Swap "thick air" for "fresh breeze"! Everything you need to know about the fan for the composting toilet

Before buying a dry composting toilet, the question often arises: "Do I need a fan for the composting toilet or do I not need it?"

In short, it can be said that a fan supports the function of the dry composting toilet. It promotes the drying of the big business and thus counteracts the potential development of odors.

With our article we bring air, pardon, light into the darkness. Find out what advantages a fan brings, whether it is optional or mandatory and how you can install the fresh air dispenser.

What is a dry composting toilet anyway?

A dry composting toilet is the sustainable and environmentally friendly alternative to a conventional camping toilet. It works without water and free of chemicals. Under the toilet seat is the so-called composting insert. This contains two openings: a funnel-shaped outlet for urine and a large recess for solids.

The composting of small and large trades enables a scent-neutral toilet experience. Fresh, healthy urine does not smell. When using the composting toilet, it flows into a separate canister. This way, it is not contaminated with bacteria from the solids. The result: your business remains the small business odorless.

Large stores end up in another container. For them, the drier the droppings are, the less you smell them. For this reason, you spread your solid waste with litter on the dry composting toilet. Moisture-absorbing materials such as sawdust or small animal litter are well suited.

When the containers are full, simply empty the urine into a toilet that is connected to the sewage system. Dispose of the solids in the residual waste. For easy, hygienic disposal, line the solid's container of your composting toilet with a garbage bag before the first use.

You can find out everything important, essential and worth knowing before buying a composting toilet in our buying guide.

How does a fan for the composting toilet?

Our big stores contain liquid. The drier they become, the less they smell. Covering the droppings with litter ensures that the odors are bound.

A fan further aids this process. It ensures that the air can circulate inside your quiet room. This means that the solids dry even faster and less moisture forms in the toilet body.

The fan does not have to run permanently, but it can. At 12 volts, energy consumption is economical, and the fan is quiet in operation.

When should I use a fan for the composting toilet?

If you like to drive your vehicle in warmer climates, it is worth considering a fan for the composting toilet. Higher temperatures cause urine to condense in the canister, rise and "rain" down on the solids.

This unwanted wetting of the big business results in the very odors that you actually want to avoid with the composting of liquid and solid.

If your composting toilet is made of wood, we also recommend the use of a fan. Wood is a natural material that is sensitive to moisture. In the worst case, permanent moisture in the composting toilet can lead to mold growth. A fan counteracts this scenario, as it removes the moisture from the body.

If you have a small composting toilet, you can safely do without a fan. Due to the small volume of the containers, the emptying cycles are significantly shorter, so that less moisture collects in the body.

In addition, small cabinets do not offer enough space for the function of a fan. If you connect it to the carcass, the hose ends up in front of the containers. The air circulation is blocked, the effect of the fan is zero.

I cannot connect a fan to my composting toilet. Is there an alternative?

If it is not possible to connect a fan, empty the urine canister more frequently and also dispose of the solid bags as early as possible. In addition, leave the lid of the composting toilet open from time to time or overnight. In this way, you can ensure that air gets to the big business and the droppings can dry well.

How to install a fan for the composting toilet?

Connecting your composting toilet to a fan requires a bit of manual skill, but it's not rocket science. We explain the procedure using our fan set as an example. This contains:

• 12 Volt fan
• Housing
• outer cover
• Cable
• Hose
• Rubber grommet
• Screws
• WAGO terminals
• Switches

You should also have the following tools ready for installation:

• Cordless screwdriver
• Drill and Forstner drill (39 mm and 50 mm)
• Sealing compound
• Have a pen ready

Ventilation is provided via the outer wall of your vehicle. If there is no exhaust system, you must drill a hole in the vehicle wall with a Forstner drill with a diameter of 50 mm. The housing and the fan are screwed inside, the cover with the carbon filter is screwed outside. Important: Seal the hole and the joints of the housing with sealant.

To connect your composting toilet to the fan, you also drill a hole in the wall of your composting toilet. For this purpose, use the Forstner drill with a diameter of 39 mm. Place the rubber nozzle in the hole. Connect the hose to the rubber nozzle on the toilet side and to the fan on the housing side.

For the power supply, you connect the cables of the fan with the WAGO terminals to the switch and a 12 volt battery.

I already have a SOG system. Can I connect my composting toilet to it?

Trelino® composting toilets are SOG compatible. You can connect them to the existing system and do not need a separate fan.

Can I use passive ventilation for my garden shed instead of a fan?

Yes, this is also possible. The ventilation pipe can be led directly through the roof or through the wall. With regard to tightness, the guidance through the roof or the wall should be more elaborate. Regardless of the guidance through the roof or the wall, it is important to guide the ventilation pipe to above the roof height, so that the air draft is strong enough.

Our conclusion about the fan for the composting toilet

The use of a fan can be a valuable addition to promote the drying process in your composting toilet. Of course, you can also use your composting toilet without additional ventilation. Just try it out.

If you find that the humidity in the body is too high, a fan can be retrofitted at any time. With wooden models, on the other hand, there is a risk of mold growth if there is too much moisture. In order to maintain your composting toilet optimally and to enjoy it for a long time, we definitely recommend the use of a fan for wooden models.