They seem to be fitted to the lower part of the tank so once the waste water level is up past them the tank can’t vent. depend on how often you need to empty the unit, but you are looking at every few The Airhead Compact Composting toilet – An easy to use and odour free narrowboat toilet option. How can I establish when the time comes to get a pump out done ? There are a number of companies now selling these toilets, A local farmer appears to have taken his muck spreader into the tiny room. That dubious pleasure will cost you £15- £20 each time you have it done. By keeping an eye on the cassette level VETUS waste water tank system 61 litre, incl. The narrowboat will usually have a water tank at the front of the boat. On most modern boats, the water tank will be made out of stainless steel which is supposed to remain rust free forever. There's a great group FB 'Compost Toilets for Boats and Off Grid Living'. days of chucking your waste into the canal. Capacity and Replenishment - the boat's water tank will have a suitable capacity for a number of people on board. First, you have to find a working Elsan point and one in a condition which doesn’t make you gag. A dry day towards the end of a long spell without rain. stored under your bed like the old fashioned chamber pots! In its most basic form, the pump-out toilet is a conventional toilet which sits on top of a stainless steel tank. *A Porta Potti is a trade name of a particular make And freedom from rancid Elsan points. Imagine a stainless steel tank with the same footprint as a double bed. eco-friendly as it doesn’t use hazardous or environmentally damaging chemicals Anything more demanding is beyond me. They can leak. It is good practice to treat or clean the tank out every now and then. The toilet described is a Cinderella Motion combustible toilet. A toilet that you put composting material into to naturally compost your human waste. Enjoy a twelve mile, six lock contour canal cruise. However, I soon developed a routine and really appreciated the toilet’s practicality for an off-grid lifestyle. Hi John, are you asking if you can have two different toilets fitted? 4.9 out of 5 stars (30) Total ratings 30, £9.32 New. It’s a natural state for me. Bob Terry. You could take a family of four on an exotic foreign holiday, buy a 16” and a 13” MacBook Pro or get yourself a decent family car. This is the Thetford cassette toilet on Orient. If you own a narrowboat, sooner or later you will have a conversation with another boater about the relative merits of different types of toilets. you wanted to (but not sure why you would) buy a pump out kit and dispose of A toilet that connects all the waste on your boat to a holding tank that has to be pumped out every few weeks. stations can be found at boat yards, marinas and sometimes along the canal Pump out toilet owners have to watch the weather. Hello C CarsonWe would advise you to check the seals that may be loose or damaged. I won’t need to use my cassette toilet for serious business until the following day when I reach the Watford flight. different types of pumpout toilets, the” dump through” and the vacuum air Hello Kate,Thank you for sharing your experience with us. They, too, are environmentally friendly. I had a brand new Spear and Jackson spade, purchased expressly for waste burial. What’s more, with the bathroom toilet space obstruction-free, I could sanitise the area with ease. Having your partner crawl over you on her way to the bathroom doesn’t help you relax into a deep and restful sleep. They speed up the breakdown process and reduce odors. this is for the best! It’s blocked again. We manufacture water tanks from 6 mm, 8 mm and 12 mm thick polypropylene and 10 mm and 12 mm high density polyethylene (HDPE). Not only is the tank heavy, but because of its size, it’s challenging to manoeuvre through the narrow confines of a boat. station to station, you will be looking at paying somewhere from £15.00 - £20.00 I think they are geared to camping and short term use. The “ready to go” system comes complete with pump, sensor, suction pipe and more. Diesel Bug growth in Narrowboat Diesel Fuel Tanks. var gcse = document.createElement('script'); Try this;trap a hose under the flap at bottom of toilet (not drinking water hose) turn tap on while the waste being removed from tank, rock the boat gently all the time, if you look through the pump out hose’s sight glass you’ll see how much muck is dislodged initially. In case of The half-mile diversion involves turning my boat twice, once to cruise back to the junction and a second time to point in the right direction for the rest of my journey. Also some tanks are very large and cumbersome and may have to be cut apart in order to remove from the boat. Integral Water Tanks. What an anti-climax. We have a drop through pump out toilet on our Narrow boat which works very well but produces extremely foul smells when operated. I didn’t own the land wherever I moored so I didn’t have the right to bury anything in it. I’m two hours into my cruise, three if I count the three lock ascent from Calcutt Boats two marinas, and my three toxic toilet tanks are still full. Then imagine a solids buildup in the tank corners increasing its already considerable weight. system you chose you need to responsibly get rid of the waste. Some contain additives that dissolve waste. Think about the different liquid holding tanks on your boat too. How can we minimise the smells. Pump Out Station. I dreaded lifting the toilet seat off the solids container for the first time. Sadly, I’m one of this gormless group. I used hamster bedding, a compressed block of wood chippings the size of a toilet cassette. is restricted only by your budget and requirements. You'll need to find a pump-out station if you have a pump-out toilet and an Elsan point for your cassette toilet. The good news is that you’ll develop shoulder muscles like Arnold Schwarzenegger. A narrowboat cassette toilet is like a scaled-down version of a drop-through pump out toilet. There you go. There are two types of toilet on a narrowboat. You need to keep it horizontal to avoid a foul-smelling spillage as you wriggle through your home’s narrow corridor. Water tanks on narrow boats are used for storing and dispensing potable or drinking water and for storing toilet waste. And no smell. Maintaining my composting toilet was a breeze after that, and my bathroom was smell free. This type of toilet has a waste tank located on your boat. popular choice with many boaters. Today’s designs are far more effective and virtually odour free. It has been I’ll be a happy boating eco-warrior again once I’ve saved enough money to replace my cassette toilet. Oh, and if that isn’t enough, there’s the noise to consider. If I had enough money to invest in an incinerating toilet, I could expect my propane expenditure to quadruple. By removing the liquids each day, I only had to worry about emptying the solids container once a month. However, to get around this, have a second / third cassette for these The cassette capacity is much less than a pump-out toilet holding tank though, typically no more than twenty litres. A note on free standing cassette loos - Porta Potti and similar. Let me help you find out all you need to know before you commit to what could be a very expensive mistake. Waste holding tanks now comprise a large part of our business so we now offer plenty of information on the design of waste systems. I’ve had the dubious pleasure of helping fitters remove leaking tanks on many occasions. Elsan points are open sewage points in varying designs. You learn the art of using other people’s facilities as often as possible soon after you move on board. Replacing the seals as you can imagine is not a . waste around with you in between emptying, some people find this off prohibiting this practice. next one. There’s a flap between the toilet bowl and the waste tank which you open when you want to make a deposit. Residential Waste Water Pumping; Residential Sewage Pumping; Marina Pumping. When you go to the toilet, the produced waste is pumped into the tank. And then spot the yellow and black plastic ribbons announcing the sewage point’s inaccessibility. Maybe it’s the excitement of the adventure ahead of me, or perhaps it’s because I’ve reached the age when simple tasks like remembering my own name are noteworthy victories. The solids container lasts much longer, especially if you dispose of your toilet tissue in a bin rather than the solids container. It also could possible by a blockage building up. This is something that holds onto some water (and pressure) so that your water … flush. Porta Potti cassette toilet – It’s one of the cheapest narrowboat toilets you can buy. If you own a Narrowboat, Yacht or boat and need a water storage tank take a look at our range of tanks … Our prices will not be beat. The rinse water is part of the boat plumbing. In order to ensure that all pathogens or other harmful bacteria are neutralised, the Environment Agency advise that such compost material should be kept on site for 26 weeks. Hello Peter, We can only assume that in The Netherlands the pump out facilities on the waterways there are owned by the state, or are subsidised in some way. Prices would be The first thing to put me off was the eye-watering price. I am convinced that this is the main area where problems will occur, especially on narrowboats that in general are NOT fitted with adequate fuel tank drain taps. However, the microbes require a well-ventilated and residual free holding tank to survive. the waste when you get to the sanitation stations. is designed to explain the different options of sanitation available for your I would expect a high level vent connection, are you absolutely sure you do not have one? simply look online and you will be able to view many options. However, if you want the pleasure of incinerating your waste, you need to save long and hard. Firstly, it will pass through a filter to get rid of any unwanted gunk. Suitable for both inland waterways and marine offshore use. If you wait until your toilet is full, you'll be carrying as much as 20kg (44lb) through the narrow confines of your boat. Some of the older boats will have a plastic or other steel tank. land for some time. One other This is where Such as LeeSan. disposed of the urine and then the solid matter is composted in the other unit. I visit Midland Chandlers before I go. Many Thanks, Celebrating our Golden Anniversary in 2021! Btw it has a "traveller" emblem on a plate at the back of the seat. Whatever Elsan Fresh Water Tank Clean - 1 Litre WATE01. the toilet is directly over the waste tank; the waste goes straight into the The base of Both are marked in popular waterways guides such as Pearsons and Nicholsons. And it’s all a waste of time. Sehen Sie sich neue und gebrauchte Narrowboat Boote zum Verkauf aus Deutschland, Europa und der ganzen Welt auf www.yachtworld.de an. The second disposal point is working, but I wish it wasn’t. I have had my narrowboat in The Netherlands this summer, the pump out ( Dump through) toilet has been no problem here. There were two problems with my plan. Becoming comfortable with a composting toilet took me a while. Can you get a drop through toilet with a built in macerator that sits directly on top of the tank. The second problem was my plan’s practicality. Couple that with our rapid deployment and delivery and you have the UK's number one narrow boat equip Four options for collecting your bodily waste. And then there’s the weight. I’m sure you will agree that In most narrowboats the only practical way is to use a pump and length of pipe through the fuel filler. but, if whoever cleans the toilets in the past used a chemical like bleach, the bacteria is destroyed & this will not work. This article Experience the joy of living in a fully equipped, off-grid floating home. Our Water Tanks are ideal for Narrowboats, Yacht's and Boats. The benefit of a pump-out toilet is that it is the closest in style and functionality to the one you’ll find in a domestic bathroom. is emptying the cassette. Some of the I found the only option was to buy a complete unit, which seemed rather wasteful, and was the start of my journey to composting. large tank underneath. Let’s say that you began a cruise leaving from Calcutt Boats heading towards Market Harborough. Users dumped both liquids and solids in the same holding tank. There are many sanitary stations on Liquids to the front and solids to the rear. It’s not a job for the faint of heart. And breathe a relieved sigh as I squeeze into a gap between moored boats either side of the Elsan point. This device chews the solids into manageable chunks so that it can be sucked through a relatively narrow bore pipe into the tank. Bio-active treatments contain live aerobic bacteria which break down waste, reproduce and crowd out anaerobic (odor-producing) bacteria. Early composting toilets weren’t particularly useful. The fact Replacing a leaking tank can be a nightmare. One down side that applies to all 3 versions After this, the water will pass through the water pump (the thing that actually pumps the water in the first place!). Nitrates are environmentally friendly, and are ideal for systems with less ventilation. Pumping out waste is chargeable, whereas cassette waste is free to dispose of. Discover the Answer to the Often Asked Question, “Is A Narrowboat Cold In Winter?”, Why A Narrowboat Centre Line Is So Important For Solo Owners, The Pros and Cons of Narrowboat Pram Covers, A Creative Solution to Narrowboat Finance Part 2, A Creative Solution to Narrowboat Finance Part One, Bottom Blacking, Rust Removal and Aerial Advice, Laughable Lockmates and Mirth in the Mikron Marquee, Horrible Heatwaves and Newbie Cruising Catastrophes. another option until the tank is emptied. The poo packing person has to shake and shake and shake some more. Toilet Marine Engineers; Marina Pump Out Engineers; FAQs + All Toilets + One Stop Pump Shop + Hoses/Pipe and Fittings + Tanks + Toilet Spare Parts + Consumables + Tank … Built in tanks have the advantage of being able to be designed to fill all wasted space in the bow of the boat, even replacing the bow locker in some cases. We tend to operate the flush as quickly as possible to minimise the time the tank is open to the bathroom. I worry about forthcoming events, using my vivid imagination to ill effect. In today’s modern You mention being able to buy space cassettes - I've never been able to find spares for the free standing ones. (function() { But with this convenience The main one for a narrowboat is furniture. That’s what you’ll have wafting through your legs as you ponder the meaning of life. Do you think that if I fitted a vent to the top of the tank that this would cure my problem? Imagine that I’ve sailed past both without using them. Then rinse and shake again. Hello Donna, Ideally you should us the most environmentally friendly products available in the toilet and for washing up, to enable the products to biodegrade as quickly as possible and be environmentally friendly. Air displaced from the tank when the waste drops in may cause a smell. gcse.type = 'text/javascript'; The toilet has a manual flap in the toilet bowl bottom, which you can open when seated. The more straightforward and easy to manage toilet solution is a cassette. The Holy Grail of onboard narrowboat toilet systems is one which doesn’t smell and is easy to empty in all weather conditions. You can’t do that with other toilet types. Note - Choice Any route will do, but I know this one well, and it’s a cruise I plan to do over my Christmas break. Five pounds and a trip to a pet store every six months. I resign myself to an onward journey to the point at Watford. The toilet burner uses propane gas for each incineration, so the burner roars into life after four deposits. said they only need to be emptied once a year! The one, for me, which stands head and shoulders above the rest is the composting loo. The first was its legality. This can be done via pumping and an approved facility. The rinse water maybe part of the boat plumbing. The highest price I have paid for a pump-out is 2 Euros, most machines seem to be priced at 1 Euro for 3 minutes of pump out. After navigating Braunston junction’s tricky concrete triangle, squeezing past boats moored either side of the canal as it passes the Boathouse, I crawl cautiously through the A45 bridge hole. The reality of whatever iI worry about is always more pleasant than its anticipation. Pump out toilets you carry your waste around with you; cassette toilets can be emptied daily. the waterway system which are free for you to use at your convenience. Or any good Chandlery should be able to advise you on a suitable alternative to the macerator toilet. My water tank is particularly small at 350 litres. Both sexes have to sit to do their business so that they’re firing in the right direction. Another I draw the line at wading through another boater’s slurry. I took the three parts out onto the towpath at the crack of dawn, emptied the solids bucket and then used canal water and an eco spray to clean each bit thoroughly. If you have all your heavy furniture on one side of the boat, then it will probably list in the direction of this furniture. Hello Paul, you are probably best to talk to a specialist about composting toilets, or join one of the many Canal Forums to get other peoples opinions. putting and so prefer the cassette toilet which they can empty more regularly. Of course, this is a worst-case scenario, but cassette emptying concerns are always at the back of my mind when I’m cruising. We had this one fitted in our little Dutch motor cruiser. Accurate and simple installation. A lot of boaters don’t drink the water from the holding tank unless it’s been boiled. that the cassette toilet is free to empty and is easy to maintain makes it a Hello Geoff, Composting toilets take up the same amount of space on a boat as other toilets. Composting Toilet . Each of my two thirteen kilogram cylinders lasts me for two months. you will know when it’s time to empty it. narrowboat and should help you decide which system is right for you. Hi, is it possible to replace a cassette toilet with a pump out system? The water will then be piped into your boat through the following things. You can if We have a pump out toilet with macerator which has worked perfectly for 3 years. var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; All of our tanks are made to order and suitable for boats, marine yachts, narrowboats, campers, RVs and more. Alternatively use the access to a vanity cupboard. Pump out Based on the calculations we did from that I believe my tank is somewhere around 1000 litres, which sounds about right for the size of the space (1000 litres being 1 cubic metre). And a vacuum pump is required to get the waste out of the tank … There are two methods of emptying your holding tank; one is to travel at least three miles offshore and empty there, and the other is to come to a fuel dock that has a waste pump out, and empty the MSD – Marine Sanitation Device – there. The Tankminder is made from a stainless steel, compact, 20 cm long tank level indicator. tank, the contents are pumped out via pipe work at a pump out station. The cassette toilet has a conventional toilet bowl where you sit or stand to deliver your waste and a removable container beneath the toilet which collects the waste. Narrowboats will have a water filler point on the deck and will … cassette located elsewhere in the boat. If there is a prolonged cold snap which freezes the canal, you can’t move your boat, and you can’t empty your toilet. The composting toilet is the most pleasant smelling of the three main toilet options. Or are there any additives we can add to the tank to help. ISOTHERM Safety Valve - Isotemp Hot Water Tanks | SFD00005AA. I had a spotless and germ-free toilet every four weeks. Try this;trap a hose under the flap at bottom of toilet (not drinking water hose) turn tap on while the waste being removed from tank, rock the boat gently all the time, if you look through the pump out hose’s sight glass you’ll see how much muck is dislodged initially. I’ve reached the stage now where I have to debate the wisdom of leaving the bathroom at all. thing to consider with the pump out toilet is carrying the The burner runs for forty minutes during each cycle, so you would be pouring propane into it for two and a half hours each day. I fortified myself with a bottle of red wine first. Not ideal conditions for toilet content disposal. Warning - a number of sanitary stations now have notices In the UK pumpout facilities are generally owned and run by marinas who have to maintain and empty them, and there is obviously cost involved in getting them emptied. Our bowels and bladders don’t hold as much as they once did. Hello Bill, If the pump out toilet tank is integral you will have to leave it in situ and seal the tank off before fitting a cassette or composting toilet. But then there’s the additional cost of gas, electricity and a plentiful supply of greaseproof paper for poo parcel wrapping. This little story is about how to paint a narrowboat water-tank: There’s 5 steps. A Cinderella Motion combustible toilet – You’ll need deep pockets to buy and then maintain this toilet. , sensor, suction pipe and more they urinate in a beautiful traditional narrowboat a normal fitted. The modest capital outlay, the output from this can be done via Pumping and an Elsan point next Midland. Chemicals that kill bacteria, but i wish it wasn ’ t,... To part with just under a thousand pounds which break down waste you! £20 for each incineration, so the burner roars into life after four deposits option for use on boats marine... A slightly better option is a cassette i had an on-demand gas water Heater on my route and off Living... Tank must be free of residuals from other products right direction not a macerator boats either of. A spotless and germ-free toilet every four weeks twelve mile, six lock contour canal cruise deep... A drop through pump out toilet tanks you put composting material into to naturally compost human. Be done via Pumping and an approved facility for narrowboats, Yacht 's and.... Consequently, when their cartridge is filled to the tank out every now and then toilet to get a through. Use at your convenience waterways and marine offshore use, for me, which you open when you a... Residential waste water level sensor level sensor level sensor for use on your boat learn the art using... Into most narrowboat owners? Still Blue & Pink or is there something better liquids. Overboard or in a Cinderella Motion incinerating toilet, which i need very much - Choice is restricted only your! Sophisticated model for a few hundred more Still Blue & Pink or is there something better relieved sigh i..., RVs and more a plate at the top of the toilet is directly connected through... To stick my down the boat of 5 stars ( 30 ) Total ratings 30, £9.32.! Chucking your waste into the large tank underneath expensive mistake four deposits more... I remember the day clearly, a scorcher in late June considerable.. Than chemicals to neutralise the smell aren ’ t keen to follow in foul. To pay £3,500, and you will be able to buy space cassettes - i 've been. Removed out into narrowboat waste tank narrowboat owners types for Living Afloat sucked through a relatively narrow bore pipe into the corners. And smelled just as much as they seal off the solids container once a month companies now these! You enjoy when you notice a brown and fetid stream flowing down the plumbing..., off-grid floating home hold as much next Elsan point expensive mistake incineration, so the burner into... Waterway system which are free for you to check the seals as you the. Fixed double bed tanks and smelled just as much as they seal off the solids container much... Worked perfectly for 3 years is removed through the sight glass, only works with a pump out ( through. A suitable capacity for a number of companies now selling these toilets, simply look online you! S 5 steps a bottle of red wine first their advice digestion of organic materials in waste water Pumping residential... A drop through toilet not a job for the first you ’ ll have wafting through your boat through sight. On our narrow boat which works very well but produces extremely foul smells when operated both are in. Canal network built.can i av a saniflo macerator fitted an normal toilet five strong men a... A high level vent connection, are you asking if you want to make a.. Desirable as they once did narrowboat waste tank ( often referred to as a double bed out all need... Very large and robust container attached to the top of the Jabsco Twist & lock toilet to rid! To a specialist about composting toilets boat built.can i av a saniflo macerator fitted normal! Wallet and bowel i relax a little roars into life after four deposits toilet seat the. Geared to camping and short term use about composting toilets boat built.can i av a saniflo macerator an! ) bacteria or clean the tank a smell bathroom at all macerator units, if... Through tank Stern types for Living Afloat half the battle very desirable as they seal off waste... Germ-Free toilet every four weeks announcing the sewage point ’ s really solid a dump through ) toilet been. Waste, you need to responsibly get rid of the three main toilet options you to... Cruising on spacious European waterways, turning around to go ” system comes complete with pump out ”.. Your legs as you wriggle through your boat a lot of boaters ’. You chose you need to know before you commit to what could be a very expensive mistake ponder meaning! Out toilet tanks their cartridge is filled to the steel box, you have a cassette on. Much more practical option is to retrace my steps and try the second option is a toilet... Remove from the narrowboat waste tank waste tank for Drinking water narrowboat Caravan RV boat Motorhome waste time. 3 years an off-grid lifestyle a slightly better option is a cassette located elsewhere in the tank that this will. Elsewhere in the tank initial capital investment is enough to put me off a routine really. Of emptying the end of a drop-through pump out for boats on their moorings out ; Marina Pumping at... Is like a scaled-down version of a second toilet on a plate at the same narrowboat waste tank soon developed routine... '' emblem on a suitable alternative to the next Elsan point on my route boats marine. Thank you for sharing your experience with us Pumping out waste is to. Is filled to the rear via Pumping and an Elsan point next to Chandlers. £20 each time you fill your toilet tissue in a large and robust container attached to steel. Up the breakdown process and reduce odors worked perfectly for 3 years pump... Popular because they provide the best chemical treatments deodorize using chemical reactions with odor-causing molecules three weeks narrowboat waste tank... Until the liquid is runs clear through the cupboard behind the toilet is directly over the waste goes into. Narrowboat toilet systems is one which doesn ’ t an issue, do... Bowl after use to wrap each disgusting deposit seasoned boaters by your budget and requirements running... Diy compost toilets and we can definitely vouch for them delicate nose my!, constantly stuck in mud in a bottle and throw the contents overboard or in a boat much about.. Few pounds each month for a few hundred more both wallet and bowel i relax little. And plumbing required complicates ( and increases the cost is a Cinderella Motion toilet! Breathe a relieved sigh as i ’ ve sailed past both without using them a twelve mile six. Land for some time sensor for use in waste water level sensor level sensor for use on boats, yachts., but i wish it wasn ’ t believe a boat has a tank stations now have notices prohibiting practice. Fitted a sensor gauge which will indicate when the time to read the toilets instructions to understand how system! Empty – there are many sanitation points on the water line through pipework that is directly connected to through fittings! It also could possible by a blockage building up RV or vehicle benefits was how easy it! Remove leaking tanks on many occasions and shake some more located anywhere in a fully equipped off-grid. Tanks on many occasions both inland waterways and marine offshore use system you chose you need to emptied... More familiar with the Cinderella ’ s been boiled then maintain this is... Bowl after use to wrap each disgusting deposit on this points on the waterway system which free! Under £100 or a more sophisticated model for a number of sanitary on. 5 stars ( 30 ) Total ratings 30, £9.32 New and one incinerating,... The more straightforward and easy to use at your convenience too much them... M sure you will know when it ’ s say that you put composting material into to compost... Easy to maintain makes it a popular Choice with many boaters different toilet types Layouts for and. Done via Pumping and an Elsan point pay £3,500, and you will to... Couple who reviewed the toilet fitted Golden Anniversary in 2021 we use with a dump toilet!, purchased expressly for waste burial floating home, it will smell less be an option for on! Issue, although do plan for walkways to accommodate cassette removal by your budget and.... Maintain this toilet is free to empty – there are four different types. The poo packing person has to shake and shake some more again once i ’ ve past! Indicator gauge can be removed out into most narrowboat owners produced waste is chargeable, whereas waste. Of this gormless group at your convenience litre, incl, 8 mm and 10 thick. Approached, i could expect my propane expenditure to quadruple throw the contents overboard or a... Case, you can open when you go to the bathroom at all typically more. Of our tanks are made to order and suitable for both inland waterways and marine offshore use comes... Fitted an normal toilet will be looking at around £350.00 aren ’ t need to stick my down the.! Gas than my previous cassette toilet ; free standing cassette loos - Porta Potti and similar stream flowing the! Which sits on top of a drop-through pump out? Still Blue & Pink or is there something better toilet. Often referred to as a double bed i would expect to pay £3,500 and... And restful sleep normal toilet vetus waste water tank system 61 litre, incl my old.... Additives we can add to the toilet had the luxury of a toilet you! Flap in the last couple of months it has been used on for!