DIY Incineration toilets?

[Riley90]

So as I live in an RV full time, I found one of the biggest issues is to dump a black tank every week or two. Equipped with 2680W Solar Panels and 3KW inverter, I have more electricity than I need. I am thinking about upgrading my toilet to an incineration toilet.



But these models not only costs $2000+ but also require 8~ 10 weeks to deliver!

I am not sure how they managed to remove smells from the heating process, can't you DIY something like this with a heat gun and a stainless steel pot?

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

Look at it from an engineering perspective. If you could build one with a heat gun and a stainless steel pot, why are the commercial ones $2K and 10 week lead time? How much empirical study would you be willing to invest in perfecting the heat gun/stainless pot prototype? Often times, there's value in what other people have figured out.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Arch Hoagland]

Hmmm I wonder how your neighbors are going to like that...LOL

 

[SpencerPJ]

You might look into a composting RV toilet.

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

From all I've read about the "composting" (not really) toilets the frequency of attention doesn't change, just how they're managed. When you factor the process to store and exchange the media, service the unit and handle ultimate waste disposal, it's definitely a different process but maybe not necessarily "better".

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[FunSteak]

Incinolets are all fun and games until the burning poopoo smell hits the neighbors, and heaven forbid you have to service it. (Shudders.) I've heard some horror stories from boater friends. I think there are good reasons why you don't see these in RVs.

 

[Oldgator73]

Can you roast weiners while incinerating poo?

 

[touchracing]

As someone with firsthand experience cleaning and servicing Incinolets I’d rather do my business in a bucket. Not to mention how many trips to the bathroom do you average a day. Each trip needs 1 1/2 to 2 kilowatt hours per 75 minute cycle.

 

[Arch Hoagland]

TMI

 

[JudyJB]

I would also worry about the flame/heat and smell of incinerating my waste. I live alone and have dumped my black water tank about every three days times 10 years = roughly 1,200 times dumping, minus maybe 200 times in a full-hookup site. Frankly, it takes me just a few minutes to put my slides in, pick up a rug, and toss counter stuff into a sink, and I usually combine the trip with running an errand in my motorhome.

If you are in a trailer, it will take a little longer, but you could use a portable tank that you haul to the dump station. Is all of this really more difficult and time-consuming than just using a dump station?

 

[SpencerPJ]

Burning waste will give away your incognito mode.

 

[JayArr]

If you were my neighbor and you did this you'd end up with a large burning bag of poop on your doorstep!

 

[Mark_K5LXP]

I had no idea they required that much power. 2kWh over 75 minutes is almost all the charge in a pair of GC2's. Maybe the propane powered ones would make more sense then.

Mark B.
Albuquerque, NM

 

[Riley90]

I researched the issue and found it almost unrealistic. The reason this toilet doesn't smell is that they have a platinum catalytic device. I think the formula is probably exclusive, and just hooking up a car's catalytic converter will not be enough.
Other than that, it is a steel pot with a heat gun.

 

[Jkoht]

Plug a heat gun into your outlet and let it run for 75 minutes at max. Tell us what melted first, the gun or the wiring in the walls.

 

[MajikBus.co]

So as I live in an RV full time, I found one of the biggest issues is to dump a black tank every week or two. Equipped with 2680W Solar Panels and 3KW inverter, I have more electricity than I need. I am thinking about upgrading my toilet to an incineration toilet.

View attachment 153455

But these models not only costs $2000+ but also require 8~ 10 weeks to deliver!

I am not sure how they managed to remove smells from the heating process, can't you DIY something like this with a heat gun and a stainless steel pot?

View attachment 153456

Seems like a lot of folks not answering your question and giving you some snark.

A lot of the new high end van builds are using the newer incinerating toilets, and your idea to DIY is fun (I’m here because I’ve got the same idea).

You might try a more DIY or engineering focused forum vs. one focused on RV life.

The Burning Man community may also be a good one to try out.

I think a propane version would be doable, and you can drive it with an Arduino.

Sorting out the catalytic converter can be helpful but you can also buy the service kits for existing toilets to get parts.

Curious if you ended up making one or how far you got.

They are pretty basic devices from what I’ve seen.

 

[Oldgator73]

Seems like a lot of folks not answering your question and giving you some snark.

A little snark is good for your constitution. Having said that this thread is more than a year old and it appears the OP did some research and decided the project was not as doable as he wanted it to be. But perhaps if he coupled a flaming skull with a stainless steel pot…He could tie the whole thing into the horn and incarnate his poop while driving in city rush hour traffic. (I read your post about your flaming skull hood ornament).

“Thought I’d share an article that was written on my rig this week.

I did a DIY write up on my flame throwing cow skull hood ornament and Hackaday featured it ”

FLAMING SKULL HOOD ORNAMENT IS NOT SUITABLE FOR USE IN TRAFFIC

 

[MajikBus.co]

Believe me, I’ve already been thinking about using a biodigester to generate my own pressurized methane to power the cow skull.

Also, what about pumping the blackwater to a remote swivel water cannon mounted on the roof as a defense system?

 

[MajikBus.co]

A little snark is good for your constitution. Having said that this thread is more than a year old and it appears the OP did some research and decided the project was not as doable as he wanted it to be. But perhaps if he coupled a flaming skull with a stainless steel pot…He could tie the whole thing into the horn and incarnate his poop while driving in city rush hour traffic. (I read your post about your flaming skull hood ornament).

“Thought I’d share an article that was written on my rig this week.

I did a DIY write up on my flame throwing cow skull hood ornament and Hackaday featured it ”

FLAMING SKULL HOOD ORNAMENT IS NOT SUITABLE FOR USE IN TRAFFIC

And folks need not be discouraged.

The state of the art incinerating toilets are top notch, and nothing stopping a maker from a DIY version.

I’ll be sure to post my build as opensource if I get around to it this winter.

 

[Onyrlef]

Just dump it into a 55 gal. drum and pour in some diesel fuel or better yet replace the black tank with a 55 gal. drum, pour in some diesel fuel then when it's half to 3/4 full pull it out and light it, may have to stir it some. It works really, I know things.