Technically yes. Providing the composting process is thorough (time and/or heat), then it should be safe from pathogens. However, there are other factors which might make it better to use it as mulch around trees and shrubs. Find out more on our composting process page: https://www.waterlesstoilets.co.uk/composting-process/
Yes. Almost all types and makes of toilet paper are fine – they are typically made from wood pulp so will break down and compost over time, adding carbon into the mix. With a domestic toilet (ie not public or shared), you can place ‘wee-wipe’ toilet paper in a separate bin for later burning or binning. This will increase the overall capacity of your compost toilet.
Yes it is. In 2010, the Building Regulations for England were changed to permit composting toilets as part of a drive to reduce domestic water consumption. There may be planning and building regulations to navigate, but they are legal.
Our preferred method of dealing with the solids (faeces) from a compost toilet is always to compost them in a compost bin (see our page on composting) as they ‘close the loop’ and return valuable nutrients safely to the earth. However, there may be situations, such as in motor homes or boats, where it’s impossible to compost on the go or store anything for later composting at home or on land.
In these situations, you may be able to dispose of small amounts (under 7kg) in municipal waste bins or official council waste disposal sites (the waste will be classed as non-recyclable and is typically used in an energy recovery process) provided the contents are double-bagged and clearly labelled (you can buy ‘tiger bags’ for such a purpose). The contents are referred to as ‘offensive waste’ and come under the same waste classification as used nappies and adult incontinence pads.
If you’re on a canal or river, never discharge urine or faeces into the water (we hope that’s obvious!), and don’t use the bins provided by the CRT (Canals and River Trust) as they prohibit compost toilet disposal in their bins (it’s a long story…).
Whatever method you choose, always dispose of solid waste safely and responsibly
No. The toilet (both the BASIC and FAMILY) will need to be pulled forward off the ventilation pipe for regular maintenance (cleaning the vent pipe outlet on the rear of the toilet). In addition, if the toilet is not going to be used for a period of time, it should only be switched off (ie the fan stops) if it’s pulled forward from the vent pipe. Otherwise, condensation can settle inside the toilet.
Probably not. There are two main things to consider, the available space and the available power.
Space – the ventilation pipe is 110mm in diameter and the initial slow 90º bend is installed behind the toilet, which will take up considerable room.
Power – the Separett BASIC and FAMILY are designed for 100% mains electric use. During the initial phase (about 40 mins), the temperature of the incineration chamber is raised to 550ºC, during which time, the current draw is approximately 10 Amps (1.8Kw) continuously. Once at this temperature, the incineration phase commences, which maintains the temperature for the duration of the cycle (20-40 minutes depending on the model and the program chosen).
Yes, it’s REALLY important that after each use, you ‘flush’ (press the flush plunger to enable the bag and contents to drop into the incineration chamber) and then press the appropriate button (the incinerate button on the BASIC and either ‘small/urine’ or ‘large/faeces’ on the FAMILY).
If you don’t press the incineration program, there is a good chance that the contents will not be fully incinerated.
Yes! It’s important not only for the overall cleanliness and appearance of the toilet bowl, but the bags also ensure that the contents fall evenly and completely into the incineration area.
As of June 2023, the latest software/firmware version of the Separett Family (aka CINDI Family) is 2.03. All models of the FAMILY should be running the latest version. For details of how to update, please download this PDF: https://separett.com/files/documents/Update%20Software%20Cindi%20Family_version_2.03.pdf
In simple terms, it uses an electric heating element to evaporate urine and incinerate solids to a small amount of hygienic ash.
When you use the toilet and press the button to start the incineration program, the heating element is turned on to raise the temperature within the incineration chamber to 550ºC (this cycle takes 35-40 mins depending on the ambient air temperature). At this point, the incineration cycle starts – on the BASIC, this runs for about 40 minutes, and on the FAMILY it’s 20 minutes for the ‘small’ program and 40 minutes for the ‘big’ program. Once complete, the fan will continue to run at full power for 20 minutes or so until the temperature inside has dropped to under 90ºC.
Other people can use the toilet whilst it’s on an incineration cycle – it’s important that they still press the appropriate incinerate button when they’re done so that the toilet can add an additional incineration time to the program to ensure the contents are fully incinerated.
For long and trouble-free service, please observe the following installation and use guidelines:
After 50 uses the ash pan will need to be emptied
After 100 uses the toilet will need an ashpan clean (placing water in the ashpan and choosing an incineration program – the steam will clear urine salt deposits)
After 100 uses the toilet should be pulled forward from the vent pipe and the pipe cleaned with the supplied cleaning brush to remove any soot deposits
After approx. one year of full-time use or two years of part-time use, the toilet will need a service which includes internal cleaning, checking of key components and replacement of the heating element.
No. The base (aka the solids container) of the Air Head is manufactured with the handle on one side or the other. The handle is actually slightly offset and doesn’t run directly across the centre. It is possible to purchase another base with a different handle position if needed.
By default, the Air Head is supplied with the turning handle on the right, as seen when you are standing in front of the toilet, looking at it (so on the left when you are sat on the toilet).
It’s not a simple process as it will involve drilling new holes into the top of your Air Head. Air Head don’t recommend customers attempt this.
Yes, although it doesn’t come with an adaptor as most people will be using it in a boat, camper van or motorhome, which will probably have a 12v circuit – ideal for the fan.
Yes, but… carbon filters can work well at eliminating odours, however, the other reason for venting to the outside is to remove excess moisture. Carbon filters won’t remove any moisture, so can increase condensation in the room. We don’t currently supply or recommend any specific make or type of carbon filter, but we know some of our customers have fitted them.
We don’t recommend it in the UK climate. Most solar vents have limited capability to run when the sun isn’t shining which makes them less than ideal in typical UK weather! If your fan stops working, there is a risk of a) detecting odours and b) attracting flies.
It is technically possible for composting to take place in the solids container (you have all the ingredients required – carbon, nitrogen, water and air), but most users won’t have the contents sitting in the solids container for a long enough period of time.
For most people, you would use the toilet until it is full, at which point some of the contents will have started breaking down, but a lot will still be ‘fresh’. This will need composting away from the toilet for an absolute minimum of six months, ideally twelve months.
You can find detailed dimensional drawings on the Air Head dimensions page. All models require a minimum of 488mm width to accommodate the full range of the turning handle. You can reduce this slightly by using the ‘wrench’ adaptor to replace the standard handle, but it will make turning the agitator slightly more awkward.
As little as possible! Most of the instructions for rehydrating coir blocks refer to their use in horticulture, but in an Air Head, you want to keep them as dry as possible. Some customers find that placing the coir brick in a ziplock bag and adding a small amount of water at a time works well. You can break the brick up, adding more water if needed. Warm to hot water (not scalding hot!) penetrates the coir quicker than cold water.
You can use any non-scouring cleaners as you would with a plastic bath or shower base. Scuff marks on the body of the Air Head can usually be removed with a ‘magic eraser sponge’.
The urine bottle should be rinsed out after each time it’s emptied. Stronger cleaners can be used occasionally to remove urine scaling (Ecover toilet cleaner has been recommended by some of our customers).
Our preferred method of dealing with the solids (faeces) from a compost toilet is always to compost them in a compost bin (see our page on composting) as they ‘close the loop’ and return valuable nutrients safely to the earth. However, there may be situations, such as in motor homes or boats, where it’s impossible to compost on the go or store anything for later composting at home or on land.
In these situations, you may be able to dispose of small amounts (under 7kg) in municipal waste bins or official council waste disposal sites (the waste will be classed as non-recyclable and is typically used in an energy recovery process) provided the contents are double-bagged and clearly labelled (you can buy ‘tiger bags’ for such a purpose). The contents are referred to as ‘offensive waste’ and come under the same waste classification as used nappies and adult incontinence pads.
If you’re on a canal or river, never discharge urine or faeces into the water (we hope that’s obvious!), and don’t use the bins provided by the CRT (Canals and River Trust) as they prohibit compost toilet disposal in their bins (it’s a long story…).
Whatever method you choose, always dispose of solid waste safely and responsibly
The outside diameter is 1.8″ (4.57cm) The inside is 1.5″ (3.81cm). The hose is fairly unique as it has a reverse exterior thread on it.
The Air Head Standard used to be referred to as the ‘household’ and the Air Head Compact was the ‘marine’. The names were changed to reflect a shift in the customer base.
The only difference is the overall depth of the toilet seat and lid – on the Air Head Standard, you’ll find a full-sized toilet seat, and in order to accommodate this, the hinges protrude beyond the rear of the toilet. With the Air Head Compact, the seat is shallower (front to back) and the hinges are inset into the body. This means the Air Head Compact model can be fitted about 3cm closer to the wall – ideal if your space is really tight.
If you want to use the wind-powered vent on the WooWoo GT or GT LUX, then no, the pipe must be straight otherwise the wind vent won’t be able to move the required volume of air.
If you must have bends or a very long vent pipe run, then you’ll have to use the electric 230V duct fan to ensure sufficient airflow.
Yes you can. The supplied seat is made from a form of polystyrene and provides a very warm experience when the temperature is cold! However, we recognise that some people will prefer the look and durability of a more standard toilet seat. Try to choose a model that doesn’t have too many gaps between the seat and lid. You’ll also have to fit the ‘chute’ from the top (rather than it sliding in underneath). We can give you further advice on this subject if needed.
Not necessarily. There are a few different ways you can use the WooWoo GT and GT LUX, depending on where it’s installed and the user experience the owner/operator wants to provide.Â
If someone has just had a wee, there’s no need to add anything – most of the urine gets used in the composting process or is evaporated – anything remaining liquids may be discharged as a leachate and captured in a small container.
You can choose to either ask the user to add a scoop of wood shavings after each ‘solids’ visit, or you (as the owner/operator) can add an equivalent amount of shavings at the end of each or every other day. This makes the user experience really simple and removes any guesswork placed upon the user in terms of how much to add.
Due to the nature and size of the composting containers, the WooWoo GT 120 and GT330 containers require space under the floor of the building. As most buildings in the UK and Ireland don’t have enough underfloor space, you may have to create a special building. We offer free plans on the website that you can download, or we have flat-packed, self-assembly cabins (single, double and accessible) that can be delivered to your site.
Sure thing. Head on over to our blog, where we have a blog post giving some excellent WooWoo GT tips. Remember, if you’re not sure about any aspect, please get in touch – there are no stupid questions!
The WooWoo GT and GT LUX both have a tough, dark-green, plastic ‘chute’ that enables all ‘waste’ to travel down and into the batch composting container. The GT LUX has a ‘drop-through’ ceramic toilet pedestal over the chute. As with any toilet, debris can stick the sides, so it’ll need to be cleaned to maintain a smart and hygienic appearance. We suggest using a small amount of water and a long-handled toilet brush. Some water entering the WooWoo GT container will be absolutely fine – don’t use any harsh chemicals as these may stop or slow down the composting process.
Assembly time depends on the ground conditions (and any preparation required), the number of people you have to help and the overall skill levels. The GT cabins are more akin to garden rooms than sheds so should be considered ‘moderately’ difficult and are not suitable for the novice DIYer. We work on the principle that assembly requires two full days of two skilled people, assuming the ground is level and compacted. The double cabin and the accessible cabin may require an extra day. Painting or treating the woodwork is not included.
We’re happy to pass your details on to our recommended installers if you would like a quotation for someone to do this for you.
Typically, the electric duct fan will only be required on the WooWoo GT LUX, and specifically when it’s installed within the fabric of the building. The inline electric duct fan connects directly to the 110mm vent pipework creating airflow through the GT toilet container, up and out through the vent pipe. There are three power settings on the 230V electric duct fan which consume 22, 24, and 33 watts respectively.
For short and straight pipe runs (4 metres or less), the lowest setting will be more than adequate. If your pipe run necessitates bends or turns, or is very long, then the medium or high setting might be needed.
In general terms, we would expect the GT 120 container to provide the capacity of around 220 ‘solid’ uses. The GT 330 container has a capacity of around 800 ‘solid’ uses. The actual capacity will depend on many factors, such as the ambient temperature, frequency of use (once composting kicks in, the mass will reduce in size, providing additional capacity), the amount of toilet paper used, and the amount of wood shavings or sawdust added. The urine use is unlimited as urine is both used in the composting process and evaporated, with any excess being passed out as leachate.
More leachate will be discharged in winter/cooler temperatures as the composting process will slow down.
As a general rule, if the WooWoo GT or GT LUX is installed within a dwelling (ie the walls etc are reasonably air-tight), then we’d always recommend the electric fan over the wind fan for total odour removal – just in case you have a prolonged period of low or no wind. If the WooWoo GT or GT LUX is installed in a ‘shed’ or similar stand-alone building, then the wind-powered vent should be sufficient.
The ventilation pipe and fan is just one aspect of the odour control system in the WooWoo GT and GT LUX. The advantage of the wind-powered fan is that the toilet can be completely off-grid, requiring no electricity, water or sewage connections.
It’s not a problem. Just use the WooWoo GT as you would any toilet. Menstrual blood adds to the variety of ingredients that will go on to create a fantastic compost. Sanitary products should ideally go in a separate bin that the owner/operator provides.
The WooWoo GT and GT LUX are batch composting toilets. This means that composting takes place within the container. To make great compost in the most efficient way, you need a source of carbon to work with the nitrogen that’s in the faeces and urine. Wood shavings or sawdust are an ideal, readily available and inexpensive carbon-based material for this job.
As well as acting as a carbon source to make the perfect compost blend, shavings or sawdust will also help suppress odours (although the ventilation system will be doing most of the work for that aspect) and act as a visual cover.
By default, the semi-flexible urine hose that comes with the Separett Villa, Tiny and Pee is two metres long. We sell them as spares, but we’d not recommend using them in excess of 2 metres as there is a risk of the pipe sagging over time (and allowing urine to collect and possibly calcify). You can buy an adaptor (from plumbing merchants) that will enable you to connect rigid 32mm push-fit or solvent weld pipe which you can then run over a longer distance. Always ensure you have a fall of 1cm per metre to ensure adequate and speedy flow.
Yes. We keep a wide range of the most common spares in our UK warehouse for the Villa and Tiny. Many are listed on our website, but if you have any trouble finding what you are looking for, please get in contact.
Spares for older models are also available – just let us know what you’re after and we’ll be able to help.
It’s always best to use the official Separett pipework where possible because you are assured of a perfect fit and long-term performance. However, there may be situations where this isn’t possible, such as getting the vent pipe around awkward objects or reducing the number of ninety-degree bends.
Flexible pipe (commonly sold as dust extraction pipework) is available in 50mm (for the Tiny) and 75mm (for the Villa) diameters. Try to keep the overall length as short as possible as the flexible pipes often has reinforcing rings which may cause some turbulence and lower the air flow efficiency.
Ideally no. The reason is that bathroom extractor fans remove a large volume of air and could, in some circumstances, overpower the fan in the toilet, drawing odours out. If the toilet is in a fairly large room, this might not be a problem.
If building regulations are applicable, and you must have an extractor van, keep the ‘on’ time for the extractor to a minimum.
Not directly. The internal ventilation fans on the Villa and Tiny both run on 12V DC (the Villa draws around 2 watts and the Tiny is around 1.5 watts). The supplied mains adaptor reduces the 230V AC mains supply to 12V DC.
If you want to run the fan from a 24V supply, we would recommend fitting a voltage regulator to reduce the 24V DC supply to 12V.
Not necessarily! However, the branded compostable bags, bio-drain tablets and absorb mats are guaranteed to fit and perform as you’d expect. Third-party consumables may be slightly compromised in terms of fit and function, but the choice is yours.
No. A correctly constructed soak-away pit doesn’t smell because the urine is discharged under the ground. Naturally occurring soil bacteria will start to feed off the nutrients in the urine.
There will be some odour detectable at the point the vent pipe terminates outside. However, this will disperse very quickly and is not apparent within a metre or so. Longer vent pipes are available for the Villa and Tiny should you wish to run the vent pipe higher or to a different place.
Yes. The Separett Tiny and Villa urine-diverting toilets have been developed to have the fan running all the time. This not only keeps all odours out but also ensures that flies are not attracted to the toilet.
Having said that, we do have customers who turn the fan off overnight (using a timer switch) with generally no ill effects, although it must be stated that the manufacturer does not recommend this.
Turning the fan on and off can also shorten the service life of the fan.
It depends on which model you have and your preferences in terms of composting or disposing of the contents.
The Separett Tiny has the smallest solids container and will need emptying after 7-10 days of full-time use by one person. The Separett Villa will last between 6-8 weeks with the same usage and the Separett Villa Extend, with associated 50-litre solids container will be around twice that.
The amount of toilet paper being used will also affect the overall capacity, more so with the Tiny. You can, of course, empty the solids container at any time you choose – there’s no need to wait until it’s full. In a glamping installation, the site operator is likely to want to empty the toilet on guest changeover day.
The urine container in the Separett Tiny should be emptied every 1 – 2 days even if it’s not full. Urine will tend to deposit a ‘scale’ inside the container if left.
When they are new, it’s not uncommon for the Separett Tiny to make a noise as you open the top part and/or when you open the concealing screen to access the solids container. These noises will lessen over time, although some lubrication may help – contact us for more information.
Probably not – the most likely reason is that the urine container has not been placed correctly. We’ve made a short video which shows how you can check and correct this. If the urine container is not fully seated, the alert light will stay on to warn you.
We’ve produced a short video which shows you what to do: click here.
Our preferred method of dealing with the solids (faeces) from a compost toilet is always to compost them in a compost bin (see our page on composting) as they ‘close the loop’ and return valuable nutrients safely to the earth. However, there may be situations, such as in motor homes or boats, where it’s impossible to compost on the go or store anything for later composting at home or on land.
In these situations, you may be able to dispose of small amounts (under 7kg) in municipal waste bins or official council waste disposal sites (the waste will be classed as non-recyclable and is typically used in an energy recovery process) provided the contents are double-bagged and clearly labelled (you can buy ‘tiger bags’ for such a purpose). The contents are referred to as ‘offensive waste’ and come under the same waste classification as used nappies and adult incontinence pads.
If you’re on a canal or river, never discharge urine or faeces into the water (we hope that’s obvious!), and don’t use the bins provided by the CRT (Canals and River Trust) as they prohibit compost toilet disposal in their bins (it’s a long story…).
Whatever method you choose, always dispose of solid waste safely and responsibly
Beyond regular cleaning (as you would do with any toilet), a yearly or half-yearly inspection is advisable. Turn the power off (to stop the fan, if fitted), open the toilet and look at the mesh cover over the fan (on the Villa, this is at the back of the toilet, on the Tiny, the mesh is on the left of the concealer screen).
The cover is removable on the Villa, so take it off and brush off any debris as required. With the cover off, look inside and visually inspect the fan blades and if needed, gently brush off any debris with a soft brush. On the Tiny, the mesh filter can be detached from its position to the side of the concealing flaps. Replacement mesh screens are available if needed.
If you have a Villa, check the condition of the cables that operate the concealer screen and bucket rotation. Use an appropriate lubricating product (such as a silicone lubricating spray, suitable for metals and plastics) if needed to ensure the cables run smoothly and are protected from corrosion.
Thoroughly clean any debris from within the body of the toilet. If you need any advice or parts, please contact us.
Keeping the urine container as clean as possible is key to ensuring the long life of the internal level sensor and reducing odours. Regular (ideally daily) emptying and rinsing will help. Occasionally we suggest a stronger cleaner, such as Ecover Toilet Cleaner, is used to remove any urine that has crystallised inside.
For the Separett Tiny, we recommend a maximum length of 4 metres with a couple of ninety-degree bends. It is possible to fit a second fan to the Tiny if you need a longer vent pipe run or more bends, but this will increase the noise levels.
For the Villa (models made after 2020), you can have up to six metres of vent pipe. For more information on possible Villa vent pipe configuration and the range of parts, see this page.
Urine separation works best when the user is fully seated. This way, urine will go to the front of the separator and solids will drop down through and into the rear section.
If someone hovers or stands, there’s a chance for things to miss. However, if you’re that one-in-a-million man who has a ‘perfect’ aim, then you can of course stand!
With the Separett Tiny and Villa, odour control takes two forms. Initially, the separation of urine and faeces means there is not the classic ‘latrine’ type odour. Secondly, the ‘always-on’ fan draws air over the solids container and pushes out the foul air through the expertly designed fan and vent pipe, ensuring an odour-free user experience.
Not sure which toilet is right for you, need a quote or want to know a little more information?
Help us advise you by telling us a little about your situation - or even better, give us a call to discuss options!
Alternatively, you can write us an email at:
or give us a call on:
Sign up to our newsletter to receive WooWoo news and offers
Like us on Facebook
Suppliers
