Composting toilet - pros and cons
Considering changing to a composting toilet (we boondock about 70% of the time). I would like to hear the pros and cons from those that either have one or have done some research.
Forum Discussion
If I ever decided to change from a tank system, which I won't for lots of reasons, I would go with a nice cassette toilet over a composting any day, probably not what you want to hear.
don't have to cut a hole in the camper for a fan. compost toilets do stink, but built in fans take the smell outside where you don't notice it but depending where you are camping your niebours might, also added power use for the fan. there is a good article on the three different setups I'll see if I can find it.
with a cassette you could just pull it out and put it down a outhouse if there is one instead of paying to dump along the road.
a compost you are emptying the urine every day, or it really gets ripe and you have to remember to either manually mix the compost or have a real expensive one that does it for you, oh and toilet paper shouldn't be put in it, that should be a garbage can beside the toiler to deposit your TO when your done wiping, no one talks about the gross things.
I've used a cassette a couple times on a rental...worst possible option:
- You either have to cut a hole in the side to slide it out or you have to carry it thru the RV.
- No need for a new hole with a composter anyway as you can repurpose the old holding tank vent.
But no, smell is a non-issue having lived with one for several years. Had he solar fan fail once and never noticed it.
Only emptied the urine every 2-3 days (less if using shore side facilities or trees). And just like a cassette which needs to be dumped every couple days, any shoreside toilet is a legitimate place to dump.
We don't put toilet paper down a traditional RV toilet either (we use real toilet paper that actually works not the RV specific stuff that your fingers go right thru). If you use the lousy RV TP, you can put it in a composting toilet without problem.
I still don't think it makes sense in an RV. With just a modest amount of effort, we can get a week out of the black tank. If really needed, we could probably double that.
