Each living organism consumes nutrients and creates waste. To transform waste back to nutrients and finish this cycle, nature employs the processes of decomposition and evaporation. As frequently the situation, nature seems to do this in the most favorable way. There are a lot of advantages of recycling and simplifying your needs. A lot of folks are aware of composting toilets. Those, particularly, who are in the alternative movement; they are utilizing them for compost in their gardens. They start the regeneration of the Earth’s precious environment. Lots of folks do not consider where their sewage and waste ends up once it is flushed. Many individuals may think that a composting toilet is an outhouse toilet; perhaps a nasty recollection of a camping expedition. Well, this is not the case. Composting toilets are a long way from being outhouse toilets! They range from uncomplicated, twin chamber designs to innovative units with rotating tynes, temperature and moisture probes, and electronic control systems. They are exceptionally efficient natural converters of human and household waste. They save money and energy for many folks and communities.
One of the most popular brands is the Sun-Mar composting toilet. The Sun-Mar Centrex 2000-NE is one of their more popular models. It is designed for heavy to medium use in a cabin, cottage, or light residential home. For a little better idea of the seasonal capacity, it would be six adults or a family of eight, and for residential use it would be three adults or a family of five. Compost will usually need to be removed annually each spring when used on a seasonal basis. Compost will have to be extracted regularly for residential use that is more frequent.
The Sun-Mar Centrex 2000-NE family low flush systems are ideal for a traditional kind of toilet in the bathroom. Centrex family low flush systems are designed for service with a Sealand 1 pint flush toilet. The Sealand in the bathroom is connected by a standard 3” plumbing pipe to the composting unit which is below the toilet and customarily within 15-20 feet. A Sealand one pint flush toilet is essential for use with this unit and is sold separately. The Centrex 2000-NE SunMar toilets can be used with more than one Sealand low flush toilet.
The unit's dimensions are H x W x D: 27" x 46" x 27” and is delivered fully constructed. For those with no continuous 110 volt power supply it is a non-electric unit.
A patented bio-drum is included in all Sun-Mar composting toilets ensuring fast and odorless decomposition. The unit consumes hardly any water, saving you thousands of gallons of water while recycling waste into harmless, fertilizing, useable soil. The unit is odorless and is certified and listed by the NSF (National Science Foundation). It is fitted with a 4” vent stack and installation of a 12 Volt fan is optional, but is recommended for heavy seasonal use, residential use, or where the installation is particularly exposed to downdraft or surrounded by high trees or hills. If you need to put in a bend in your vent stack we also recommend the fan. Sun-Mar offers electric and non-electric models.
2000 series units are supplied with a 1” drain hose which should be connected to the 1” drain at the bottom of the unit. This is for handling excess liquid.
Every electric unit is complete with a power cord and pre-molded plug that joins to a standard 3 pin 115 Volt outlet. This powers both the fan in addition to the heating element. An alternate source of electricity, like a solar panel, can be used for non-electric models; 12 Volt fans can be put in the stack and joined to a battery which draws from the alternate source.
In case of emergency all electric units also incorporates a ½” safety drain. This is supposed to be connected when power outages are probable, during heavy use, or residential use. NE (Non-electric), AC/DC, Space Saver Models, and Sun-Mar Mobile units are all fitted with 1” drains which ought to be connected to a drain hole, some type of container, or other facility.
Sun-Mar Centrex units work as a reliable year-round facility. For the period of the chilly winter months it can be prepared for constant or periodic use. For the duration of the winter, the unit may be utilized as a holding tank if your Sun-Mar Centrex will be in use regularly or in a house where the temperature remains greater than 55 degrees F at all times. This ensures composting continues.
When you receive your system it comes with a 5 year manufacturer's warranty on the fiberglass tank and 3 years on replacement of all other components. At no additional cost the unit comes complete with all vital to install and operate the unit; dried bacteria for getting the unit up and running, a rake for periodic clearing of the evaporating compartment, plus a 30LB bag of peat mix (all Centrex 2000 and Centrex 3000 Models come with 2 bags). Your Vent Stack and every single central unit incorporates a “Compost Quick” enzyme for speeding up the composting and a diffuser vent cap for a 2” or 4” pipe as appropriate. And undoubtedly your owner's manual (specific to each unit). The only exception is the 3” plumbing pipe and fittings needed to join a 1 pint flush toilet to a central composting unit.
One of the major tasks is the setting up of the vent stack, which is provided with all units. All vent pipes are thin wall PVC and every vent kit comes with all fittings, pipes, and vent intake assembly. Also included for every central unit is a waste inlet assembly. The complete waste inlet piping kit for A/F units is a ten foot 1” diameter drain hose. To capture peat moss there is an evaporating tray located under the drum screen.
Engineered by the air flow from inside the unit, every single Sun Mar unit is an odor free environment. This preserves a partial vacuum continually. Air is being drawn in from either the vent chimney on the non-electric units or from the fan. It moves through the evaporating compartment and out through the vent stack. This endlessly pulls air in to assure that no smell leaks from the unit in addition to evaporates the surplus liquid. The evaporation in electric systems is assisted by a thermostatically controlled heater that is in a sealed chamber beneath the evaporating compartment.
The Sun-Mar features a unique Bio-drum that assures aerobic microbes prosper so that they go to work fast decomposing waste and converting it useful soil for the earth. Peat mix and waste bulking matter go in through the port for the waste inlet placed at the top of the drum. On the self-contained systems, simply rotate the drum occasionally by turning the handle on the front to aerate and blend the compost. This is on the side on the central units. The inlet door closes automatically for the duration of the rotation holding the compost in the drum.
Just rotate the drum backwards after releasing the drum locker when you are prepared to clear out compost from the Bio-drum. The inlet port in the Bio-Drum will open automatically and compost will drop directly into the finishing drawer of the compositor. The Bio-drum locks itself in a top dead center position after turning. It is then ready to collect fresh material. Composting can be completed without contamination from fresh waste in the drawer because it has a separate compost drawer for finishing. Until ready for removal, the compost is slowly dried in the drawer.
Receiving the compost in a separate container that is easy to get to is one of the two uses the finishing drawer serves. The other is to finish the sanitation and composting process. Once this is finished the compost can be safely taken out!
Sun-Mar toilets produce no pollutants and are designed not only to harness these natural processes, but to optimize and hasten them while gathering nutrients. Toilet waste is over 90% water content. This can be evaporated and delivered to the atmosphere through the vent system. The small quantity of extra material is recycled into an effective fertilizing soil. Another wonderful alternative benefit is wherever there is a poorly functioning septic system; a Sun-Mar can take care of the toilet waste. Sun-Mar units are efficient, quick to install and easy to use. Seeing as no chemicals and no septic systems are used, delicate environments can be protected. A Sun-Mar composting unit is an environmentally healthy choice for recycling human waste.
© copyright 2010 MyDIYGreenEnergy.com