Eco San composting toilet

Discussion in 'Designing, building, making and powering your life' started by frosty, Sep 7, 2012.

  1. frosty

    frosty Junior Member

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    does anyone have one or know anything about them ?

    we are thinking of putting one in our new extension ....... they seem too good to be true !
     
  2. gardenlen

    gardenlen Group for banned users

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    all i can say is we looked at one, had to deal with someone in perth, they have no idea about longevity issues ie.,. reliability, break down or parts. and it was going to cost + transport from so far away.

    did you check out nature-loo?

    len
     
  3. frosty

    frosty Junior Member

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    len we ARE in WA !!

    we have a nature loo already - this part of our house was transportable ...... but putting a NL under a concrete slab got too hard
     
  4. gardenlen

    gardenlen Group for banned users

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    nature-loo has floor units available

    len
     
  5. frosty

    frosty Junior Member

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    had a look but those are actually SunMar units ......... I am fairly sure someone on this board has a SunMar and lots of probs with it ?
     
  6. Donkey32

    Donkey32 Junior Member

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    I've used the SunMar systems quite a bit..
    My expreience? Uniformly terrible. They're meant for weekender cottages and at that job, they're ok (barely, and if you stay gone too long, the life in 'em dies and they need re-starting again). In a daily use situation they fail. They fill up too fast, their wet-trays overflow, the heating units (for faster evaporation) are energy hogs that fail easily. Mostly, in a very short time, they reak and they need CONSTANT attention. Everyone I've known that's installed one has been unhappy with them.
    Honestly, I haven't found a ready-made compost toilet that I like..

    My advice, do some homework and build yer own.
     
  7. Donkey32

    Donkey32 Junior Member

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    Seems to me that one of the main issues with the things is that (to be shippable) the chamber is made too darn small for good composting.
    So, the SunMar (and others of the same ilk) attempt to make up for the shortfall with various gizmos and doo-dads.. Tumblers, heaters, moisture trays, powered chimneys, inocculant, etc.
    'Course, doo-dads, with their moving parts, electrical hookups and all, tend to fail pretty much right outta the box, or very nearly so. What you end up with is a big hunk of expensive fiberglass trash in the yard (after it's yanked from the bathroom and replaced).
    They don't make the best planters either. ;)
     
  8. gardenlen

    gardenlen Group for banned users

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    ok make your own copy of the nature loo, shouldn't be too difficult for a DIY handyman, need a couple or so plastic 44 gallon(imp) drums, can use full height drums or cut them in 1/2. we found the N/L a very good system, simple by design and nothing to break down.saw a home made model looked good and worked well, used to be a bloke in brissy sold plans for like toilet, maybe someone around has the book on the shelf collecting dust? i sold mine to someone in canada.

    len
     
  9. Donkey32

    Donkey32 Junior Member

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    One 'o my favorite composting toilets of all time is for establishing orchards..
    Go to a place that you want to plant a tree, place 4 straw bales in a ring, stick a deck on top with loose boards, one or two of the boards should have nice handles on 'em..
    Boards with the handles start on one side of the deck. Lift the handle(s), do yer business (it's best as a squat-pot.. Ya can use a removable pedistal), throw chips, bone and anything else you might want to feed trees or help the composting process.
    As each row fills up, move the handles one board over till yer at the other end of the deck. The pile will reduce a bit on it's own over time, so often you can start at the beginning again (at least once). When she's full, move the deck to the next tree in line, mulch over, wait a time till she's cooked, plant straight in the mass.

    I love this one and use it for doing workshops and whatnot. You can pretty well fill one with 20-25 people in a week. There's no turning, no handling, no fuss, no muss. Only problem I've seen is when you do the workshop with the 25 peeps, the thing can get over wet and smell. Sometimes, certain dogs will want in for a taste (nasty devils) and you'll need to pile up brush or tie the corners of the bales to keep out doggy noses.
     
  10. deee

    deee Junior Member

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    I've had a couple of friends with similar units to the Sun-mar. No good reviews. One couple commented that the unit wasn't designed for people who ate fibre (they had to empty the tray A LOT) and the other couple found it a smelly energy hog. I'm with Len - try the natureloo, or make a loveable loo:
    www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPg-n4czGE0
    D
     
  11. Lesley W

    Lesley W Junior Member

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    I don't have any experience with these but researching the right company (not about to close/go broke) that sells a reliable product (low power or non electric, low maintenance, non odour, easy for one petite person to change/empty the system and a pleasing design) isn't as straightforward as I'd have hoped. Does anyone - ideally in Aus - have any experience or 2nd hand insights into Envirolet distributed by EnviroToilets in Australia please?
     
  12. gardenlen

    gardenlen Group for banned users

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    g'day lesley,

    nature-loo still tops the list from our experience, either the real thing or a DIY clone, don't need power nothing to break down or suffer built in obscelescence.

    bite the bullet time maybe?

    len
     
  13. Lesley W

    Lesley W Junior Member

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    Heya Len, thanks for that. Yes I've looked through all the threads on loos and noted that you are a big fan of the Nature Loo :)

    It feels like a bit of a minefield seeing the various companies that have gone out of business and others people, kindly, advise to avoid (Sun Mar). For myself I'd be happy to go for the composting version, starting with slab/shed size one.

    However for the longer term system my criteria is something I can get approved by council, a system I can handle on my own (easy to rotate and clear out the chambers when needed), something that looks/works like a regular loo (low flush and standard looking ceramic bowl more palatable to paying guests), can handle cold winters (cold zone 9a/9b) without stinking the place out, minimal electricity requirements (as only powered by solar), doesn't need alot of maintenance or costly inspections.

    While I would go for the full composting nature loo version this time I'm asking about more palatable (for general guests) low flush versions, ie that Envirolet would look/work the same as a regular loo to guests.

    Len while I have you here ... what size are your Nature loo chambers and what is the process for rotating them around? Is that something that a petite female could handle without help?
     
  14. gardenlen

    gardenlen Group for banned users

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    g'day lesley,

    nature-loo are EPA approved so your council should follow suit, we had no problem. we are fans of a simple very long term system nothing of built in obsolescence. simple by design and application we used no power as we set up for the wind to draw out and vent the bins.

    at the time N/L only had the large bins about 44gal size, but they have smaller bins now needing less room above them, you buy enough bins (most are out of service bins) so that if the large ones the full bin sits in warm position for around 7 months. yes big fans of a simple system that should be accepted and fir well with pemaculture, but should be the norm' in rural and more accepted in the suburbs, almost can't pollute the ground water like other systems, no mechanics to play up like the merry-go-round model, and no specialised servicing needed. wish i was on commission could sue the money, but anyway what we don't get we don't miss hey chuckle?

    teh composted contents (we used worms) is a little more than a large wheel barrow full every 7 months or more.

    we had no issues with guests no matter how hooty they were, they were quiet impressed and mostly didn't realise they sat on one until they looked for the flush button. we ran the bins with only incidental urine we bucketed other urine to add to water for plant watering. we dried mushy compost for topping up the stool when it needed it, about 2 or 3 times in 6 months i needed to push the stool over, but no smell so no worry. i did tell guests you drop jewellery down there you go fetch it or leave it there hey lol. our best gathering was when soldier flies laid eggs and their maggotts worked the bin, great stuff with lots of maggott wee in the bottom.

    we collected and used the wee as well, at the time we emptied the bin.

    anyhow answer any questions anytime, can't see you going wrong, we need some help so if you buy one let them know our addy. a couple years after purchase and out of warranty we wrote them 9e/mail) about wooden lid splitting and wanted to buy new one they sent new on free of charge, new lid of course sealed better so soldier flies couldn't get in anymore.

    yep looks just like regular loo with the pedestal but no flushing.

    anyhow lateral thinking wind out at all times.

    len
     
  15. Lesley W

    Lesley W Junior Member

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    Thanks Len. Very informative, and much appreciated :)
     

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