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toilet alternatives

Easy urine collection for men!

Posts: 125

Location: Mansfield, Ohio Zone 5b percip 44"

posted 11 years ago

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So I have been using an empty juice bottle the last couple of years to collect urine for my compost and plants but it is kind of awkward peeing in a bottle. I live in the city and don’t have a compost toilet but I have two sons and figured if I made some kind of urinal I could get them to use it too. Here is what I came up with. I started with one of those blue square water storage containers that I bought at Walmart sometime in the past. I then ordered a Hopkins FloTool 10705 Giant Funnel from Amazon for about $5. I got lucky and it fits perfectly in the water container once I took the faucet off. The funnel is huge. Super cheap and easy to make, easy to use. I have used it a couple of weeks now and it only smells a bit when I am actually peeing in it. No smell at all afterwards.

I ordered a second funnel and plan on connecting it to a 5 gallon bucket filled with woodchips or maybe charcoal and see how that works out. I just wanted to share an easy cheap way to still collect urine even though many of us still live in the constraints of the city.

Here is the link to the funnel http://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BXKYYI/ref=oh_details_o02_s01_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

"I - am a thoughtful guy. I think alotta thoughts; about alotta things." Rhett and Link

Adam Moore

Posts: 125

Location: Mansfield, Ohio Zone 5b percip 44"

posted 11 years ago

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Finally figured out how to get my pictures to post.

"I - am a thoughtful guy. I think alotta thoughts; about alotta things." Rhett and Link

Amedean Messan

pollinator

Posts: 928

Location: Melbourne FL, USA - Pine and Palmetto Flatland, Sandy and Acidic

posted 11 years ago

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Reminds me slightly of my days in the Army. We used piss tubes because urine will make a very strong and foul odor indoors.

Those who hammer their swords into plows will plow for those who don't!

Adam Moore

Posts: 125

Location: Mansfield, Ohio Zone 5b percip 44"

posted 11 years ago

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That pict brings back memories Amedean. We used the same type of piss tubes when I was stationed in Haiti while also serving in the Army.

"I - am a thoughtful guy. I think alotta thoughts; about alotta things." Rhett and Link

Amedean Messan

pollinator

Posts: 928

Location: Melbourne FL, USA - Pine and Palmetto Flatland, Sandy and Acidic

posted 11 years ago

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Adam Moore wrote:That pict brings back memories Amedean. We used the same type of piss tubes when I was stationed in Haiti while also serving in the Army.

From soldier to steward of the land brother, glad to see more alike myself.

Those who hammer their swords into plows will plow for those who don't!

Adam Moore

Posts: 125

Location: Mansfield, Ohio Zone 5b percip 44"

posted 11 years ago

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Here is another thing I remember from my Army days in Haiti. We had a bunch of 55 gallon metal drums cut in half and used them under the toilets. Then we took turns everyday pulling them out and pouring some kind of diesel fuel mixture in them and lighting them on fire. We had to stand there half a day and keep stirring them to burn everything to a crisp. Then we threw the ashes over the hill. I had totally forgoten about that. What a waste! Using up fossil fuels to destroy nutrients that a poor country like Haiti desperetley needed. Makes me sick to think of all the stupid things I did 20 years ago.

"I - am a thoughtful guy. I think alotta thoughts; about alotta things." Rhett and Link

Justin Hitt

Posts: 40

Location: Martinsville, VA (Zone 7)

posted 10 years ago

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Adam,

Put a ping pong ball in your funnel if you are using it dry. Periodically dump a cup of ice in it after use.

The light ping pong ball will seal the hole between use, yet float in small amounts of liquid.

Ice lowers the temperature which keeps down ammonia. As the ice melts it washes the bowl.

A small amount of ice over the ping pong ball is okay as water from ice will leak down the drain.

Best,

Justin

Urban solutions using permaculture ethics? Providing promotional support to practitioners and consultants, https://www.prosperityhomestead.org/

R Scott

pollinator

Posts: 4202

Location: Tennessee 7b

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posted 10 years ago

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We use (during compost season, anyway) a 6 gallon bucket filled with sawdust and one of those emergency or camping toilet seat lids--one of the good ones with an O-ring to seal it. By the time it starts to small, it is time to dump it anyway.

"You must be the change you want to see in the world." "First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win." --Mahatma Gandhi
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Posts: 4

posted 10 years ago

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If I have a 15 liter bucket filled with sawdust/shavings (500:1 C:N) and 6-7 liters of urine(0.8:1 C:N), what is the carbon to nitrogen ratio of the combination. Apparently, I missed the math class where the teacher discussed pee buckets.

Blayne Prowse

Posts: 53

Location: Cumberland BC

posted 10 years ago

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At work we use a 5 gallon bucket in our cube van when there are no other facilities. Just pick it up with one hand, control yourself with the other and go. I just thought of doing this at home with a bucket and sawdust, then I will toss it in my compost or under my trees. Nice transition until I get my toilet built and set-up. I will probably have a pee bucket and a poo bucket instead of a urine diverter. I believe you can even buy toilet seats that fit on a 5 gallon bucket for the ladies. I feel like peeing in sawdust would be less smelly than straight urine in a container.

mary jayne richmond

Posts: 81

posted 10 years ago