Waterless Composting Toilets F.A.Q.

How often will I need to change the chambers?
A family of four will usually fill the Nature Loo Classic 1000 chamber in 4- 6 months. A couple can expect to fill the Nature Loo Compact chamber in 6-8 weeks. There is no changing of chambers with Sun-Mar toilets. The Excel tray will need emptying every 2-3 months when used by a family.

Does it smell?
No. The ventilation fan ensures that air flows downward through the toilet pedestal. Odours never enter the toilet room. Also, because the breakdown process uses aerobic (with air) decomposition, the main by-products are carbon dioxide and water vapour. This contrasts dramatically with anaerobic systems (septic tanks) which produce foul smelling gases like hydrogen sulphide and methane.

Is it easy to clean?
Very easy. Our pedestals have a larger base and different internal shape than the standard flush toilets, which minimises the risk of soiling. Also, because there is air constantly flowing down the toilet, any soiling will usually flake off and fall into the compost chamber. A damp brush with biodegradable detergent or Nature Flush enzymes should be used to clean the bowl occasionally.

Does it look like a normal toilet?
Yes. We designed the split system pedestals to look like a standard white flush toilet. Apart from the lack of a water wasting cistern, your visitors probably won't notice any difference. If you'd like a non white pedestal, you can opt for a custom coloured fibre glass pedestal. The Excel and Compact have non-traditional shapes. The micro flush pedestal has a foot flush.

Can I see the compost pile?
Because the chamber and the waste chute are black, it's difficult to see waste levels in natural light. You should occasionally shine a torch down to check the level. This isn't as unpleasant as it sounds, because the contents have started breaking down from the first time you used the toilet.

Can a Nature Loo be installed in a structure with a slab floor?
Yes. The stand alone single unit Compact models and Excel systems are designed for installation where there is no space under the bathroom floor. However, the split systems such as the Classic cannot be installed on a slab floor. Should you prefer to have a split system, but lack enough space under the bathroom floor (see toilet descriptions for specifications), a split system chamber can be positioned in a pit up to 150mm deep provided adequate drainage for surface water is provided. The micro flush centrex also affords some flexibility if there is little vertical room under the floor.

Can I have an upstairs toilet?
Yes. As many as you want, wherever you want them, provided the split system chamber can be located directly below, or in the case of the Centrex micro flush, up to 4 metres away horizontally. With the Excel, under floor space is not required and so there is no restriction to the location of the unit.

What if the occupancy of the house changes?
No problem. With the split system toilets like the Classic they can expand to accommodate any size load. If your family grows, or you sell to a larger family, the increased loads can simply be accommodated with the purchase of another composting chamber. The capacity of continuous toilets is fixed such that an additional unit would be required to handle extra loads.

I am building my house and living in a shed/caravan. Can I use a Nature Loo now, then install it in the house when it's finished?
Yes. Because of the Nature Loo's and Sun-Mar's compact size and easy installation, you can move it wherever and whenever you want. People often start with a Nature Loo Compact in their shed and purchase a Nature Loo Classic or Centrex for their finished home.

Does it use much power?
For all models apart from the 240 volt Sun-Mars the answer is hardly any. The exhaust fan uses less than 3 watts of electricity - in 24 hours it uses as little as a 60 watt light bulb uses for one hour. For people on solar or other alternate power systems, these models are a good option. The 240 volt Sun-Mars are more demanding on power unless you request the NE, non-heater version.

I don't have mains power, how do I keep the fan running?
If you are planning to use solar power on your property, you can use that same solar system to power your fan. If your solar system will be 24V, let us know and we can supply 24V fans (our standard fan is 12V). If you need to power just the fan, you can do that with solar systems that we have available. The 5 watt panel will keep the fan running under most daylight conditions, but keep in mind that it won't keep it running at night. The 30 watt system includes a battery and regulator to give you autonomy for up to 4 days.
The NE versions of the Sun-Mars are suitable for use with solar power, but not the 240 volt versions

How long do the fans last?
The fans are brushless ball-bearing types designed for continuous use. On average they will last for 2-3 years. A new fan is easily installed and in 2009 costs AUD 46.00 plus postage.

How many people is the Nature Loo designed for?
That depends on the model (see specifications). The standard Classic 1000 waterless composting toilet, with three composting chambers, is designed to service up to 4 people on a continuous basis, whilst the Classic 750 handles 3 people. Capacity can be expanded by the provision of one or more additional composting chambers. For a weekender or holiday residence, the Nature Loo Classic 2 (two chambers) will easily handle large numbers of people with infrequent use. The Compact and Classic 650 are designed for temporary or intermittent use, although they can handle 2 people on a permanent basis, provided the 3 chambered version is purchased. The standard Excel handles families of four. This is reduced to 2-3 people in the NE version of the Excel.

I live in a very cold climate; will the composting continue to work?
The composting process will go dormant during extreme cold, but will kick in again when the temperature warms up. You may want to insulate your chamber against the cold by wrapping wall or roof insulation around it. We are also developing other methods of heating the composting units. The urine diverting pedestal can also be a useful option.

How long does it take to compost?
The Classic chamber needs a minimum of 4 months once you've changed chambers; the Compact chamber needs a minimum of 2 months. There is no need to empty it until it's time to change chambers again. Just let it continue composting until you need to rotate chambers. If the number of people using the toilet means that there would not be sufficient time for a full chamber to compost before needing to change chambers again you can add another chamber into the rotation to give each one enough time to compost.

Can I put a Compact or Excel in a boat/ motorhome/ plane?
There are specific Sun-Mar models for this; the Excel M and Mobile.

We are planning to use our weekender only occasionally. Do I have to do anything to the toilet if the use is to be infrequent?
No. You have enough micro-organisms in your gut as part of your natural flora to start the composting process off again, even if it's been a long time since you last used the toilet.