Sun-Mar EXCEL NE User manual

Customer Service 1-888-341-0782 ext 218
5370 South Service Road
600 Main Street
Burlington Ontario
Tonawanda New York
Canada L7L 5L1
U.S.A. 14150
Cleaning The Evaporation Chamber
All Units
You Will Require
Rake tool Compost Quick Spray
Rubber gloves Boiling water
News Paper/plastic drop sheet
Flashlight
Kitty Litter Scoop
Cleaning the evaporation chamber is required periodically for all composting toilet systems.
This process prevents the accumulation of debris in the evaporation chamber that will possibly
slow evaporation speeds or clog the safety drains that assist in evacuating effluent. If your
system is only used for seasonal use, we recommend cleaning the evaporation chamber of
debris at Spring time start up and part way through the season in August, whereas, if this is
your primary toilet, this process will be required every 2 –3 months to ensure your toilet
functions at its best.
Preparing The Toilet For Maintenance
1) Electric toilets: Unplug your composting toilet from electricity.
2) Composting units installed indoors: To protect flooring, we recommend spreading news
paper or a plastic drop sheet on the floor in front of the finishing drawer.
3) Remove the finishing drawer and set aside.
4) Ensure you wear rubber gloves to protect your hands.
Evaluating The Condition Of The Evaporation Chamber
Using a flashlight, illuminate all areas of the evaporation chamber and assess how much debris
will need to be removed. You may look for:
1) Compost debris. Is it scattered evenly in the bottom, does there seem to be accumulation at
the back or in the corners of the unit?
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2) Is there crystallization on the surface of the evaporation chamber?
3) Is there compost baked on to the evaporation chamber?
4) Is there liquid in the evaporation chamber?
What Can I Expect To See In The Evaporating Chamber?
Liquid, sometimes quite a lot of liquid, depending on use and if there is a flush toilet attached
to the composter. In some units, the liquid can be up to 1 ½” deep. If you have an Excel NE,
the liquid should be in a reservoir behind the finishing drawer. The liquid in the bottom of the
unit is urine or in the case of Centrex water-flush systems, diluted urine. It is usually brown in
color because it has been strained through the compost. The liquid in the evaporation chamber
may be quite thick. This is due to evaporation of liquid, causing a denser concentration of
particulate matter. There may be an accumulation of mineral salts (crystals) from the
evaporating urine. There may be loose compost debris scattered over the evaporation
chamber or floating on the liquid. In the case of electric units, this area may be totally dry. All
of the above scenarios are normal, depending on how the unit is used and how often the
evaporation chamber is cleaned. You will not be able to see the drain assembly inside the unit
as it is covered with a baffle. The drain enters the unit on the inside, right where the drain
assembly on the outside is located. See Fig. 1 for a view of the drain assembly with the baffle
removed. This is for demonstration purposes only, the baffle is part of the unit and is not
removable.
Fig. 1
Once you have determined the condition of the evaporation chamber, you can assemble the
tools required for maintenance.
Normal Raking Procedure Use the rake tool to rake out loose or floating debris. All loose
debris should be removed to prevent clogs in the safety drain. When raking, make sure your
rake the back corners of the evaporating chamber. If the compost debris is dry, you may rake
the debris into the back of the finishing drawer while holding the drawer in front of the opening
to the evaporation chamber, like a dust bin.
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If the evaporation chamber has liquid, use a kitty litter scoop to scoop up the floating debris
and to deposit the debris into the finishing drawer. Once the debris is in the finishing drawer,
replace the drawer into the unit. The compost debris can remain in the drawer until the next
time it is necessary to remove compost.
Removing Encrusted Compost / Mineral Salts From The Evaporation Chamber
Do Not Use Metal Tools To Chip Or Dig In The Evaporation Chamber!!!
Remember, the lower portion of the unit is constructed of fiberglass. Metal tools will puncture
the bottom (liquid containment) area of the composting toilet, causing a failure of the electrical
parts which is not covered under any warranty.
Pour approximately 4 -6 cups of boiling water and 1/3 of a bottle of Compost Quick into the
evaporation chamber. Allow 30 –45 minutes for the encrusted debris to soak and soften.
Once the encrusted debris has softened, use the rake tool as indicated above to remove the
debris to the finishing drawer.
Questions? Call our friendly, helpful, service team at 1-888-341-0782 extension 218 and we
would be happy to assist you.
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CS092013