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Small Cabin Forum / Off-Grid Living / Privy with IBC tote vault
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WILL1E
Moderator
# Posted: 2 Sep 2020 12:53
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Hey everyone, new to the forum!

Just purchased 6 acres of vacant land here in northern WI and i'm trying to get things planned out for when we take official ownership of the place on October 1st. I want to get a few projects completed before the snow flies.

At the top of the list is a privy. The county requires a permit ($150) and all i need to do is show them where i intend to put it. I am going to do a sealed vault to avoid requiring any soil testing or borings. Therefor, my plan is to use a 275 gallon IBC tote. I'm curious if anyone on here constructed their's using a tote like that and if you could share any insight?

Initially we will have a camper on the property until we build our small cabin. At most we will be up there on weekends and more than likely during the warms months with minimal use in winter.

If possible, i'd like to be able to use my transfer tote to empty the black water from the camper into the sealed vault of the outhouse. So i would need to install an access hole or adapter to connect the flexible septic hose from my transfer tote to the vault. Since there will be some water in the black waste from the camper, do i need to treat the vault with anything to keep the smell down?

Look forward to hearing from everyone!

jhp
Member
# Posted: 2 Sep 2020 13:46
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You mean you intend to bury the IBC tote, or it's going to be above ground?

I'm not sure an IBC would tolerate being buried at all, it would collapse under the weight on top, nevermind the damage the freeze/thaw cycle will do.

WILL1E
Moderator
# Posted: 2 Sep 2020 14:00
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Yes, buring it was my plan. The totes come on a metal skid with a metal cage around it.

https://www.ibctanks.com/wp-content/uploads/275gallon-new-ibc.jpg

My initial thoughts are to bury it and fill gravel around it. I was then going to actually build the house portion offset from the tank so that the house is primarily on undisturbed ground with through hole for the toilet being at the edge of the container.

ICC
Member
# Posted: 2 Sep 2020 14:03
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as jhp stated, IBC totes are not designed for burial. The metal cage is to keep it from spreading or stretchin not to prevent earth pressure from collapsing. Where I am the permit for a vault toilet specifies materials that can be used or asks for the manufacturers name.

Yes, they need a vent stack, usually 4 inch minimum. The forest service vault toilets use a 12 inch, maybe a 14 inch.

WILL1E
Moderator
# Posted: 2 Sep 2020 14:30
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They aren't requiring nor specifying materials here. I could always screw some hardwood pallet boards to the exterior of the cage or further prevent collapse.

Irrigation Guy
Member
# Posted: 2 Sep 2020 15:44 - Edited by: Irrigation Guy
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Hey man don’t mean to be rude but what you are proposing, burying a ibc with pallet wood reinforcements is bordering on ridiculous. How log would you expect this to last? I used a poly Roth tank for my cabin and I think it only cost me about 500-600. Use the right product for the job or you will be kicking yourself in the ass later when the thing collapses.

Irrigation Guy
Member
# Posted: 2 Sep 2020 15:45
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Found a picture
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FCDEB326E5F748058.jpeg


ICC
Member
# Posted: 2 Sep 2020 16:40
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yep. Those are made to be buried and the spherical shape keeps them from being crushed even when empty. There are usually manhole extensions available too so it can be buried deeper and retain an access hatch at or near surface level. I have used similar tanks for fresh water cisterns too; 325 gallon and 500 gallon I think.

I would be very concerned about an IBC tote collapsing or leaking eventually if buried.

Brettny
Member
# Posted: 2 Sep 2020 18:52
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Now that the container is sorted out. Does your driveway allow for a septic truck to get to the outhouse and suck it out? Spending $500+ on a crappy hole in the ground only to find out you cant get it emptied would double suck.

To save the $500 on a tank you could use an above ground IBC tote and make the outhouse up on a platform. That will cost alot less than $500. Also easier to remove if you ever decide to build a septic.

Irrigation Guy
Member
# Posted: 2 Sep 2020 19:14
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Quoting: Brettny
To save the $500 on a tank you could use an above ground IBC tote and make the outhouse up on a platform. That will cost alot less than $500. Also easier to remove if you ever decide to build a septic.


I used mine as a septic tank. I put a tee baffle on the outlet and built a gravel filled leach field.

Brettny
Member
# Posted: 2 Sep 2020 19:44
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Off an above ground ibc tote? That's a good idea!

I used chambers for the first time this summer. Man are they forgiving and easy to use. This was for a full time home though.

Irrigation Guy
Member
# Posted: 2 Sep 2020 19:47
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No it was off the buried Roth tank

Brettny
Member
# Posted: 3 Sep 2020 08:14
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So you built a normal septic system.

scott100
Member
# Posted: 3 Sep 2020 15:22
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Just a thought. Why not just go with one of the composting toilets. That would save you a lot of work trying to bury a tank, etc and permits for doing that.

We use a C-head in our cabin (and also on one of our boats). Very happy with the simplicity of the thing.

Irrigation Guy
Member
# Posted: 3 Sep 2020 16:16
Reply 


Quoting: Brettny

So you built a normal septic system


My point was for not much more money or effort you could have a small functional septic system compared to rigging up a Jerry-rigged system.

WILL1E
Moderator
# Posted: 8 Sep 2020 12:58
Reply 


Compost toilets look to be $1500 and up...unless i'm not looking at the right kind.

After looking the land again this weekend with my wife for the first time (better late than never right) i don't have the warm and fuzzies about the spot we picked out as being our long term spot. We have a few options of spots so i'm not sure i want to commit to an outhouse spot just yet. So now i need to reconsider options.

Since we will have the camper until we build, i need to manage that waste. I have a blue camper transfer tote that i can pull behind my truck or wheeler to get it closer to the road. So i'm wondering if i just setup the IBC tote above ground near the road and driveway and somehow lift the blue transfer tote up to dump into the IBC as a holding tank that we'd get pumped when full. I'd obviously need to make it not an eyesore.

Thoughts or other ideas?

mj1angier
Member
# Posted: 8 Sep 2020 13:15 - Edited by: mj1angier
Reply 


Have you thought about using a macerator pump on the RV and pumping into a IBC tote?

https://www.rvweb.net/best-rv-macerator-pumps-reviewed/

This one will pump 150 ft. Hide your tote some where a pump truck an get to it.

https://www.amazon.com/Clean-Dump-CDTO-Portable-Macerator/dp/B007HRMYLC/?tag=rvwebnet work-20

WILL1E
Moderator
# Posted: 8 Sep 2020 13:30
Reply 


Now that's an idea i've never thought of!

Would i need to vent the above ground IBC tote?
Just wondering how much stink this tote will cause.

mj1angier
Member
# Posted: 8 Sep 2020 13:41
Reply 


I think might want too but if away from camper it might not be a issue. If it is you could add an odor control valve:

https://www.wagerusa.com/1200-roof-vent-valve

Steve961
Member
# Posted: 8 Sep 2020 16:06 - Edited by: Steve961
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Quoting: WILL1E
Compost toilets look to be $1500 and up...unless i'm not looking at the right kind.


The basic C-Head toilet runs $700, with the urine diverter, which I highly recommend, an extra $80. I have one and think it's one of the best out there. Here's a link:

C-Head Composting Toilet

scott100
Member
# Posted: 9 Sep 2020 23:21
Reply 


We also use a c-head in ours. It doubles as a head in one of our boats. Works great. We don't have the diverter in ours, just dump the 1gal container in it for urine. I think they're around $600 without the diverter. I like the c-head over the other 2 brands due to its simplicity (and price). The thing just works as advertised.

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