The Separett Tiny Toilet
We have been asked “How do you like your Separett Tiny toilet?” The answer is “We like it fine.” Just as important would be the question “Would you buy it again?” The answer is “Yes.”
When we set out to design a van RV 4 years ago, we gave the subject of toilet much thought and study. This is understandable, because one benefit of having an RV (‘a RV’ is proper English, but it sounds awkward, so I am using ‘an RV’ on purpose) is that one does not have to sleep in somebody else’s bed, or sit on somebody else’s toilet.
When RV people gather, few discussions draw more interest and conversation than that of the toilet and “waste” management. If you want an RV toilet, if you need one, then which toilet becomes a personal decision.
We considered the options. There are many toilets. Maybe 30. They either flush, incinerate, freeze, bag, or divert and desiccate (DD) waste material.
I purposefully have not used the word “composting.” Simply stated, there is no such thing as a composting toilet in an RV or a boat. Composting takes time- 3 months to 2 years- and you never manage waste in an RV for that period of time. So, composting just does not happen either in your RV or your boat toilet. The term “composting toilet” was coined in order to differentiate DD toilets from the way waste is handled by other toilets. Why did the DD manufacturers use the word “composting?” I do not know, I have not asked. But it makes sense that 1) the DD toilet needed to be differentiated from the standard flush toilet, and 2) the waste from a DD toilet could be taken outside and composted along with all other compostable household and homestead material.
For our RV use,
· Incinerate/freeze would simply not be practical
· Flush would consume precious water resource, and require black tank/snake/gloves/dump search/dump fee, etc
· Bag would mean either the expensive Laveo, or the inexpensive “CampStool”
· DD would conserve water, be easy to use, be inexpensive (cost per flush essentially zero).
It was time to study, then choose.
Study. The best information is found in the Tiny House movement where DD toilets are legion and real literature can be found. Two toilets prevail in that realm. Conversely, in the RV world little is found other than personal experience stories, anectdote, and opinion, much of which is apparently paid for.
Choose. We eliminated toilets that required us to:
· Add ‘organic material’, or powder, or cat litter, or whatever. (Remember: one is not composting anything in the RV or boat.)
· Stir anything. (I thought of the old adage that I learned while earning my PhD: when you stir garbage, you get garbage. This expression was spoken in reference to poor experimental technic, but it applies to ‘waste’ too.)
· Unblolt the toilet from the floor, take it outside, take it apart, clean it out, put it back together and take it inside, and bolt it to the floor.
· Take out a urine jug, carry it outside (do not trip or fall, slosh, or spill), empty it, wash it out, bring it back inside and install it (and heaven knows, don’t let the thing overflow or be full at 2 am because ‘we forgot’).
· Have anything esthetically unappealing.
The Separett toilets were the only toilets that survived the process of elimination, fulfilled our wishes, and met our expectations.
Separett is a 40 year old Swedish company that has distributors in the USA and worldwide.
The Separett Tiny is available in 2 configurations. One has an internal urine collection tank with a fill-status indicator light. The other has a urine tube that can be directed down and out.
Our Separett is firmly installed (4 screws, easily removed). A 2 inch diameter PVC pipe is run through the floor, fed by a silent 12v ‘computer’ fan that operates 24 hours, consumes 0.2 amps, desiccates the solid waste, and exhausts any odors. The reservoir can be emptied every week or 2, or as often as it suites. Liquid runs through a 1 inch diameter rubber tube into a small undercarriage tank that can be emptied every other day, or as often as it suits.
It is not our purpose to persuade anyone about anything regarding toilets other than the fact that composting does not happen in any toilet in either any RV or boat.
Here is a good video that shows details about the toilet and easy installation...
There are several USA sources where you can buy (contact.us@separett.com), but here is one where the owner is glad to answer the phone and your questions as well...
We do not work for Separett, nor do we receive any consideration of any kind from either Separett or any of their distributors.
MAG/CHG