FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS about the THINKTANK WATERLESS TOILET

Q: I can smell an odor in the bathroom area. 

Odor is rare with the Thinktank Waterless Toilet, because of its patented airtight design. In the unlikely event that you still experience odor, there are several things to check. 

1. First, inspect the insect screens which are on the outside ends of the intake and exhaust vent pipes. Clean them thoroughly. 

Check for airflow out of the exhaust vent. If the screens are clean and there is no airflow, check the fan. If the fan is not working, and you have a reliable power supply, you might have a faulty fan. 

1. If the screens are clean and the fan(s) are working, check that all vent pipe and urine drain pipe joints are tight and sealed with silicone or a similar material. 
2. Check the solid container and see if the contents are wet. Sorry to be so graphic but mixing pee and poop together produces a powerful odor, to the point that the fan will not be sufficient. Try to determine 
3. why the contents got wet. Very short people sometimes lean forward when sitting on a toilet. This tilts the pelvis back, and the pee goes backwards. In this case, people should be encouraged to sit more upright, and very short people might need a footstool. They can also try sitting slightly more forward on the seat. 
4. If urine is being directed into a greywater system, this can also generate some odor. The solution is an odor seal, such as a P trap, or the Hepvo Waterless Odor Seal. Bio enzyme cleaners also can eliminate or reduce this odor.
5. Bio enzyme cleaner will help reduce the buildup of urine salts in the pipe, keeping everything flowing smoothly.
6. Odor can also result from pee getting in the solids bin. See below.

Q: Pee is getting in the solids bin

1. Keep the trap door closed when only peeing.
2. Some women, especially shorter women, may lean forward when using the toilet. This has the effect of tilting the pelvis back. Pee goes backwards instead of forwards. The solution is to ask women to sit more upright when using the toilet. Some people may need a small footstool.
3. The collection areas for both liquid and solid waste are very large on the Thinktank, so a small adjustment in the user’s seated position may also solve this.

Q: The fan is noisy.

The Thinktank uses the best fans in the world from Noctua. These are extremely powerful, reliable, and quiet. If a problem develops, then:

1. Vacuum the fans inside the toilet. The Thinktank fans are very easy to access and can be easily vacuumed clean. 
2. Clean the fan screens outside. The fans might be working too hard due to a buildup of dirt on the screens. 
3. If the fan is still noisy you may need a replacement. Fortunately we designed the toilet to make fan replacement extremely easy. Call your dealer for a replacement fan. (Note: if you did not need the intake fan, you already have a spare ready to go.)

Q: The urine hose is plugged:

1. Over time urine salts can build up in the urine drain, reducing the flow of urine through the pipes. This can be prevented by using the bio enzyme cleaner, and pouring a cup of water and vinegar (50:50 mix) down the urine drain once a week. If you have a water source near the toilet, you can pour a little water down the urine drain more often. ½ cup is sufficient.
2. If the drain line gets plugged, you can use a drain cleaner. If it is still plugged, you may need to push a small plumbing snake through the drain pipe to manually clear the blockage. 
3. IMPORTANT: if using an odor seal like the Hepvo or a P trap, you should pour a small amount of water down the urine drain after every use.