AIRHEAD INSTALLATION

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  • August 13, 2014 11:37 AM
    Message # 3073005
    Deleted user

     

    I broke down a while back and ordered an Airhead toilet.  Anyway the old WC head was starting to whiz back at you every time it was used and since it had quite literally blown up on me three previous times there was no way I was going to give it a fourth opportunity.  I think I ordered the unit sometime in late June or early July and it took over a month to get here.  I’d had a few conversations with the Airhead folks and its my impression that they had some sort of big contract they were working on and when it was done they’d get to me.  It arrived last Thursday in a fairly non-descript box (I thought it would be bigger) but all the parts were there, it just seemed smallish.  We got down to the boat Saturday night and Sunday morning I started tearing out all the old hoses, pipes and pumps.  That in itself was an unpleasant experience but it sure opened up a lot of cabinet space and just sort of cleaned the whole area up.  Installation of the Airhead was a breeze, the only challenge was running the wire for the exhaust fan and that only because I was hot and tired and grumpy.  I’m very pleased with the unit, there’s almost no noise from the fan but the best part is you’ve removed all the water sources from the head area.  There’s just this little plastic can looking thing with a grey exhaust hose coming out of it.  In the day we were there the head seemed and smelled 100% better.  I didn’t have the time or inclination to get to the holding tank, its up under the V berth and will be a job in itself to remove, but I flushed it out, emptied it and sealed the hoses so its ok for a while or at least until the weather cools off and that sort of work becomes bearable. To sum it up, I am pleased with the unit, the operation is so simple its hard to get use to and very pleased with  the way its affected that part of the boat.


  • August 13, 2014 6:40 PM
    Reply # 3073545 on 3073005
    Anonymous member (Administrator)

    Larry:  Thanks for the installation info - email me pics if you have them and I'll add to your post... I'm on the fence with air heads since some users have issues with them ie nats..

    I've wondered that since it takes ? days to compost the last contribution -- what if you need to empty the holding tank before the composting is done  -- say the same day as the last contribution?

    Let us know in a year or so after some usage how things work out.  

    Jay

  • August 13, 2014 8:29 PM
    Reply # 3073584 on 3073545
    Anonymous
    Jay Bietz wrote:

    Larry:  Thanks for the installation info - email me pics if you have them and I'll add to your post... I'm on the fence with air heads since some users have issues with them ie nats..

    I've wondered that since it takes ? days to compost the last contribution -- what if you need to empty the holding tank before the composting is done  -- say the same day as the last contribution?

    Let us know in a year or so after some usage how things work out.  

    Jay


    If you have to dump the solids right after it has been used you're dumping fresh poo that has been mixed with some sort of fiber.  Its poop.  If you've ever emptied a bucket, changed a diaper or scooped dog poop into a bag, you know exactly what this is like.  Only with the air head its not as bad because its been mixed in with the compost and fiber and so its not as smelly and not as recognizable.  For two people, this is a once a month chore.  Not a bad trade off to avoid the TRULY disgusting problems that come with sewage, holding tanks, and marine heads.  Oh, and it doesn't stink, which is my main issue with traditional boat systems.  They all smell.

  • August 14, 2014 4:22 AM
    Reply # 3073727 on 3073005
    Deleted user

    Replaced the old wet head with an Airhead (they could have come up with a less humourous name) 3 years ago and things have never been so good.  The boys don't use it much for peeing but if they have to, they SIT.  It wasn't cheap as I recall, and I gave away the old equipment just to be rid of it.  I built a baffle to prevent water ingress into the outfit when the boat is healed in heavier seas --- water can ship in via the through-hull vent but it immediately drains out via the sink drain.  Quite pleased with the simplicity and odourlessness of the whole contraption

    Don't know where the gnats would come from unless users don't stir in their leavings adequately, of the fibre gets too dried out.  In the heat we have to add a little water to it now and again just to keep the moisture level up.

    Ralph

  • August 14, 2014 6:32 AM
    Reply # 3073847 on 3073005
    Deleted user

    While this thread is about the Airhead units, I want to comment on our adoption of composting heads on our vessel.  We chose the Nature's Head units, but would have been equally satisfied with the Air Head units.

    As we have worked on the restoration of our WS42, Harmony, we were determined to do something about the "head" situation.  The WS42 has 2 heads, fore and aft, and therefore requires adequate tankage for the sewage.  Having endured holding tanks and their necessary hoses on our last boat, we really didn't want to deal with the odor, the potential mess, and the lost stowage space.  Furthermore, having all of that Chernobyl like plumbing just screamed a problem when least able to accommodate.

    In our efforts to minimize not only our environmental footprint, but to give ourselves more self-sufficiency, we were really intrigued by the composting head, or more specifically, the composting head that separated the two elements that make up sewage.  We evaluated both the Airhead and the Nature's Head units.  Both products are very well made, and the company's each provide stellar customer service.  Furthermore, the testimonials on each unit made the choice between the two very tough.

    Based on our installation requirements and our desire for a longer/larger seat, we chose the Nature's Head.  That being said, we would have been equally satisfied with the Airhead. 

    The installation of the units, once the head compartments were slightly modified to provide an adequate platform for mounting, took roughly 30 minutes.  The running of the vent hose took a little more thought, but in the end proved just as simple.  The units are taller than the normal marine head so one has to get used to the altitude!  More importantly, the need to prevent urine from entering the composting container requires the installation to accommodate the inevitable healing while under sail.

    Beyond the self-sufficiency and smaller environmental footprint benefits, we were able to eliminate 4 through-hull fittings, over 50 feet of sewage hose, AND two 35 gallon holding tanks.  Yes, there is more storage space, but not having the risk associated with carrying almost 70 gallons of raw sewage around is very calming on the olfactory senses and the phobias of cleaning up a potential crappy mess!

    We installed the Nature's Head in the forward head in a fore/aft alignment so that it can be used while underway.  The Nature's Head in the aft head, which is in our aft cabin was aligned athwartships and will be used primarily at anchor, mooring, or in slip.

    Harmony is almost ready for re-launching, and, hopefully, we will get her back in the water after 3 years of rebuilding before the end of August.  We haven't started using the Nature's Heads, as the wiring for the fans remains on the to-do list.  However, we anticipate some initial learning curves.  Yes, our usual steadfast rule that EVERYONE sits while answering Nature's call is still the rule of the boat.  This is made clear by both the Captain (me) and the Admiral (Beth)!

    Since I ordered extra parts like 2 urine vessels, extra vent hose, and a cover for each composting unit should I need to remove it from the boat, our cost per each was about $1,100.  Given our vessel's design, and the necessity to put the holding tanks in space that is a goodly distance from the heads, our traditional marine head installation would have cost nearly as much: hose, head, tank, macerator, etc.

    The owner of Nature's Head actually called me twice before shipping my order in order to make sure I was ordering the right stuff.  His efforts actually saved me nearly $400. The units arrived in well packaged cartons and were neatly organized.  Now, I don't think Beth was too impressed with my storing the units in our front entry hall for a month or so!  Heck, they did look really neat!

    I look forward to reporting on their operation once we get ready to go, so to speak!

    Doug 

     

  • August 14, 2014 5:26 PM
    Reply # 3074761 on 3073005
    Anonymous member (Administrator)

     

    Thanks for the details  and sounds like both boats had smelly hoses/tanks that the composting heads fixed...

    Jay

    Air Head

    Natures head  Facebook

    Last modified: August 14, 2014 5:38 PM | Anonymous member (Administrator)
  • August 22, 2014 6:09 PM
    Reply # 3084111 on 3073005

    We have had an Airhead installed on our boat for 4 years, we have done extended cruising for 3-6 month periods each year in that time, and lived on board at our local marina. We have found the Airhead wonderful, no rowing to the loo's at the Marina first thing in the mornings, no guilty conscience about our poo's going into that pristine anchorage. We did have one incidence of "gnats" and that was because we let the mixture get too dry after leaving it for a week. 

    We removed two through hulls when we installed the unit, and we also removed our holding tank. We immediately noticed a reduction in odour, especially in the forward berth on the port side where the pipes had been. And we gained a huge locker up front for our troubles. I wrote an article about our installation for the Australian "Cruising Helmsman" magazine about 3 years ago .http://www.mysailing.com.au/news/composting-toilet-passes-the-test  

    I have been encouraging other people to use one ever since, but be warned it is not for everyone, not everyone is capable of disposing of their own waste in this manner, they prefer a hands-off approach.

    Cheers

    Wendy

    Last modified: August 24, 2014 10:01 PM | Anonymous member
  • August 22, 2014 7:33 PM
    Reply # 3084133 on 3073005
    Deleted user

    Wendy,


    I like the idea of a composting head.  I have one question about liquid waste.  How do you deal with it in a marina or at anchor?  In many areas it is illegal to dump any human waste into the water.  From my understanding the liquid waste is separated from the solid in a composting head and the liquid is dumped into a shoreside toilet or ?

    Henry

  • August 24, 2014 6:44 PM
    Reply # 3084814 on 3073005

    Hi Henry,

               Over here in New Zealand it is not so strict, you are not supposed to release toilet waste into the marine environment in enclosed water ways etc. But unfortunately it is not very well policed, only perhaps in Marina's if you are on the finger piers. I have no qualms about emptying our pee pot over the side at anchor, when we were at the Marina (on a pile mooring) we emptied it over the side after dark. If we had been on a pier we would have emptied in the Marina toilet. 


    Cheers Wendy

  • August 24, 2014 7:35 PM
    Reply # 3084831 on 3073005
    Deleted user

    Henry, beyond questions about emptying the compost box people most ask us about the urine vessel.  While offshore, one can dump over board.  However, when at a mooring or marina, it is not only bad manners, but illegal here.

    We will have our boat on a mooring and will empty our urine bottle on shore at the harbor public toilets.  We are fortunate that Marion, MA, has very available and clean public facilities.  It will be easy for us to put the urine bottle in a standard shopping bag and take it ashore.

    We purchased extra urine bottles so that we will never have to wait for the bottle to come back.  While in harbor we go ashore at least a few times a day to walk the dog, so a trip to the loo to empty the bottle will be easy.

    While Wendy has significant experience with composting toilets, we are starting out brand new.  We have two and expect life on the go will be not that much different that before.

    Doug 

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