small compost toilets in NB

Does anyone have any personal experience with lowflo or dry, 4 season composting toilets on the East Coast?

I am building a small (tiny house) of Superadobe next year and the toilet is at or on top of the list now. The woodstove heat is second The toilet system size will dictate much.

I am looking at 12vDC only.
1-2 people typical
Low maintenance
NOT DIY
Value for my dollar. One of the few things I am not against investing into.

If you have any comments, please share! Thank you permies.

Not the east coast but yes. I have an envirolet 12v. http://www.envirolet.com/enwatsel.html

It worked great within its design parameters. DON'T GO OVER CAPACITY!!! Also, don't let the rain cap blow off and fill it with water!

Pluses:

(near) normal height--no need for a step like some.
space efficient design--it looks huge, but takes normally wasted space and fits anywhere with enough "elbow room" already.

Minuses:
If you get it too wet or too full, the process to clean it is NOT FUN!!!
Expensive.
You need a well heated bathroom for it to work through the winter. Probably not a problem for a tiny house. But if off grid, I would include heat strips in it to dump excess power if you can.

Next time I will get something like a nature's head or separett that is designed to be emptied and composted separately. But that is mainly because I have a big family and can't get any of the dry units to keep up full time.

Thank you.
Been coming to think I'll go with a remote waterless system.
The heat strips are an idea to definitely consider.

Remote systems are definitely more "conventional" and higher capacity. Also easier to get approved if you need permits.

They cost you up front, though. I could put in a regular septic cheaper than a remote system.

look up humanure handbook, that is what we had at our off grid set up, and it worked great. i see it was used during the "occupy" demonstrations in halifax, with no issues as well.

Mike,

Looking to hook up with you. Ran into a cousin of yours at the rink in Nackawic. She overheard a conversation I was having with another fella there and she handed on your name. I am in Smithfield out towards Harvey.


Please email me: peterg at cbcl dot ca

Thanks man !
Pete

I've lived off-grid in NB for 10 years now and have had an Envirolet composting toilet since the beginning. I have to tell you that I absolutely hate it and it doesn't work at all like they advertise. Others I know here in NB who also have composting toilet systems say the same. You have to have a 12 volt fan running all the time and they break almost every year when snow and ice gets down the pipe and clog/break the fan. Believe me, you don't want to be in a house without the fan going on a composting toilet as the smell is horrific. It also does not compost most of the manure even in the summer months and practically not at all in the winter as it freezes and you can't aerate with the handle. The design is completely flawed as the aerator actually just moves the manure back and forth - it does not turn it or mix it which is required for proper composting. Cleaning out uncomposted manure is one of the worst jobs you can imagine. Especially because the hole going into the tank is so small you can't fit a shovel or anything like one inside so you literally have to almost stick your head in there and use a little scoop to clean it. The manure falls down the sides of the rails and it is impossible to get it out. The urine also does not drain properly as the little tiny hose easily gets clogged so it all stays in the lower part of the tank and when you pull out the tray be prepared for a flood of urine and runny manure. I wish I had better news, believe me! I've been researching other composting toilets on the market and they're basically all the same. After 10 years of this I'm actually thinking I might have to put in a septic tank and that goes against all my off-grid interests and values. I agree however with whoever posted about buying the Human Manure book and may look more into building my own system. Anything is better than Envirolet, including pooping in a bucket! By the way, you have to be very careful about regulations for composting toilet systems in NB. While I've been told they exist and a person can get nailed if its not set up completely properly I've yet been able to track down those regulations and no one in the departments of Public Health, Environment or Natural Resources have been able to tell me where to get a copy of the regulations. So if you find them I'd be interested! Good luck!

Mike,

Check this site out.

http://middleearthhome.com/green-building/earthships/

These ladies are on it !

Pete