You Asked For It…
Journal Entry #17
December 10, 2021
One of the questions we get most is how we manage “our daily bodily business” in the van. First thing I’ll mention is that we do not have a typical RV system, with a “black tank” for waste. RVers largely use a toilet in which solids and liquids go into a holding tank. Then, they get rid of their waste at “dump stations.” Its a messy and somewhat time consuming process, but going to the bathroom is a fairly straightforward affair, like a toilet at home.
What we have is a composting toilet; specifically a Nature’s Head brand which, while on the pricier side, works really well. The toilet is divided into two sections- a front “bottle-like” section for liquid waste, and a back box-like composting section for solid waste, with a toilet seat over both. The solid waste area contains a coconut coir, which is a peat like substance.
So, the big question, does it smell? Most of the time, no. What we have learned from reading and from others is that if you can keep urine out of the solid waste section you can keep odors to a minimum. It’s really the urine which produces the more offending “ammonia-like” odor, especially if it mixes with the peat. So, what are the logistics? Well, there is a lever on the side of the toilet which operates a flap; when you urinate, you keep the flap closed diverting urine to the bottle. When you need do a “2” you open the flap and do your thing. Then you close the flap and turn the composting crank handle which turns over the compost, waste, toilet paper, etc.
When you use the solid waste side and turn the handle you sometimes get a light peaty odor but it doesn’t last long. The big trick, of course, especially for me (and women generally) is perfecting the art of peeing OR pooping. No mixing— sort of like trying to breathe through only one nostril! I have developed a reasonable skill set here, but it is not without its challenges, as you can imagine! For Tom, this set up also means no standing to pee!
With urine, we find that the bottle fills up after about 2 days. When we take the bottle out and cap it to empty, it is pretty quick and odor free. it’s when you pour it into another toilet that you might get a whiff of “eau-du-pee”. Tom once made the mistake of pouring our urine bottle into a urinal, which turned out to be a waterless/no flush unit. The urine smell overpowered the room; the next restroom patron entered and gave Tom a look as if he had peed all over the walls of the place! Tom sheepishly exited the restroom. Lesson learned- pour pee ONLY down flush toilets!
As a rule, the more we can use “OPP” (other people’s potties) for number 2, the better. For example if we are driving, it’s an easy thing to stop at a rest stop or fast food or gas station to do our business. At campgrounds, it’s also relatively easy, as most campgrounds have bathrooms or vault toilets. With hipcamps and harvest hosts it is a bit more of a challenge to find OPP. We have we have acquired a highly tuned “port-a-john radar”; quickly scoping out construction sites, parks, etc. with johns that are near our stay locations. Still, if you have the urge and you gotta go, you gotta go! We both frequent our own toilet for number one and two.
Another big question— what about privacy? Keep in mind that our total living space is 100 sq feet so there really is no such thing as privacy. Basically, you’ve got to be pretty comfortable with each other and all of the necessary bodily functions involved. We could close the sliding shower door to “do our business” but we generally don’t bother. Frankly, it’s nice to have a bit more space (in the hallway) for our legs. That brings me to another related topic and challenge, since our toilet is in our shower (a “wet bath” is the term for these toilet/shower combinations) and our shower uses recirculating water, it means no peeing in the shower (admit it, we have all done this at one time or another!) It also means when one person is showering, the toilet is not available to the other person. Communication is key!
Even with reasonably regular use we have managed to make our compost last about 3 months before we had to empty the solid waste. Truth be told, the waste area is less about actual composting than it is about generally desiccating the waste. There is a small exhaust fan that constantly runs over the solid waste area, blowing air across the waste and venting out of the van, drying the contents. Emptying the solid waste box is a more complicated process than emptying the pee bottle, however. First, we remove the entire toilet from the van. This requires disconnecting the fan, power and exhaust line and removing two thumb screws, which hold the base of the toilet to our shower floor. Once the toilet is out, we take off the seat section and empty the waste box material into a garbage bag and dispose of it. Honestly, the solids don’t actually smell particularly bad, it’s just patently obvious to others what you are doing- dealing with your own s**t!
In the end, the “bathrooming” process in the van isn’t onerous, but does require a bit of thought, planning, strategy and a reasonable sense of humor. We now have a healthy appreciation for modern plumbing!
If you have more questions about this subject (or others), don’t be shy! We aren’t squeamish and are happy to answer them.
I think you’ve seen pix on fb or otherwise heard of my off-grid lodge up in the Finger Lakes. I also find that this question of bodily waste is very concerning to people!
“OMG! How does one manage without porcelain and lots of running water?”
While bodily waste certainly deserves some respect — at least enough to know that it should not be stored near foodstuffs! — it is important to remember that all kinds of life forms are pooping and peeing all around us… CONSTANTLY!
And also, in the case of solid waste, should such fuss really be made about something that takes about three minutes a day to manage?
“What about poop?” Well, I often answer, under what weather conditions? Is it a beautiful spring morning or is there a blizzard raging outside?
Different methodologies, but no big deal either way.
Yes… we are smart, fancy humans, but we are still just biological organisms after all!