poo pellets??!!

[desert_sailing]

So I have begun testing my 3rd iteration of the bathroom.. soon to be 4th iteration...

At this point it is not working well at all.

Fortunately the "Admiral" here has helped me understand that a true compost toilet in a van is ridiculous.. unless you are driving around with weeks of crap there is simply not going to be any composting going on.. and I will be disposing  asap everytime I can.. whether it is digging a hole out somewhere.. or putting it into trash.

I did originally have a mixture of peat and wood chips.. got rid of the peat which is an absolute joke leaves "dust" everywhere. I kept the wood chips/bedding to work as absorber and to maybe assist with any odors?

However while checking out on other camp/van tiolet alternatives I came across pine pellets that are used for bedding. I also see that they are used as cat litter as well. I am attaching a video  of the inspiration to my asking you good folks about this.

I am curious do any of you use these or have you used pine pellets for the toilet?
Are pine pellets the same no matter the advertised use? Are pellets for bedding the same as for cat litter?
Would simply pine sawdust be better?




This seems to be a good way to go.  Any pros/cons that you have experienced?

 

[jacqueg]

Before I lived in a van, I used bedding pellets by preference in a humanure system. I settled on them after using wood chips, sawdust, fir/pine shavings,  just plain dirt, and/or dried leaves. Pellets are compressed sawdust. They are not dusty, and are very absorbent. They are lightweight and inexpensive, and you do not have to buy them by the bale (although you can). If you're filling a 5-gallon bucket, you will find that the bucket does not stink much. But the contents of an entire bucket will be bulky and a bit heavy. Of course, I disposed the bucket contents into a real compost pile.

Standard cat litter is clay, although you can certainly buy litter made of other materials. IME, [font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]cat litt[/font][font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]er[/font] has quite a few additives, and I wouldn't use it if I intended to dump it into a compost pile. Also, I think the additives really stink themselves.

I use a Luggable Loo in my van, with the Double Doody bags (and cat litter as needed), and dispose of the bags in ordinary trash cans. No, I don't think it's wonderful, but I think it's less bulky and troublesome than the alternatives. YMMV.

 

[nature lover]

Bob always goes over how a person poops in a van when he does a tour. I just had an experience that I don’t even want to talk about. But, it should be talked about because it’s a reality. I had a bladder infection and a friend recommended I take very high doses of vitamin C with cranberry juice. It worked the bladder infection is pretty much gone. But so are all my clean clothes. Almost 18 hours of diarrhea. And a little bit of Vomiting. This is a heck of subject to talk about. But it became reality for me in the last couple days. I’m thinking of setting up a canvas bag with extras supplies for just such an emergency. Including Clorox wipes and maybe Lysol spray. Extra wipes. Right now when I use my potty I built which is just a glorified bucket toilet I fold up a paper towel and put it in the bottom of the clean bag and then spray pretty heavy a bleach cleaner in there. So the bag is ready. It helps but that’s just for regular needs. one of the other things I want to put in that bag is a candle and some matches. LOL diarrhea in a van it ain’t fun and it ain’t Purdy. although I don’t use cedar shavings regularly perhaps I got to get a bag of them for this kit too. It’ll be interesting to see who comments on it. Any other suggestions for that little kit that I hope I never have to use again.Life is real.

 

[Sofisintown]

If I understood correctly, the lady in the video said that they use the pellets for #1 only.
They take care of the #2 business in different way. I would try the pellets for #2 to see if they work, but for # 1, a pee bottle will do I think, as it is what most people on the move use.

You can empty the pee bottle much easier, and spray with bleach water to avoid it becoming smelly.
Note to self: Pellets to be tried.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

 . . .  and spray with bleach water to avoid  it becoming smelly.

I use fabric softener in my pee bottle; ~10 ml + a little water, and shake after emptying.
I don't notice a smell - empty pee bottle daily.

 

[bullfrog]

The cedar shavings help with the smell but the wag bag power absorbs better. Having a 5 gallon bucket with an air tight screw on lid for times you can’t immediately dispose of it helps as well as some type air freshener. The cedar shavings do take up space though. The more liquid there is the bigger the problem.

 

[GypsyJan]

For dire straits (i.e. diarrhea) you can line your poop bag with kitty pee pads (14 for $4 at Walmart). These are absorbant on one side and plastic on the other. Put the absorbant side up. After making a deposit, fold the sides of the pad downward over the deposit & used TP and baby wipes and tie off the outer bag.

 

[Qxxx]

If I understood correctly, the lady in the video said that they use the pellets for #1 only.
They take care of the #2 business in different way.

Right on, Sofi, good listening. A lot of meandering words from that gal and little content for 7 minutes of talk. Used for #1 only, for #2 walk over to the toilet in the CG. So the title of the thread is a bit off. The kitty litter method talks always about obligatory separating #1 into a bottle and #2 only in the KL bucket. So sounds like she was doing it wrong from day one. Also using a 5 gal bucket just for #1 seems like a poor design. Someone should tell her about the She Wee.

 

[Sofisintown]

LOL diarrhea in a van it ain’t fun and it ain’t Purdy. 

Nobody claimed that their diarrhea is fun and Purdy... Not thus far.
I would be surprised if they did! :s

 

[RvNaut]

I am curious do any of you use these or have you used pine pellets for the toilet?
Are pine pellets the same no matter the advertised use? Are pellets for bedding the same as for cat litter?
Would simply pine sawdust be better?

Pine Pellets...    Are these just a different use for the fuel we use in the Pellet stoves we use up north????

 

[jacqueg]

Pine Pellets...    Are these just a different use for the fuel we use in the Pellet stoves we use up north????

my understanding is that yes. They are pretty much the same product. I just always got mine at the feed store, so they were sold for horse bedding.

 

[BelgianPup]

Actually, there is no such thing as a portable composting toilet. The bucket/container-type units used in vans (etc) are 'separating' toilets.

To truly compost human fecal material requires from 6 months to 2 years. And I doubt that there is even one, single mobile van dweller in the country doing that!

Urine is usually sterile, unless the donor has a bladder infection, or a disease like leptospirosis (it's very rare). Urine is often used fresh as a fertilizer, with most humans providing about 2.5 lbs of useful nutrients per year.

 

[maki2]

Pine Pellets...    Are these just a different use for the fuel we use in the Pellet stoves we use up north????

It is difficult to know how the pellet stove pellets are formulared without looking at the manufactures ingedient list. The same thing is true for cat litter products. But you know for sure that cat litter and bedding products are made for maximum absorption of liquids.

However some brands of wood stove pellets have a hydrophobic coating applied to them to increase their storage time in damp conditions. The result being they are made not to be absorbent.

Europe has standards for toxicity of wood stove pellets which controls what can ingredients can be in the pellets.. The USA does not have any standards for inclusions in wood pellets which means that treated or painted waste wood cuild be in some of the cheaper brands. The premium brands are of course the more likely ones to have been treated with a hydrophbic coating as it cost more to add that additional process.

You will have to do your own research as to what brands of wood stove pellets might work for your poop bucket. But the bedding pellets seem a pretty safe bet and are likely avaiable in farm and ranch stores. Cat litter pellets are pretty widely available even in cities. But it is going to be hit and miss as to what brand of wood stove pellets you will come across.

A few blocks of compressed coir fiber would be good to have on hand as a backup absorbent material when you can't find your preferred type of pellets. Coir fiber is another choice for absorbent but not one that is as well known. You mostly find it in garden nursery stores where it gets used in hanging baskets and other planters for keeping the plants roots nice and moist between watering times. But coir is not a US domestic product.

 

[maki2]

Pine Pellets...    Are these just a different use for the fuel we use in the Pellet stoves we use up north????

It is difficult to know how the pellet stove pellets are formulared without looking at the manufactures ingedient list. The same thing is true for cat litter products. But you know for sure that cat litter and bedding products are made for maximum absorption of liquids.

However some brands of wood stove pellets have a hydrophobic coating applied to them to increase their storage time in damp conditions. The result being they are made not to be absorbent.

Europe has standards for toxicity of wood stove pellets whixh controls what can ingredientscan be in the pellets.. The USA does not have any standards for inclusions in wood pellets which means that treated or painted waste wood cuild be in some of the cheaper brands. The premium brands are of course the more likely ones to have been treated with a hydrophbic coating as it cost more to add that additional process. You will have to do your own research as to what brands of wood pellets might work for your poop bucket. But the bedding pellets seem a pretty safe bet and cat litter pellets are pretty widely available even in cities.

 

[MrNoodly]

I must have the world's most unique intestinal tract. Or maybe it's my diet. Maybe both. But I pee and poop into the same trash bag lined bucket, over and over for a week or so, sealed up with a Gamma Lid between uses. The odor ain't perfume, just mildly unpleasant, totally tolerable, and it dissipates quickly. There's no smell when the bucket is sealed. It rides next to the driver seat.

In the beginning I tried cat litter, cedar chips, and a chemical that's supposed to turn urine into a gel. There was no difference between those methods and doing without.

I've needed to puke only once while a nomad. I used the type air sickness bags I've been handed for small plane and helicopter rides: an ordinary kitchen trash bag. When I was done, I tied a knot in it and dropped it in my wastebasket.

 

[maki2]

Just remember if you can't smell anything you might have the Covid 19. That will reassure you when things do smell a bit ?

 

[desert_sailing]

So I did go looking for the pine pellets and was unable to find at the time and so instead I bought a cat litter that was made found ground corn plant matter. It has a very fine grain and not much more than cream of wheat. I unfortunately bought the scented and it is far too chemical smell for me. I used it a couple times and it seems to be pretty good. I did not notice any bad odour and I didn't inspect absorbancy, so no hard data on that,

Not being able to handle the scented corn litter, I was finally able to find the pine fresh pellets cat litter. I open the bag and immediately knew there is no way would this work for me. If urine was being added to the mix it would probably be ok.. I am not mixing unless no choice ..after all these years I am not about to switch it up and start sitting to tinkle. . The pellets I think would do absolutely nothing to solids as is.

Unless a person is mixing then I would not suggest pellets. Tho they do smell good from the bag. It was a 20 pound bag that I hope my buddy can burn in his pellet stove. It is a natural product with no chemicals nor fragrance.

Next up I will check out the pine shavings. I think even the shredded paper bedding stuff may be ok as well.

 

[bullfrog]

We like the cedar shavings Walmart used to sell in the pet department. Last one we went to didn’t stock it so we had to order it. It is much better smelling than the pine shavings and we use it in a C-Head toilet so it does separate and solids get stirred.

 

[maki2]

I sized my roll out toilet plartform to have a shorty model C head toilet sit on it. But for now  while it will fit into the cabinet it does not fit into my budget. Maybe next year....

 

[bullfrog]

Maki2 a C-Head toilet uses a regular toilet seat mounted to a hinged lid on a box sized to fit a gallon milk jug in front of a 5 gallon bucket that has been modified to include a stirrer on the top. A hole is cut to direct solids to the bucket and liquids to the jug. Really the only custom parts are the bottom of the stirring mechanism and the diverting funnel ( they can also be formed with heat from plastic). I found I didn’t even need to use the powered vent system if I just dumped the solids a little more often where we stay in low humidity areas. Measurements are on line, with your skills you might just consider building one. Really the only difference between a separating toilet and a C-Head is the stirring mechanism (made from PVC pipe)and an easily made vent.