Installing a composting toilet.

[randii]

It could be far more extreme.  This "solution" is an example of what happens when more dollars than [good] sense are applied to the problem.

Tha Gates throne solves for different problems.... prioritizes water shortage/recycle and scalability. 

RV and boat use prioritize simplicity... scale of use is smaller and recycling non-potable water is pretty much a non issue.

I like the clean design of the OGO. I'd like the internal solids bucket better without the through-hole in the base. Seems like a magnetic stir-bar would solve for everything but easy cleanup.

 

[ProaSailor]

Tha Gates throne solves for different problems.... prioritizes water shortage/recycle and scalability. 

I believe the main priority for the Gates Foundation toilet grants is to eliminate deaths and disease from unsanitary conditions that affect "almost half the world’s population".  Doing it without using precious water and expensive sewage systems is a practical reality, but all these desiccating toilets do that.

https://www.gatesfoundation.org/ideas/articles/sanitation-reinvent-toilet

Over the last decade, the foundation has invested more than US$200 million to support early-stage R&D into reinventing the toilet and other pathbreaking sanitation solutions.
[...]
The 2018 Reinvented Toilet Expo in Beijing saw a number of exciting product announcements and funding commitments, including an additional US$200 million pledge by our foundation to support continued research and bolster market development for reinvented toilets. 

One of their funded ideas uses worms!

https://www.businessinsider.com/bill-gates-foundation-helps-invent-tiger-toilets-powered-by-worms-2019-1

Worms may not have spines, but they're doing some back-breaking sewer work in more than 4,000 toilets across India. 

Since 2015, a creative new type of toilet called the Tiger Toilet has been popping up outside homes and schools around the country. From the outside, this toilet looks like any other pit latrine. But it doesn't smell like one. Instead, it comes with a built-in population of tiger worms. 

"Their natural breeding, natural habitat is in cow dung heaps, or horse sh*t heaps, that kind of thing," Ajeet Oak, director of the Tiger Toilet company, told Business Insider. "Poop. That’s where they like to live."

The [$350] toilets involve no traditional flushing and aren't hooked up to a sewer system. Instead, the worms are contained in a container below the toilet, and they feast on feces. The creatures' activity leaves behind a mix of water, carbon dioxide, and a small amount of wormy compost (that's technically the worms' poo, though it's much less toxic and more nutrient-rich than ours).

I'd like the internal solids bucket better without the through-hole in the base. Seems like a magnetic stir-bar would solve for everything but easy cleanup.

Doubtful that "a magnetic stir-bar" would have the same power as the OGO's mechanical connection.  To me, the raised center at the bottom of the bucket looks effective at preventing leakage at the bushing.  It's complex but clever, I'm looking forward to reports of @Kris Cringle's experience with it.

 

[loungesailor]

It's complex but clever, I'm looking forward to reports of @Kris Cringle's experience with it.

Interested in the reports as well.

I’m thinking that since the smaller capacity of the OGO means recharging more often one might be able to do a regular cleaning and inspection of the complicated bits while the bucket is out of the way. 
I was just telling my wife about the OGO and she asked if the unit has a manual override crank for the mixer. She followed up the question with one of her classic quips “you don’t want to be shit out of luck”. Groan!
Serious question though, does it have a manual,overide? Can’t find any mention of one on the website but maybe I missed it.

 

[accnick]

Interested in the reports as well.

I’m thinking that since the smaller capacity of the OGO means recharging more often one might be able to do a regular cleaning and inspection of the complicated bits while the bucket is out of the way. 
I was just telling my wife about the OGO and she asked if the unit has a manual override crank for the mixer. She followed up the question with one of her classic quips “you don’t want to be shit out of luck”. Groan!
Serious question though, does it have a manual,overide? Can’t find any mention of one on the website but maybe I missed it.

You may be up shit creek without a mixing paddle on that one.

 

[Kris Cringle]

Interested in the reports as well.

I’m thinking that since the smaller capacity of the OGO means recharging more often one might be able to do a regular cleaning and inspection of the complicated bits while the bucket is out of the way. 
I was just telling my wife about the OGO and she asked if the unit has a manual override crank for the mixer. She followed up the question with one of her classic quips “you don’t want to be shit out of luck”. Groan!
Serious question though, does it have a manual,overide? Can’t find any mention of one on the website but maybe I missed it.

Tell your wife she has broken my mothers rule. 

This question was asked on one of OGO's pages by a boater. OGO doesn't have anything yet,  but said they will look into. Waste of time, there's no way to do it.

Looking at the motor and the gearbox and the thermal overload, that doesn't bother me anymore than the dozen or so electric motors on my boat now(that never quit). It's like one of my dozen or more Makita drill/saw motors, not one of which ever quit before it was outdated due to battery voltage or design purpose. 

And the 2 plastics cogs that connect auger and motor are Flintstone tech. I don't know what would quit? It would certainly trip the thermal if you overloaded the bucket.

And in the end, it's not like your typical stuffed head which CAN happen due to dozens of reasons; you CAN use this head if the auger stopped working. Worst case you have a passive toilet that you put some medium over waste. Maybe even find a stick on shore?  

Or, ask your wife if she woul hold the bucket while you turn the cog, manually? :lol:

One major reason for the electric system is, I'm sure, the size of this head. 

I was under the cover about an hour ago to check how it will fit. The front could go to the dashed line I put on the Wilcox Crittenden compact head. 

 

[Israel Hands]

This is one area where I'm not going to be an early adopter. Until the whole process is touchless and nearly odorless, I'll keep flushing.

But you pioneers are advancing this new frontier, and I admire you for it. Thank you for your service!

 

[loungesailor]

You may be up shit creek without a mixing paddle on that one.

Been up shit creek so much I know the route in the dark

Tell your wife she has broken my mothers rule. 

Which rule? There’s a lot of em. My mom had a bunch and my MiL has even more but they’re crazy rules 

Or, ask your wife if she woul hold the bucket while you turn the cog, manually? :lol:

You ask her, I’m not going to ask her, I’m staying out of it!

you CAN use this head if the auger stopped working.

Yup, that’s the beauty of these things, simple. Broke the crank once and just used a good old stick.

But you pioneers are advancing this new frontier, and I admire you for it. Thank you for your service!

Sorta felt like a pioneer the first time I used it, was scary so you’re welcome. 

 

[Blue Crab]

I was surprised it cranks for 2 min. Maybe that's so you can brush teeth at the same time. 

 

[Fah Kiew Tu]

I was surprised it cranks for 2 min. Maybe that's so you can brush teeth at the same time. 

Just don't use the no longer needed toilet brush, save that for washing down the head compartment.

FKT

 

[randii]

Mag-stir works great in lab settings. Dunno about function in the field with more solid elements.

My own boat or shop outbuilding use case requires pretty low volume. 

I really like the OGO design other than the stirrer. I can definitely understand how designing it in like that allows for simple control of the stirring, which takes the (unpredictable) operator out of the equation.

 

[Blue Crab]

Mag-stir works great in lab settings. Dunno about function in the field with more solid elements.

My own boat or shop outbuilding use case requires pretty low volume. 

I really like the OGO design other than the stirrer. I can definitely understand how designing it in like that allows for simple control of the stirring, which takes the (unpredictable) operator out of the equation.

I'm wondering if you could run the head with 24v,and also use it for smoothies when entertaining? 

 

[chester]

I'm looking forward to reports of @Kris Cringle's experience with it.

@Kris Cringle, please be careful here...there are definately pics of your experience we do not need to see!

 

[randii]

I'm wondering if you could run the head with 24v,and also use it for smoothies when entertaining? 

That's a little too close to turds in the (punch) bowl for my tastes!

 

[Alex W]

The OGO looks interesting and pretty well thought out. 
 

One nice feature of the NH is that you can pee anywhere with the poop flap closed. There are drains that prevent pee from going into the solids tank and allow for standing use even on a healed boat. 

 

[Max Rockatansky]

We use a combination of corn cob kitty litter with the coconut coir, best combination we’ve used in the 16 years of composter use,

I just picked up my bags. Very highly scented, so we'll see if the cats like it. @smj what ratio combination, please?

thx

 

[thinwater]

The OGO looks interesting and pretty well thought out. 
 

One nice feature of the NH is that you can pee anywhere with the poop flap closed. There are drains that prevent pee from going into the solids tank and allow for standing use even on a healed boat. 

No, you cannot do that with ANY head on a boat underway. Real sailors sit, and the standers get assigned to cleaning the head. Even if your aim is good, the OGO bowl is very shallow and there will be splash from a standing position.

Additionally, if you do that it will stink like a public urinal. Too much wetted area, unless you intend to rinse the surface with tap water after every use. Note: the steeper the angle of the funnel, the less residue, and less odor, and the OGO has a very shallow funnel angle. Yes, that seems to be their intension, but tha does not make it ia good design choice.

IMO, dry heads should be as simple as possible, because that is an intrinsic advantage. Complicating it is like puting sneakers on an elephant. It won't work and risks ruining the concept.

 

[Alex W]

We spray the bowl with a water/vinegar solution after every use. 

In mild weather where I’m wearing full foulies and many layers under it can be a lot faster to stand than sit.  If the boat is heeling heavily or bouncing around I always sit. 

 

[thinwater]

We spray the bowl with a water/vinegar solution after every use. 

In mild weather where I’m wearing full foulies and many layers under it can be a lot faster to stand than sit.  If the boat is heeling heavily or bouncing around I always sit. 

OK. But it will still splash with the cover in place, I'm pretty sure of that, and I'm not cleaning it up. Use a bottle if sitting is too hard.

Re. vinegar, you might try citric acid or Nilodor. They work better with less odor. I tried them side-by-side, just sharing. Nilodor is best by far.

 

[smj]

I just picked up my bags. Very highly scented, so we'll see if the cats like it. @smj what ratio combination, please?

thx

50% corn and 50% coir. Not sure why we do it that way but Lisa seems to think it’s appropriate.

 

[Kris Cringle]

No, you cannot do that with ANY head on a boat underway. Real sailors sit, and the standers get assigned to cleaning the head. Even if your aim is good, the OGO bowl is very shallow and there will be splash from a standing position.

Additionally, if you do that it will stink like a public urinal. Too much wetted area, unless you intend to rinse the surface with tap water after every use. Note: the steeper the angle of the funnel, the less residue, and less odor, and the OGO has a very shallow funnel angle. Yes, that seems to be their intension, but tha does not make it ia good design choice.

IMO, dry heads should be as simple as possible, because that is an intrinsic advantage. Complicating it is like puting sneakers on an elephant. It won't work and risks ruining the concept.

In fact, looking at the Air head and Natures Head, the OGOs liquid catchment looks larger - deeper (it angles steeply forward to drain slot-hard to see in a photo), and faster draining than both AH and NH.

I'm a convinced sitter in the head, from now on. Every composter user has advised me of that. OGO recommends a bit of mild dish soap and water for an every use spray. I've been doing that a few times a day with marine heads for decades (with 4) so, no change. 

Plus the AH and NH both have the doors over the solid container. I'm sure OGO borrowed that idea and many others from these two Cadillacs of composters, if you're a heavy user. 

I agree with the idea of simple and that's why I thought I'd go with the C-Head(and I would have happy, I'm sure, had they gotten back to me). 

But it was in fact these added complications; electric auger, door over solids area, fan venting, liquid level light, etc., that drew me to the OGO when I starting thinking how it would be used on our boat. 

I don't find any of these features complicated (which is subjective). Breakage will be another matter. OGO will hear from me!  

Time and use will tell if these above additions only add to the cleaning - maintenance, or they make for a better head for our boat sailing part time on the coast. 

What I'm looking forward to is one more 'tank' eliminated. Most coastal cruising sailboats, that go away from their moorage, have clocks ticking in the owners head; Fuel, water, battery state, food-refrigeration or ice, garbage (especially with a family), and usually a holding tank. They all tick away on most boats. 

Unless you have a large holding tank(we don't - 15+gal), sail solo, often the holding tank is the second to serve notice (batteries are #1 for 90% of boats, I'd guess).  

How far to the nearest pump out or 3mi. discharge area? Usual answer for us: Far from here.