Hi all - just want to say that we've had a number of comments telling us how non-sustainable peat moss is, so we're no longer using that or recommending it. We are now using wood shavings from the pet store, and they're working great!
I've seen some comments on other diy toilets that say the compressed pine pellets that people use for kitty-litter work very well. Very absorbent, and you get 20 lbs for $8 or so. I don't have any personal experience yet - still planning to build a diy composting toilet.
Best to use is cedar chips after a sprinkle of barn lime. Think large onion flake container from Wally World! No odor, kills nasties. Nice design by the way!
RUclipsrs like you made my van build possible, thanks. I built a similar compost toilet but added a 5 gallon undermount tank for #1, attached a 12v solenoid valve--by the switch of a button I can drain #1 safely in city drainage. Again, thanks to people like you for the wonderful content.
I’ve seen a video showing how to clean a nature’s head, how to empty it, also. You have to carry it outside and be rather strong to lift, shake, wash, etc. That process is not something I’m interested in. I love your system!
l don't use a fan, haven't had a smell issue using peat moss. After deposit, and peat moss has been added I have found some benefit to adding a little water to the mix. This will expand the peat moss, thereby assisting the composting process, and enabling a better covering of the deposit. If you do get smells this is a sure indication you have not added enough cover material. I also use compostable bags as my content will go into a larger compost system. I will tip the contents out of the bag & then leave the empty bag in the same larger compost system. This is way better than the horrible smelly chemical systems often found standard in RV-type solutions.
What surprises me is: no one thinks to put a seal strip around the top of the enclosure. OK in this case you'd need a small handle or routered groove to lift this lid but - to me it makes sence. Also, you can get 30mm computer fans so less noise, space needed and even lower power draw
Hi Graham - We've seen no need for a seal strip, but I guess it's a good idea for anyone wanting to add it. Also, our fan is quite quiet, especially when the lid is closed. However, if you did want it even quieter than this, well then sure, a smaller quieter fan might be a good idea. Thanks for watching and thanks for the comment!
Thats a very neat,well thought out system! Well done. I have a suggestion for controlling smell from the urine bottles- in case you dont already know. Sodium percarbonate is great for this! It's inexpensive and works extremely well. Supermarkets sell it -usually as a soaking bleach.(Check the label) However if you want to use the urine as fertilizer, use peroxide instead.It's more expensive but it degrades to water, while sodium percarbonate leaves sodium in the mix.Thus it's not good for the soil
I'm curious if the urine smell comes out of the bottle at all since the little nub just fits straight down into the bottle? I'm new this and am super intrigued. Yours is the best video yet I've seen! Thank you!
We’re in the middle of building our DIY toilet now. We’re building ours into a couch … we’ve basically created 2 boxes like yours and put them together. One side will be toilet, the other side will be storage. We found a diverter that’s made in the USA so it was able to ship quickly. Here’s hoping we’re able to line everything up right! Thanks for all the great tips and ideas for building! Thanks for giving an honest update.
This is the best set up I've seen yet, thanks! Also, THANK YOU for not videoing yourself sitting bare-assed on the toilet. It seems to be a strange compulsion of many vanlifers. eep
@@TimAndShannonLTD an indelicate question for you: Nature's Head has what one vanlifer called a "poo stirrer" which helps break down the solids. I'd imagine it's also nicer to see compost down the hole instead of waste. Have you found the lack of one to be a drawback with this design?
@@annecape1577 from what I've seen, you need to cover your poo with peat or it'll stink a bit (without a stirring). Otherwise, composting isn't happening in the time span of a month or 3. The "compost" is simply there to suck out the moisture.
I have watched a LOT of compostable toilet videos. This is by far the best and most detailed! I am now a subscriber! My husband and I gutted and remodeled a camper. Now we are getting everything set up for off grid. Starting with the compostable toilet. I will be using the plan provided here for sure. 😊
As a future van lifer and researching all possibilities I’ve subscribed on this video alone. Weather I do or don’t go down the composting toilet route, this is an excellent video. Thanks
Don't take the full bottle out, just cap it tight and slide it over. Then put the empty one in place. By the way, this is THE BEST design I have seen so far, and I've seen a lot of different types. Create Wonder is good too.
Tim & Shannon, I don't like this video, I LOVE IT !!! SO well done, to the both of you. Thank you for sharing this video. I am not a carpenter, but I will try to build my own composting toilet. Your presentation was flawless. 👍👍
Thank you Brown Bunny! So glad you enjoyed it and that it inspires you to build one yourself! We are almost done with the plans for this thing and they will be on our website this week in case that's of interest.
Hi Paul - We usually go about a week between swapping out. This can vary depending on how much wood shaving material is used on each use. Thanks for the comment!
Hi there, thank you for sharing! My partner Kate and I just bought a 2016 Ford Transit Passenger Van that we are building out and are super excited about! I want to know if you are still happy with your DIY toilet? We are trying to save some money and this looks like a great alternative compared to spending $1000.00 on one. We would love if you could share your thoughts with us. Thank you, Melissa and Kate
Hi Melissa - YES, we are super happy with this. Saved a lot of money and Shannon has the pride of being able to say she built it herself. Absolutely no regrets. We have free plans for it too on our website.
JUST what I was looking for! Those link are super helpful! I'm doing one using a separett toilet with the included lid, also a 5 gallon bucket I'll be using. Those hydraulic struts, do the lift automatically with a bit of pressure upwards?
@@TimAndShannonLTD Inspired all over again by re-watching this. Yes, the struts! Were those hard to install properly? I'm likely going to be making a setup super similar.
Thank you for the video! I have a question: the fun is probably working great wih the solids, but how can the smell don't cames up from the urine tank? Thank you
Thanks for the comment! Yeah odor has really not been an issue for us most of the time. If there's an odor, it's because we're overdue for emptying the bucket.
This is the only design online that makes sense. Please confirm weight ~40 lbs; I will put handles on and drag it out from under a bench each use. Could save weight mixing in 3/8", but looks like sides and inside structural 5x8" pieces consume much of the plywood sheet. The seat strut is brilliant. Thanks! ps did you consider a single two gallon jug and hose? One feature I'm interested in a one-way "valve" -- actually just a thin, funnel shaped balloon thing that allows pee to pass and then close up; see Trelino. Can't find such an animal. Thanks!
Hi there. We can’t really confirm the weight. It’s attached to the wall and floor. Yes you could save some weight by using 3/8 ply in places though. And no, the 2 separate 1-gallon jugs work really well for us so we haven’t considered other options.
@@TimAndShannonLTD I'm going to retrofit your design without side storage and possibly with rear storage. Design decision is whether to use full 2x2 frame to support the seat. Since sides are higher than seat, and I'd no longer have storage partition to support side of seat; I'd need a third seat support in addition to pieces 20 & 21. The frame would support seat and add strength at the expense of weight, perhaps offset by less beefy plywood. Goddess help me. Thx again.
Do you find the raised right side panel -- the one at your left thigh -- uncomfortable at all? If so I'll try to figure out how to alter the lid such that it can rest flat on the seat edge when closed, not on the raised side panel, maybe by tacking trim panels on the lid sides. Worth the trouble? No problem too small to analyze to death.
Well made, good job. I'm wondering why the toilet paper doesn't go in, as it's completely compostable with your waste and may even assist in speeding up the composting process. ?
Hi Thomas - thanks for your comment, and funny you should ask about dimensions as we are in the process of making downloadable plans for this. They should be ready within a week and I'll leave another comment here with a link.
Most informative and instructional video I've seen on building a diy composting toilet, Thanks. I'm planning on buying biodegradable wipes, toilet paper and bags, so I can dig a whole and bury it all if I have to as well. Thanks, great job! ALOHA
Well my head is finished in no small part thanks to your advice -- it's the first thing I've build since constructing a sconce ca. 1978. I departed from your design and created some unexpected problems. Characteristically overthinking it, I was concerned with sides higher than the seat that my ample thighs would be constricted, if not wedged between the sides -- I did not include the side storage area. My design has both front and sides at seat height, with seat platform resting on side panels -- no need for seat side or hinge supports -- and lid with spacers resting on seat. This introduced some trouble; e.g. I cut the seat platform too narrow and had to use a toddler's/marine seat so the lid would close. In hindsight a small seat is a good choice for a van where space and portability is a premium. The biggest disappointment is weight: with just 1/2" ply, no lumber and no side storage area it still weighs in at nearly 30 lbs. Next time I'll use expensive ultralight birch. I found the coolest diverter on Etsy, 3D printed in high gloss gold. Its funnel closes perfectly into a milk jug. Wish I knew how to link a picture. Thanks again!
I'm glad we were able to inspire you to not only build your own, and that you were able to make it your own as well. Hope it works out well for you! Thanks for the comment!
@@TimAndShannonLTD More than inspiration; without your plans I'd have had no shot! FYI it appears they finally make 1.2 mil biodegradable bags for like a dime apiece. Consider linking if appropriate. Thx again and Mxm. PS one downside of my design is there's no room for lid strut, but I did make an 11th hour decision to add the seat strut -- it's on order.
Are you throwing the waste in the garbage? It isn't composting if you are. If you use compostable bags, at least it wouldn't be sitting in a landfill forever. Nice job building it and good video.
Wondering where you dump the bag once it’s full? Throwing out plastic bags doesn’t seem environmentally friendly...maybe there are compostable bags available?
Yes, compostable bags - as soon as we run out of these last few re-used plastic grocery bags, that's what we're doing next. We've already made the switch from peat moss to wood shavings, and we're happier with them.
We probably can't do a video of that anytime soon, but you can get free plans at this link that shows how to build one yourself: timshannonltd.com/free-plans-for-build-your-own-composting-toilet/
Thank you for sharing your great design ideas. Did you have any problems receiving the urine diverter from the UK ? Are there advantages to using a #2 bucket rather than #5 ?
No problems receiving the diverter - it just took a little longer to ship is all. And do you mean 2 gallon bucket vs. 5 gallon? 2 gallon fits under there - a 5 gallon bucket would need a much higher for it to fit under.
@@TimAndShannonLTD we get ours at Walmart, but you might find it at a pet store? We also buy resolve urine destroyer and put 4-5 squirts in the bottle when it is empty. We also water it down a lot and use it to "flush". It makes emptying the pee bottle less smelly. We have no fan for our toilet and it does well on this system. I know some people use coconut coir and like it.
@@jenlinds1 no, 'composting' is really a misnomer, they are more collection vessels. We bag and bin on the road when the container is full. If we are at home we have a trash can in the garden to dump in when we get back
No cranking required on this one - we don't mix it up at all. We pull the bag and dump it just like dog owners dump their dogs' waste in a park - just find and outdoor garbage can somewhere and toss it in. We do this about once a week or so.
I'm just about to start my van build, and I'm looking at what components to put into the build. Currently researching the toilets. Thanks for this video, it's very useful. I'm quite shocked at how many people use plastic bags, though. Surely, that's a really unsuitable way of having a functioning toilet? Or, are you using biodegradable bags?
We’re getting down to the last of our plastic bags (re-used grocery bags) and then yes, biodegradable bags after these are gone. We’ve already made the switch from peat moss to wood shavings due to several eye-opening comments here, and the wood shavings actually work much better!
Hey Tim and Shannon. Thanks to your amazing instructions we just got out diy composting toilet up and running. Still trying to find the right bottles as our diverter is a little different but other thank that we are good to go. We ended up using the same fan you did, and was surprised it was a little louder than expecting. Did you find that to be the case? I was thinking about installing a switch so it didn't have to be constantly running
Wow ours is nice and quiet - almost silent... I don't know why yours would be loud? Glad the instructions helped out! And BTW we're using wood shavings now (pet bedding) instead of peat moss. More sustainable so we hear. Good luck with your build!
I just found your channel with this video and like what I see. Question: where did you find the back reducer and pipe? I am having a difficult time locating at Lowe's or HD.
Hi Bill - Thanks for your comment and we're glad you like it! We found our reducer at Hardware Sales in Bellingham, WA. I don't know how to link to it, but we did put an Amazon link on our blog post about this - you could find it there: timshannonltd.com/liquids-and-solids/ And the pipe is just standard PVC pipe (I think it's schedule 40, but not sure on that. Get the reducer first and then you should be able to easily find the pipe to fit it)
This is great! Thank you so much for creating this! I'm thinking of doing something similar but no fan. I'm curious, where do you dump your bags when on the road? I'm afraid that mixing plastic with compostable material will make it hard for me to actually compost the waste. Hitting the road in April. Any thoughts?
We're working our way toward compostable bags and they just go in a trash can. Are you sure you don't want the fan? (we can tell pretty quickly when ours gets turned off by mistake). Glad you liked the video and plans and good luck with your build!
Great video. Sorry to be asking this but has poop ever ended up in the urine bottle by accident? BTW we use a similar idea but not built-in to our van yet; using a porta potti for #1 only and a separate bucket for #2. I think another reason you're not getting odors is the tight fit of the wood cabinet top. The thing people don't realize about the Nature's head is how difficult it can be to empty and how heavy it is ...with your system everything ends up in the bag already. I kind of wish we could get ours down to one appliance but am still concerned about the smell in a small space and my nose is really sensitive to odors... Our #2 bucket is outdoors most of the time since we're 100% boondocking usually.
So far never had poop end up in the urine bucket and don't think we ever will. However, sometimes a small bit of urine gets in the poop bucket, but not really enough to cause problems. And you're right - it is pretty much odor free when the lid is closed, but just like any bathroom in a house, when you're using it, of course there is some odor. We attribute that to the vent fan running 24/7. Thanks for the comment!
There's probably a way you could do that. On one side or the other depending on your van layout. Just make sure it's not in the way of the opening lid. Good luck with your build.
Question: why not just use the bucket without the bag? Is it for ease of clean up or some other reason I’m not thinking of? Also, if I weren’t to use a plastic bag, can you dump the solids waste into a vault toilet without doing any damage to the vault toilet? Anybody have experience with that?
Hi, so I was wondering when you poop, do you put the toilet paper in that same bucket? Also, would you recommend the Pete moss or coconut core added with cat litter or would just one of them be sufficient?
Hi Sandy - used toilet paper goes in the bag in the storage bin. It's not good to add paper to the compost. So we have a resealable zip lock plastic bag for that. And the peat moss works great by itself - we have no experience so far with the other things. EDIT: We are no longer using Peat Moss as of November 2020. It's not a sustainable product. We now use wood shavings.
Saw dust should work well! There’s pine pellets which is pressed saw dust into pellet form (farm supply or pet store or target, walmart, amazon.) I used them for litter for my Sphynx (sensitive skin) & will use them for my composting toilet. They’re supper convenient to use & to find in stores.
@@jenlinds1 you don't want saw dust, you want shavings, it covers better. We do use a handful of pellets in the very bottom of our bin to catch stray liquids but find the aspen pet bedding shavings at walmart work very well for each individual deposit.
Thank you for the information! Do you use it full time or just for emergencies? And in if full time, how often to you have to put a new bag in? Will hopefully be building my own soon! I will be living full time in my van and I’m a little apprehensive!
We use it pretty much full time. However, whenever we have an easy opportunity to use a public restroom we do try to take advantage of that. With 2 of us, we pretty much have to empty the 2 liquid jugs once a day (we keep hydrated by drinking lots of water), and the solids bucket we can make it about a week or so between emptying.
@@TimAndShannonLTD If your weather gets hotter over there, be cautious when drinking lots of water, you can wash the salts out of your body. It happened twice that I know of from friends last summer North East Australia. this information may not be on many Northern Hemisphere sites. You can become very disorientated and lose memory function etc.
Dennis Bauer @Tim&Shannon To continue with this, try to get your water from fruits & veggies. I don’t drink water unless it’s incredibly hot or I’m exercising strenuously (though I’m plant-based.) Eating water is to hydrate. Drinking water is to flush the system/detox the body. Fruits are optimal for this! Love the video & project :)Pls try to compost your waste to fully utilize the concept of this system!
We actually have 4 urine jugs now and yes it’s a good idea to have extra caps. Antifreeze jugs have the same cap so if you see an empty one at a gas station or auto parts store garbage can, grab the cap off of it.
Do you think you would need to empty this kind of composting toilet more vs one that has a circulator that's mixes the compost? I think that's the only thing that almost makes me want to spend $1k but still that's not worth it.
Good question Zack, and sorry I don't really know the answer. But I'm guessing you may have to empty the circulating one MORE often because it might require more material to cover your "deposit" to keep odor down? So - more material means it would fill up faster? But really, IDK...
Same thing people do with their cat's litter box waste. Or their dog when walking in the park with those little poop bags. We find a garbage can and toss it in.
Garbage can dumping isn't composting, more of a stink bomb in a bag. It should go to the earth to compost. I use a 5 gal. bucket at camp with sawdust & soil letting a 3/4 full pail sit for a year then dump out composted soil. I would be worried about bumps in the road splashing urine out of the bottle & smell! I have everything go in the same bucket when#2 use. I also use a lid on the bucket. Any improvements appreciated.enjoy your travels.
Hi Richard, yes you're right and in a perfect world, we'd be leaving ours out for 9 months as well, but in our mobile van life, that just doesn't work. We have never had a problem however, with urine splashing out from a rough road (it's overflowed a few times because we didn't realize the jug was full 😮) but other than that, this system has worked very well for us - 3+ Years and counting. Thanks for the comment!🙂
Nice design, but doesn't using non-compostable plastic bags sorta defeat the purpose of having a composting toilet? lol... I know those bags eventually break down, but there are plant based bags you can get pretty cheap as well... In California we have to pay 10 cents each for one of those bags at the grocery store. Per bag, the legit compostable ones are half that on amazon and elsewhere. I saw your pinned comment about using wood shavings instead of peat... I've been wondering about peat, I've never tried it. I get the giant "bale" of "super fine" wood shavings from Tractor Supply and small mom & pop feed stores for around $5. Those bales last me about 3 months.
We agree 100% with you about the plastic bags. Right now we're still working through a backlog of collected bags that various family members have given us after their grocery stores would not let them re-use their own bags because of covid. Once we get through these we will be picking up some compostable bags instead. And YAY! we're not the only ones who bought that huge bale at Tractor Supply. And we just passed the 3 month mark with ours a few weeks ago! Super good deal. Thanks for the comment!
Yes, it's a Dometic CFX 65. Up off the floor where we can reach it more easily. You can see a little more about it here: ruclips.net/video/zqGbRBlGqqI/видео.html if you're interested. Thanks for commenting!
Well both units are enclosed. We don't use them both at the same time. We wash our hands. We don't see it as a sanitary problem at all. But we appreciate your comment - thanks!
But the wood surface cant be sanitized, should it not be painted with enamel? or have some kind of treated surface so its washable? wood absorbs everything if you have the regular flu it would stay in the wood like it does a sponge. I don't think that's very safe from bacteria either.
You are correct - that's why we put 3 coats of sealer on all surfaces of the wood. You could use enamel if you prefer. We just wanted to stress in the video that you want to make sure the wood is sealed really well so it won't soak up odors or worse if you overflow by accident. (certainly would not want the wood to soak up urine).
Also excellent job on the plans. They are beautiful. Even including a cut sheet. Very nice. The one thing I might add is plumbing a second "air in" vent so pressure is always balanced when driving or running the ceiling fan.
Almost got my build complete. I wish I'd bought the same separator (Compoost) as it has the nice strainer and ready for hose. Mine (from Strumpet) just has oversized fiberglass bit that won't fit in any 1 gallon bottle top. I'm trying to find what I could use as a flange/strainer to get me to a 3/4" barb fitting. Thinking perhaps a thru hull drain flange might work.
That's a great idea and would be a great addition - we have to always be aware of where the air is coming from when we have our ceiling fan blowing out because of that. Don't want to fill the living space with the smell of the toilet. Usually we just open a window or 2 or have the other ceiling fan blowing in. But it would be nice not to have to think about it all the time. Thanks for the suggestion!
Those plastic bags are bad. They don't decompose, they can defragment and leave tiny pieces of plastic in the environment. Or go to landfill. Unstead, use compostable bags. A roll of bags, I think, would last me for years.
We're actually not using Peat Moss anymore - We use wood shavings from a pet store, like you'd put in a rabbit cage. Plastic bags are only reused bags that would have been thrown away anyway. Yes, it's not perfect but it works for us.
@@TimAndShannonLTD I'm so sorry. I wrote my stupid comment before I saw your reply to all the other people, saying you'd changed what you do. I apologised in that thread and I'm sorry you had to waste time repeating yourself. I'm about to convert a horsebox and your vid actually inspired me to design and make a home made compost toilet, so many thanks. And once again, many apologies. I've learned a valuable lesson today, about reading other comments before I wade in x
Well thanks and no worries. And you’re right too - it’s not perfect. But then what is there really that we humans can do that won’t have a negative impact somewhere? We do our best...
JESUS, people!! 🤦🏻♀️ WHEN will people quit using PLASTIC bags in these, and start using COMPOSTABLE BAGS?! 😟 😤 I don't get it. I simply don't get it. And HOW do so many people fool themselves into believing that they are legitimately using a •composting• toilet, when they put their waste into a plastic bag and then throw it in the landfill or wherever?? That will never compost! Snd it's disgusting. And irresponsible. Please just buy compostable bags. Please??
the ones I'm aware of, are. and they can start breaking down within a couple months of usage! In any case, they're much better than plastic ones! They're much more likely to break down then the plastic! That much is obvious.
Thanks for your comment Aureas - And yeah - we hate plastic too. It's clogging our oceans and killing wildlife and the plastic industry just keeps on churning it out - I think they should be responsible for dealing with the mess it's created. With that in mind, the plastic bags we DO use are ALWAYS reused bags that would otherwise be thrown away (or if in an area where we can, we recycle them). We never buy plastic garbage bags. We've heard horror stories from people about compostable bags decomposing in the trash can and making a huge mess when you go to lift them out to throw them away. Don't know if that's true or not, but so far we've not wanted to try it with this particular usage of them. Maybe we'll try it when we have the courage.
We tried compostable bags early on. They are expensive but we sucked it up. They sucked. They were just too fragile. Also our experience with compostable plastic (I threw some supposedly compostable plastic forks into our backyard bin) was that they didn't decompose, even after years in an aging pile. This article says that you need industrial composting techniques. When we are on the road we have a hard time even finding recycling bins often, there is no way our trash is going into an industrial composter. www.bbc.com/future/article/20191030-why-biodegradables-wont-solve-the-plastic-crisis
@@TimAndShannonLTD Does the peat moss reduce the bad smell? How long does it take for the composting process to be at a phase that you can throw in a dumpster without really dumping human feces in the garbage?
People put baby diapers in the garbage all the time. It’ll be nice when they switch their system to full composting though 👍 Even with reusing plastic bags, it wastes the organic matter & cannot then recycle the bags since no longer clean.
![I.N "HALLUCINATION" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/n5B5q1Hwt_U/mqdefault.jpg)
Hi all - just want to say that we've had a number of comments telling us how non-sustainable peat moss is, so we're no longer using that or recommending it. We are now using wood shavings from the pet store, and they're working great!
have you tried coco coir?
I've seen some comments on other diy toilets that say the compressed pine pellets that people use for kitty-litter work very well. Very absorbent, and you get 20 lbs for $8 or so. I don't have any personal experience yet - still planning to build a diy composting toilet.
Best to use is cedar chips after a sprinkle of barn lime. Think large onion flake container from Wally World! No odor, kills nasties. Nice design by the way!
Perhaps a biodegradable bag instead of plastic grocery bags too. Very helpful vid though thanks
Brilliant. Please totally ignore my comment. I made it before I read this, and I apologise x
RUclipsrs like you made my van build possible, thanks. I built a similar compost toilet but added a 5 gallon undermount tank for #1, attached a 12v solenoid valve--by the switch of a button I can drain #1 safely in city drainage. Again, thanks to people like you for the wonderful content.
Thanks for the feedback! It's so good to know we're giving back to the community we love so much!
What is city drainage?
I’ve seen a video showing how to clean a nature’s head, how to empty it, also. You have to carry it outside and be rather strong to lift, shake, wash, etc. That process is not something I’m interested in. I love your system!
Hi Sheri! We love it too! 3 years and still going strong. Glad you like it and thanks for the comment!!
Thanks for the plan! I already feel relieved!
You're so welcome!
We see what you did there.
l don't use a fan, haven't had a smell issue using peat moss. After deposit, and peat moss has been added I have found some benefit to adding a little water to the mix. This will expand the peat moss, thereby assisting the composting process, and enabling a better covering of the deposit. If you do get smells this is a sure indication you have not added enough cover material. I also use compostable bags as my content will go into a larger compost system. I will tip the contents out of the bag & then leave the empty bag in the same larger compost system. This is way better than the horrible smelly chemical systems often found standard in RV-type solutions.
Good ideas - thanks for sharing!
By far the best video and build of a composting toilet I’ve seen. Well done.
Thank you Stella! 3-1/2 years later and we’re still loving it!
What surprises me is: no one thinks to put a seal strip around the top of the enclosure. OK in this case you'd need a small handle or routered groove to lift this lid but - to me it makes sence.
Also, you can get 30mm computer fans so less noise, space needed and even lower power draw
Hi Graham - We've seen no need for a seal strip, but I guess it's a good idea for anyone wanting to add it. Also, our fan is quite quiet, especially when the lid is closed. However, if you did want it even quieter than this, well then sure, a smaller quieter fan might be a good idea. Thanks for watching and thanks for the comment!
you really want the deposit to dry out, that is the key to no smell so you want some air flow
thank you for posting those free plans. it will save a lot of time. if we ever meet on the road, i''l treat you to a beer!
Sounds good!
I think you have outdone yourself great project better than the 1000 dollar comercial made toilets excellent job thanks.
Thanks Eric. Glad you liked it. Thanks for the comment!
Thats a very neat,well thought out system! Well done.
I have a suggestion for controlling smell from the urine bottles- in case you dont already know.
Sodium percarbonate is great for this! It's inexpensive and works extremely well. Supermarkets sell it -usually as a soaking bleach.(Check the label)
However if you want to use the urine as fertilizer, use peroxide instead.It's more expensive but it degrades to water, while sodium percarbonate leaves sodium in the mix.Thus it's not good for the soil
Thanks for the info!
I’ve used apples cider vinegar too. It’s done well thus far!
I'm curious if the urine smell comes out of the bottle at all since the little nub just fits straight down into the bottle? I'm new this and am super intrigued. Yours is the best video yet I've seen! Thank you!
This is the best most straight forward one I’ve seen! Great work, new subscriber
Glad to hear it - thanks and good luck on your build!
We’re in the middle of building our DIY toilet now. We’re building ours into a couch … we’ve basically created 2 boxes like yours and put them together. One side will be toilet, the other side will be storage. We found a diverter that’s made in the USA so it was able to ship quickly. Here’s hoping we’re able to line everything up right! Thanks for all the great tips and ideas for building! Thanks for giving an honest update.
You’re welcome and thanks for the comment! Glad this was helpful. Be sure and seal the wood really well and enjoy your build!
Super!
Thank you very much!
Nice job!
Thanks!
Excellent. I’m going to do the same! 😁
Go for it and good luck with your build!
This is the best set up I've seen yet, thanks! Also, THANK YOU for not videoing yourself sitting bare-assed on the toilet. It seems to be a strange compulsion of many vanlifers. eep
Glad it was helpful! And yeah, we don't need people seeing us bare-assed LOL!
@@TimAndShannonLTD an indelicate question for you: Nature's Head has what one vanlifer called a "poo stirrer" which helps break down the solids. I'd imagine it's also nicer to see compost down the hole instead of waste. Have you found the lack of one to be a drawback with this design?
@@annecape1577 from what I've seen, you need to cover your poo with peat or it'll stink a bit (without a stirring).
Otherwise, composting isn't happening in the time span of a month or 3.
The "compost" is simply there to suck out the moisture.
Really nicely done!
Thank you!
I have watched a LOT of compostable toilet videos. This is by far the best and most detailed! I am now a subscriber! My husband and I gutted and remodeled a camper. Now we are getting everything set up for off grid. Starting with the compostable toilet. I will be using the plan provided here for sure. 😊
Welcome aboard Kayla! Glad that was helpful and so good to hear your review - Thanks for the comment!
Very good design, very good!
Thanks!
this is terrific, I really am quite impressed...
Thanks!
Excellent video.👍👍👍👍👍👍👍
Thank you 👍 James! So glad you enjoyed it!
As a future van lifer and researching all possibilities I’ve subscribed on this video alone. Weather I do or don’t go down the composting toilet route, this is an excellent video. Thanks
Welcome aboard and thanks for the sub! So glad you liked our video!
Very well made. Love the gas struts that hold the hinged panels. Excellent work!
Thank you very much! Glad you liked it!
Don't take the full bottle out, just cap it tight and slide it over. Then put the empty one in place.
By the way, this is THE BEST design I have seen so far, and I've seen a lot of different types. Create Wonder is good too.
Thank you, yeah we love it. And Create Wondr (aka Vanessa and Adam) was our inspiration for this!
I really like this design. I am going to make something similar for my camper van. Thank you.
Glad you like it - Thanks for the comment and enjoy your build!!
Great video
Thanks - glad you liked it!
I am impressed
And we are so happy to hear that - thanks for the comment!
Tim & Shannon, I don't like this video, I LOVE IT !!! SO well done, to the both of you. Thank you for sharing this video. I am not a carpenter, but I will try to build my own composting toilet. Your presentation was flawless. 👍👍
Thank you Brown Bunny! So glad you enjoyed it and that it inspires you to build one yourself! We are almost done with the plans for this thing and they will be on our website this week in case that's of interest.
Great video, thank you. I'm just starting my conversion and wasn't sure about a composting loo - I'm definitely going to follow your design. Love it.
Awesome! Good luck with your conversion!
The computer fan is a smart idea!
Thank you!
Thanks for sharing
You’re welcome - glad you enjoyed it. Thanks for the comment!
Are these plans accommodating for a 5 gal bucket if built to the specs provided?
Glad you asked and NO this is designed for a 2-1/2 gallon bucket.
1:05 first view box 3:60 shows parts 6:04 shows bag info thanks much
Okay thanks
Thanks so much for posting this! I'm soon to be 76, and working on plans for my conversion van. This was very helpful!
Awesome! Glad it was helpful and good luck with your build!
Why was telling us your age necessary?
Approximately on average how many days of use before swapping out the bag? Nice video, thank you.
Hi Paul - We usually go about a week between swapping out. This can vary depending on how much wood shaving material is used on each use. Thanks for the comment!
Hi there, thank you for sharing! My partner Kate and I just bought a 2016 Ford Transit Passenger Van that we are building out and are super excited about! I want to know if you are still happy with your DIY toilet? We are trying to save some money and this looks like a great alternative compared to spending $1000.00 on one. We would love if you could share your thoughts with us. Thank you, Melissa and Kate
Hi Melissa - YES, we are super happy with this. Saved a lot of money and Shannon has the pride of being able to say she built it herself. Absolutely no regrets. We have free plans for it too on our website.
@@TimAndShannonLTD Hi Tim, thank you so much for your reply! And way to go Shannon on the build!! Have fun out there!
Where do you purchase the fiberglass diverted that you sit on . Thank you
Hi Daniel. We got the diverter on EBay. It’s linked in the description. Toilet seat is just a standard wooden one from a hardware store.
Ha! Well that’s pretty awesome! $1000 for one sounds expensive! This appears to be a very valid option. Thanks for sharing!
You bet - thanks for the comment!
This was the best video thanks you so very much
So glad you enjoyed it - Thanks for the comment!
How do you operate the fan, please? Is it on a timer, running continuously or switched on/off when the toilet is used? Many thanks :)
Hi WB, we have an on/off switch for it but it pretty much runs continuously.
Wonderfull
Thanks Noah!
JUST what I was looking for! Those link are super helpful! I'm doing one using a separett toilet with the included lid, also a 5 gallon bucket I'll be using. Those hydraulic struts, do the lift automatically with a bit of pressure upwards?
Yes the struts do help raise as well as hold up the lid.
@@TimAndShannonLTD Inspired all over again by re-watching this. Yes, the struts! Were those hard to install properly? I'm likely going to be making a setup super similar.
Nice work!
Thank you! Cheers!
such great ideas!
Thank you - glad you like them!! 😊
i remember when they started getting rid of out houses, all the old plumbers said "what are you gunna sh!t where you eat?
LOL OK! Too young to remember those days!
Nicely done. Would you share the actual dimensions please?
Sure - it is 21-3/4" wide, 21-3/4" front-to-back, and 17-5/8" high.
Thank you for the video! I have a question: the fun is probably working great wih the solids, but how can the smell don't cames up from the urine tank?
Thank you
Well the vent fan pretty much takes care of any odor by blowing it all outside.
I have a friend that uses a combination of peatmoss and cat litter to deal with the odour of thier own composte toilet, it seems to work.
Thanks for the comment! Yeah odor has really not been an issue for us most of the time. If there's an odor, it's because we're overdue for emptying the bucket.
This is the only design online that makes sense. Please confirm weight ~40 lbs; I will put handles on and drag it out from under a bench each use. Could save weight mixing in 3/8", but looks like sides and inside structural 5x8" pieces consume much of the plywood sheet. The seat strut is brilliant. Thanks! ps did you consider a single two gallon jug and hose? One feature I'm interested in a one-way "valve" -- actually just a thin, funnel shaped balloon thing that allows pee to pass and then close up; see Trelino. Can't find such an animal. Thanks!
Hi there. We can’t really confirm the weight. It’s attached to the wall and floor. Yes you could save some weight by using 3/8 ply in places though. And no, the 2 separate 1-gallon jugs work really well for us so we haven’t considered other options.
@@TimAndShannonLTD I'm going to retrofit your design without side storage and possibly with rear storage. Design decision is whether to use full 2x2 frame to support the seat. Since sides are higher than seat, and I'd no longer have storage partition to support side of seat; I'd need a third seat support in addition to pieces 20 & 21. The frame would support seat and add strength at the expense of weight, perhaps offset by less beefy plywood. Goddess help me. Thx again.
@@3genacsounds like a good plan for your situation. Good luck and enjoy the journey!
Do you find the raised right side panel -- the one at your left thigh -- uncomfortable at all? If so I'll try to figure out how to alter the lid such that it can rest flat on the seat edge when closed, not on the raised side panel, maybe by tacking trim panels on the lid sides. Worth the trouble? No problem too small to analyze to death.
Great video and information! You said at the beginning of the video that you used 3/4 plywood....but the plans say 5/8....??
Yeah go with what the plan says - it's 5/8". Sorry about that mixup!
Great Job! thx for sharing
Thanks for watching!
Well made, good job. I'm wondering why the toilet paper doesn't go in, as it's completely compostable with your waste and may even assist in speeding up the composting process. ?
Good question! We do that separately to save room in the bucket so it won’t fill up as quickly.
Hi I think this has to be one of the most practical designs I’ve seen. 👍👏👍 can you provide the dimensions
Hi Thomas - thanks for your comment, and funny you should ask about dimensions as we are in the process of making downloadable plans for this. They should be ready within a week and I'll leave another comment here with a link.
@@TimAndShannonLTD I'd like to see the plans as well...nice job...
OK - plans are almost ready - promise! Just need to get some legal mumbo jumbo out of the way first. Thanks for your patience!
Hi no worries we are not going to be traveling for awhile. So no rush. FYI love your channel
@Thomas Staples - Plans are done! Get yours at this link! timshannonltd.com/free-plans-for-build-your-own-composting-toilet/
Most informative and instructional video I've seen on building a diy composting toilet, Thanks. I'm planning on buying biodegradable wipes, toilet paper and bags, so I can dig a whole and bury it all if I have to as well. Thanks, great job! ALOHA
Glad you liked it - thanks for the comment!
I'm considering this set up for our campervan and this by fay the best DIY I've seen . Where does the bag of solid go when it's full please?
Hi Frog, thanks for comment! We usually try to find an outdoor garbage can or dumpster like at a park.
Well my head is finished in no small part thanks to your advice -- it's the first thing I've build since constructing a sconce ca. 1978. I departed from your design and created some unexpected problems. Characteristically overthinking it, I was concerned with sides higher than the seat that my ample thighs would be constricted, if not wedged between the sides -- I did not include the side storage area. My design has both front and sides at seat height, with seat platform resting on side panels -- no need for seat side or hinge supports -- and lid with spacers resting on seat. This introduced some trouble; e.g. I cut the seat platform too narrow and had to use a toddler's/marine seat so the lid would close. In hindsight a small seat is a good choice for a van where space and portability is a premium. The biggest disappointment is weight: with just 1/2" ply, no lumber and no side storage area it still weighs in at nearly 30 lbs. Next time I'll use expensive ultralight birch. I found the coolest diverter on Etsy, 3D printed in high gloss gold. Its funnel closes perfectly into a milk jug. Wish I knew how to link a picture. Thanks again!
I'm glad we were able to inspire you to not only build your own, and that you were able to make it your own as well. Hope it works out well for you! Thanks for the comment!
@@TimAndShannonLTD More than inspiration; without your plans I'd have had no shot! FYI it appears they finally make 1.2 mil biodegradable bags for like a dime apiece. Consider linking if appropriate. Thx again and Mxm. PS one downside of my design is there's no room for lid strut, but I did make an 11th hour decision to add the seat strut -- it's on order.
Covered everything but the urine solid diverter. Where did u but or how did you make that? Thank you for the review
We linked that diverter in the description below the video. Thanks for the comment!
@@TimAndShannonLTD Thanks again
Question where you get the separate waste part..
It's linked in the description below the video along with some other products we used to build this. Urine Diverter: ebay.to/2Z6226g
To what power source did you wire the fan?
It’s wired to the 12 volt panel off of our house batteries.
Hope you are still reachable, just found your channel…..guestion…did you note where to purchase the iron divider. Thanks
Hi Marcia. Yes - we got it on eBay. Link is in the description.
Great video! Thanks for all the info. I was wondering why you don't use an agitator and if you've had any problems not having an agitator? Thanks!
Hi Chelsea - we've really not had a need for one and haven't seen any problems by going without it.
Are you throwing the waste in the garbage? It isn't composting if you are.
If you use compostable bags, at least it wouldn't be sitting in a landfill forever.
Nice job building it and good video.
Somehow I missed where you got the urine diverter. I scanned all thru the video again and it isn’t mentioned.
Hi Robin - it’s linked in the video description.
Wondering where you dump the bag once it’s full? Throwing out plastic bags doesn’t seem environmentally friendly...maybe there are compostable bags available?
Yes, compostable bags - as soon as we run out of these last few re-used plastic grocery bags, that's what we're doing next. We've already made the switch from peat moss to wood shavings, and we're happier with them.
Could you do a video on how to hook up the fan
We probably can't do a video of that anytime soon, but you can get free plans at this link that shows how to build one yourself: timshannonltd.com/free-plans-for-build-your-own-composting-toilet/
Tim & Shannon thanks 🙏 your a lifesaver
Thank you for sharing your great design ideas.
Did you have any problems receiving the urine diverter from the UK ? Are there advantages to using a #2 bucket rather than #5 ?
No problems receiving the diverter - it just took a little longer to ship is all. And do you mean 2 gallon bucket vs. 5 gallon? 2 gallon fits under there - a 5 gallon bucket would need a much higher for it to fit under.
Great set up! Please don't use peat moss though. We use aspen pet bedding which is much more sustainable.
Thanks for the tip! Where do you find that and does it control odor well?
@@TimAndShannonLTD we get ours at Walmart, but you might find it at a pet store? We also buy resolve urine destroyer and put 4-5 squirts in the bottle when it is empty. We also water it down a lot and use it to "flush". It makes emptying the pee bottle less smelly. We have no fan for our toilet and it does well on this system.
I know some people use coconut coir and like it.
Ok great suggestions. Thanks!
Bethanjbjrs
I’m doing mine soon. Where do you empty your solids? Is it composted enough yet to go into the wilderness
@@jenlinds1 no, 'composting' is really a misnomer, they are more collection vessels. We bag and bin on the road when the container is full. If we are at home we have a trash can in the garden to dump in when we get back
Do you not have to crank it like some composting toilets? Also, where do you dump the contents of the bag and how often do you have to?
No cranking required on this one - we don't mix it up at all. We pull the bag and dump it just like dog owners dump their dogs' waste in a park - just find and outdoor garbage can somewhere and toss it in. We do this about once a week or so.
So in the end, this stuff just goes into the garbage? Where do you dump the urine?
Yep. Just like doggie poop bags in the park. Urine goes into any bathroom toilet, vault toilet, outhouse, RV dump station, etc...
@@TimAndShannonLTD I thought a composting toilet was more about "composting". That won't be the way I will go, then. Thank you.
I'm just about to start my van build, and I'm looking at what components to put into the build. Currently researching the toilets. Thanks for this video, it's very useful. I'm quite shocked at how many people use plastic bags, though. Surely, that's a really unsuitable way of having a functioning toilet? Or, are you using biodegradable bags?
We’re getting down to the last of our plastic bags (re-used grocery bags) and then yes, biodegradable bags after these are gone. We’ve already made the switch from peat moss to wood shavings due to several eye-opening comments here, and the wood shavings actually work much better!
Hey Tim and Shannon. Thanks to your amazing instructions we just got out diy composting toilet up and running. Still trying to find the right bottles as our diverter is a little different but other thank that we are good to go. We ended up using the same fan you did, and was surprised it was a little louder than expecting. Did you find that to be the case? I was thinking about installing a switch so it didn't have to be constantly running
Wow ours is nice and quiet - almost silent... I don't know why yours would be loud? Glad the instructions helped out! And BTW we're using wood shavings now (pet bedding) instead of peat moss. More sustainable so we hear. Good luck with your build!
@@TimAndShannonLTD what is your power source for the fan
@@patnewton5822 hi Pat. It’s a 12 volt lead from our house batteries. (Actually from our 12 volt panel from the house batteries).
I just found your channel with this video and like what I see. Question: where did you find the back reducer and pipe? I am having a difficult time locating at Lowe's or HD.
Hi Bill - Thanks for your comment and we're glad you like it! We found our reducer at Hardware Sales in Bellingham, WA. I don't know how to link to it, but we did put an Amazon link on our blog post about this - you could find it there: timshannonltd.com/liquids-and-solids/ And the pipe is just standard PVC pipe (I think it's schedule 40, but not sure on that. Get the reducer first and then you should be able to easily find the pipe to fit it)
This is great! Thank you so much for creating this! I'm thinking of doing something similar but no fan. I'm curious, where do you dump your bags when on the road? I'm afraid that mixing plastic with compostable material will make it hard for me to actually compost the waste. Hitting the road in April. Any thoughts?
We're working our way toward compostable bags and they just go in a trash can. Are you sure you don't want the fan? (we can tell pretty quickly when ours gets turned off by mistake). Glad you liked the video and plans and good luck with your build!
Great video. Sorry to be asking this but has poop ever ended up in the urine bottle by accident? BTW we use a similar idea but not built-in to our van yet; using a porta potti for #1 only and a separate bucket for #2. I think another reason you're not getting odors is the tight fit of the wood cabinet top. The thing people don't realize about the Nature's head is how difficult it can be to empty and how heavy it is ...with your system everything ends up in the bag already. I kind of wish we could get ours down to one appliance but am still concerned about the smell in a small space and my nose is really sensitive to odors... Our #2 bucket is outdoors most of the time since we're 100% boondocking usually.
So far never had poop end up in the urine bucket and don't think we ever will. However, sometimes a small bit of urine gets in the poop bucket, but not really enough to cause problems. And you're right - it is pretty much odor free when the lid is closed, but just like any bathroom in a house, when you're using it, of course there is some odor. We attribute that to the vent fan running 24/7. Thanks for the comment!
good setup but i want to install a small soild
rail for my wife who is diabled
There's probably a way you could do that. On one side or the other depending on your van layout. Just make sure it's not in the way of the opening lid. Good luck with your build.
Question: why not just use the bucket without the bag? Is it for ease of clean up or some other reason I’m not thinking of? Also, if I weren’t to use a plastic bag, can you dump the solids waste into a vault toilet without doing any damage to the vault toilet? Anybody have experience with that?
Yes the bag is for ease of cleanup. I don’t know if it’s ok to dump wood shavings (were no longer using peat moss) into a vault toilet.
Hi, so I was wondering when you poop, do you put the toilet paper in that same bucket? Also, would you recommend the Pete moss or coconut core added with cat litter or would just one of them be sufficient?
Hi Sandy - used toilet paper goes in the bag in the storage bin. It's not good to add paper to the compost. So we have a resealable zip lock plastic bag for that. And the peat moss works great by itself - we have no experience so far with the other things. EDIT: We are no longer using Peat Moss as of November 2020. It's not a sustainable product. We now use wood shavings.
@@TimAndShannonLTD we add dirty toilet paper to ours and it is fine, we throw away wet toilet paper as we use it.
Saw dust should work well! There’s pine pellets which is pressed saw dust into pellet form (farm supply or pet store or target, walmart, amazon.) I used them for litter for my Sphynx (sensitive skin) & will use them for my composting toilet. They’re supper convenient to use & to find in stores.
@@jenlinds1 you don't want saw dust, you want shavings, it covers better.
We do use a handful of pellets in the very bottom of our bin to catch stray liquids but find the aspen pet bedding shavings at walmart work very well for each individual deposit.
There's also toilet paper you can buy, made for RV toilets, that degrades faster than normal.
Thank you for the information! Do you use it full time or just for emergencies? And in if full time, how often to you have to put a new bag in? Will hopefully be building my own soon! I will be living full time in my van and I’m a little apprehensive!
We use it pretty much full time. However, whenever we have an easy opportunity to use a public restroom we do try to take advantage of that. With 2 of us, we pretty much have to empty the 2 liquid jugs once a day (we keep hydrated by drinking lots of water), and the solids bucket we can make it about a week or so between emptying.
@@TimAndShannonLTD If your weather gets hotter over there, be cautious when drinking lots of water, you can wash the salts out of your body. It happened twice that I know of from friends last summer North East Australia. this information may not be on many Northern Hemisphere sites. You can become very disorientated and lose memory function etc.
Dennis Bauer
@Tim&Shannon
To continue with this, try to get your water from fruits & veggies. I don’t drink water unless it’s incredibly hot or I’m exercising strenuously (though I’m plant-based.) Eating water is to hydrate. Drinking water is to flush the system/detox the body. Fruits are optimal for this!
Love the video & project :)Pls try to compost your waste to fully utilize the concept of this system!
urine bottle cap should have two and extra bottle with urine bottle cap for save side.
very advisable diy comp'toilet
We actually have 4 urine jugs now and yes it’s a good idea to have extra caps. Antifreeze jugs have the same cap so if you see an empty one at a gas station or auto parts store garbage can, grab the cap off of it.
Where are you get these parts? Thanks!
Links are in the video description :-)
Do you think you would need to empty this kind of composting toilet more vs one that has a circulator that's mixes the compost? I think that's the only thing that almost makes me want to spend $1k but still that's not worth it.
Good question Zack, and sorry I don't really know the answer. But I'm guessing you may have to empty the circulating one MORE often because it might require more material to cover your "deposit" to keep odor down? So - more material means it would fill up faster? But really, IDK...
You might want to look for some vids on cleaning a composting toilet. What a nasty job!! This is by far a better option.
@@terryfund1577 what is a better option? Why is it a nasty job?
So what do you do with the bag of poo, how do you dispose of it
Same thing people do with their cat's litter box waste. Or their dog when walking in the park with those little poop bags. We find a garbage can and toss it in.
Garbage can dumping isn't composting, more of a stink bomb in a bag. It should go to the earth to compost. I use a 5 gal. bucket at camp with sawdust & soil letting a 3/4 full pail sit for a year then dump out composted soil. I would be worried about bumps in the road splashing urine out of the bottle & smell! I have everything go in the same bucket when#2 use. I also use a lid on the bucket. Any improvements appreciated.enjoy your travels.
Hi Richard, yes you're right and in a perfect world, we'd be leaving ours out for 9 months as well, but in our mobile van life, that just doesn't work. We have never had a problem however, with urine splashing out from a rough road (it's overflowed a few times because we didn't realize the jug was full 😮) but other than that, this system has worked very well for us - 3+ Years and counting. Thanks for the comment!🙂
Nice design, but doesn't using non-compostable plastic bags sorta defeat the purpose of having a composting toilet? lol... I know those bags eventually break down, but there are plant based bags you can get pretty cheap as well... In California we have to pay 10 cents each for one of those bags at the grocery store. Per bag, the legit compostable ones are half that on amazon and elsewhere. I saw your pinned comment about using wood shavings instead of peat... I've been wondering about peat, I've never tried it. I get the giant "bale" of "super fine" wood shavings from Tractor Supply and small mom & pop feed stores for around $5. Those bales last me about 3 months.
We agree 100% with you about the plastic bags. Right now we're still working through a backlog of collected bags that various family members have given us after their grocery stores would not let them re-use their own bags because of covid. Once we get through these we will be picking up some compostable bags instead. And YAY! we're not the only ones who bought that huge bale at Tractor Supply. And we just passed the 3 month mark with ours a few weeks ago! Super good deal. Thanks for the comment!
Is that your fridge right next to your toilet?
Yes, it's a Dometic CFX 65. Up off the floor where we can reach it more easily. You can see a little more about it here: ruclips.net/video/zqGbRBlGqqI/видео.html if you're interested. Thanks for commenting!
@@TimAndShannonLTD kinda close to each other don't ya think? For Sanitary reasons
Well both units are enclosed. We don't use them both at the same time. We wash our hands. We don't see it as a sanitary problem at all. But we appreciate your comment - thanks!
But the wood surface cant be sanitized, should it not be painted with enamel? or have some kind of treated surface so its washable? wood absorbs everything if you have the regular flu it would stay in the wood like it does a sponge. I don't think that's very safe from bacteria either.
You are correct - that's why we put 3 coats of sealer on all surfaces of the wood. You could use enamel if you prefer. We just wanted to stress in the video that you want to make sure the wood is sealed really well so it won't soak up odors or worse if you overflow by accident. (certainly would not want the wood to soak up urine).
Great, but you left out the explanation for the top part that separates the urine and poop! That is what I really need.
Check out the links in the description.
Where did you buy the pee separator?
Hi Mona - we got it on Ebay. There's a link in the video description. ebay.to/2Z6226g
Thanks for the comment!
Oh thanks. Sorry didnt see it
Nicely done!
BTW you might want to check the links to (and on) your site. They all result in a 404.
Thank you so much Mike Wood! OK, they are fixed now. Quirky little snag with WordPress unfortunately. Luckily easy to fix. Thanks again !
@@TimAndShannonLTD Thank you guys!
Also excellent job on the plans. They are beautiful. Even including a cut sheet. Very nice. The one thing I might add is plumbing a second "air in" vent so pressure is always balanced when driving or running the ceiling fan.
Almost got my build complete. I wish I'd bought the same separator (Compoost) as it has the nice strainer and ready for hose. Mine (from Strumpet) just has oversized fiberglass bit that won't fit in any 1 gallon bottle top. I'm trying to find what I could use as a flange/strainer to get me to a 3/4" barb fitting. Thinking perhaps a thru hull drain flange might work.
That's a great idea and would be a great addition - we have to always be aware of where the air is coming from when we have our ceiling fan blowing out because of that. Don't want to fill the living space with the smell of the toilet. Usually we just open a window or 2 or have the other ceiling fan blowing in. But it would be nice not to have to think about it all the time. Thanks for the suggestion!
Wow the diverter is 160 bucks on ebay eh?
Yeah something like that. It was the most expensive part. But compare that to $1,000 +/- for an Airhead or Nature's Head and it's not so bad...
Those plastic bags are bad. They don't decompose, they can defragment and leave tiny pieces of plastic in the environment. Or go to landfill.
Unstead, use compostable bags. A roll of bags, I think, would last me for years.
Good suggestion, thank you! We learn so much from people like you commenting on our vides and we really appreciate it very much!
A nice young lady who can turn a wrench
Yes she is! 🙂
It's not as green as I'd hoped.
You avoid the chemicals of a cassette toilet, but use plastic bags and PEAT moss. Doh
We're actually not using Peat Moss anymore - We use wood shavings from a pet store, like you'd put in a rabbit cage. Plastic bags are only reused bags that would have been thrown away anyway. Yes, it's not perfect but it works for us.
@@TimAndShannonLTD I'm so sorry. I wrote my stupid comment before I saw your reply to all the other people, saying you'd changed what you do.
I apologised in that thread and I'm sorry you had to waste time repeating yourself.
I'm about to convert a horsebox and your vid actually inspired me to design and make a home made compost toilet, so many thanks. And once again, many apologies. I've learned a valuable lesson today, about reading other comments before I wade in x
Well thanks and no worries. And you’re right too - it’s not perfect. But then what is there really that we humans can do that won’t have a negative impact somewhere? We do our best...
JESUS, people!! 🤦🏻♀️ WHEN will people quit using PLASTIC bags in these, and start using COMPOSTABLE BAGS?! 😟 😤
I don't get it. I simply don't get it.
And HOW do so many people fool themselves into believing that they are legitimately using a •composting• toilet, when they put their waste into a plastic bag and then throw it in the landfill or wherever?? That will never compost! Snd it's disgusting. And irresponsible.
Please just buy compostable bags. Please??
aureas The reality is that the vast majority of “compostable” bags are not actually compostable under normal conditions.
the ones I'm aware of, are. and they can start breaking down within a couple months of usage! In any case, they're much better than plastic ones! They're much more likely to break down then the plastic! That much is obvious.
Thanks for your comment Aureas - And yeah - we hate plastic too. It's clogging our oceans and killing wildlife and the plastic industry just keeps on churning it out - I think they should be responsible for dealing with the mess it's created.
With that in mind, the plastic bags we DO use are ALWAYS reused bags that would otherwise be thrown away (or if in an area where we can, we recycle them). We never buy plastic garbage bags.
We've heard horror stories from people about compostable bags decomposing in the trash can and making a huge mess when you go to lift them out to throw them away. Don't know if that's true or not, but so far we've not wanted to try it with this particular usage of them. Maybe we'll try it when we have the courage.
We tried compostable bags early on. They are expensive but we sucked it up. They sucked. They were just too fragile.
Also our experience with compostable plastic (I threw some supposedly compostable plastic forks into our backyard bin) was that they didn't decompose, even after years in an aging pile.
This article says that you need industrial composting techniques. When we are on the road we have a hard time even finding recycling bins often, there is no way our trash is going into an industrial composter.
www.bbc.com/future/article/20191030-why-biodegradables-wont-solve-the-plastic-crisis
Probably when we go back too paper bags. Be kind, let each an everyone, do as they please I’m sure you have faults like the rest of us.
I hope you didnt really spend 200 or 300 dollars on the 60-70$ of materials there
Well hats off to ya - The urine diverter we used was $125 or so.
Have you heard about the Laveo dry flush toilet? It seems disgusting to dump all that human feces wrapped in mylar in the dumpster.
Laveo Dry flush uses disposable liners that you throw in the trash too. So... kinda the same thing, but we use some composting material with it.
@@TimAndShannonLTD Does the peat moss reduce the bad smell? How long does it take for the composting process to be at a phase that you can throw in a dumpster without really dumping human feces in the garbage?
People put baby diapers in the garbage all the time.
It’ll be nice when they switch their system to full composting though 👍 Even with reusing plastic bags, it wastes the organic matter & cannot then recycle the bags since no longer clean.
@@TimAndShannonLTD I should imagine it uses a LOT more plastic.