Community Forums

stormy2000 · 03-04-2017, 01:51 AM

Has anyone replaced their current toilet with a compost toilet? we have a bounder 35K and we are tired of the vacu flush system that came with it. we are currently awaiting a part to be mailed to us as our system is out of order.
Dometic tech told us over the phone during t/s which part they believe is not working and well, here's hoping it works when we get it installed.

but with the weakness of the vacu flush with parts from the gen system failing which in turn takes down the toilet, we would like a more reliable system.

any installation tips, how you like using the compost versus gravity, vacu flush etc., would be appreciated thanks,

l1v3fr33ord1 · 03-04-2017, 04:49 AM

Both coaches we've owned have had gravity toilets. Gravity hasn't failed us yet; if it did, we'd have larger problems. ;-)

I suspect composting toilets have their own complications.

rapid rick · 03-04-2017, 06:33 AM

The biggest thing with the vacuflush system is understanding the system, knowing how to diagnose a problem and how to fix it yourself.I know I'm making it sound easy,especially seeing as most dealer tech's can't do it, but it really is not rocket science. There is many manuals you can get on the subject that are helpfull. Carry about $200.00 worth of spare parts on board, which includes duckbills,switch,toilet seals and flushvalve,and a vaccum gauge to determine weather your problem is toilet related or vaccum generator related.I revamped my entire vacuflush system a year after buying the coach new, mostly due to lousy install by the factory, have not had a problem since,3 years now, works awesome,I have not needed any of the spare parts that I carry. For me, switch to something else, NO WAY.

computerguy · 03-04-2017, 06:36 AM

Personally I am not a composting toilet fan. I've read reviews where they are not all that good especially in humid areas. Also who wants to be dumping a urine tank every day or so?
That said, I think in a 35K this is a bit of an issue. The composting toilets I've seen are tall. The 35K toilets are on platforms so I think space and height would be an issue.
I am curious as to what problems you are having with the vacuflush.

Steve Ownby · 03-04-2017, 06:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stormy2000

Has anyone replaced their current toilet with a compost toilet? we have a bounder 35K and we are tired of the vacu flush system that came with it. we are currently awaiting a part to be mailed to us as our system is out of order.

Dometic tech told us over the phone during t/s which part they believe is not working and well, here's hoping it works when we get it installed.

but with the weakness of the vacu flush with parts from the gen system failing which in turn takes down the toilet, we would like a more reliable system.

any installation tips, how you like using the compost versus gravity, vacu flush etc., would be appreciated thanks,

If your toilet is positioned directly over the black tank and it's a drop directly into the tank, then you can mount virtually and toilet. If that is not the case, then your options are limited to a toilet that is suitable. There is a couple who produced a Utube video about composting toilets. You need to see it. They are not all rainbows and unicorns.

ModestMonk · 03-04-2017, 08:34 AM

Owning and operating a composting toilet is more a life style choice than a task. There are other options also. We decided that since we want to use our travel trailer throughout the Fourseasons including the cold months of winter that not even a composting toilet would be sufficient. So we're using a dry toilet so that the black tank and need to empty are no longer an issue when the cold attacks your pipes and tanks.

If we only went camping in warm weather I would consider a composting toilet as an alternative to black water tanks.

stormy2000 · 03-05-2017, 02:07 PM

with the vacu flush, it started re-cycling on its own for a bit, the water was draining out of the bowl. Cleaned in and around the seal and that seemed to solve the water draining out. until the re-cycling started taking a longer time to go green. One day, it just didn't cycle right, the intensity of the cycling was very weak and when I pushed down on the pedal, it didn't go down but bubbled a bit as the water slowly went down.
opening the front panel, and looking at the part where the hose connected from the plastic container to the center box. The dometic tech on phone diagnosed that the probably faulty part was the baffle, which they have mailed to me.
Viewed many composting utubes and one with the wynns with an install on a Discover which also has the vacu flush same as ours in the same location; height/width/etc.,
But the compost toilet is a viable one if this vacu flush part is not the solution, but also a means of then removing toilet/sink from midships half-bath and turning that into either storage or small office.
will update when part comes in and we go for install on that part.

cruzbill · 03-05-2017, 02:17 PM

Listen carefully to what is involved w/composing toilet-

https://www.thefitrv.com/rv-tips/the...osting-toilet/

Composting Toilet: What is it and Why you need one

Think TP (where does that go) and ....#1, are you comfortable with that?

Just not my cup of tea....

stormy2000 · 03-06-2017, 07:33 PM

ok, recap we have a 14 bounder 35K, with vacuflush: turn on switch in bathroom and pump cycling sounds weak, and water is not flushing down.

dometic tech on phone -> probably faulty bellows:

part 1 removal:
Note: there is a good youtube on this, and though its on a boat, it is the same model as on my bounder.

-> opened the last basement door. removed the front panel (2) screws.
-> the cover has 2 screws on top, loosen and remove top panel.
-> the youtube said to remove the center set screw first, but we removed
the top and bottom right side of housing where the bellows sits in.
-> we had some difficulty removing the center set screw, as it kept cycling around and round like if the power was on as we tried to loosen it.
-> Note: the screws are normal thread when trying to remove and install, righty tighty, lefty loosen.
-> we cut a small piece of wood and stuck between the bellows and housing on the side where we removed the 2 screws. this gave us the the leverage we needed to then remove the center screw.
-> removed the last two top and bottom housing screw.
-> used 5/16 to remove the last 8 screws which surround the housing of the bellows.
-> removed the housing by just lifting up.
-> the youtube said to give it a "yank," to pull up the bellows, and whoa, it nearly came flying out haha, so no "yank," is required.

that's where we are at, the new bellows did not arrive in mail as promised. called dometic tech support and they checked and said it will arrive tuesday.

will update part 2 after we install and note any problems if any we encounter, but after today, we feel good about it and should probably take no more than an hour or to do, with the tight space being the hardest part.

thanks,

Dale70 · 03-09-2017, 08:43 PM

If you do not get a quick reply sent a PM to RVingDutchman.
He did exactly what you are talking about. I am not sure if he posted a writeup on here about it or not === Ed will tell you what had to be done and how he liked the result.

thx Dale

stormy2000 · 03-10-2017, 09:57 PM

well lesson learned, the C clamp that is around the bellows was damaged, and so with the new bellows received in the mail, we were unable to install due to no C clamp, called dometic and they were great to work with. The tech on phone talked to her manager and they will send out a whole new pump assembled, housing, bellows, duckbill.
so we will remove the old pump section and re-install the new pump when we receive it. will update when we have reinstalled and checked out the system.
thanks for all advice and recommendations.

RVingDutchman · 03-12-2017, 03:59 PM

Hello Stormy,

I just found this post, its been kind of crazy here the last few weeks but things are settling down.
Yes we Have installed a Compost Toilet and we absolutely unconditionally love it !!!

Now You Have To Do It Right !!!! And that means Right from Choosing the Right One to Installing It the Right way........
That means avoiding a lot of what was remarked about in the posts above, because I would not want to empty my Pee bucket every other day either or deal with some of the other issues they mention, but you don't have too, It Can be very easy indeed !!!!

If you are interested just let me know and I'll gladly help you out.

Best regards,

Ed

(Thanks Dale.......)

stormy2000 · 03-12-2017, 08:11 PM

thanks for that info on compost toilet. will see how vacuflush goes after we put in the new pump when we receive it. and yes will let you know soon as we are ready to get the bounder ready for composting toilet.
watched as many youtubes on that as I could find, so will be good to see what you have done as I will take any advice at this point to bypass the vacuflush.

RVingDutchman · 03-13-2017, 02:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by stormy2000

thanks for that info on compost toilet. will see how vacuflush goes after we put in the new pump when we receive it. and yes will let you know soon as we are ready to get the bounder ready for composting toilet.
watched as many youtubes on that as I could find, so will be good to see what you have done as I will take any advice at this point to bypass the vacuflush.

Like I said it starts by choosing the right one, and it ain't the "nature's head" although I have nothing against that one either. (.......naaah maybe I do!)

Ed