In May, 2003, my wife and I purchased a Sun-Mar Excel composting toilet from Eco-Tech in Gettysburg, PA.
Just one month later, when it was being used for the first time the thermostat failed. Because there is no indication as to whether the unit is operating properly, we did not realize there was a problem until a putrid mixture of feces and urine began to leak out around the clean-out drawer.
We had no choice but to kneel down on the floor, remove the drawer, and bail out the base of the unit with a soup can. Then we were able to disconnect the unit from the vent, slide it forward and clean the mess off of the floor.
The replacement thermostat finally arrived about two weeks after I notified Sun-Mar of the problem. Since the first one had failed prematurely, I tested the replacement before installation -- it too was bad (open/no current flow @70 degrees F.). I called Sun-Mar back and they sent a second replacement. It tested good. Then I had to squeeze myself in behind the unit (it's in a small bathroom), remove the old thermostat, and install the new one.
The unit then operated properly (or seemed to) until this past weekend. I say seemed to because the toilet gets very little use -- it is located in a guest room above our garage and is typically used by one or two people a total of about 10 to 15 days/year. Since it is rated for _continuous_ use by several adults, the thermostat (or the heater itself) could fail and we might not realize it if the fan alone were able to evaporate enough liquid. In any case, we again have a foul mess oozing out of the toilet onto the floor and under the wall onto the foyer in front of the entry door.
After the initial failure, I had recommended to Sun-Mar that they incorporate a thermometer and perhaps a couple LED's into the unit so that users could tell at a glance whether the heater is working. Apparently they ignored my suggestion because when I called today and spoke with Angela West, she just offered the same 'solution' to the problem -- a new thermostat. In my opinion, Sun-Mar should send a service person out to clean out the toilet, diagnose the problem, and fix it. I asked that this be done and she refused.
Now I am faced with having to clean out the toilet and repair it a second time. There is no guarantee that it won't fail again (in fact it most likely will). This is completely unacceptable in a $1,000 toilet that is advertised as having NSF certification. Both of these failures have created an unsanitary, unsafe, not to mention embarrassing mess. In my opinion, the NSF should review their certification of this toilet.
While I was initially excited about getting this Sun-Mar unit, I can no longer recommend it. Furthermore, even if other Sun-Mar products do not have this particular problem, based on my experience their customer service leaves a lot to be desired. I am very dissatisfied and would encourage anyone in the market for a composting toilet to look elsewhere.
Sherman A. Johnson
Middletown, Maryland
301-371-7978 (home)
301-213-5451 (cell)
