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Louvin Thank you! We felt it was important to cover the issues that might be a deal breaker for those thinking about switching to the system. This said, we love the relative ease of using the toilet.
that toilet seems to be expensive but it is praised on many channels (among other chanels also on the channel of Cheap RV Living and he is a straight shooter, what works and what doesn't.
I concur lmao they're awesome so happy and upbeat this was awesome how they explained it...I personally couldn't take out an entire toilet just to drain and literally DUMP ur poop..that's gta b heavy
6 years of living with a “composting” toilet on my boat. I can tell you that I am very thankful for the choice I made for the unit I bought over what I see in your video. I say “composting” because in truth, trying to target actual compost makes life much harder than it needs to be. The 2 best MARKETED units are the one you chose, Natures Head, and the Airhead. These manufactures recognized that people will been to be converted from wet sewage systems to theirs. As such, they build in a lot of effort to isolate the user from the process. This is the complication I am speaking of. After my research, I picked the C Head for it’s simplicity, and the difference is HUGE. First of all, it is unfortunate that they are called composting toilets. Recognizing that they are actually dessiccating toilets. If you want the product to put on your compost heap, then that works. It used to be that we called personal flotation devices (PFDs) life preservers. But they were only an aid to keep you alive, and lots of dead bodies had them on. And too often, "life rafts" are found empty. They didn’t save the owners life. But calling it a life raft gives that sense of security needed to market them. The point is, the C Head bypasses all of the fuss of isolating the user from the process as depicted in your video. The “required” vent fan and hose are aids to removing condensation. That is the moisture in the solids that you want out. I have not installed any vent fan or hose in the 6 years I have been using my C Head, simply because the solids have dried sufficiently without it. But I have no problem speeding up the dessiccating with the aid of the fan and hose. But the Natures Head and Airhead do such a good job of unneccessarily sealing the process away from the users, that the moisture is pretty well trapped. The two choices of drying media that you mention are not the only ones. Sawdust of any kind also works very well. Again, it is a drying media, used to wick away moisture from the solids. Finely shredded newspaper could do the job. Removing the urine and solids containers means nothing more than lifting the toilet seat with the hinged piece that it’s attached to, and lifting out either the one gallon plastice jug (the exact jugs that we can buy milk or water in at the grocery store), or the plastic solids/media pail. As one of the comments below mentions, it’s a cat box for humans. I will add that is can be that, but without the cat box smell. Cats don’t seperate out their urine. I do treat my C head exactly like a cat box. The key to making these units work is the effectiveness of your drying efforts. If you get mold gnats, it means that the solid deposits got ahead of the drying. It has nothing to do with eggs in the media as some like to blame. And the C Head is a big step ahead of the sealed solids container units. There are things to know to make these units work, but there is no need to complicate matters like some manufactures do. If you walk your dog and pick up the droppings, just know that this is far less gross.
@Don Anderson I had never heard of the C Head before and now I wish I could see a video of it getting emptied out etc. And researching in I also came across The Think-tank Waterless Toilet and now those two seem to have replaced all the others in my mind as the top two contenders in my hoped for van conversion at age 70! I'm having a little trouble finding how you keep the odors down without venting it in your C Head. I have neither the desire nor strength anymore to want to carry an entire toilet outside to turn it upside down over a bag to empty it! :-)
I don’t blame you. Don’t use the supplied lid. It traps the moisture. I don’t “empty” the bucket as such. I treat it like a cat box, using a dedicated pair of wire whisk tongs.
I too recommend the C Head, much easier to dump. I didn't bother with the fan install. After 5 years no problems. I'm amazed that more people don't choose to install compost toilets. And the fact you can easily camp anywhere ( even friends property) because you don't need sewer, just electric and water hook ups.
As others have posted, thank you for tackling the two topics NO ONE ELSE apparently had: diarrhea and/or menstruation (I hadn't thought about vomit, but good to know about that too)! While talking about this may seem disgusting, these are really perfectly natural processes (as you correctly point out) and it's great to know that a composting toilet can handle them! Thanks for a clear and informative video.
You have answered many of the questions that most of these composting toilet reviews leave as a mystery. Great job! And you've done it in a classy way!
Wow, all this time I thought composting toilets composted wastes ... but, they don't compost at all. Seems they are more like dehydrators. Removing liquid from the waste. I guess it will compost later wherever it ends up.
What impressed me most about this video was the fact that the gentleman was complete secure with going #1 sitting down. Now that's a man! :) Great video guys! :) God Bless! :)
Extremely useful information. Explained total process from a user’s point of view instead of selling point with tips and extras from trial and error. Thank you so much.
The best YT video on this subject. As for men sitting down to pee, this has become standard in Japan. Sitting down keeps things clean-and that's THE most important thing, whether in an RV or in our case, on a boat. We will be getting a composting (it'd be more honest to say a "desiccating") toilet for our boat, for sure. Thanks you two for making this video; it's the most honest of all the ones I have seen.
FINALLY!! Someone answers all the REAL questions about these things! Thank you both deeply for your frank discussion of, not the pros and cons, but the actual maintenance & upkeep that comes with actually using a composting toilet. Thank you!
Lets be real for a moment. THE BIGGEST issue i can cess with Van Life, would be the toilet situation. You two have discussed almost everything I was looking for in the most realistic, basic, comprehensive way. Much respect to you and all the best on your travels. One of THE BEST clips regarding van life I have seen. Thank You from the East Coast of Australia.
There are lots of videos out there where people talk about having composting toilets & how great they are, but very few actually show how easy/hard it would be to use it empty it etc. Thanks for sharing! Great video & very informative!
This is the best composting potty video I've ever watched! Thanks for putting in all the effort to help people trying to make good choices on these important and practical topics!😊👍
This is a great video and my partner and I are so appreciative of you two taking this on. We're humans; we poop and pee and emit all sorts of weird stuff. This sealed it - compostable toilet for us!
thank you sooo much for being so candid about these toilets. I've been wanting to get one when I get my tiny house or RV but the videos I've found were not this detailed and made it sound like such a tough thing to deal with. Thank you for debunking this. And talking about all those normal yet embarrassing aspects of bathroom happenings.
Try this for a toilet idea. We just returned from our two week trip using the newly installed Seperette, cost $160. We have a class A motorhome and always disliked the standard toilet for a few reasons. The direct hole to the black tank when flushing, the water waste when flushing and knowing there was a tank of crap and urine we were dragging around with us until we found a dump station. I built the very simple box for the Seperette seat product and saw dust compartment. The Seperette simply seperates the urine as a compost toilet does. You supply a 5 gallon bucket for poop and a container for urine, a gallon jug usually. I was able to find a rubber cap for the 3 inch black tank opening and cut a hole in it the size of the included hose for the urine. I didn’t want to deal with the urine bottle, because I heard that stinks much worse after a couple of days than poop. So the hose for urine drains into the black tank which I now share with the gray tank, almost doubling my gray water storage. The urine mixes with gray water, by the way urine is sterile, and that gray water is actually safe to drain in into the environment. Just be cool and use biodegradable soaps for washing yourself and dishes. The poop simply goes into the bucket lined with a plastic bag. You put sawdust, peat moss or coconut husks in the bottom of the new bag and on top of poop. I drilled a 2 inch hole in the floor for a small computer fan which vents consistently and draws a very minor amount if power and cost less than 2 dollars. When the poop bag is full it is leagel and safe to simply toss in any trash can. The smell that does exist post pooping is venting out and once poop dries the odor diminishes almost to nothing anyway. The urine hose in my set up naturally forms a “P” trap which eliminates any smell coming from the tanks, we all know gray water still stinks. After urinating we spray a few spritzes of 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water in the urine area of the Seperette to neutralise the urine odor from the trap. I don’t need to visit a stinky dump station ever because my gray water and urine is actually bennificial to plants so I drain it in a convenient spot when I find one. I now have 100 gallons of waste water storage and use much less due to no flushing. We experienced zero smell from the bucket or the p trap urine tube on our two week trip. We don’t have remove anything other than a plastic bag of poop and sawdust from the rv, poop not even visible through a clear bag . We don’t have to clean the toilet as with expensive compost or cassette toilets. We save water, nurish the planet with our gray water, save dump station money, eliminate the need for sewer trucks running around transporting waste to another facility to process it and…I’ll never go back. If you would like photos of my project let me know where I can send them
@@incorectulpolitic ok coming right up...well maybe tomorrow settling into two week trip. Mojave National Preserve them Tuscan area boondocking. Hey what do you think about changing the sticks and bricks phrase which just sounds off to me to Still House. Get it, a still house doesn't move as apposed to a moving house or rv. No?
Love how you covered everything so frankly. I am about to transition to full-time RV living and this is so much more environmentally friendly than a dry flush toilet. I stopped putting paper down my regular toilet about a year ago and have had no more stopped drains. The composting toilet is how I will go, especially after watching your videos.
Getting ready to replace a chemical toilet in our van, and this is by far the most detailed video covering all the questions running through my head. Thank you both very much.
Thanx for the video guys . I am designing my campervan and you guys have just made up my mind on what to get . Less money going down the drain . Composting is best . Thanx again
Thinking about converting a bus into a motorhome for full time living and I'm definitely going with a composting toilet. This video came in very handy, especially in confirming my decision to build my own toilet rather than using a nature head or similar. First, of course, there is the cost factor. I can build a good composting toilet for a third of the price a nature head would cost me. Second, I can connect the urine separator straight to my grey water tank. No smell, no emptying of the urine bucket. Third, the solid waste bucket is easier to clean (the plastic bag - preferably compostable - goes straight into the bucket). Thank you ever so much for this video. A straight forward approach to a topic that most people find difficult to talk about. 🙏🏼😉
Came here because I was curious about how that would work, stayed because of you guys. You breached some topics with honesty and humor. Subscribed and off to check out your other videos!
Hi from Oz downunder. Thanks for the info on the natures head. Answered all the questions we had. We have a van on order and will be getting a composting toilet after seeing this video. Take care and cheers
Thanks for the great info on the composting toilet! I am building my shuttle bus into my forever home on wheels and was totally thinking composting toilet! For me it was a matter of living in it in the winter time and just not wanting to deal with a black tank and all that mess! Thanks so much for the information and I now know for sure that’s what I’m putting in!
I would rather use the composting toilet than use ANY store or restaurant restroom toilet. Im a RN so the toilet talk is ok by me. I would rather hear EXACTLY how to use the thing than not know. Thanks much! Happy trails.
You may want to try Coffee Grounds to take down the urine smell! I have a simple composting toilet, and use Cedar shavings and no smell! I sure saves a lot of water and no stinky smells! Enjoyed the video, and it was a very nice job by both of you!!!! You covered a few subjects that need to be told !!!!!!!!!! See you down the road!!!
Oh many people said this in the comments but I'm going to say that again. Best video to talk about these "embarrassing" topics. These are essentials. Can you please talk more about the flushing toilet.
I'm so glad I found this video. I have been contemplating putting in a composting toilet as apposed to the toilet that's currently in my horse trailer living quarters. I ended up ripping the black tank off leaving a race and need to replace it. It's going to be so expensive so I had looked into alternatives. I think the composting will work so much better and like you said, saves water, chemicals, etc. Thank you for making this video!
Thanks for making this! I'm considering living the skoolie (bus converted to a home) lifestyle over the next couple years and I was jotting down some notes of some must haves for my bus. A toilet was one of them and I was trying to decide what kind of toilet would be the best fit. You really helped me narrow down my options. :)
Very good video, I started off with a narrowboat where no toilet had been fitted so decisions right from the start. I bought exactly what you have, everything you said was absolutely on the button, it being totally dry in the main bucket there is no smell, it is easy to handle, the most important part I feel is the fan to ensure it dries out. Paper I have a doggy poo bag dispenser and the toilet paper is popped into one of the bags then disposed as you have. If these were the only toilets available across the world think of the water we would save. I say poo poo to any dissenters to this eco friendly disposal. Guy
We purchased one of these for an rv and boat application . Works great and is way better than dealing with nasty dump stations and other peoples messes. And your right no smell, no mess, easy to dump, I love it ! No more dump stations !
@@LyfUninterrupted Place a big commercial coffee filter on the bottom of the bowl before going #2. Once you are done with your business, open the little trap door. The filter and #2 will easily drop down into the vault, leaving the bowl all, or mostly clean. This does add a small amount of additional waste to the vault, but not like toilet paper.
You know, I've been looking into Van / RV life as a possibility after college and I've been trying to find information on the "worse case scenarios" with toilets and it has been a struggle. So I greatly appreciate the information!
Thank you so much for making this video and thank you for all your advice and tips We are retired from dog sitting and retired from work so we are selling our 5 acres and our 2 story log cabin home in Alaska joining you in the RVing life Your videos are priceless to me thanks for taking the time 😄
Good job on the explanation. We have been using a Nature’s Head in our motor coach for four years without an major problems. While it is not a solution everyone embraces, it has worked well for us. We were able to easily combine our black and grey tanks to create an 84 gallon reservoir for grey water. These changes allow us to stay on limited hookups for several days.
I have to admit that I am quite the squeamish girl...but y'all made this video watchable for me. I have been interested in learning about how these compost toilets work. You both did a fabulous job with this tutorial on a subject that most would pass on..ty!!!
I like the idea of the composting toilet, but I have trouble justifying the cost of the unit. We have a Casita with the manufacturers original Thedford flush toilet. It works great as is, but we do not like the black tank! I have an alternative to the composting toilet. We line the Thedford with a plastic bag so that the top of the bag drapes over the bowl.Throw a little coco fiber or kitty litter in the bag mainly for absorption of liquid and then put the seat over the bag to hold in place. Poo pourri spray can be useful. We do our business, not having to think if we're sitting in the right spot or if our aim is correct. Also, we throw the toilet paper and wipes into the bag. Pull the drawstrings on the bag and push down into bowl. Reline and when convenient put the bag in a 5 gal bucket with a sealed lid. Turn the bath exhaust on. Dispose of contents in campground waste when leaving. Vomit, menstrual flow, and diarrhea do not require special handling. Water of course is not used. There is a solution to these issues for everyone. Good information on something we all have to deal with. Thank you! First time viewer. New subscriber.
Thank you! We appreciate your kind words! As you say, there is a solution for every situation. I'd (Brian) go with a simple 5-gallon bucket solution, but Shawnna will have none of that. Hahaha.
@@LyfUninterrupted Yes, I'm married to the same woman! We're backpackers, so you'd think the plastic bucket would be an upgrade from squatting. I think she is afraid it will fall over.
We tried this with our Casita and I was always a bit wary of the really watery bag of sewage since the urine is not diverted. Though it's easy for us guys to put our urine elsewhere, not the easiest for the ladies. I recently built a compost toilet based on the C-Head design and will soon replace the toilet in the Casita and plumb the urine into the black tank. I see also now that Sun-Mar is selling a simple diverting toilet (GTG) also though still sort of pricey.
@@baronistheone Yes the urine issue was a concern at first but bu putting the kitty litter in first or yhe coco fiber, all is absorbed. We've never had a leak. I also saw a review of a toilet that Home Depot sells -about 600 bucks It's a hybrid between the composting toilet and the flush toilet.
@@williambranham6249 We used coco fiber, but still unless disposed of pretty much immediately I found the bag(s), even doubled to be too wet for comfort (no accidents, just the potential...). We eat a mostly plant based diet so perhaps that effects our experience. I decided the diverting type would make things worry free and also utilize the 10 gallon black tank. I added the "mods" for our gray tank so it will hold 40 gallons or so and when mixed with a partially filled black (urine) tank shouldn't be any problem wherever I drain it. I agree with Lyf that I prefer not to use a dump station after someone else.
Very informative video. Thank you! My wife and I currently live in a fifth-wheel camper. We plan to move into a camper van with a composting toilet when she retires in a couple of years. We use a Diaper Genie for toilet paper. I empty it when I take the trash to the dumpster. No paper in the toilet and keeps the order under control.
Yeah, it’s really no big deal. The Diaper Genie is a good idea. Our little can with self-closing lid works for us. No odor at all. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Some friends who've spent extensive time in a boat with similar bathroom limitations said they posted a sign that says "Gentlemen Will Take A Seat". Thank you for talking about this. Different strokes for different folks and that's fine, but the more videos of this overall lifestyle I watch, the more I'm convinced this is not for me.
@Jon Esqueda True but I can't really figure out a way to replace a normal land based sanitation system. I have to admit I'm resistant to giving up that convenience. All the black tank/removable composting potties etc, they all just seem like incredibly poor substitutes for normal living.
Nicely done addressing things that people avoid talking about. Excellent review, comical, and interesting. Thanks for posting. PS you were both a delight to listen to.
I love that you're bypassing the chemicals needed to compensate mixing solids and liquids. Composting seems much more nature friendly and a better option all around. Way less gross. I will totally invest in this for my RV.
Together, you both did a great job of covering a "difficult" topic. In my experience sailing on the Chesapeake Bay, marine heads are way worse that RV bathrooms. Try going on a sailing trip for a weekend with 3-4 people (especially in warm weather) and you'll know what I'm talking about. Anyone that has a boat with a head should watch this video - and immediately swap out the marine toilet (which frequently has problems) for a composting toilet I've raised the topic of a composting toilet before with my wife - she freaks out every time. Maybe watching your video, which - again you did a really good job on, she'll be willing to consider it.
i find i fascinating watching videos about mobile toilets, americans get quite hung up about the subject. here in britain, RVers and boaters talk endlessly about their toilets, maybe more than they talk about the weather!
I really appreciate your candor and openness! I am just starting to think about an RV, again, after 15 years since the last travel trailer. The criteria, this time, is also for a disaster evacuation ... no pun intended .... oh, OK, pun intended ... vehicle for protracted dry "camping" after a major disaster. I live in earthquake prone southern California. Getting more power failures here, too. Thanks for the video. I'll look for some of your other ones, too.
I got tired of emptying my N.H. toilet. So I modified it today, literally today. I have had the unit for a few years. I took out the mixing bar (of course all things first cleaned (used pressurized hose water)) and then measured and found a bucket at the local hardware store. I used pink insulation board to level and stabilize it so it would sit just below the slide hatch. I put in a plastic bag and going to layer the Peat that I have for now and when the bucket is mostly ready just tie up the bag and remove it... no dumping, trying to clean the gasket (which I had to replace with better product)... and all the crevasse around the top section etc. I had watched how to make one's own compost toilet and found that I could do the quick fix and we'll see how it goes. The liquid waste, being a man, I have several options and even use the bottles that N.H. sent, I just got / get tired dumping that too...
patricia alexander True, but we’ve only had to use a dump station once in 5 months and that was at an Army Corp of Engineers campground. We can usually wait to dump the grey water when we have full hookups at a campground. Not having to deal with sewage (ours or someone else’s) is worth the minor hassle of the composting toilet. What do you not like about composting toilets? It’s not for everyone that’s for sure.
I'm retired and live in an apartment and I hit "Subscribe" lol. I guess because: 1. The video was so good explaining how the toilets work; 2. You both are so personable that watching y'all talk and interact was fun, and 3; I may go car camping in a station wagon next summer for an extended period and wouldn't want to be dependant on finding a gas station, especially in the middle of the night. Idk how feasible an idea it is to use this toilet without access to electricity except for a the cigarette lighter(?) but I'm glad to have the info as a starting point. Great video, guys -- I learned so much -- thanks!
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You're the first person I've heard talk about the menstrual cycle and a composting toilet. Thank you!
Thank you! Shawnna felt it was important to talk about something that most women could relate too.
Same thought, but another question: What if you need to wash down there like you would with a hand spray pedit?
HDD MOFP Cleansing wipes work well!
Humankind evolved without washing everytime you peed I'm sure.
My observation is the people that wash the most, get sick the most.
@@jaymorgan8017 Hmmm...Thanks for watching!
You are the only one that has ever discussed the female issues part of the composting toilet.
Louvin Thank you! We felt it was important to cover the issues that might be a deal breaker for those thinking about switching to the system. This said, we love the relative ease of using the toilet.
Love that you guys weren't too embarrassed to make this video (and did it with humor). It's useful to many people I'm sure.
Thank you! That’s what we aim for. No pun intended. Haha
I thought composting toilets would be really gross but after watching this my feelings have changed a lot. Thanks for sharing it.
Katie Osborn Thank you! We’re glad our information was useful.
that toilet seems to be expensive but it is praised on many channels (among other chanels also on the channel of Cheap RV Living and he is a straight shooter, what works and what doesn't.
You haven't seen the one that uses dynamite!!!
I have no intention of getting a composting toilet, but I was curious. Very informative! Thanks for taking the time.
Thank you!
I concur lmao they're awesome so happy and upbeat this was awesome how they explained it...I personally couldn't take out an entire toilet just to drain and literally DUMP ur poop..that's gta b heavy
No problem whatsoever. Very easy to empty and refill. Thanks for watching!
Sense of humor is so necessary with this! I will never complain about my cat's litter box ever again.
👍🤣
6 years of living with a “composting” toilet on my boat. I can tell you that I am very thankful for the choice I made for the unit I bought over what I see in your video.
I say “composting” because in truth, trying to target actual compost makes life much harder than it needs to be.
The 2 best MARKETED units are the one you chose, Natures Head, and the Airhead. These manufactures recognized that people will been to be converted from wet sewage systems to theirs. As such, they build in a lot of effort to isolate the user from the process. This is the complication I am speaking of.
After my research, I picked the C Head for it’s simplicity, and the difference is HUGE.
First of all, it is unfortunate that they are called composting toilets. Recognizing that they are actually dessiccating toilets. If you want the product to put on your compost heap, then that works.
It used to be that we called personal flotation devices (PFDs) life preservers. But they were only an aid to keep you alive, and lots of dead bodies had them on. And too often, "life rafts" are found empty. They didn’t save the owners life. But calling it a life raft gives that sense of security needed to market them. The point is, the C Head bypasses all of the fuss of isolating the user from the process as depicted in your video.
The “required” vent fan and hose are aids to removing condensation. That is the moisture in the solids that you want out. I have not installed any vent fan or hose in the 6 years I have been using my C Head, simply because the solids have dried sufficiently without it. But I have no problem speeding up the dessiccating with the aid of the fan and hose. But the Natures Head and Airhead do such a good job of unneccessarily sealing the process away from the users, that the moisture is pretty well trapped.
The two choices of drying media that you mention are not the only ones. Sawdust of any kind also works very well. Again, it is a drying media, used to wick away moisture from the solids. Finely shredded newspaper could do the job.
Removing the urine and solids containers means nothing more than lifting the toilet seat with the hinged piece that it’s attached to, and lifting out either the one gallon plastice jug (the exact jugs that we can buy milk or water in at the grocery store), or the plastic solids/media pail.
As one of the comments below mentions, it’s a cat box for humans. I will add that is can be that, but without the cat box smell. Cats don’t seperate out their urine. I do treat my C head exactly like a cat box.
The key to making these units work is the effectiveness of your drying efforts. If you get mold gnats, it means that the solid deposits got ahead of the drying. It has nothing to do with eggs in the media as some like to blame. And the C Head is a big step ahead of the sealed solids container units.
There are things to know to make these units work, but there is no need to complicate matters like some manufactures do. If you walk your dog and pick up the droppings, just know that this is far less gross.
👍
🤔🤔🤔
@Don Anderson I had never heard of the C Head before and now I wish I could see a video of it getting emptied out etc. And researching in I also came across The Think-tank Waterless Toilet and now those two seem to have replaced all the others in my mind as the top two contenders in my hoped for van conversion at age 70! I'm having a little trouble finding how you keep the odors down without venting it in your C Head. I have neither the desire nor strength anymore to want to carry an entire toilet outside to turn it upside down over a bag to empty it! :-)
I don’t blame you.
Don’t use the supplied lid. It traps the moisture.
I don’t “empty” the bucket as such.
I treat it like a cat box, using a dedicated pair of wire whisk tongs.
I too recommend the C Head, much easier to dump. I didn't bother with the fan install. After 5 years no problems. I'm amazed that more people don't choose to install compost toilets. And the fact you can easily camp anywhere ( even friends property) because you don't need sewer, just electric and water hook ups.
As a man who actually cleans his bathroom, I've taken to sitting for everything most of the time. Good to know I'll be prepared for my future life!
As others have posted, thank you for tackling the two topics NO ONE ELSE apparently had: diarrhea and/or menstruation (I hadn't thought about vomit, but good to know about that too)! While talking about this may seem disgusting, these are really perfectly natural processes (as you correctly point out) and it's great to know that a composting toilet can handle them! Thanks for a clear and informative video.
Thank you! We’re glad it was helpful to you!
Plpppkk
I don't think human nature is disgusting that is for people who don't live in reality.
This has been the best vid I’ve seen on the composting toilets. Good job guys 👍🏼
Thank you! Do you have one or are you thinking about getting one?
How many do you watch?
Most definitely 👍
You have answered many of the questions that most of these composting toilet reviews leave as a mystery. Great job! And you've done it in a classy way!
Thank you!
Ohhh yeah, y'all went there. Thank you. Adorable couple that makes this stuff not be so gross.
Yes we did! There’s More to come on our upcoming FAQ video! Thanks for watching.
It’s like kitty litter for hoomans ;).
Kinda! Thanks for watching.
Haha Nice analolgy!!
I thought the same thing. lol
the Ferengi would capitalize on it...find a way to sell the poop
Wow, all this time I thought composting toilets composted wastes ... but, they don't compost at all. Seems they are more like dehydrators. Removing liquid from the waste. I guess it will compost later wherever it ends up.
What impressed me most about this video was the fact that the gentleman was complete secure with going #1 sitting down. Now that's a man! :) Great video guys! :) God Bless! :)
Thanks for watching!
Extremely useful information. Explained total process from a user’s point of view instead of selling point with tips and extras from trial and error. Thank you so much.
Thank you! We're glad you found the information useful.
My wife and I have the same brand, we've been using it everyday going on 5 years ,we absolutely love it, never had a problem with it
That’s awesome! No problems with ours either!
The best YT video on this subject. As for men sitting down to pee, this has become standard in Japan. Sitting down keeps things clean-and that's THE most important thing, whether in an RV or in our case, on a boat. We will be getting a composting (it'd be more honest to say a "desiccating") toilet for our boat, for sure. Thanks you two for making this video; it's the most honest of all the ones I have seen.
No wonder Japan is not making babies, their men have become women & the women are no longer interested in breeding. Same issue with the West.
Adding a small amount of vinegar to the urine tank can help with the urine smell.
Thanks for that tip!
Do not add Clorox!! Ammonia + Chlorine creates Chlorine gas, used as a weapon in World War One
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a very common sense approach to an every-day event. thank you
Thank you. Do you have one or are you considering one?
Thanks so much for the 'real details'. You're the first I've seen in my research that actually shares the important stuff.
FINALLY!! Someone answers all the REAL questions about these things! Thank you both deeply for your frank discussion of, not the pros and cons, but the actual maintenance & upkeep that comes with actually using a composting toilet. Thank you!
Thank you! We’re glad you found our information useful.
Lets be real for a moment. THE BIGGEST issue i can cess with Van Life, would be the toilet situation. You two have discussed almost everything I was looking for in the most realistic, basic, comprehensive way. Much respect to you and all the best on your travels. One of THE BEST clips regarding van life I have seen. Thank You from the East Coast of Australia.
There are lots of videos out there where people talk about having composting toilets & how great they are, but very few actually show how easy/hard it would be to use it empty it etc. Thanks for sharing! Great video & very informative!
Thank you! We’re glad our efforts were worthwhile!
This is the best composting potty video I've ever watched! Thanks for putting in all the effort to help people trying to make good choices on these important and practical topics!😊👍
Thank you! We appreciate you watching.
@@LyfUninterrupted ❤️
One of the best videos on the subject I have come across. I got used to sitting to pee living on a boat. Tough to aim right.
Thank you!
Thank you for not candy coating any of this. I like your frankness. It doesn't confuse me .
Thank you!
Everything you wanted to know about a composting toilet, but we're afraid to ask. Thank you, very informative.
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Best realistic treatment of a perfectly normal topic that most of us would rather avoid! Thanks - very informative.
Thank you!
So informative! Thank you! “...whichever business you're going to conduct.” Love it!
This is a great video and my partner and I are so appreciative of you two taking this on.
We're humans; we poop and pee and emit all sorts of weird stuff.
This sealed it - compostable toilet for us!
You have explained this toliet better then anyone ty
Thank you! We appreciate you watching. Are you thinking about getting a composting toilet?
I have been thinking on it in a yr going out full time for a yr or two dry camping makes it very interesting
thank you sooo much for being so candid about these toilets. I've been wanting to get one when I get my tiny house or RV but the videos I've found were not this detailed and made it sound like such a tough thing to deal with. Thank you for debunking this. And talking about all those normal yet embarrassing aspects of bathroom happenings.
Glad we could help! Thanks for watching!
Best explanation and video on composting toilets I’ve seen 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻
Thanks for watching and for the BIG vote of confidence. We’re glad you found it useful.
Try this for a toilet idea. We just returned from our two week trip using the newly installed Seperette, cost $160. We have a class A motorhome and always disliked the standard toilet for a few reasons. The direct hole to the black tank when flushing, the water waste when flushing and knowing there was a tank of crap and urine we were dragging around with us until we found a dump station. I built the very simple box for the Seperette seat product and saw dust compartment. The Seperette simply seperates the urine as a compost toilet does. You supply a 5 gallon bucket for poop and a container for urine, a gallon jug usually. I was able to find a rubber cap for the 3 inch black tank opening and cut a hole in it the size of the included hose for the urine. I didn’t want to deal with the urine bottle, because I heard that stinks much worse after a couple of days than poop. So the hose for urine drains into the black tank which I now share with the gray tank, almost doubling my gray water storage. The urine mixes with gray water, by the way urine is sterile, and that gray water is actually safe to drain in into the environment. Just be cool and use biodegradable soaps for washing yourself and dishes. The poop simply goes into the bucket lined with a plastic bag. You put sawdust, peat moss or coconut husks in the bottom of the new bag and on top of poop. I drilled a 2 inch hole in the floor for a small computer fan which vents consistently and draws a very minor amount if power and cost less than 2 dollars. When the poop bag is full it is leagel and safe to simply toss in any trash can. The smell that does exist post pooping is venting out and once poop dries the odor diminishes almost to nothing anyway. The urine hose in my set up naturally forms a “P” trap which eliminates any smell coming from the tanks, we all know gray water still stinks. After urinating we spray a few spritzes of 50/50 mixture of vinegar and water in the urine area of the Seperette to neutralise the urine odor from the trap. I don’t need to visit a stinky dump station ever because my gray water and urine is actually bennificial to plants so I drain it in a convenient spot when I find one. I now have 100 gallons of waste water storage and use much less due to no flushing. We experienced zero smell from the bucket or the p trap urine tube on our two week trip. We don’t have remove anything other than a plastic bag of poop and sawdust from the rv, poop not even visible through a clear bag . We don’t have to clean the toilet as with expensive compost or cassette toilets. We save water, nurish the planet with our gray water, save dump station money, eliminate the need for sewer trucks running around transporting waste to another facility to process it and…I’ll never go back. If you would like photos of my project let me know where I can send them
Interesting. Thanks for the info.
erik, make a video how u did it and post it here the link
@@incorectulpolitic ok coming right up...well maybe tomorrow settling into two week trip. Mojave National Preserve them Tuscan area boondocking. Hey what do you think about changing the sticks and bricks phrase which just sounds off to me to Still House. Get it, a still house doesn't move as apposed to a moving house or rv. No?
Thank you for explaining this so well...first video I've seen that answers all of my questions!!
Love how you covered everything so frankly. I am about to transition to full-time RV living and this is so much more environmentally friendly than a dry flush toilet. I stopped putting paper down my regular toilet about a year ago and have had no more stopped drains. The composting toilet is how I will go, especially after watching your videos.
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5years using a Nature’s Head (sail boat). Perfect! No stink, no mess. No chemicals. No pump out.
Great testimonial! We love ours too! Thanks for watching.
Getting ready to replace a chemical toilet in our van, and this is by far the most detailed video covering all the questions running through my head. Thank you both very much.
Our pleasure. We’re glad you found it helpful. Thanks for watching!
Thanx for the video guys .
I am designing my campervan and you guys have just made up my mind on what to get .
Less money going down the drain .
Composting is best .
Thanx again
Please keep us posted on the build!
First video that addresses every bodily function that regular flush toilets are used for. Thankyou.
Thanks for watching!
Thinking about converting a bus into a motorhome for full time living and I'm definitely going with a composting toilet. This video came in very handy, especially in confirming my decision to build my own toilet rather than using a nature head or similar.
First, of course, there is the cost factor. I can build a good composting toilet for a third of the price a nature head would cost me.
Second, I can connect the urine separator straight to my grey water tank. No smell, no emptying of the urine bucket.
Third, the solid waste bucket is easier to clean (the plastic bag - preferably compostable - goes straight into the bucket).
Thank you ever so much for this video. A straight forward approach to a topic that most people find difficult to talk about. 🙏🏼😉
Thanks for watching. Good luck with your bus build!
You both did a great job showing and talking about an embracing topic.
Cheryl Davis Thank you! We’re glad you found our video helpful.
Came here because I was curious about how that would work, stayed because of you guys. You breached some topics with honesty and humor. Subscribed and off to check out your other videos!
Awesome! Thank you! 👍
Hi from Oz downunder. Thanks for the info on the natures head. Answered all the questions we had. We have a van on order and will be getting a composting toilet after seeing this video. Take care and cheers
Thanks for the great info on the composting toilet! I am building my shuttle bus into my forever home on wheels and was totally thinking composting toilet! For me it was a matter of living in it in the winter time and just not wanting to deal with a black tank and all that mess! Thanks so much for the information and I now know for sure that’s what I’m putting in!
Before seeing this video I was wondering how does these toilets work ... understood well now. Thank you both 👍
Thank you! We're glad you found the information useful!
I would rather use the composting toilet than use ANY store or restaurant restroom toilet. Im a RN so the toilet talk is ok by me. I would rather hear EXACTLY how to use the thing than not know. Thanks much! Happy trails.
Thank you!
You may want to try Coffee Grounds to take down the urine smell! I have a simple composting toilet, and use Cedar shavings and no smell! I sure saves a lot of water and no stinky smells! Enjoyed the video, and it was a very nice job by both of you!!!! You covered a few subjects that need to be told !!!!!!!!!! See you down the road!!!
Thanks for that info and for the compliment!
They handled talking about an awkward subject so comfortably and seamlessly. Very informative. Thank you
Glad you liked it!
I have to say thank you! You answered all the questions people are too embarrassed to ask! I appreciate both of you! Thank you!
Hi Valerie! Glad we could help!
Thanks for giving us the complete details that nobody else would cover. Have a blessed day!
Thank you. We’re glad you found it useful.
I just looked up that Coco Coir stuff.... you get it from the pet !store that's super cheap. I thought it would be pricey.
We buy a 6 month supply from Amazon for about $20.
@@LyfUninterrupted can you put the link for your stuff?
Check out our Amazon Store at www.amazon.com/shop/lyfuninterrupted.
Thank you for being so candid. I have never used a composting toilet. I’m trying to reduce my footprint and want/need information like this. 👍
Glad you found the information useful. Check out the Sun Mar GTG model. It’s looks like a nice alternative to the NH.
Oh many people said this in the comments but I'm going to say that again. Best video to talk about these "embarrassing" topics. These are essentials. Can you please talk more about the flushing toilet.
Thank you! We appreciate the compliment!
I'm so glad I found this video. I have been contemplating putting in a composting toilet as apposed to the toilet that's currently in my horse trailer living quarters. I ended up ripping the black tank off leaving a race and need to replace it. It's going to be so expensive so I had looked into alternatives. I think the composting will work so much better and like you said, saves water, chemicals, etc. Thank you for making this video!
Thanks, Kimberleigh! Let us know if/when you make the change and how you like it.
@@LyfUninterrupted I sure will!
Thanks for making this! I'm considering living the skoolie (bus converted to a home) lifestyle over the next couple years and I was jotting down some notes of some must haves for my bus. A toilet was one of them and I was trying to decide what kind of toilet would be the best fit. You really helped me narrow down my options. :)
Best of luck! Thanks for watching!
Loved your vid (and the updated one too) on the Nature's Head composting toilet - I was already sold, but this just helps solidify my decision!
Glad we could help!
Very good video, I started off with a narrowboat where no toilet had been fitted so decisions right from the start. I bought exactly what you have, everything you said was absolutely on the button, it being totally dry in the main bucket there is no smell, it is easy to handle, the most important part I feel is the fan to ensure it dries out. Paper I have a doggy poo bag dispenser and the toilet paper is popped into one of the bags then disposed as you have. If these were the only toilets available across the world think of the water we would save. I say poo poo to any dissenters to this eco friendly disposal. Guy
Hello Guy. Do you cruise the cut there in GB?
We purchased one of these for an rv and boat application . Works great and is way better than dealing with nasty dump stations and other peoples messes. And your right no smell, no mess, easy to dump, I love it ! No more dump stations !
Glad to hear about your positive experience. Thanks for watching!
U handled this topic better than any other video u covered it all thanks
Thank you!
We think you covered all of the questions that we had in a very thorough manner. We will be installing a Nature's Head in our travel trailer.
That’s awesome! Let’s us know if you have any questions during or after the install.
This was so informative and you shared it with good grace and humour. Thankyou for your honesty. Appreciation from New Zealand
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great video guys. And the key to a Nature's head is commercial coffee filters! 😉
Interesting! Can you expound on the coffee filters?
@@LyfUninterrupted Place a big commercial coffee filter on the bottom of the bowl before going #2. Once you are done with your business, open the little trap door. The filter and #2 will easily drop down into the vault, leaving the bowl all, or mostly clean. This does add a small amount of additional waste to the vault, but not like toilet paper.
Kim Young Great info! Thanks!
You guys answered all my questions!!! Thank you, and I love your senses of humor ;) love the intro!
Yay! Thank you!
I really appreciate this video. You talked about several topics nobody else did. Thanks
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You know, I've been looking into Van / RV life as a possibility after college and I've been trying to find information on the "worse case scenarios" with toilets and it has been a struggle. So I greatly appreciate the information!
Glad our info was helpful! Thanks for watching!
Thank you so much for making this video and thank you for all your advice and tips
We are retired from dog sitting and retired from work so we are selling our 5 acres and our 2 story log cabin home in Alaska joining you in the RVing life
Your videos are priceless to me thanks for taking the time 😄
Good job on the explanation. We have been using a Nature’s Head in our motor coach for four years without an major problems. While it is not a solution everyone embraces, it has worked well for us. We were able to easily combine our black and grey tanks to create an 84 gallon reservoir for grey water. These changes allow us to stay on limited hookups for several days.
Glad to hear everything is working for you. We love the ability to go many, many days without dumping the grey tank.
I have to admit that I am quite the squeamish girl...but y'all made this video watchable for me. I have been interested in learning about how these compost toilets work. You both did a fabulous job with this tutorial on a subject that most would pass on..ty!!!
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Bold and brave couple! Outstanding info! Thank You! 😁👍
Glad you enjoyed it!
I like the idea of the composting toilet, but I have trouble justifying the cost of the unit. We have a Casita with the manufacturers original Thedford flush toilet. It works great as is, but we do not like the black tank! I have an alternative to the composting toilet. We line the Thedford with a plastic bag so that the top of the bag drapes over the bowl.Throw a little coco fiber or kitty litter in the bag mainly for absorption of liquid and then put the seat over the bag to hold in place. Poo pourri spray can be useful. We do our business, not having to think if we're sitting in the right spot or if our aim is correct. Also, we throw the toilet paper and wipes into the bag. Pull the drawstrings on the bag and push down into bowl. Reline and when convenient put the bag in a 5 gal bucket with a sealed lid. Turn the bath exhaust on. Dispose of contents in campground waste when leaving. Vomit, menstrual flow, and diarrhea do not require special handling. Water of course is not used. There is a solution to these issues for everyone.
Good information on something we all have to deal with.
Thank you!
First time viewer. New subscriber.
Thank you! We appreciate your kind words! As you say, there is a solution for every situation. I'd (Brian) go with a simple 5-gallon bucket solution, but Shawnna will have none of that. Hahaha.
@@LyfUninterrupted Yes, I'm married to the same woman! We're backpackers, so you'd think the plastic bucket would be an upgrade from squatting. I think she is afraid it will fall over.
We tried this with our Casita and I was always a bit wary of the really watery bag of sewage since the urine is not diverted. Though it's easy for us guys to put our urine elsewhere, not the easiest for the ladies. I recently built a compost toilet based on the C-Head design and will soon replace the toilet in the Casita and plumb the urine into the black tank. I see also now that Sun-Mar is selling a simple diverting toilet (GTG) also though still sort of pricey.
@@baronistheone Yes the urine issue was a concern at first but bu putting the kitty litter in first or yhe coco fiber, all is absorbed. We've never had a leak.
I also saw a review of a toilet that Home Depot sells -about 600 bucks It's a hybrid between the composting toilet and the flush toilet.
@@williambranham6249 We used coco fiber, but still unless disposed of pretty much immediately I found the bag(s), even doubled to be too wet for comfort (no accidents, just the potential...). We eat a mostly plant based diet so perhaps that effects our experience. I decided the diverting type would make things worry free and also utilize the 10 gallon black tank. I added the "mods" for our gray tank so it will hold 40 gallons or so and when mixed with a partially filled black (urine) tank shouldn't be any problem wherever I drain it. I agree with Lyf that I prefer not to use a dump station after someone else.
Best video I've seen about the composting toilet. Thank you!
WOW! Not that is a compliment! Thank you!
Great informative video! Thanks a lot for putting all the answers to all the questions about composting toilet together!
Thanks for watching! We’re glad you found it helpful.
Great video, great information!! So glad we just found your channel.... Subscribed so we don't miss any more! Thx
Amazingly helpful thank you!
Everyone wants to get out and explore but no one wants to deal with what everyone has to do.
Very informative video. Thank you! My wife and I currently live in a fifth-wheel camper. We plan to move into a camper van with a composting toilet when she retires in a couple of years. We use a Diaper Genie for toilet paper. I empty it when I take the trash to the dumpster. No paper in the toilet and keeps the order under control.
Yeah, it’s really no big deal. The Diaper Genie is a good idea. Our little can with self-closing lid works for us. No odor at all. Thanks for watching and commenting!
Thank you. Informative and clear - and very helpful for those of us deciding what kind of toilet to buy!
Thank you!
Some friends who've spent extensive time in a boat with similar bathroom limitations said they posted a sign that says "Gentlemen Will Take A Seat".
Thank you for talking about this. Different strokes for different folks and that's fine, but the more videos of this overall lifestyle I watch, the more I'm convinced this is not for me.
Thanks for watching!
@Jon Esqueda True but I can't really figure out a way to replace a normal land based sanitation system. I have to admit I'm resistant to giving up that convenience. All the black tank/removable composting potties etc, they all just seem like incredibly poor substitutes for normal living.
I didn’t realize it was that easy. Thanks for sharing.
Nicely done addressing things that people avoid talking about. Excellent review, comical, and interesting. Thanks for posting. PS you were both a delight to listen to.
Thank you!
Some pine-sol in the fluid bucket after emptying does wonders for the smell.
Great info! Thanks for watching.
Poop happens, if this embarrassed you are you still in junior high LOL. Good video I always wondered how they worked. Great job
Thank you!
Thats a lie. Girls dont poop, everybody knows that
I use the Luggable Loo. Absolutely perfect. So easy on space, odor, and well, it poops just fine! It was $12 :-).
Thanks for watching.
I love that you're bypassing the chemicals needed to compensate mixing solids and liquids. Composting seems much more nature friendly and a better option all around. Way less gross. I will totally invest in this for my RV.
Thank you!
Thank you for this real raw information!! I’m now not such a skeptic about composting toilets.
Thanks Cheryl. We’ve been using the CP for over 2 years now and still love it.
This is good to learn.
Plus you guys hosted it great.
I loved it.
God bless you.
Thank you!
We have thought about a composting toilet.....thanks so much for being honest about how well it works.
Thanks for watching. It's a game changer for those who want to extend their camping adventures as well as water conservation while boondocking.
Together, you both did a great job of covering a "difficult" topic. In my experience sailing on the Chesapeake Bay, marine heads are way worse that RV bathrooms. Try going on a sailing trip for a weekend with 3-4 people (especially in warm weather) and you'll know what I'm talking about. Anyone that has a boat with a head should watch this video - and immediately swap out the marine toilet (which frequently has problems) for a composting toilet
I've raised the topic of a composting toilet before with my wife - she freaks out every time. Maybe watching your video, which - again you did a really good job on, she'll be willing to consider it.
Thanks for watching! We loved going boating on the Chesapeake when we lived near Annapolis!
Great video ya’ll!! Making me feel more comfortable about making the transition over to a composting option in my RV.
Glad we were able to help!
Very well done. Explained clearly without the gore.
👍 Thank you!
I have wondered about those...nobody shows this stuff!
Great video!
Thanks. They are not for everyone!
Great info, thank you! Love the classy way you covered everything one needs to know!
Thank you!
i find i fascinating watching videos about mobile toilets, americans get quite hung up about the subject. here in britain, RVers and boaters talk endlessly about their toilets, maybe more than they talk about the weather!
Very nice of you to tune in! Thank you!
I really appreciate your candor and openness! I am just starting to think about an RV, again, after 15 years since the last travel trailer. The criteria, this time, is also for a disaster evacuation ... no pun intended .... oh, OK, pun intended ... vehicle for protracted dry "camping" after a major disaster. I live in earthquake prone southern California. Getting more power failures here, too. Thanks for the video. I'll look for some of your other ones, too.
Thanks for watching David!
I got tired of emptying my N.H. toilet. So I modified it today, literally today. I have had the unit for a few years. I took out the mixing bar (of course all things first cleaned (used pressurized hose water)) and then measured and found a bucket at the local hardware store. I used pink insulation board to level and stabilize it so it would sit just below the slide hatch. I put in a plastic bag and going to layer the Peat that I have for now and when the bucket is mostly ready just tie up the bag and remove it... no dumping, trying to clean the gasket (which I had to replace with better product)... and all the crevasse around the top section etc. I had watched how to make one's own compost toilet and found that I could do the quick fix and we'll see how it goes. The liquid waste, being a man, I have several options and even use the bottles that N.H. sent, I just got / get tired dumping that too...
Update, I am using pine shavings and just layer it and no bugs or smells. better than peat and cheeper too.
Hi David. We tried pine shavings (pet bedding) and it did not work well in our CP.
Thank you for the thorough honest education.
Thank you! We appreciate the compliment!
I would love to not deal with the dump station, but not sure about the composting toilets. This video helped. Thanks.
We’re glad our video provided some info to help you make your decision. Let us know if you have any questions!
You still have to empty grey tank. I have composting toilet, wouldn't buy it again
patricia alexander True, but we’ve only had to use a dump station once in 5 months and that was at an Army Corp of Engineers campground. We can usually wait to dump the grey water when we have full hookups at a campground. Not having to deal with sewage (ours or someone else’s) is worth the minor hassle of the composting toilet. What do you not like about composting toilets? It’s not for everyone that’s for sure.
Laughed so much at the disclaimers! Cute couple!
Thanks! We thought those would be funny to some. Ya just don’t know who you’re gonna offend these days.
I'm retired and live in an apartment and I hit "Subscribe" lol. I guess because: 1. The video was so good explaining how the toilets work; 2. You both are so personable that watching y'all talk and interact was fun, and 3; I may go car camping in a station wagon next summer for an extended period and wouldn't want to be dependant on finding a gas station, especially in the middle of the night. Idk how feasible an idea it is to use this toilet without access to electricity except for a the cigarette lighter(?) but I'm glad to have the info as a starting point. Great video, guys -- I learned so much -- thanks!
Hi Susan. We’re glad the information was helpful. Best of luck with your plans!