Composting Toilets: F.A.Q.

Most of the answers given to the common questions below refer to the split system units such as the Nature Loo Classic, Ensuite and Weekender. The stand alone, single-unit Compact and Excel are similar but do not need underfloor space.

How often will I need to rotate the chambers?
Does it smell?
Is it easy to clean?
Does it look like a normal toilet?
Can I see the compost pile?
Can a Nature Loo be installed in a slab house?
Can I have an upstairs toilet?
What if the occupancy of the house changes?
I am building my house and living in a shed/caravan Can I use a Nature Loo now and then install it in the house when it is finished?
Does it use much power?
If I don't have mains power how do I keep the fan running?
How long do the fans last?
How many people is the Nature Loo designed for?
I live in a very cold climate. Will the composting continue to work?
How long does it take to compost?
Can you put a Compact/Excel in a boat/motorhome?
We are planning to use the cabin only occasionally; do I have to do anything to the toilet if the use is to be infrequent?

How often will I need to rotate the chambers? A family of four will usually fill the Nature Loo Classic 1000 chamber in 6 months. A couple can expect to fill the Nature Loo Compact chamber in 2 months.There is no need to rotate chambers in the Excel. The Excel tray will need emptying every 3 months when used by 4 people.

Does it smell? No. The ventilation fan ensures that air flows downward through the toilet pedestal. Odours never enter the toilet room. Also, because the breakdown process uses aerobic (with air) decomposition, the main by-products are carbon dioxide and water vapour. This contrasts dramatically with anaerobic systems (septic tanks) which produce foul smelling gases like hydrogen sulphide and methane.

Is it easy to clean? Very easy. Our pedestals have a larger base and different internal shape than the standard flush toilets, which eliminates most soiling. Also, because there is air constantly flowing down the toilet, any soiling will usually flake off and fall into the compost chamber. A damp brush with biodegradable detergent or Nature Flush enzymes should be used to clean the bowl occasionally.

Does it look like a normal toilet? Yes. We designed the split system pedestals to look like a standard white flush toilet. Apart from the lack of a water wasting cistern, your visitors probably won't notice any difference until they lift the lid. If you'd like a non white pedestal, you can opt for a custom coloured fibre glass pedestal. The Excel and Compact have non-traditional shapes.

Can I see the compost pile? Because the chamber and the waste chute are black, it's difficult to see waste levels in natural light. You should occasionally shine a torch down to check the level. This isn't as unpleasant as it sounds, because the contents have started breaking down from the first time you used the toilet.

Can a Nature Loo be installed in a slab house? Yes. The stand alone single unit Compact models and Excel systems are designed for installation where there is no space under the bathroom floor. However, the split systems cannot be installed on a slab floor without building an elevated platform for the pedestal. Should you prefer to have a split system, but lack enough space under the bathroom floor (see toilet descriptions for specifications), a split system chamber can be positioned in a pit up to 150mm deep provided adequate drainage for surface water is provided.

Can I have an upstairs toilet? Yes. As many as you want, wherever you want them, providing the split system chamber can be located directly below. With the single-unit Excel under floor space is not relevant.

What if the occupancy of the house changes? No problem. With the Classic systems, they can expand to accommodate any size load. If your family grows, or you sell to a larger family, the increased loads can simply be accommodated with the purchase of another composting chamber. No other composting toilet currently offers this feature. The capacity of continuous toilets is fixed such that an additional unit would be required to handle extra loads.

I am building my house and living in a shed/ caravan. Can I use Nature Loo now, then install it in the house when it's finished? Yes. Because of the Nature Loo's compact size and easy installation, you can move it wherever and whenever you want. Because it's so relatively inexpensive, people often use a Nature Loo Compact for their shed and purchase a Nature Loo Classic 1000 for the finished home.

Does it use much power? For all models apart from the Excel the answer is hardly any. The exhaust fan uses less than 3 watts of electricity – in 24 hours it uses as little as a 60 watt light bulb uses for one hour. For people on solar or other alternate power systems, these models are a good option. The standard Excel is more demanding on power unless you request the NE, non-heater version.

I don't have mains power, how do I keep the fan running? If you are planning to use solar power on your property, you can use that same solar system to power your fan. If your solar system will be 24V, let us know and we can supply 24V fans (our standard fan is 12V). If you need to power just the fan, you can do that with solar systems that we have available. The 5 watt panel will keep the fan running under most daylight conditions, but keep in mind that it won't keep it running at night. The 20 watt system includes a battery and regulator to give you autonomy for up to 4 days.
The NE version of the Excel is suitable for use with solar power.

How long do the fans last? The fans are brushless ball-bearing types designed for continuous use. On average they will last for 2-3 years. A new fan is easily installed and in 2009 costs AUD 50.00 plus postage.

How many people is the Nature Loo designed for? The standard Classic 1000-2 toilet, with two composting chambers, is designed to service up to 4 people on a continuous basis, whilst the Classic 750 handles 3 people. Capacity can be expanded by the provision of one or more additional composting chambers. For a weekender or holiday residence, the Nature Loo Classic 1000-2 (two chambers) will easily handle large numbers of people with infrequent use. The Compact and Classic 650 are designed for temporary or intermittent use, although they can handle 2 people on a permanent basis, provided the 3 chambered version is purchased. They are mainly used in weekenders, holiday huts, and sheds. The standard Excel handles 4 people per unit. This is reduced to 2-3 people in the NE version of the Excel.

I live in a very cold climate; will the composting continue to work? The composting process will go dormant during extreme cold, but will kick in again when the temperature warms up. You may want to insulate your chamber against the cold by wrapping wall or roof insulation around it.

How long does it take to compost? The Classic 1000 chamber needs a minimum of 4 months once you've changed chambers; the Compact chamber needs a minimum of 2 months. There is no need to empty it until it's time to change chambers again. Just let it continue composting until you need to rotate chambers. If the number of people using the toilet means that there would not be sufficient time for a full chamber to compost before needing to change chambers again you can add another chamber into the rotation to give each one enough time to compost.

Can I put a Compact or Excel in a boat/ motorhome/ plane? We have had quite a few customers who have installed Compacts and Excels in trailers and buses. They tend to run the liquid drain hose to a holding tank, and empty it at a designated area. Since no water is added to the toilet the volume is small. There is also a marine version of the Excel appropriately modified to suit boats and mobile homes.

We are planning to use the cabin only occasionally; do I have to do anything to the toilet if the use is to be infrequent? No. You have enough micro-organisms in your gut as part of your natural flora to start the composting process off again, even if it's been a long time since you last used the toilet.

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