I was very sad to hear we lost Sandy this year: www.thesurvivalgardener.com/memory-sandy-graves/ He was a great experimenter, full of enthusiasm - you are missed, brother!
Hi. I am an 80 year old woman. I got my C Head because I just moved into a small house with no plumbing (yet) I've been using coconut coir, which works wonderfully. I love it. My only complaint is, the compressed block of coir is very hard to break into small enough bits for the toilet. The other day, while watching UA-cam, someone was using coconut coir for their garden and soaked it in water to break it up. Lightbulb!! Why can't I do that. Today, my son took my coir soaked it in water, and spread it on a metal sheet to dry. Behold!! I now have fine coir , without all the stabbing and banging to break it up. And by the way, I love my C Head. It is so easy to use and I am always utterly amazed, when I empty it, at the beautiful potting soil it makes. Thanks.
David, I was telling people about this composting toilet. I just learned that Sandy Graves, the inventor, passed away in August 2022. Very sorry to hear that but his legacy and passion lives on. Someday will have one of these or similar. Thank you for this video.
We are full time RV'ers. We installed a C-Head in our 5th wheel during November 2015. The following is an excerpt from an e-mail I wrote to the maker of the C-Head several months later: "Great design, simple and effective, fit and finish are excellent, lower cost than other manufactured composting toilets and best of all the smell, or precisely the lack of it. You are 100% correct when you wrote that the C-Head would need no venting in most cases. No smell, No leaking, No dumping, No more pump outs at $75 a month. A lot of No's that equate to one big YES! " Almost 5 years later we still feel the same about our decision to go with the C-Head.
@@dentonearnhardt9891 We've tried several medium from pine pellets (don't do it), coir (pretty good), cedar shavings (nope) and keep coming back to peat moss. Of the different medium we've tried, peat moss is by far the best in our experience. Highly absorbent in terms of moisture and odor, has a nice earthy smell on it's own and it's the right color for the job...
@@Double_O_Getter & @Denton Earnhardt Please stop using peat it is not sustainable. It takes thousands of years for peat moss to develop, and harvesting it requires digging up bogs, which destroys the potential for regeneration of the swamp. It has been banned in several countries to protect rare plants and animals in peatlands and prevent the release of tons of greenhouse gases from disturbed bogs each year.
@@littlemisssunshine2931 it seems like every time some source is found thats better for the environment, it ends up turning out to be hog wash and is in some cases much worse. Electric cars are a perfect example. The cobalt mines needed for the batteries are absolutely horrible and we have no long term solution for what to do with the old batteries which are highly toxic. Furthermore coal plants (fossil fuels) is what's used at the vast majority of electrical stations to recharge these electric cars. When you look at ONLY the car electricity versus gas, it passes the test but when you back up and look at all the diesel used by the heavy machinery to dig those mines that get the resources for the batteries for them, it's a joke.
Great video... a few questions: 1) What is the capacity of the solids tank 2) How often does the solids tank have to be emptied 3) How do you empty and then clean the solids tank... this process would be a good video.
We've been using humanure for years and can attest to oak does not make a good material. It stinks when it encounters moisture. We have found that Hickory or Pine shavings is best and truly hides the smell completely.
Worms actually abate colliform bacteria, which is what health departments worry about and describe. So, including worms in your composting toilet, can really help compost it down faster.
If you are hot-composting, then all coliform bacteria will be killed, so this process will produce a safe compost. Worms of course cannot live in hot compost, so to add worms and expect them to solve the issue, is to admit you are using the unsafe cold process.
Problems: 1. worms require moisture, while the matter used in a composting toilet must be dry in order to absorb the moisture in the solid waste, to stop the odor; 2. the urine is kept separate in another area, so does not add to the moisture in the solid waste compartment in *this* composting toilet.@@Chimonger1
That was a great interview! And I really appreciate the quality of the content. He was so generous to share all of his information I wish you both a lot of success and a wonderful 2019!
Ran across your channel searching for composting toilets as we are sitting here waiting on hurricane Florence in Nc. I have gathered waste water in buckets in case we’re out of power. I have to say WOW! This video alone is packed full of info. I have so much to learn and can already tell you are the man 👍 look forward to following your channel. Thanks for your time.
I know a lot of people separate urine but we can actually mix it. The urine turns into ammonia which makes a great fertilizer. But it needs to sit in compost pile for 1 full year before using to grow plants or fruits and vegetables.
I would love to have one of his composting toilets. They seem like some very good toilets and they are just beutiful. I love how he builds them to look like regular toilets. He does a very good job and he truly cares about what he is doing . He cares and loves people to . Miss . Linda ❤
I used a Biolet (liquid & solid go into the same place) for four years as my only toilet. It worked great and didn't smell, but as with any composting toilet, you have to be dedicated to installing it correctly and maintaining it. I much prefer the flush toilet I have now, but a composting one is a great solution when there's no other way - like, no plumbing!
We bought a c-head because we had to live in our rv for a month or so, without access to the septic. It has been just fine. However, we've been using pine and it is getting too wet. The medium only lasts 2-3 days in the toilet, with 2 adults. We are looking for peat moss to try. But the toilet, is great. And the best part, it's the less expensive option compared to others. It's dead simple in its design. 2 thumbs up
I love this video, especially all about maintaining the habitat for all phases of the soldier flies. This is great! I especially like the line "Your waste just flies away!!"
This ONE relatively simple change to current technology could prevent SO MUCH WASTE if it was even just applied to suburban homes. It IS possible to engineer a simple, workable system that mixes and slowly pushes the composting mixture into a partitioned container that could either be collected by city services (like garbage, but compost collection instead), or used by the homeowner in their garden/land.
Many people are farming black soldier flies to harvest the grubs as fish or chicken feed, High fat and protein content. The flies lay eggs near the waste source ...hollow cardboard strips are good for this purpose. As the maggots / grubs / larvae eat the food they fatten , then gradually turn dark in colour. At this point in the life-cycle their mouthparts are closing up and become inoperative. Then they instinctively crawl away from the food onto " engineered" escape - chutes where they can be collected and symbiotically cycled into feedstock. They can consume a whole (spoilt) chicken carcass in 48 hrs ...amazing !
I switched my cats litter to the sawdust pellets and I love it. geez all that money I could've saved, he is 14 yrs old. no more little rocks all over my floor! but I had no idea it's what can be used for compost potty but I certainly can understand why. my litter box is so much cleaner, no ammonia smell, i sift it twice a week, after 3 or 4 days I start seeing sawdust on the floor.. wow, this is a great video, the soldier fly thing is awesome. so if you get a tiny home and park it a tiny home park, do they typically allow compost pile and back yard full of buckets?
How is this saving you any money? Buying these pellets is more expensive then buying clumping litter. I am trying to understand this, please show me how.
I have one for over 2 years now and it is absolutely great, odourless and easygoing. Never had any issues disposing #1 and #2 in a respectable way of course.
TheLordHumungus what is a black soldier fly and why would you use a pesticide? Pesticides get into our immune system and give us cancer. I totally don't understand this. At all.
Nice DIY version of the little manufactured plastic and fiberglass composting toilets. This will fill fast. The crank for the removed portion is what's good. It's not necessarily different from several other composting toilet designs. What's great is this guy is not an idealogue: he states there are many ways to accomplish excreta recycling.
Terrific video. The simplicity of using the free urine, an excellent fertilizer is a brand new technique for me. Love new tips and morphs on old ideas.
I teach sixth grade earth science, and every year I try to find more and more information for my students during our water conservation unit (as well as energy conservation) and stumbled upon your site. You did a FANTASTIC job on this video! I love all the knowledge that you willingly shared for free. I had NO idea about the urine diverter system nor the flies! I am so excited about this (on a personal level too!) Thank you.
Good video here, I am learning a lot of knowledge here. Ill have to come back with a note pad and jot down the big stuff but between the half dozen gentlement such as you who ARE doig thise things, I am getting where I will be walk from start to finish and succeed in my endeavor. I may ask questions as we go down the line but really have a big plan here and you are teaching me tons of stuff. I can't thank you enough. Thanks Aaron
Black soldier fly larvae produce very little compostable material. That material is probably mostly pathogen free, and when added to worm bins with leaves, cardboard, etc become very safe by the time they become worm castings. Lots of predators, large and small, like to eat BSFL, so keep them contained. They also produce some heat and do well inside a humid greenhouse.
I agree. I always wonder why nature makes one pee before and after poop That should give a clue on how own urine makes decomposition easier If Urine has no color or odour, your intake has been a healthy intake. If the secretion , be it poop or urine or sweat, is smelly, the body had accumulated waste found alongwith the intake one had. Reconsider what you eat.
Saw this video a couple years ago and after doing some research decided to go with this toilet for our off grid trailer. We lived in our trailer (family of 5 at the time) for 4 months straight. I have to say I absolutely hated this toilet! I wasn't even having to clean it, my husband did that (which was complicated and not fun, due to the lid and center post), and I still hated this toilet. Sadly it is very poorly designed. When you lift the lid there is a standard toilet seat, that's just fine, but beneath the seat is another lid to be lifted off before using the toilet, also no issue with that, it keeps the flies out, but that lid rests on a "seat" of its own, this is where the problem is. This secondary "seat" creates a narrower opening, my sitting bones always ended up resting on it which was rather painful. Then with wiping, because of the narrower opening and the urine diverter there was very little clearance for getting in to wipe without getting messy. And you need good aim! This is more of an issue for women, you generally need to sit further forward to be able to use the urine diverter but heaven forbid both 1 & 2 come at the same time, that's not going to end well! It is also just slightly too tall, I'm a 5'4" woman and couldn't firmly plant my feet on the floor, which is likely why it hurt my tucas. Overall, when we build our permanent off-grid house I will not be using this toilet, and I do not recommend this toilet to anyone looking at a composting toilet.
You should have gotten a stool that fits around the base of the toilet to place your feet on. I think it's called a 'Squatty Potty', or some such thing. It's designed to help people 'go' in more of a squatting position, but you don't have to use it that way. You might have preferred one a little shorter than that is made, for your purpose. . . . ALSO . . . ANOTHER option is to pee & poop standing up, with a wide-mouthed liter cup help in the appropriate spot & angle. No having to sit on something unpleasant with that method! Great for people with arthritic knees &/or hips that make it painful for them to sit down & then get up again! (1 litter size is good for either 1 adult-size BM or 1 adult-size Pee, not both at same time. Can use a liner in cup for the BM.)
@@2qlrn273 the toilet went into a very tiny rv bathroom, there was no room for a squatty potty, besides that the base of this toilet is too wide for a squatty potty to fit around. And are you serious? I should stand to go to the bathroom? That seems completely unreasonable, I purchased a toilet and should be able to sit on it without being in pain.
@@raylingomen2562 Easiest, Cheapest Composting Toilet of all......As a matter of fact, a contractors bag on the floor( yes, squatting is waaayyy better for you, www.naturesplatform.com/health_benefits.html)......and a drywall mud pan on the floor in front of you, to pee into( if you havent already, which makes the whole process much easier)...and, guess what, a 50cent composting toilet( with two contractor bags to prevent tearing)....then, a year or two in the backyard, bury 8 inches deep, re-use the bags, and viola.....your wife will nag and scream out the yazoo, your neighbors can turn you in to the health department, and, guess what? Bringing in piles of leaves every year will give you plenty of fertilizer for your garden, so why bother, unless you are on the road, etc.....also, covering with any moist mulch( chopped ssmall) or fine powder anyway, and there is no smell....you have to get it right.
Thanks for this video. What a great interview. Sandy is so knowledgeable and down to earth. Easy to understand and just easy to listen to. My only question is where is this in FLORIDA that has bears?
Depends on how many people are using it. There are two of us living full time in a RV. We dump the pee pot twice daily and the poo pot every three to four days.
Didn't show how to empty it though! Also, would love to have a garden, but UNFORTUNATELY the gophers love it too !!😆 Looking at the toilet mostly for rv-ing. How and where to dump!!🤔
we use a cheese bucket that is 12 by 15 inches high and dump it in a hole that will take 20 years to fill! No septic needed! Plus leaves cover everything every fall
I do not even compost our human or dog waste, all I compost is food refuse and lawn clippings and We have worm castings coming out of our ears! It is AMAZING to me how efficient red wiggler worms and soldier flies are! And NO odor! It smells good and earthy....my wife has the most discerning sense of smell and will not tolerate anything stinky...if she says it does not stink then it DOES NOT STINK! BTW soldier flies are NOTHING like house flies, they don't go into homes and don't bother you...they look sort of like some kind of wimpy black wasps. I have been afraid to do the human and dog waste BUT we are moving to a large rural property that has a septic tank and so especially with three large dogs we will definitely experiment with this! Also re urine? I love to save water and fertilize plants too, so easy for a man in the privacy of his back yard to urinate in a bucket, add a bunch of water and then go around giving a little bit each to many plants. Doing it this way does not stink up the yard as opposed to simply urinating in one spot...THAT will offend the sensitive nose of my wife every time but she does not notice the highly diluted thinly spread method...it is literally FREE fertilizer! AND saves water!! Both things satisfy my urge to efficiency and care of my own environmental footprint...I can't control what others do, but at least I can be less of the problem..
Once we get to our new property I will step up diverting my urine from the toilet TO the soil...I guess you could even say that in that regard I intend to be one out standing in his field...yuk yuk yuk...get it? pretty funny!...no??
Doug - good for you and congrats on the new property. You're already way ahead of the average. I saw a garden in poor sand that looked lush and green because the owner was using diluted urine as a fertilizer. Amazing how much nutrition is in it.
We got our C-head from Sandy around 12 years ago. It's been in boats for live aboard, tents for boondocking, and over performed in every instance. Not often does something live up to its reputation so well. One note; peat moss is not a good choice, ecologically speaking. It's a non renewable resource and its harvest is damaging to the ecosystem that it is found in. Coir is compact, cheap, a by product of the coconut industry and completely renewable. I hydrate a brick partly in a bag to make it easy to crumble up.
That’s is an amazing savings over using water to flush! Plus you have all the fresh water for bathing, drinking etc!! Annnnnd no black tank to empty and no sewer smell in the RV!!!
The standard toilet IS useful...just add a $20 attachment and make a bidet out of it. It makes a little gray water, but you save $55 a year on toilet paper per person and save thousands of trees in a lifetime. Once you use the bidet you will never feel clean without it, and it saves on laundry too. Also, PLEAZE don't put the bureaucrats in a dilemma and ask or show off your wonderful composting toilet. Discretion is the better part of valor! Why get into a peeing match with the county? Just let the inspector check off on the regular toilet, and then keep your composting toilet in the shower stall. The C-head looks like a great toilet and little trouble! PS. In Florida, I shower outside 99%of the time anyway.
New subscriber. Great video! Very knowledgeable gentleman, sharing his great wisdom. ?: Does the compositing toilet need to be ventilated? Most of the others I have seen require drilling a hole for the ventilation hose. I will be in a basic van and need something that does not require drilling.
Hi fascinating video. Does the system process toilet paper and sanitary pads or, other alternatives used. How will it look in my yard daily. Having all these processing stations/cubicles for different stages, does not really appeal to me. Want to contribute more than just flushing and forgetting. But seems you have to be really committed. Kind Regards
What an awesome video! I hope you have one that shows exactly how you piped in the urine fertilization pvc system. I love people who are pro creative! We need to expose more minds lije this! Thank you! Also..csn you pleas state how much Pete moss is need to add to thechurning bucket and can it be the only medium used? You mentioned not mixing other people's recreations...so guests cannot use your personal composting toilet for wrong the compost in your personal food garden?
I'm thinking I should put my Sun-Mar out in the barn and get one of these for the cabin. I like it. I guess this lends a whole new meaning to the old saying, "Do what you love, and you’ll never work another day in your life."
Thank you for watching. Composting doesn't have to be a pain! Learn how to compost the easy way in my book Compost Everything: amzn.to/3zy4rYB Get my free composting booklet: www.thesurvivalgardener.com/simple-composting/ "Compost Your Enemies" T-shirts: www.aardvarktees.com/collections/vendors?q=The%20Survival%20Gardener
can a person use flax straw for the compost toilet bin? A friend brought me 20 bales to cover my septic tank and I want to build a tiny house that will use compost toilet and so I was wanting to use some of the flax straw for the toilet compost if I can. If I can not use it for compost toilet can you please tell me what I can use flax straw for. Possibly bricks?
This sounds great, and I do not want to sound like a troll, but what happens when that burrito grande does not agree with you and you get explosive diarrhea? Do you also put the wood chips in the black landing area? I understand this might work with 2 day logs, but what happens when you get the other kind? What about vomit? That has its own liquid.
Please note that I AM NOT KIDDING when I ask, what in cases of lose motions?? Does composting gets affected or we just need to add appropriate amount of dry material
Aboutn tomato blight. It is in the soil when it rains or you water the soil can be slashed on to the lower part of the plant and start to grow. Atleast one thing the mulch does is reduce the amount of soil splashing on to the plant. There may be other good things also.
Composting toilets are a great idea/concept! One issue people overlook and really need to keep in mind, is the potential for bio-accumulation of "medications". Make no mistakes and do not succumb to denial, there are a lot of people (domestic animals and cattle included) that take/require medication/prescription medication on a daily basis and all those medications (from birth control pills to Xanax ((and everything in between)) can end up transferring into the finished compost. While this issue may not be that big of a deal if the compost is strictly used on non-food crops, it can become a very big deal/problematic when the medications build up in the soil over time and then make their way into the food crops (systemically) during the growing season...
If i can't find some nice aromatic wood shavings, could I then put some essential oils in the mix & will it be of any benefit or will if make other aromas wa waft up?
From looking at another of your videos they state you have to dispose of the toilet paper into another container. PU. Wouldn't that be smelly and highly unsanitary? Also it shows how you have to remove some trim to have the toilet "locked" into a place for sturdiness. Is this because it's top heavy and can topple over?
I think you may be referring to the tiny houseboat video. This is a moving vessel and the USCG requires that portable type toilets must be secured to avoid becoming a missile during collision or capsize. Most local authorities adopt USCG regs as their laws too, be it on a lake or river. To answer your other questions, it is neither smelly nor unsanitary. It is a common practice with liveaboard boaters to put tp in the trash to avoid clogging their holding tank system. Contrary to what the video says, (and it is a very good video) you can put the paper inside the toilet but it tends to remain on the surface because of its lightness. There are always people who are going to be culturally averse to doing anything out of the ordinary. Ironically in most places around the world people think sitting where someone else has just gone poo poo is really gross and that includes most of our neighbor Mexico. Some cultures with populations much larger than America, like India, wash their bottoms after they go and consider smearing it around with a piece of paper as really nasty. Hey, to each his own.
+Fireboat52 I'm one of those people that think tp can't get you clean as you're just smearing poop and pee around your private parts....with that being said, could I use my portable bidet (It's just a water bottle with squirt top, filled with water to rinse my privates after I go) with this toilet? Will a bit of water ruin it's effectiveness??? I then use tp to pat dry.
@@Fireboat52 I've tried putting all toilet paper in a separate bin. It definitely absolutely stinks AND attracts bugs if it is from #2. And even #1 in the heat of summer, still attracts bugs. It creates more work to figure out how to combat these issues. How do you avoid that? Also regarding India's toilet practices, they might consider smearing your business with toilet paper nasty, but what do they wash their bottoms with? At least the people I know who have adopted these practices from India....Water and what? Not a cloth. Not newspaper. No corn cobs. They use their hands. How gross is that? They use their hands and often a portable bidet like, joneslr25 mentions, to smear/wash it off with water instead of smearing it with tp. How is that better? How many people using this method actually have the luxury or take the time to properly sanitize their hands afterwards with hot water and disinfectant soap, a nail brush and a clean paper towel? Maybe I'm too conditioned, but it seems like a far worse torture. I understand they have conditions that don't accommodate toilet paper for a number of reasons. But I don't think its sanitary at all. The people I know who have this practice live in the US too and have resources that poor people in India don't. And they think this is a good practice. To me, the best option is to use lightly damp toilet paper so you are not just smearing but cleaning. I'm very grateful I have the option not to use my hands as toilet paper.
How viable is urine and the accompanying solids if someone in the family is sick? And what about people who take tons of medicine everyday? Surely that would affect the quality of the composted material. I'm trying to think about eating sweet potatoes from a family who take tons of toxic drugs. Or, say they have cancer or something like that? I guess cows and horses get sick, too, but, still . . . I do remember in school that urine is sterile. The Fit RV posted a video on their experience with composting toilets which I found helpful. She talks about the menstrual cycle and how that has to be handled with extra care.
Anita Griggs generally everyone says not to use compost, unless it has been cooked, on any fruits and vegetables. I assume sending it through the worm composted would work as well if you need it for fruit production. The only thing I plan on using my compost for is the roses I plan on planting all the way around my acreage.....
Where do you get the black soldier flies from, when getting started? Do they just arrive on their own? Can you tell the difference between their maggots and those of house flies?
I appreciate the review, however, i am not sure they are in business anymore. I ordered almost 2 months ago and I paid and then nothing, I have called and left messages, emailed and texted. No reply. No toilet and no money.
There is this notice on his site: "03/25/2022: We can be reached on our new number at (888) 851-8824. Current lead time on US Domestic orders is 5 weeks. "
I was very sad to hear we lost Sandy this year: www.thesurvivalgardener.com/memory-sandy-graves/ He was a great experimenter, full of enthusiasm - you are missed, brother!
R.I.P.😢
Hi. I am an 80 year old woman. I got my C Head because I just moved into a small house with no plumbing (yet) I've been using coconut coir, which works wonderfully. I love it. My only complaint is, the compressed block of coir is very hard to break into small enough bits for the toilet. The other day, while watching UA-cam, someone was using coconut coir for their garden and soaked it in water to break it up. Lightbulb!! Why can't I do that. Today, my son took my coir soaked it in water, and spread it on a metal sheet to dry. Behold!! I now have fine coir , without all the stabbing and banging to break it up. And by the way, I love my C Head. It is so easy to use and I am always utterly amazed, when I empty it, at the beautiful potting soil it makes. Thanks.
creativity RV on UA-cam has a 3 part series on her comp toilet, she uses the coconut too, check out her process for breaking down the cubes
David, I was telling people about this composting toilet. I just learned that Sandy Graves, the inventor, passed away in August 2022. Very sorry to hear that but his legacy and passion lives on.
Someday will have one of these or similar.
Thank you for this video.
We are full time RV'ers. We installed a C-Head in our 5th wheel during November 2015. The following is an excerpt from an e-mail I wrote to the maker of the C-Head several months later: "Great design, simple and effective, fit and finish are excellent, lower cost than other manufactured composting toilets and best of all the smell, or precisely the lack of it. You are 100% correct when you wrote that the C-Head would need no venting in most cases. No smell, No leaking, No dumping, No more pump outs at $75 a month. A lot of No's that equate to one big YES! " Almost 5 years later we still feel the same about our decision to go with the C-Head.
What is your favorite medium to use? I am using aspen shavings and don't like the smell of it. It works great for mixing but smell is not my favorite.
@@dentonearnhardt9891 We've tried several medium from pine pellets (don't do it), coir (pretty good), cedar shavings (nope) and keep coming back to peat moss. Of the different medium we've tried, peat moss is by far the best in our experience. Highly absorbent in terms of moisture and odor, has a nice earthy smell on it's own and it's the right color for the job...
@@Double_O_Getter & @Denton Earnhardt
Please stop using peat it is not sustainable. It takes thousands of years for peat moss to develop, and harvesting it requires digging up bogs, which destroys the potential for regeneration of the swamp. It has been banned in several countries to protect rare plants and animals in peatlands and prevent the release of tons of greenhouse gases from disturbed bogs each year.
@@Double_O_Getter What's wrong with cedar shavings? Many people say it works great for a composting toilet, which I'm building now...
@@littlemisssunshine2931 it seems like every time some source is found thats better for the environment, it ends up turning out to be hog wash and is in some cases much worse. Electric cars are a perfect example. The cobalt mines needed for the batteries are absolutely horrible and we have no long term solution for what to do with the old batteries which are highly toxic. Furthermore coal plants (fossil fuels) is what's used at the vast majority of electrical stations to recharge these electric cars. When you look at ONLY the car electricity versus gas, it passes the test but when you back up and look at all the diesel used by the heavy machinery to dig those mines that get the resources for the batteries for them, it's a joke.
We are researching composting toliets and this is the best we have seen. Thanks, David
Thank you, I appreciate it. Glad you stopped by.
instablaster.
Great video... a few questions: 1) What is the capacity of the solids tank 2) How often does the solids tank have to be emptied 3) How do you empty and then clean the solids tank... this process would be a good video.
We've been using humanure for years and can attest to oak does not make a good material. It stinks when it encounters moisture. We have found that Hickory or Pine shavings is best and truly hides the smell completely.
Thank you very much. I do love hickory... if I had enough beyond smoking, I would totally go for it.
Worms actually abate colliform bacteria, which is what health departments worry about and describe. So, including worms in your composting toilet, can really help compost it down faster.
If you are hot-composting, then all coliform bacteria will be killed, so this process will produce a safe compost.
Worms of course cannot live in hot compost, so to add worms and expect them to solve the issue, is to admit you are using the unsafe cold process.
would have like to see more on buckets used and how to change them....
Problems: 1. worms require moisture, while the matter used in a composting toilet must be dry in order to absorb the moisture in the solid waste, to stop the odor; 2. the urine is kept separate in another area, so does not add to the moisture in the solid waste compartment in *this* composting toilet.@@Chimonger1
That was a great interview! And I really appreciate the quality of the content. He was so generous to share all of his information I wish you both a lot of success and a wonderful 2019!
Thank you. Sandy is a great guy. Happy New Year.
I am floored at the amount of usable information from this guy!!!
Ran across your channel searching for composting toilets as we are sitting here waiting on hurricane Florence in Nc. I have gathered waste water in buckets in case we’re out of power. I have to say WOW! This video alone is packed full of info. I have so much to learn and can already tell you are the man 👍 look forward to following your channel. Thanks for your time.
One of those who should be Awarded and Celebrated but Ignored People. Thanks 4 This
I know a lot of people separate urine but we can actually mix it. The urine turns into ammonia which makes a great fertilizer. But it needs to sit in compost pile for 1 full year before using to grow plants or fruits and vegetables.
I would love to have one of his composting toilets. They seem like some very good toilets and they are just beutiful. I love how he builds them to look like regular toilets. He does a very good job and he truly cares about what he is doing . He cares and loves people to . Miss . Linda ❤
I used a Biolet (liquid & solid go into the same place) for four years as my only toilet. It worked great and didn't smell, but as with any composting toilet, you have to be dedicated to installing it correctly and maintaining it. I much prefer the flush toilet I have now, but a composting one is a great solution when there's no other way - like, no plumbing!
diane9247 you miss the point.
We bought a c-head because we had to live in our rv for a month or so, without access to the septic. It has been just fine. However, we've been using pine and it is getting too wet. The medium only lasts 2-3 days in the toilet, with 2 adults. We are looking for peat moss to try. But the toilet, is great. And the best part, it's the less expensive option compared to others. It's dead simple in its design. 2 thumbs up
I love this one thank you... Which plants do better in a high acid environment???
Wooow, this was full of interesting nuggets of wisdom 🙏
I love this video, especially all about maintaining the habitat for all phases of the soldier flies. This is great! I especially like the line "Your waste just flies away!!"
This ONE relatively simple change to current technology could prevent SO MUCH WASTE if it was even just applied to suburban homes. It IS possible to engineer a simple, workable system that mixes and slowly pushes the composting mixture into a partitioned container that could either be collected by city services (like garbage, but compost collection instead), or used by the homeowner in their garden/land.
I did an experiment with urine and water on okra. The okra with urine grew way bigger! This is a great product. Thanks. Rhonda
Given the chance, humans can show amazing creativity. This was excellent. :-)
Many people are farming black soldier flies to harvest the grubs as fish or chicken feed,
High fat and protein content.
The flies lay eggs near the waste source ...hollow cardboard strips are good for this purpose.
As the maggots / grubs / larvae eat the food they fatten , then gradually turn dark in colour.
At this point in the life-cycle their mouthparts are closing up and become inoperative. Then they instinctively crawl away from the food onto " engineered" escape - chutes where they can be collected and symbiotically cycled into feedstock. They can consume a whole (spoilt) chicken carcass in 48 hrs ...amazing !
I switched my cats litter to the sawdust pellets and I love it. geez all that money I could've saved, he is 14 yrs old. no more little rocks all over my floor! but I had no idea it's what can be used for compost potty but I certainly can understand why. my litter box is so much cleaner, no ammonia smell, i sift it twice a week, after 3 or 4 days I start seeing sawdust on the floor.. wow, this is a great video, the soldier fly thing is awesome. so if you get a tiny home and park it a tiny home park, do they typically allow compost pile and back yard full of buckets?
How is this saving you any money? Buying these pellets is more expensive then buying clumping litter. I am trying to understand this, please show me how.
@@keithtauber4153 a 25 pound bag for 6 dollars. Much less expensive and no litter on the floor!
@@raeboyd5596 Hello, where do you purchase 25pds for 6 bucks? Thanks!
Best CT / appropriate technology video I've seen.
does the compost get hot?
I have one for over 2 years now and it is absolutely great, odourless and easygoing. Never had any issues disposing #1 and #2 in a respectable way of course.
Love Sandy what a great job he has accomplished!!!
I love the Black Soldier flies. I've done several videos about them. About to do another since its warming up and they have finally shown up again.
+TheLordHumungus I'll happily link to that.
TheLordHumungus what is a black soldier fly and why would you use a pesticide? Pesticides get into our immune system and give us cancer. I totally don't understand this. At all.
Nice DIY version of the little manufactured plastic and fiberglass composting toilets. This will fill fast. The crank for the removed portion is what's good. It's not necessarily different from several other composting toilet designs. What's great is this guy is not an idealogue: he states there are many ways to accomplish excreta recycling.
This place is on the main drag in Astor, FL. The videos are the real deal. I've been to their shop and will be buying one soon.
Like no smell feature!!!!!! Great idea.... Will buy one.
Are these available today this is an old video yet still ON POINT
Terrific video. The simplicity of using the free urine, an excellent fertilizer is a brand new technique for me. Love new tips and morphs on old ideas.
I like that the handle is located on the top. Other models have it on side, where you would have to bend down to turn the handle.
You can use that system in so many ways. Love it. Thanks David.
I teach sixth grade earth science, and every year I try to find more and more information for my students during our water conservation unit (as well as energy conservation) and stumbled upon your site. You did a FANTASTIC job on this video! I love all the knowledge that you willingly shared for free. I had NO idea about the urine diverter system nor the flies! I am so excited about this (on a personal level too!) Thank you.
Thank you very much, Elizabeth - I really appreciate it. Sandy is the man.
Good video here, I am learning a lot of knowledge here. Ill have to come back with a note pad and jot down the big stuff but between the half dozen gentlement such as you who ARE doig thise things, I am getting where I will be walk from start to finish and succeed in my endeavor. I may ask questions as we go down the line but really have a big plan here and you are teaching me tons of stuff. I can't thank you enough.
Thanks
Aaron
Wow, I learned so much from this video!
Black soldier fly larvae produce very little compostable material. That material is probably mostly pathogen free, and when added to worm bins with leaves, cardboard, etc become very safe by the time they become worm castings.
Lots of predators, large and small, like to eat BSFL, so keep them contained. They also produce some heat and do well inside a humid greenhouse.
I wish there were more people on this planet just like you. Thank you for the video and teaching others how to. peace.
+pudge Thank you - I appreciate it. Glad Sandy could join me.
wow this guy is freakin amazing!!
I agree. I always wonder why nature makes one pee before and after poop
That should give a clue on how own urine makes decomposition easier
If
Urine has no color or odour, your intake has been a healthy intake.
If the secretion , be it poop or urine or sweat, is smelly, the body had accumulated waste found alongwith the intake one had.
Reconsider what you eat.
Saw this video a couple years ago and after doing some research decided to go with this toilet for our off grid trailer. We lived in our trailer (family of 5 at the time) for 4 months straight. I have to say I absolutely hated this toilet! I wasn't even having to clean it, my husband did that (which was complicated and not fun, due to the lid and center post), and I still hated this toilet. Sadly it is very poorly designed. When you lift the lid there is a standard toilet seat, that's just fine, but beneath the seat is another lid to be lifted off before using the toilet, also no issue with that, it keeps the flies out, but that lid rests on a "seat" of its own, this is where the problem is. This secondary "seat" creates a narrower opening, my sitting bones always ended up resting on it which was rather painful. Then with wiping, because of the narrower opening and the urine diverter there was very little clearance for getting in to wipe without getting messy. And you need good aim! This is more of an issue for women, you generally need to sit further forward to be able to use the urine diverter but heaven forbid both 1 & 2 come at the same time, that's not going to end well! It is also just slightly too tall, I'm a 5'4" woman and couldn't firmly plant my feet on the floor, which is likely why it hurt my tucas. Overall, when we build our permanent off-grid house I will not be using this toilet, and I do not recommend this toilet to anyone looking at a composting toilet.
You should have gotten a stool that fits around the base of the toilet to place your feet on. I think it's called a 'Squatty Potty', or some such thing. It's designed to help people 'go' in more of a squatting position, but you don't have to use it that way. You might have preferred one a little shorter than that is made, for your purpose. . . . ALSO . . .
ANOTHER option is to pee & poop standing up, with a wide-mouthed liter cup help in the appropriate spot & angle. No having to sit on something unpleasant with that method! Great for people with arthritic knees &/or hips that make it painful for them to sit down & then get up again! (1 litter size is good for either 1 adult-size BM or 1 adult-size Pee, not both at same time. Can use a liner in cup for the BM.)
@@2qlrn273 the toilet went into a very tiny rv bathroom, there was no room for a squatty potty, besides that the base of this toilet is too wide for a squatty potty to fit around.
And are you serious? I should stand to go to the bathroom? That seems completely unreasonable, I purchased a toilet and should be able to sit on it without being in pain.
@@raylingomen2562 Easiest, Cheapest Composting Toilet of all......As a matter of fact, a contractors bag on the floor( yes, squatting is waaayyy better for you, www.naturesplatform.com/health_benefits.html)......and a drywall mud pan on the floor in front of you, to pee into( if you havent already, which makes the whole process much easier)...and, guess what, a 50cent composting toilet( with two contractor bags to prevent tearing)....then, a year or two in the backyard, bury 8 inches deep, re-use the bags, and viola.....your wife will nag and scream out the yazoo, your neighbors can turn you in to the health department, and, guess what? Bringing in piles of leaves every year will give you plenty of fertilizer for your garden, so why bother, unless you are on the road, etc.....also, covering with any moist mulch( chopped ssmall) or fine powder anyway, and there is no smell....you have to get it right.
How messy do the mixing blades get by the time you empty it?
May I ask the price please. This looks like a wonderful system.
Thanks for this video.
What a great interview. Sandy is so knowledgeable and down to earth. Easy to understand and just easy to listen to.
My only question is where is this in FLORIDA that has bears?
Wow… this was so informative!!! Will definitely rewatch. So much information
hello, sad to hear of passing, so sad. is the compost toilet still available to purchase?
Great video, how do you dispose of the solid waste whilst at sea on long voyages?
some how I missed how you empty it and how often?
Depends on how many people are using it. There are two of us living full time in a RV. We dump the pee pot twice daily and the poo pot every three to four days.
John Reaves where do you dump pee?
@@genoabrown9495 I dug a shallow hole (1ft deep) to dump it and cover it with a small scrap of plywood and a brick.
Didn't show how to empty it though!
Also, would love to have a garden, but UNFORTUNATELY the gophers love it too !!😆
Looking at the toilet mostly for rv-ing. How and where to dump!!🤔
Thank you so VERY MUCH David, for doing this video!
Thanks for sharing. This is very helpful! Best wishes
Incredibly informative video and what a nice pair of guys. I'd love to learn more from you two. Thank you for sharing.
This guy's remarkable. Does he do when he group presentations?
we use a cheese bucket that is 12 by 15 inches high and dump it in a hole that will take 20 years to fill! No septic needed! Plus leaves cover everything every fall
I do not even compost our human or dog waste, all I compost is food refuse and lawn clippings and We have worm castings coming out of our ears! It is AMAZING to me how efficient red wiggler worms and soldier flies are! And NO odor! It smells good and earthy....my wife has the most discerning sense of smell and will not tolerate anything stinky...if she says it does not stink then it DOES NOT STINK! BTW soldier flies are NOTHING like house flies, they don't go into homes and don't bother you...they look sort of like some kind of wimpy black wasps. I have been afraid to do the human and dog waste BUT we are moving to a large rural property that has a septic tank and so especially with three large dogs we will definitely experiment with this! Also re urine? I love to save water and fertilize plants too, so easy for a man in the privacy of his back yard to urinate in a bucket, add a bunch of water and then go around giving a little bit each to many plants. Doing it this way does not stink up the yard as opposed to simply urinating in one spot...THAT will offend the sensitive nose of my wife every time but she does not notice the highly diluted thinly spread method...it is literally FREE fertilizer! AND saves water!! Both things satisfy my urge to efficiency and care of my own environmental footprint...I can't control what others do, but at least I can be less of the problem..
Once we get to our new property I will step up diverting my urine from the toilet TO the soil...I guess you could even say that in that regard I intend to be one out standing in his field...yuk yuk yuk...get it? pretty funny!...no??
Doug - good for you and congrats on the new property. You're already way ahead of the average. I saw a garden in poor sand that looked lush and green because the owner was using diluted urine as a fertilizer. Amazing how much nutrition is in it.
I have used a
"Loveable Lou "
for years and use the composted material in my garden....
It works wonderfully.....
Without a urine diverter isn't it a heavy hassle to work with this system?
These composting toilets are hot items. They are expensive also. The whole world is trying to figure this out. Good job
Cathy Anderson bill gates toilets in India use uv light and solar panels. This is very minimalistic
We got our C-head from Sandy around 12 years ago. It's been in boats for live aboard, tents for boondocking, and over performed in every instance. Not often does something live up to its reputation so well. One note; peat moss is not a good choice, ecologically speaking. It's a non renewable resource and its harvest is damaging to the ecosystem that it is found in. Coir is compact, cheap, a by product of the coconut industry and completely renewable. I hydrate a brick partly in a bag to make it easy to crumble up.
I want to buy one but the website isn’t available anymore.
Is anyone continuing this product? It’s such a great idea!
Thank you so much for this video! Composting toilets are sometimes hit and miss, but this one really does look very workable even for noobs!
That’s is an amazing savings over using water to flush! Plus you have all the fresh water for bathing, drinking etc!! Annnnnd no black tank to empty and no sewer smell in the RV!!!
The standard toilet IS useful...just add a $20 attachment and make a bidet out of it. It makes a little gray water, but you save $55 a year on toilet paper per person and save thousands of trees in a lifetime. Once you use the bidet you will never feel clean without it, and it saves on laundry too. Also, PLEAZE don't put the bureaucrats in a dilemma and ask or show off your wonderful composting toilet. Discretion is the better part of valor! Why get into a peeing match with the county? Just let the inspector check off on the regular toilet, and then keep your composting toilet in the shower stall. The C-head looks like a great toilet and little trouble! PS. In Florida, I shower outside 99%of the time anyway.
New subscriber. Great video! Very knowledgeable gentleman, sharing his great wisdom. ?:
Does the compositing toilet need to be ventilated? Most of the others I have seen require drilling a hole for the ventilation hose. I will be in a basic van and need something that does not require drilling.
looked on the website, but saw no vent motors or kits...
Hi fascinating video. Does the system process toilet paper and sanitary pads or, other alternatives used. How will it look in my yard daily. Having all these processing stations/cubicles for different stages, does not really appeal to me. Want to contribute more than just flushing and forgetting. But seems you have to be really committed. Kind Regards
What an awesome video!
I hope you have one that shows exactly how you piped in the urine fertilization pvc system.
I love people who are pro creative! We need to expose more minds lije this!
Thank you!
Also..csn you pleas state how much Pete moss is need to add to thechurning bucket and can it be the only medium used?
You mentioned not mixing other people's recreations...so guests cannot use your personal composting toilet for wrong the compost in your personal food garden?
I'm thinking I should put my Sun-Mar out in the barn and get one of these for the cabin. I like it. I guess this lends a whole new meaning to the old saying, "Do what you love, and you’ll never work another day in your life."
Yeah - I was inspired talking to Sandy. He loves what he's doing and it's good work.
You are very knowledgeable about natural cycles. I am researching soldier flies next! Thank you.
Thank you for watching. Composting doesn't have to be a pain!
Learn how to compost the easy way in my book Compost Everything: amzn.to/3zy4rYB
Get my free composting booklet: www.thesurvivalgardener.com/simple-composting/
"Compost Your Enemies" T-shirts: www.aardvarktees.com/collections/vendors?q=The%20Survival%20Gardener
Very cool thanks for sharing. Black soldier flys are amazing lil creatures.
pure genius! wow. great job!
THAT WAS FANTASTIC!!! Thanks!
What a most excellent video!
I enjoyed this very much, Thank you David!
Hi, I'm concerned it won't fit my roadtrek 190 pop...2008..not the sprinter the c h evy express...what do you think
can a person use flax straw for the compost toilet bin? A friend brought me 20 bales to cover my septic tank and I want to build a tiny house that will use compost toilet and so I was wanting to use some of the flax straw for the toilet compost if I can. If I can not use it for compost toilet can you please tell me what I can use flax straw for. Possibly bricks?
This sounds great, and I do not want to sound like a troll, but what happens when that burrito grande does not agree with you and you get explosive diarrhea? Do you also put the wood chips in the black landing area? I understand this might work with 2 day logs, but what happens when you get the other kind? What about vomit? That has its own liquid.
Please note that I AM NOT KIDDING when I ask, what in cases of lose motions?? Does composting gets affected or we just need to add appropriate amount of dry material
Aboutn tomato blight. It is in the soil when it rains or you water the soil can be slashed on to the lower part of the plant and start to grow. Atleast one thing the mulch does is reduce the amount of soil splashing on to the plant. There may be other good things also.
Composting toilets are a great idea/concept! One issue people overlook and really need to keep in mind, is the potential for bio-accumulation of "medications". Make no mistakes and do not succumb to denial, there are a lot of people (domestic animals and cattle included) that take/require medication/prescription medication on a daily basis and all those medications (from birth control pills to Xanax ((and everything in between)) can end up transferring into the finished compost. While this issue may not be that big of a deal if the compost is strictly used on non-food crops, it can become a very big deal/problematic when the medications build up in the soil over time and then make their way into the food crops (systemically) during the growing season...
I agree. We should quit with the medication.
havent had and luck with the website... looking to purchase this
If i can't find some nice aromatic wood shavings, could I then put some essential oils in the mix & will it be of any benefit or will if make other aromas wa waft up?
Very educational. Thank you for posting.
That’s an awesome idea, but I don’t know if the wife would go for it 🤣 maybe I can convince her one day
Can you use a plastic bag to line the bucket? Or does the agitator scrape the bottom or sides and make that not possible? Thank you!
Great useful video. Thanks.
Great guy, great invention. Thanks a lot for sharing.
From looking at another of your videos they state you have to dispose of the toilet paper into another container. PU. Wouldn't that be smelly and highly unsanitary? Also it shows how you have to remove some trim to have the toilet "locked" into a place for sturdiness. Is this because it's top heavy and can topple over?
I think you may be referring to the tiny houseboat video. This is a moving vessel and the USCG requires that portable type toilets must be secured to avoid becoming a missile during collision or capsize. Most local authorities adopt USCG regs as their laws too, be it on a lake or river.
To answer your other questions, it is neither smelly nor unsanitary. It is a common practice with liveaboard boaters to put tp in the trash to avoid clogging their holding tank system. Contrary to what the video says, (and it is a very good video) you can put the paper inside the toilet but it tends to remain on the surface because of its lightness.
There are always people who are going to be culturally averse to doing anything out of the ordinary. Ironically in most places around the world people think sitting where someone else has just gone poo poo is really gross and that includes most of our neighbor Mexico. Some cultures with populations much larger than America, like India, wash their bottoms after they go and consider smearing it around with a piece of paper as really nasty. Hey, to each his own.
+Fireboat52 I'm one of those people that think tp can't get you clean as you're just smearing poop and pee around your private parts....with that being said, could I use my portable bidet (It's just a water bottle with squirt top, filled with water to rinse my privates after I go) with this toilet? Will a bit of water ruin it's effectiveness??? I then use tp to pat dry.
Just scoot forward enough that the liquid goes in the pee funnel and it shouldn't be a problem.
@@Fireboat52 I've tried putting all toilet paper in a separate bin. It definitely absolutely stinks AND attracts bugs if it is from #2. And even #1 in the heat of summer, still attracts bugs. It creates more work to figure out how to combat these issues. How do you avoid that? Also regarding India's toilet practices, they might consider smearing your business with toilet paper nasty, but what do they wash their bottoms with? At least the people I know who have adopted these practices from India....Water and what? Not a cloth. Not newspaper. No corn cobs. They use their hands. How gross is that? They use their hands and often a portable bidet like, joneslr25 mentions, to smear/wash it off with water instead of smearing it with tp. How is that better? How many people using this method actually have the luxury or take the time to properly sanitize their hands afterwards with hot water and disinfectant soap, a nail brush and a clean paper towel? Maybe I'm too conditioned, but it seems like a far worse torture. I understand they have conditions that don't accommodate toilet paper for a number of reasons. But I don't think its sanitary at all. The people I know who have this practice live in the US too and have resources that poor people in India don't. And they think this is a good practice. To me, the best option is to use lightly damp toilet paper so you are not just smearing but cleaning. I'm very grateful I have the option not to use my hands as toilet paper.
This will be good in areas of drought and are being charged by the gallon of water.
I agree.
I really want one of these toilets. Does anyone know if the family continued the business?
I went to your website to answer my question, thanks!
How well do these work in warm, humid, tropical climates?
no more soldier flies here in Ormond Beach, Fl. I used to have them in my worms bins year after year. The last time I saw them was 2014. Anyone else?
How viable is urine and the accompanying solids if someone in the family is sick? And what about people who take tons of medicine everyday? Surely that would affect the quality of the composted material. I'm trying to think about eating sweet potatoes from a family who take tons of toxic drugs. Or, say they have cancer or something like that? I guess cows and horses get sick, too, but, still . . .
I do remember in school that urine is sterile.
The Fit RV posted a video on their experience with composting toilets which I found helpful. She talks about the menstrual cycle and how that has to be handled with extra care.
Anita Griggs generally everyone says not to use compost, unless it has been cooked, on any fruits and vegetables. I assume sending it through the worm composted would work as well if you need it for fruit production.
The only thing I plan on using my compost for is the roses I plan on planting all the way around my acreage.....
So there is no way to buy his system any longer?
Where do you get the black soldier flies from, when getting started? Do they just arrive on their own? Can you tell the difference between their maggots and those of house flies?
I appreciate the review, however, i am not sure they are in business anymore. I ordered almost 2 months ago and I paid and then nothing, I have called and left messages, emailed and texted. No reply. No toilet and no money.
Uh-oh! I haven't talked with him in a while. Will have to see if he's okay.
There is this notice on his site: "03/25/2022: We can be reached on our new number at (888) 851-8824. Current lead time on US Domestic orders is 5 weeks. "
Wait, I didn't catch the hole size or outlet configuration for the PVC feeding system to the plants. Thanks for details or re-direction.
Your toilet design is quite amazing. Are there places in the EU where I could buy them?