| Sun-Mar composting toilet systems are some of the | | | | much bulking material to add, always consult your |
| easiest composting toilets to maintain. In this article, | | | | Sun-Mar product manual and follow the instructions |
| we'll explain how three easy steps are all it takes for | | | | carefully. |
| proper ongoing maintenance of your Sun-Mar system. | | | | 2. Rotate the drum every 2-3 days. Sun-Mar units |
| Whether you've just purchased a new composting | | | | operate on the principle of aerobic composting, which |
| toilet system or you're still in the research stages | | | | is a very fast and low odor method of |
| before making an investment, one critical | | | | decomposition. Just as the name would suggest, |
| consideration is maintenance. Proper ongoing | | | | aerobic composting requires air, or oxygenation of |
| maintenance of a compost toilet is critical to the | | | | the compost itself. With a Sun-Mar toilet, this |
| system's performance and lifespan. When correctly | | | | process is very simple and does not require the |
| installed and properly maintained, a good composting | | | | homeowner to come into contact with or even view |
| toilet system will work perfectly. When | | | | the contents of the toilet. All that is required is to |
| homeowners have problems with their systems, such | | | | turn a handle on the outside of the toilet. This |
| issues can almost always be traced back to improper | | | | handle will in turn rotate the drum inside the toilet, |
| installation or maintenance. In this article, we'll focus | | | | thus aerating the contents. This step should be |
| on Sun-Mar composting toilets, one of the older and | | | | completed every 2-3 days while the toilet is in use. |
| better known manufacturers of professional | | | | Failure to do so will result in anaerobic compost that |
| composting toilet systems, and we'll explain the three | | | | may begin to smell. |
| easy steps to maintaining a Sun-Mar unit. | | | | 3. Empty some compost to the finishing drawer. |
| 1. Add bulking material. Just like a garden or | | | | Every so often, some compost will need to be |
| backyard compost bin, composting toilets rely on the | | | | emptied from the toilet drum into the finishing |
| right balance of nitrogen and carbon (also sometimes | | | | drawer, a separate holding chamber in the bottom |
| called greens and browns) to decompose organic | | | | part of the unit. Sun-Mar has designed their toilets |
| matter quickly and without odor. Too much carbon | | | | to make this step incredibly easy, and again, the |
| (brown) will cause the composting process to slow | | | | homeowner doesn't ever have to come into contact |
| down, whereas too much nitrogen (green) will make | | | | with the waste inside the unit. One the front of |
| it smell bad. In a composting toilet, all the human | | | | every Sun-Mar system is a drum lock, or small knob. |
| waste that goes in is the nitrogen, or green. This | | | | Simply pull the knob out and turn the crank handle |
| means the homeowner must manually add the | | | | backward. This will cause the inner drum to rotate |
| carbon, or the brown. In the case of Sun-Mar | | | | around inside the toilet and automatically drop some |
| waterless units, the recommended brown is a bulking | | | | compost from the drum into the finishing drawer. |
| material called Compost Sure, a mixture of peat | | | | This process will need to be completed about once |
| moss and ground hemp stalk. For Sun-Mar water | | | | or twice a year, depending on how often the toilet is |
| flush systems, the appropriate bulking material is | | | | used. |
| Compost Sure Blue, a similar mixture, just with a | | | | As you can see, maintenance of a composting toilet |
| higher proportion of hemp stalk. Adding the bulking | | | | isn't difficult or complex. It simply requires the ability |
| material is an easy procedure that just involves | | | | to follow simple instructions and the diligence to |
| dumping a cupful (or whatever the appropriate | | | | perform those steps on a regular basis. With the |
| amount is for your Sun-Mar unit) right into the toilet | | | | proper ongoing maintenance, you will enjoy years on |
| itself. To be sure you know exactly when and how | | | | continued use from your Sun-Mar system. |