everything goes where it belongs. I have that issue myself.
@@lindajwilson9848 The funnel is really pretty much built in the C-Head
A little bit of pee getting into the solids container is not a big deal. You'd just need to add an extra sprinkle of the composting medium to absorb the extra liquid.
you could also try a product called "go girl".
whole food plant based - way to go!
Thank you for this video.
You're so welcome!
Something yall didn't mention (or I missed) is the upfront cost for a c-head is about $200 less than a natures head. And if something were to break on the c-head you can easily get a replacement part at a hardware store, natures head will charge an arm and leg because the parts are all custom made and you'll have to wait days or weeks to get it in the mail. If you're a handy individual I encourage you to consider making your own. You can use recycled parts for a lot of it and then the rest will be relatively cheap. You can really make it to fit your needs too, use a smaller bucket if you have a smaller space to work with, make the finish match your desired aesthetic etc.
Thank you for that info. I am surprised how ofter you have to change the C-head. I lean toward the nature's head, but then think about building one myself. Great info!
The C-Head definitely needs emptying more than the Nature's Head. A rule of thumb is that it can take 10 solid deposits. So if you're solo, that wouldn't be too bad to empty it every 10 days. And it's easier to empty. Even with Matt's talents as a carpenter we didn't consider building one because when you see these toilets you realize how much thought went into the urine diverting - it has to be just right to work. Let us know how it goes for you.
Not sure what the difference is but we didn't empty it nearly as often. More like every 2 weeks. I think the material you use may account for that. The shavings smell nice and are very absorbent but bulky. The coir is very compact and absorbs a lot more by volume and sine 5 gallons will never be bigger than 5 gallons, a compact material may be the difference.
Great review! I have the C- head shorty and really like it. I would prefer to empty the composting toilet than a cassette. I was looking at the nature’s head as well but the shorty was smaller, easier to handle, and has replaceable parts.
Thanks.
How much different is the shorty than the one these people have?
The boon john looks like it’s easier. Thanks for giving a thorough demonstration of the Nature’s Head. It would be too difficult for me, too big, too heavy, too awkward.
I'm glad you could make a definitive decision and that our video could help. Thanks for watching.
Everyday I learn something valuable on RUclips today I learned the best name for a girl dog .I love the name Lily Belll
This is great! A couple ideas while watching; could you run a hose from the boon’s runout, through the observation slit/drill a hole in the floor, to a collection tank?
Also, just like the essential oils, urine stops the solids from composting well, and it’s best to have a separate collection tank that can off-gas the ammonia, then dilute with 50 parts water to one part urine and that’s known as “liquid gold” 😸👍 great fertilizer you can spray right on vegetation that also combats mildew and aphids 🥳
Sorry for taking so long to respond to this! We had a hose that ran directly to our gray water outdoor planter. We found it plugged up with scale regularly even with putting vinegar down it weekly and finally decided it was easier to just use the one gallon bottle. When Kristina used the Sun Mar she found the compost with urine in it was beautiful loamy compost. Love the fertilizer idea. Thanks for your comment!
Thank you so much this is so helpful and you did it in a tactful way considering the subject matter :D
You're very welcome! I'm glad it was helpful.
Thanks so much for the brutally honest explanation & demonstration of differences between the two toilets & how to empty them.
Our pleasure! The more we use them the more we like the Natures Head. My friend I'm building out the 1976 Argosy with bought the Air Head. That looks like a good one too. It's a bit smaller.
I have been in situations(where the water goes out due to winter storms or a closed off grid system) where you needed to conserve your water and not flush as often. I found that using the poo-porri toilet spray worked awesome at trapping the smell. So I think it would help alot on the urine bucket odors.
Put a few glugs of white vinegar in the liquids container after you empty it out and there will be much less odor. I think the vinegar and the ammonia in the urine cancel each other out.
My friends on their boat have a Natures Head. They spray Vinegar on the bowl after use. We had 3 of us on the boat for over a month and had no problems or smell.
Great advice. Thanks.
Wow, thanks for sharing. It sounds very efficient. Were you guys putting toilet paper into Nature's head unit as well? What composting medium were you using?
@@hakubaholiday9006 Cocoanut Husks. We’d empty the bottle almost nightly. We had a spray bottle of Vinegar and a couple of squirts after you pee’d. Otherwise you’d turn the crank about a dozen times. Only negative is due to the design guys have to learn to sit when peeing.
TP was put in a small plastic bag.
I must say, you both did a great job explaining the benefits of both toilets. You were frank but used discretion! I’ve been thinking of purchasing a composting toilet, so I really appreciate the tips and points you brought up.
Glad it helped.
I have a nature head in my tiny home. It works very well but cleaning it is a pain. I totally agree with you that the lack of hand holds is a big issue. Because it's a square box stuff gets jammed in the corners as a result I have never been able to just tip it all into a bag. So I have to balance it on the corner of the garbage can and bang the sides. I also find it hard to clean the flap on the solids side, I'm very impressed with how clean that part is on your toilet because I can not get to that area. I'm now building my own toilet using a pail for the solids that way I can just lift that part out without having to take the entire unit out.
Another review says compost must be emptied every several months. Seems maintenance cost is overstated. Please expound upon your experience. Thx!
Excellent comparison video! Thank you for posting!
Glad you liked it!
Brutally honest indeed. I wish our world was brutally honest, so life would be less stressful. I'm in the market for a composting toilet for my boat, and the C-head could be a solution, though I'm leaning towards a DOY solution because of the cost of buying one. So thank you so much for the video.
You're welcome. Good luck - I'm sure you'll find the right solution for your needs.
I love your sense of humor.
Sometimes that’s the best way to deal with uncomfortable topics. 🤪
I was expecting rainbows, glitter and little fairies with wands to go with the background music.
I purchased the C Head for my 170 Sprinter conversion over The Usual Suspects for 4 main reasons:
a) completeness of mixing action: vertical rotation mixing in a round bucket (no corners)
b) space saving foot print (top crank is great!)
c) mostly non-propietary components. If any part gets too nasty, toss and replace inexpensively.
d) price advantage
My C Head is in a cabinet, on sliders. The cab is vented like the air head - sucks air out, does not push it - but I have intentions to connect the commode to the cab vent tube (probably never will)
lol never will -- kindred spirit
This video is perfect 👌 answered all my questions and I have looked at several videos but this is the best by far!!!! Thank you!!!
Glad it was helpful! That's awesome. You're welcome
Care to share the other videos you viewed? I'd be interestesd for further examination.
So appreciate your open sharing of pluses and minuses.
Haven't heard elsewhere.
You are very welcome. Glad it helped.
It looks like your wood shavings/chips come from kiln dried lumber. I have been utilizing a compost toilet for a number of years now and have found that shavings from kiln dried lumber are a very poor compost medium. The stuff is basically sterile and doesn't promote the decay of waste. Raw saw dust or shavings, on the other hand, still contain bacteria and other microorganisms to aid in the composting process.
Thanks for the tips! We've figured the problem has been the wood chips, but have yet to find a reasonable replacement. I hadn't thought that the chips would be kiln dried.
@@ClarityOffGrid Loved your review of the 2 composting systems and family anecdotes (also your time codes list in the description). If you haven't seen it, I think you would like David the Good's (Compost Everything) visit with Sandy Graves, BoonJon c-head inventor, at his shop. About 3 minutes in, he runs through a number of composting materials, not with a lot of detail, but may give you some ideas. At about 6:20 minutes, he talks about black soldier flies; and then at 18:30, they go to Sandy's garden location. ruclips.net/video/0efTfdB3FHM/видео.html Best Composting Toilet System I've Seen Yet April 16, 2016
@@kdbaxter That's a great video! I watched it many times before I bought the C-Head. I talked to Sandy on the phone and he even wrote a review for my book.
The soldier flies really sound like a great idea - except they won't survive a Colorado winter. Sandy lives in Florida so it's a different climate for composting.
I love the C-head and have the urinal attachment (oversized flat at the back funnel mounted to the side, similar to porta-potties) which is very convenient for my sons and 6’7” hubby. Camping the urinal is stored above the toilet far enough that it’s not in the way when you are sitting, the tube was run through a length of pvc so out of the way and just kind of invisible. The boys are grown so have no problem taking the urinal off the shelf, hang on a hook in the cabinet for that purpose and using it that way, spritz and return to the shelf (I use an old dish drainer mat on the shelf and clean it once a week when I am cleaning the rest of the components-more thoroughly than the after each use cleaning). Works well for us!
Thanks for sharing this solution. Do you have a video showing the details of this set up? If so I'd love to post a link to it.
@@ClarityOffGrid I don’t have one of my own, but, I think there may be a video with the C-head and urinal connected or being set up that way. I’ll check!
Wow, this video is a plethora of real-life, real-use knowledge. Thank you! While I haven't yet pulled the trigger on my van build, I was planning on purchasing (or DIY) the C-Head toilet and instead of attempting to compost I was planning to use a bag liner, add some kind of composting material, and then simply throw the poop bag away in the garbage every few days. Any thoughts on that system for a one- or two-person van goer? Also, with my fluid consumption, I'd probably have to empty the 1-gallon urine jug daily. How annoying do you think that would be?
Thanks. I'm glad this video was helpful. Hmmmm. I don't have any experience with the system you're talking about. I used to have a diaper genie that worked a bit like that. We try to make our life as sustainable as possible and we feel using the composting toilet systems like the C-Head and nature's head are the best way to accomplish that. As far as emptying a bottle - you would have to do that with any composting toilet system that you would have in a van. So using a larger container like the Nature's Head might work better. I haven't used it myself, but you might check out the P-Tank for the C-head, it holds 1.5 gallons. Or,,,,, you can always pee outside (where appropriate - of course). Good luck with your "maybe" van build. Let us know it goes. We have an entire playlist of our van build and a van build video called - The Epic Van Build. Those might help you as well.
@@ClarityOffGrid thanks so much! One day I'll get there. Until then, I'll live vicariously thru you two!
I'm fond of an Irish soul singer that might be appropriate. Morrison somethingorother, name escapes me %^O
Thank you so much for including so many details. I've watched a number of videos, but this one really gave me the information that I needed.
We're so glad it was helpful. It's all about the details if you ask us.
Cup of boiling water and dish soap into the pee tube AND use an adapter to turn the 1/2" into a 2" pipe when running out the house
In the boat we have vinaigre in the tubes every second week to prevent build-up of scales
Thanks for the solution (pun intended!). If we build another home we will definitely upsize the pipe!
Love the NH. There is something new coming called the Thinktank Waterless Toilet which will be airtight. Apparently you draw ventilation air from outside, rather than inside your home or van. I'm looking forward to seeing this.
Interesting!
Thank you so much for this! It seems that it takes some "running hours" on the people in order to share honest and healthy information regarding these compost toilets on "the Tube" :-). I'm going to replace my water toilet in my little boat, and it seems that I'm leaning towards C-Head Composting Toilet. Is this (with your experience) a good choice? I live in Sweden, so perhaps it might be difficult to get my hands on this particular brand of toilet? Sincerely, Tony
You are very welcome. I'm glad we could shed light on the reality of composting toilets. In spite of the honest details, we would never go back to flushing water down a toilet. The C-Head is a great choice and it is designed specifically for boats. I'd give Sandy Graves (the owner of the company) a call to see about getting a C-Head shipped to Sweden. I'm pretty sure he sends them all over the world. I think you'll love it! Keep us posted!
We love ours on the boat. Sandy made it with mahogany that matched the boat paneling and it was beautiful. Laminated white on the inside for cleaning.
What a great video!
I live in my 80 sf box truck, converted to tiny home full time,
I built a bag style toilet, mostly because of the issues with dumping a nature's head, and of course the cost. The calcium that builds up in urine containers, is salt peter ( the third component of gun powder) it will also develop in your compost heap as crystals if you are dumping your urine in with the compost.
I know using plastic bags is not exactly environmentally friendly, but at least you can pee in a bag, without worrying about the cleanup, I found your video while looking for a better diverter design, we all have our off grid toilet stories I guess...
God bless and thank you for presenting such a wonderful, well thought and detailed video, you gave me just the inspiration I needed for a new urine diverter using an RV blade valve, in accord with the nature's head design.
Glad you got some useful information. Thanks for sharing.
I've been using the C-Head for just over a year in my RV. I use a combination of coir and pine pellets for the medium. With two people I change out the solid bucket about once per week. This allows for HOT composting in the bucket. I typically see temps over 100F in the bucket. This is of course after a few days of use, since you cannot have a biological reaction (thermophilic) until you have (a) food, (b) water and (c) oxygen. We add a little CampaChem (liquified) to the pee jug. No odors at all!
👍
Thankyou for your frank assessment of both toilets. I found it very refreshing to hear from people who use both toilets in their daily lives at different times of the year. I must say I have decided I will be having the Nature's Head Toilet. Currently and for the last several years, I have used a similar toilet in my house so it is not a big change for me in anycase.
Yes it is true, separating the solids and liquids removes the smell. Currently I put the solids in the big bathtub worm farm compost which goes onto the fruit trees at the beginning of each spring. I then start the farm over with some fresh worms.
The liquid component goes onto the bananas and tomatoes mostly about every 4th-5th day. The bucket does need washing out and this is my only issue with the all-in-one type of toilet. There is no way to wash out the pee bucket properly. I would much rather have one with a full-width lid that was easy to get into for washing.
Thanks for your thoughtful and informative comment. I agree with on the pee bucket. We've tried putting gravel and vinegar in the bucket and shaking it around to clean off the sides. It was better than nothing. It would likely work best if we had starting doing that at the beginning rather than waiting a year.
It's inspiring to hear from you.
Definitely would go for the C as it seems so much easier, maybe it's the medium you use that makes a difference so you could maybe find another one.
I also suppose you could build your own quite easily
I agree that the medium is the key. It's a balance of cost, availability and if you're using it in a van or RV there's the storage issue. If you feel inspired to build one - that great. Matt's a carpenter and builder, but we decided to buy the C-Head because there a lot of details in getting the urine diverting piece just right. Let us know how it goes for you.
I'm glad you mentioned the toilet paper everyone seems to forget that.
dont put your toilet paper in the toilet, put it in a small composting bag, thats what we have been doing for years now and it doesn't clog up the toilet and you can get a longer use out of your toilet
you can use toilet paper in the toilet if you like - we do. It's not a problem
Nice to finally get the "poop scoop".
Probably a natures head.
For your van? Definitely a good choice - and if it's only you, you'll be able to go a long time without changing out the medium.
@@ClarityOffGrid what is the name of the medium you use again??
For the Nature's Head we use Coco-Coir. I believe you get a box of it when you order a Nature's Head. It comes in a brick and you soak it in water and then "fluff" it up before putting it in the toilet. It's great for a van, because it's compressed and hard and easy to store several bricks while you're on the road.
Wow! This was an awesome video. My husband and I are just starting to look into getting a travel van and I want to keep the toileting process as simple as possible. Either of these toilets would be great for off grid camping, as we have found traditional RV campsites crowded and don’t like messing with all the black water hook-ups and such. Thank you so very much for sharing your expertise!
You are so very very welcome - glad it helped. We feel the same about campground facilities - especially during a pandemic.
@@ClarityOffGrid I enjoyed your video but I have not been able to get any purchasing information about the c-head composting toilet. Do you have any contact information I can use to get additional information. TIA
Best Regards
Sylvia
@@sylviasmall7059 I just checked their website and it looks like it is down. I've always used www.c-head.com/ I've heard from other comments that they aren't getting much of a response from C-Head. You might check eBay or see if you can get a used one. This was a small company and they may not have been able to keep up with business. Good luck with your search.
i dont know why im snacking while watching this
😂😱🍗🍔
LOL You win the Comments section!
Thanks for your honesty. It's a part of life. Tiny home videos just show the toilet and move on. It was quite informative.
Glad it was helpful! It's important to know what you're getting into! Thanks for watching. I hope you also enjoy some of our other videos. Happy Holidays and a wonderful new year!
We've lived with a composting toilet for over 10 years and we like aspects of both of these toilets. Leave a comment and tell us what toilet you favor. Is it for an RV/Van or your home?
C-head it is. That Nature's Head looks way too cumbersome for me.
Sounds like you're pretty clear - that's awesome. I think you'll really like the C-Head.
Wow, you are making it SO expensive and time and effort consuming. I saw that you are dumping both solids and liquids in the same compost bin. Why are you paying for expensive store bought compost toilets, especially since the upkeep and usage is so tedious and time consuming?
Just get a couple of 5 gallon buckets and either make or buy a cover for them with a built in toilet seat. When you use the toilet, no matter WHAT you DO in it, just cover your business with an inch or two of sawdust or shavings and close the lid. When the bucket is getting full, dump it in the compost bin, and rinse it out. Easy peasy. Virtually every off grid homestead I've heard of that uses composting toilets, uses such homemade systems, with minor variations.
Why bother with expensive store bought toilets that are so complicated, and that require separating liquids and solids, just to dump them in the same place anyway? Why make something so basic into rocket science.
@@juliebaker6969 Did you watch the first part of the video?
@@juliebaker6969 I partly agree with you. I think the separator is still good as the urine is what smells. And the volume in the day is mostly liquid. But your right about cost of install is ridiculous. But when it comes to anything regarding this subject it’s stupidly expensive. People are so afraid of shit.
We use the bucket system on our off grid home in a very posh outhouse that we outfitted with a small fan vent. We do not separate the liquids from solids and use a cover material that is a blend of cedar shavings, peat moss and sometimes biochar that we make ourselves. It makes the best compost after a couple of years, and there is no smell. Yes, we have a yearly bay, then we shut it down and let it sit and compost for a couple of years (or more!), then we will switch over to another bay. We are just two people but have our adult kids and their friends visit and stay on the property as well, so emptying the bucket can be weekly. It's literally a 5 gallon bucket system that sometimes piles up when sealed and then every 3 months, I'll empty them, clean them with a little water and castile soap that goes right into the compost pile. We have had absolutely no problems, and it breaks down very nicely. Because I save up the full buckets every quarter year or so, nothing in the bucket resembles pee or poop really. Sometimes you can see white toilet paper, but we are using a new recycled paper that breaks down wonderfully. We will continue this way as it's easy and clean up is a breeze. We also get to sit on a regular toilet seat of our choice. Thanks for all that you share with us. You both are so inspiring!
Isn't it wonderful all the solutions available to us? You found a way that works for you and your family and friends. That's what counts. Your system sounds great for you. Awesome!
You two are just gorgeous.
My goodness! Thank you! 😊
Guys, have the courage to say it "don't buy the boon john" ..... I agree it needs remaking .... thanks X3 for sharing your video with us.... the world is already better with people like you and I....
I disagree. I (Kristina) really like the Boon Jon and it has it's place - I would choose it over the big composting toilets if I were single. It's much easier to empty and clean. Sadly, we've received word that the owner of C-head passed away and the company's website has been removed.
I am grateful that folks today have so many more choices in a composting toilet than I did 12 years ago. Features that work for one person may not be the answer for another.
This is an a plus video, great people...we use aspen bedding from tractor supply in our c head in northern New Mexico.... little or no odor.
That is awesome!
Thank you SO much for making one of the most useful videos on tiny living on RUclips, and a delight to watch. 💕🙏🏽🌷
You are so welcome!
I'm so glad to have found you. Your video was very thorough. I subscribed and will be looking for more off grid videos with you.
Welcome aboard! We’re glad you found us. If you haven’t found them already, there are more off grid videos and playlists on our channel page. Let us know if there’s something you’d like to know more about.
Great video! Thank you for your honesty, both in descriptions and visuals. So many people gloss over some of the icky details that are so important when thinking about switching to a compost toilet!
You are so welcome! Glad it was helpful.
I installed the C-Head in my 18 ft teardrop trailer and have been very happy with it. Awesome for extended boondocking. I did get the urine diverter that connects to the trailer's black tank.
Also, while it came with venting setup I didn't install it - and haven't missed having it. Really no smell. (Venting might be more needed in areas with high humidity?)
I think you're right about the venting. I have heard that from others. They say they installed it without the vent just to see and never needed to hook it up. Thanks for sharing!
That music! Did I stumble upon an 1980s sitcom or drama? Love it!
thanks
Hi,
I had already decided on the boon John since it doesn’t require electricity or tube through the floor for odor for the class B RV I’m planning to buy. Your video was very helpful. Thanks.
You're welcome!
Very well done. Final a video showing the whole picture unadorned. You helped me a lot getting an idea how our composting toilet is going to operate. Thank you !
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks so much. Acquired a composting toilet inadverently when I bought a house with a barn and there it was. Now visitors are coming and I decided to kick it into action, but where to start? This has been a great help. Thanks again!
We are really glad you put it to good use and that we could help.
Thank you for giving us the real life experiences from both styles of composting toilet. i am getting ready to start my skoolie conversion so this is the important "real talk" i need to make sure i make a well informed decision. The video quality is great and your home and land is absolutely stunning.
Thank you so much!
A skoolie! How cool! Honored our video could be of service.
Good luck with what sounds like an awesome project.
I've had the Boon Jon for 4 years now. Live full-time in an RV with 2 people. We love it, I would never go back to a black tank. The secret I have found for odors is to hook up a small .01 amp DC fan and not only does it stop odors from the bucket it stops odors while using it. Instead of an exhaust fan sucking the air out into the room this fan sucks air directly out of the Boon Jon. I also went back to using the milk jugs for urine.
Yup. That's how it's set up out new van.
thank you for being detailed and informative for those of us who need that. other ppl are too scared an awkward to go as in depth as you
You are welcome.
first time I realized how much I appreciate toilet in normal homes. but I extremely appreciate your video. thanks, love your ideas
Thanks! Hope it was helpful.
We have a Nature's Head in our trailer and water flush toilets in our house. I actually prefer the Nature's Head and go out to the trailer sometimes,
(as long as we're being so detailed...) because it doesn't have the splashback problem that water flush toilets can have!
I absolutely love you two. I appreciate that you shared your experiences honestly too. My husband and I can't wait until we have a property in the mountains of Colorado. It is my home state and I really miss it there.
Thank you so much! I hope you can return too. My family has old roots in Durango. I spent 25 years away and I am so glad to be back in the mountains. Good luck to you!
Slo-mo glamour shots of a shitter. You gotta love it. Thumbs up!
Just trying to keep things light. Glad you liked it.
Thank you for your wisdom! Haven’t started travelling yet, but I’m doing all the research right now. Great job on visuals, humour and clear explanations!
We’re so glad it was helpful.
hi this is my first time watching. very interesting and informative video. I live full-time in a large van and have designed what I think is a better toilet. I call it a dry toilet as it does not compost in the time it is in the van. I use a diverting system with a jug catcher, however I use Stainless steel for the urine bowl and drain pipe which eliminates the oder. I also position the bowl ( a flat bottom 6 or 8" dog dish with a 1 1/4" bar sink drain and pipe) slightly over the bucket using a 3 gal size bucket rather than a 5 gal. the bowl is attached similar to the C head. with this setup, one (male or female) just has to sit no more finding that sweet spot, which makes peeing while 1/2 asleep a no brainer. my system also uses either a round or an elongated standard toilet seat of your choice , mine is padded. to clean just lift the hinged ( on the side) lid and remove the bag from the bucket and dispose in a dumpster. for the rare chance of urine over fill I use puppy pads under the jug and bucket. the medium I use after of years of experience is coconut couir and hamster shavings, I also have a separate waste bin for the paper. I can keep and use my unvented toilet in the van for two weeks. just long enough for the 14 day limit on most BLM sites, without oder. I have a video of my build on my channel (traveling with the Gramkracker) and also detailed building plans for the asking. with the cost of lumber at this time the materials for the compleat toilet are about $200.
thanks again for your information.
Gramkracker.
👍
Send this video to the manufacturers for sure!
thanks
Oh Goddess the Sun-Mar compost toilets have ruined it for everyone! They are truly horrible!!!! Thanks for this reminder...
You are so right! Thank the Goddess for new designs!
I debated for years on which on of these 2 I wanted and decided on a C-Head mostly because of the simplicity and the 5 gallon bucket and 1 gallon milk jug which can be replaced easily . I bought mine for my off grid tiny house I am building later this year (hopefully). Thanks for the honest truth on both. It is hard to find real experience videos on this subject.
Glad we could help.
Nicely done and informative. Who know poop would get this complicated? Everyone should have this basic knowledge and the how's. why's and where's of pooping.
Thanks I'm glad you found it informative. I agree!
Good, straight talk video about the poop problem on and off grid. I have always wanted to know this stuff and people never really talk about it. Thank you so much for you openness, tact and honesty. Great job!
You are very welcome.
Thank you for the information. Now i could decide which one i want for my tiny house. Great reviews!
Glad it was helpful!
Wonderful information, just the kind of discussion needed to make our decision. Thanks!
We're so glad that it helped.
Great information, thank you. Kristina, your face when Matt was talking about the odor is priceless haha! We're still debating on what we're going to put in ours. We definitely want something, Nature's Head is in the discussion, but we've also seen quite a few videos where people build their own composting version. We'll see what happens when we get to that point!
You are so welcome! Good luck - let us know if you have any questions as you figure that out.
Great video! Living in a van and want to go the compost route. Size of Boon John seems to be better for my needs.
Good choice! Let us know how it goes.
Great video
Thank you for being thorough and completely honest about the process of each toilet
I am going in that direction and this is very helpful
Yeah! Glad it was helpful.
Subscribed! Thank you.🙏🏼💕
You are very welcome. Welcome to Clarity Off-Grid. We look forward to hearing more from you. ❤️
Thank you for the straight facts. This was very helpful! You presented this info so well that I’m not embarrassed at all. Good job! I’ve subbed.
Glad it helped.
I LOVE YOUR BEAUTIFUL INTRO!!!! SOOOOO ELEGANT!!!! Love the video! Thx!
Glad you liked it!
I was wondering which to buy, and I found your video...perfect
Glad I could help!
the music! excellent job on your video, folks.
Thank you kindly!
We have a c-head and love it but to much urin goes into the compost when I use it so at night I use a bucket with a toilet seat and just pour it into the urine diverted. After I empty the gallon jug I rinse it out with water then put in a little vinegar which prevents the scale buildup
Great tips! Thank you!!!
This was definitely the most helpful composting toilet review and instructional that I've seen to date. Thank you! We are just building our rig.
Awesome. Glad we could help. Good luck with your build. Did you find our van build series yet?
To help keep scale from building in a pipe from your urine diverting toilet, after every few uses, spray a white vinegar water mix into the diverter.
Yup - good tip. We did that. I think our issue stemmed from not having a straight plumbing run - there were some elbows where crud could build up.
I was looking into building a skoolie for my first home but decided to save a little more and just build a small shop house. I'm still going to use a lot of the same appliances and amenities you would find in a skoolie though. it will save me thousands up front and thousands more on utilities
Awesome. Good luck with your project
Thank you SO much for doing this video, as I am now planning on moving off grid either this fall or the coming spring and this was SO informative.
Congrats on moving off-grid! Have you found our other off-grid home videos. Here's a playlist that may help you - ruclips.net/p/PLFWHEDkCWKfSW9xf2nCDtUzov8V968K7Y Let us know if you need any further info that may guide you. Oh - here's our website - www.sustainablehomeresource.com/