Help with some initial necessities

GeorgeRa said:

That is what "composting" toilets do, far away from actual composting, so a diarrhea event can cause a problem.

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What problem is that ? Can you be more specific with your own experiences or show some data or pictures to support this gross generalization ?

I'm just curious what I've been doing wrong with all the loose stools that I've been depositing in my Air Head Dehydrating Toilet the last several years.





00frux...give the Air Head a look as well as the Natures Head. The differences in the designs in regards to removing both the liquid and solids tanks for emptying allows the Air Head to be installed tighter against the wall, which depending on the details of your layout may be important.

Calling these toilets, when used for long term life aboard a van or boat, composting toilets is a misnomer, they are Dehydration Toilets. If you poop bratwurst, you're going to be able to go a lot longer between emptying the solids tank than if you poop oatmeal.

Here's what my poop looks like after about a month of dehydration after returning from a six week trip where I'd roughly guess I deposited my bratwurst and oatmeal at least half of the time in my Dehydration Toilet. These toilets aren't for everybody and details matter, from the viscosity of your poop to the CFM your dehydrating fan moves. The shorter/smoother your fan's exhaust duct the better.

There was a thread about this recently here.

Pros and cons for both 'composting' and cassette / portable solutions.

This does seem to be one area which people have very strong views on.

My suggestion is to look at some of the many videos on YouTube (some of them are linked or discussed in the other thread) detailing the use, maintenance and emptying / disposal and decide which is going to suit your needs best.

If I decide drilling a hole in my vehicle is worth it, I will probably go the *dehydration* ("compost") method since it sounds like for people going the long haul (permanent living), it is more worth it. I have a question about insulation. I stumbled on https://adventurewagon.com/collections/climate-control/products/3m-thinsulite and their video showing how to install it. The whole time I thought it was 3M Thinsulate SM600L but now I'm not so sure. They say it's "3M Automotive Thinsulate #710 gsm" (<--- on the bottom of that URL I provided). Upon searching online I cannot find the correlation between the two, if they're the same and #710 gsm is slang, or if it's a different product. Are they the same? The #710 gsm they mention on the adventurewagon site is "double black scrim" and "double embossed". I have a 2016 170" *extended* high roof. The site I mentioned here recommends 75 linear feet, but on the Amazon link I see the very first question is about a 170 extended, and only 70 linear feet is recommended. Also, the video recommends doubling up the thinsulate #710 gsm only on the sides below the windows (as it gets skinnier at the top and you cannot doulbe them up). Anyone concur? Trying to figure out exactly what and how much insulation I need to buy for my 2016 170" extended high roof. Oh, and apparently they also use hushmat under all of this (I was going to use Fatmat but was told it's unnecessary if using thinsulate?). Does it really make a difference and worth it if you have the dough, or not?

https://www.amazon.com/Thinsulate-Acoustic-Thermal-Insulation-SM600L/dp/B074XKR3R6

Question:
My Sprinter cargo van is 170" extend high roof. So I need 30'x60" and 40'x60" ?
Answer:
yes, a good estimate is 70 linear feet.

00frux said:

Question:
My Sprinter cargo van is 170" extend high roof. So I need 30'x60" and 40'x60" ?
Answer:
yes, a good estimate is 70 linear feet.

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Please give me a call and we can go over the the questions you have regarding the different varieties of Thinsulate. We do have the best price available especially if you pick up at our warehouse in Hood River. That would be a worthwhile visit for you due to all the experience we can share with you. I can tell that you have a lot of questions.

It doesn't make sense to double up in a few areas. A thorough single layer is the most cost effective and easy to install solution. The reason we use the single scrim is that the fibers directly against the inside of the van skin will reduce panel resonance so additional noise control is not needed. We have done hundreds of vans without any other noise control and never get a complaint about noise. The fibers in contact with the skin also help wick moisture away from the metal so it doesn't run down the surface and into areas where it can't dry out.

I hope you will give us the opportunity to help you with your van build. We have 1000s of satisfied customers.

All the best,
Hein
DIYvan
541 490 5098

Robert Foster said:

What problem is that ? Can you be more specific with your own experiences or show some data or pictures to support this gross generalization ?
I'm just curious what I've been doing wrong with all the loose stools that I've been depositing in my Air Head Dehydrating Toilet the last several years.
…………..

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Composting https://www.gardeners.com/how-to/jumpstart-your-compost/5380.html takes long time which RV composting toilets usually don’t have. Fluid from solids separation will reduce solids odor but this is far away from actual composting. I will never try composting toilet by just envisioning it, but if anyone can bear it go for it. I found that number 2 brings argumentative discussions at the energy level not worth the subject, so I am out. We love our camping without “composting” toilets.

For my high-top 170" extended wheelbase, I am about to order (1) 30'x60" and (1) 40'x60" roll of 3M Thinsulate SM600L (don't see the stuff under Impact Products anymore), and FOUR cans of high strength contact spray adhesive (link below). Don't know if 4 cans is overkill but I'm not really tight on budget and would rather not have to re-order more.

I've seen videos where people use high strength contact spray adhesive (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002BBV2S) to stick the thinsulate to the outer walls of the van (or 3M double-sided stick tape as shown at minute one in this video: https://adventurewagon.com/pages/thinsulate_install). Is this OK? I've seen other videos where the stuff is just layed in place on the sides, and on the ceiling it is held in place temporarily with some cross beams until the actual ceiling goes up.

So much boasting about 3M thinsulate being non-toxic, which I like, only to use high strength contact spray adhesive (which sounds far from non-toxic) to apply it. (?)

00frux said:

For my high-top 170" extended wheelbase, I am about to order (1) 30'x60" and (1) 40'x60" roll of 3M Thinsulate SM600L (don't see the stuff under Impact Products anymore), and FOUR cans of high strength contact spray adhesive (link below). Don't know if 4 cans is overkill but I'm not really tight on budget and would rather not have to re-order more.

I've seen videos where people use high strength contact spray adhesive (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0002BBV2S) to stick the thinsulate to the outer walls of the van (or 3M double-sided stick tape as shown at minute one in this video: https://adventurewagon.com/pages/thinsulate_install). Is this OK? I've seen other videos where the stuff is just layed in place on the sides, and on the ceiling it is held in place temporarily with some cross beams until the actual ceiling goes up.

So much boasting about 3M thinsulate being non-toxic, which I like, only to use high strength contact spray adhesive (which sounds far from non-toxic) to apply it. (?)

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Here is the link to the Thinsulate SM600L: https://www.ebay.com/itm/131754566187

The single scrim is lighter and bonds better to the skin of the van using the spray adhesive. It has better contact which improves panel resonance control and can wick condensation away should it occur.

Most everybody uses the 3M 90 adhesive spray because it works great, is easier and much less expensive than double sided tape. If you want to use tape then this is what you want:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00H1U35XQ

There are certainly areas where no adhesive is needed. We like it bonded to the van skin but you can temporarily support it until panels go up as well. Just a little trickier to do in practice.

Please call or text if you have further questions prior or during installation. I offer product support and answer questions about van builds everyday - all day. Please leave a message or text if I can't answer because I am helping another customer.

All the best,
Hein
DIYvan
541 490 5098

Is there a reason that 3m 90 (high strength) is preferred over 3m 77 (lower strength). I have used both for other things and find the spray pattern for 77 is much more uniform. I'm not sure one needs high strength for insulation that really doesn't need any structural strength. 77 is also slightly cheaper.

Monafly said:

Is there a reason that 3m 90 (high strength) is preferred over 3m 77 (lower strength). I have used both for other things and find the spray pattern for 77 is much more uniform. I'm not sure one needs high strength for insulation that really doesn't need any structural strength. 77 is also slightly cheaper.

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In addition to the difference in strength, 77 is not a high temp adhesive. 77 creates a lot of mist and over-spray whereas the 90 is a web spray that comes out more like like silly-string. It lays on the surface of the Thinsulate fibers without soaking in. You do need high strength due to the vibration and jolting that occurs in a vehicle.


All the best,
Hein
DIYvan
541 490 509