Forum Discussion

diver110's avatar
diver110
Explorer
Mar 17, 2015

Composting Toilets

Having just read how some people have had black water valve issues, has anyone used a composting toilet on their 5th wheel?
  • We don't have one in the 5th wheel but we've had one in the boat for around 6yrs.

    Assuming can get access to a dump station on a regular basis, I would say they are a waste of time in an RV. It's quick easy and painless to dump an RV tank. Unless you do something to mess it up, the valves last many years.

    On a boat, it's a different matter.
    - Every campground has a dump station or on site sewer. While it's mandatory to have holding tanks, it's not uncommon to find you must take the boat hours travel away to find a pump out.
    - Boat plumbing forces the solids thru hoses only 1.5" in diameter often with 90 degree bends. All done with complicated pumping mechanisms. In your RV, it's all gravity fed thru 4" diameter pipes with minimal bends. If you are inserting solids with greater than 4" diameter...you need to see a doctor.
    - When you have a leak in a boat, it is stored in the bilge, often completely out of reach. In an RV, it typically winds up on the ground.

    The problems that pushed us to get a composter for the boat largely don't exist for an RV.
  • Composting Toilet

    This was in a posting here on RV Net about 10 days ago. Search within their blog & you'll find some info.

    This young couple built a Tiny House on wheels & are using a composting toilet in it. I bet if you contact them, they will answer your questions.

    I believe this is the one they are using.
    AMAZON