Bus floorplan layout resources?

[windtrader]

Cool. I figured there are some viable alternatives than to simple gravity feed. That said, then why make such a fuss about toilet placement. Personally, it seems having more of a blank slate to layout would offset what it takes to install a macerator style pooper.


And maybe even composting option is worth a conversion for full on off-grid living due to reduced water usage.

[buswarrior]

What does it cost in the beginning?

What is the likelyhood of having to tear into it, and all its glory, later on?

What does one have to do to service it on a regular basis?

The answers depend on how poop averse one might be...

The answer that is most common, is likely the one that adds up for most people.

The bus conversion already used up a lot of peeps' counter culture apetite,  the toilet may be a topic that goes too far?

Not for one, but for the other that is only humouring the first?

Vive la differénce?

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

[Tedsoldbus]

This seemed to shift from floorplan to toilette? Funny. Have fun with the planning. You can sketch two seats and a steering wheel up front. You can't get around that. Put the bed in back. You don't need it all day and will just trip over it if it is not there. That leaves kitchen/shower/ and yes....the potty, and the closer they are together the closer the pipes are together and less bay space lost. Then a sofa or two chairs where you like them. Dinner table optional, and if you want to look like the NEW stuff, you need 4 TVs inside and 2 outside. Seriously, look at all you can before you start. Some pretty cool ideas out there. If you can go to some meets, most are happy to show you what they have done. Good luck with it!

[Jim Blackwood]

History has shown that a straight drop into the black tank is the most trouble free way to go by a pretty good margin, as well as the most cost effective. Even if  you are carrying out the desiccated remains in bricks (yuk) you still have to dump waste water. Mechanical things go bad, so fewer mechanical things means fewer vile moments and who doesn't want that?

Jim

[freds]

In looking at modern RV's via a number of YouTube videos.

I think the new tendency is to put the toilet/shower in the far back, which given our rear engine placements would argue for a macerator toilet.

The layout of my 40ft bus has roughly 6.5 feet devoted to bathroom/shower though about 2.5 feet is closet/washing machine as part of the combined space.

Another upside of a macerator toilet is that you do not have to instruct guests on how to use the toilet. Downside is more water usage and need for 120v power and hey something that might fail.

[buswarrior]

Probably best to hear from a busnut that has had to deal with a failed macerator toilet, before venturing onto that shitty path?

The boat ones are not pleasant, every nook filled with solids, and of course, a pipe and bottom full of fluid, when they finally choke to death.

If the sewer aspects of this hobby make you the least bit squeamish, think really hard about the consequences of how to deal with failed equipment, cuz every choice breaks down eventually.

Raising a glass to keeping one's stomach from churning...

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

[windtrader]

I was thinking of a similar situation where bathroom placement, let's at the rear of the coach, was highly desired. It's an obvious tradeoff. Most desirable bathroom location on the floor plan vs greater service and maintenance issues from more mechanical parts that as said plenty of times IS going to break and need fixing.


Maybe I'm not so put off by poo, so I'd think it not such a big deal. But I'd make sure the design to control the mess in case of failure. Maybe a small holding tank combined with the macerator. An alert on the holding tank not being cleared by the masticator would avoid spillovers and contain poo in transit. Masticator intake could  draw down into the tank so removal would minimize the mess. dunno, just thinking on my own. Obviously some super high end coaches like Marathon have sorted it out, go copy their design.

[richard5933]

History has shown that a straight drop into the black tank is the most trouble free way to go by a pretty good margin, as well as the most cost effective. Even if  you are carrying out the desiccated remains in bricks (yuk) you still have to dump waste water. Mechanical things go bad, so fewer mechanical things means fewer vile moments and who doesn't want that?

Jim

If you want absolute simple then a good composting toilet with urine separator is the ticket. From the reviews I'm seeing the odor problem is less than a traditional black tank, and the emptying of the bin is less messy than dumping a black tank.  No chance of every having a black tank leak if you don't have one. Macerating toilets have the highest number of moving parts and potential for problems, for sure.

For a species that has a habit of crapping and peeing virtually into our own drinking water supply, we sure tend towards being fecally adverse, don't we. I guess after having spent time working on a dairy farm it just doesn't bother me so much any more - just one more task to be done whether it's emptying the black tank or the composting toilet.

[epretot]

I have the luxury of a drafting program for work purposes.

After securing the bus I measured multiple times to begin designing the floor plan. As I progressed I copied the image and moved things around.

We have an ideal plan...but not certain it will work. However, we have several iterations as a backup.

The nice thing about the drafting program is, I could move things around and dimension them in a short time. I found some creative ways to save space.

Once we settle on a plan, I will draft elevations of everything. I'm not a visionary, but I can execute a plan.

[richard5933]

Here's what Custom Coach was doing in the 70s for design layouts. This is my bus, #1915.

[windtrader]

This is really a poo topic. lol
Got me curious about "good" composting toilet products. Have many here researched and installed this sort of pooper?


I like the benefit it is less hassle than dumping black tanks and also the water savings is great. Can't complain about less odor as well.


Seems like it might be an even better option than traditional methods.

[Tedsoldbus]

Just reread wolrah thread. The original that started this thing? Didn't ask a single question about latrine, toilette, macerator etc etc.
I think we scared them off. "All these people can think about is poop?".

[buswarrior]

Hasn't logged on to the site since posting this question...

Happy coaching!
Buswarrior

[Jim Blackwood]

I did a bunch of research on odor, and at one point I had a job with the floodwall board which meant we also maintained sanitary sewer pumping stations. You'd expect that to be a stinky job but it was surprising. The combination of moving water and exposure to air  removed all but a residual aroma which was much less objectionable. (although it did tend to follow you home, one of the reasons I didn't continue in that job) Of course that was much more diluted, being mostly grey water but with the poo ingredients in a broken down state which also surprisingly must happen immediately since all we ever saw was gray water.

So I have a plan to actively introduce fresh air into the black tank and I think that will keep the stench under control, which means I'm less concerned about the smell and more about the inconvenience of dealing with the waste.

What I absolutely do not want to deal with is solid waste. I don't mind so much dealing with the liquid form but even then the farther from the living quarters the better. And opening a simple valve to dump it into the tank is about as simple and reliable and fail proof as possible. Add in cold weather and it only gets worse.

Yeah, dumping the black tank isn't fun, but you have to dump the gray tank anyway so opening an extra valve isn't that challenging. In my case I'll be flushing the gray water through the black tank so clean up afterwards is better.

So that's why my toilet is going where it is. And I think the location makes sense. I don't know why you would want the toilet at the rear of the bus anyway.

Jim

[epretot]

We are planning for an incinerator toilet. No black tank for us.