I have been reading the excellent reviews on this toilet system and decided to try it out.
www.natureshead.net/
The unit installed is the Nature's Head dry composting toilet with spider wheel. Amazon has it for $910.00 with free shipping or you can get it from a local dealer. I got mine from a boatbuilder in Ladysmith, British Columbia.
The Nature's Head composting toilet meets all "No Discharge" regulations and is a U.S Coast Guard Approved type III marine head. It is constructed of very strong rotomolded plastic, stainless steel and brass and is designed for rough use in a marine environment
It seems that 2 people can use the unit exclusively for 2 + weeks without dumping compost and refilling with coco husk fiber or peat moss. If you are a weekend camper they say it will last the season. The longer it digests the better. The pee bottle has to be dumped every 2 days or so if two people are using the toilet.
It will just fit in the existing Thetford space on a 2720SD with no modifications to the drivers side wheel well or the wiring going behind the Thetford. The fit is snug but for the permanent installation it will be secured on an angle (see last photo) by floor screws. For now it's floating on the floor but secured for travel by the bathroom wall which folds over it.
To install it:
1) Remove all the Thetford stuff and use a suitable material, plywood, heavy rubber... to provide a new floor surface under the nature's head base. (this is a test system so until the toilet proves itself I am keeping the old plumbing in good shape in case I need to re-use it). A permanent installation would level the floor by removing the 4" flange.
2) Cut 2" holes in the cabinet and the side (or floor) of the trailer for ventilation and install the Nature's head vent hose and the external vent. I used the thruhull 1 1/4" fitting provided with the toilet and sandwiched it behind a battery vent cover to add louvers. Mine exits the trailer near the grey water tank air vent, a floor exit for the vent would have been better because the fan could run with the TM closed up. I shut it off now. Something else to do for the "permanent installation".
3) Install the fan wiring supplied by nature's head along with the fuse holder in series with the +12v supply. Power can be tapped at the scotch locks previously used by the Thetford wiring.
4) Remove the left (as you face the front of the toilet) 1 1/4" vent connector on the new toilet by removing two mounting screws. This is needed for the unit to fit in this space. The filter stays in place because it is bolted to the upper section of the toilet so this connector wasn't needed.
5) Slide the unit into position and attach the hose to the unit using a 1 1/4" PVC street elbow. Plug in the fan assembly.
The unit is installed for test purposes. Permanent installation would level the floor and provide a lash down to hold the unit in place.
We are just headed out on a 6000 mile trip to visit various relatives across the country.
This removal of the requirement for full hookup to live in the trailer for extended periods gives us many more options for camp sites. For instance..Hornby Island is a beautiful spot. It has one of the most beautiful natural beaches in Little Tribune Bay. It is only 30 miles away but two ferry runs away making it remote. There are campgrounds but none offer sewer service or pump out. The rule here is 0 impact so everything that comes in must go out. They do let you water their lawn and hedges with grey water and if you don't have to dump black water then you can be great on a power and water site for a prolonged stay.
Peter
Just a few notes:
1- Thoroughly rehydrate coir before use. Currently 5 quarts water per block of coir. We use a 5 gallon bucket and place 4 1/4 block pieces in the bucket along with 5 quarts water for a day. Then we transfer it to 1 gallon zip locks for storage and use.
The coir should be as wet as a well wrung sponge. When a ball is squeezed in the fingers a few drops of water appear between the fingers.
2 - On a new batch. Not having a starter or innoculant from a previous compost may create a delay of decomposition for 2 or 3 days which starts the batch with a backlog of waste to process.
3 - All of the mass lost in the fecal matter is being expelled from the head via the fan and vent. Try to keep this hose as short and free of bends as possible. 2/3 of Carbon is oxidized and exits as CO2. Water vapor is transported out of the head by the fan. Nitrogens are fixed in the new hummus.
4 - Any ammonia smell means not enough coir. Make up for lost volume of compost with more coir until dumped. Don't run out of water, carbon or oxygen. Good news is just add more carbon and it will clear up very quickly. Add lots of carbon. The C:N ratio should never get this bad. The aerobic bacteria are definitely dominant. The anaerobic are pushed out pretty fast once the oxygen and C:N ratios are good.