Ten Frequently Asked Questions About TinyJohn Incinerating Toilets

There has been a lot of interest in incinerating toilets lately. The TinyJohn is the best brand of incinerating toilets, so, non-surprisingly, we get a lot of questions about it. We know you've been dying to know the answers to these questions, so we are here to provide them for you!

How many TinyJohn models are there?

There are several different models,

TinyJohn Gas – Runs on Propane or Natural Gas

TinyJohn Electric – An all electric incinerating toilet

TinyJohn XL – A higher capacity model that runs on either gas or electric

TinyJohn Black – A modern design black color, available in all sizes and fuel sources

How Heavy Is the TinyJohn?

TinyJohn – 65 lbs.

TinyJohn XL – 90 lbs.

It’s easy for two people to carry.

Is TinyJohn Portable?

Absolutely!  But the unit should be stationary during a burn cycle.

Can the TinyJohn Go Completely Off-Grid?

Yes, indeed!  The TinyJohn gas model only requires a 12VDC battery source and a small propane tank.

How much electrical power is needed for the TinyJohn?

TinyJohn Gas:

It is very low – 12VDC/1.5 amp/20 watts – this is to power the control board, ignition, fans, and trap door.  After a burn cycle is complete, and the fans have cooled the unit down, the system goes to standby, and won’t draw electricity until the next cycle.

TinyJohn Electric: 1800W/120VAC

TinyJohn XL Electric: 3500W/240VAC

Is it difficult to install the TinyJohn?

No. In fact, it is relatively easy, and pretty much “plug-and-play.”  If needed, any handyman or contractor can easily install the toilet.  Once the unit is placed in its new home, install the vent pipe, propane line, and connect the power (12VDC battery or 120V/240VAC), then it’s ready to turn on and go!

Do you have to run a burn cycle after every use?

We recommend pressing flush after each usage, that way it will add burn times to the cycle. But, if you wanted to use it 3-4 times without burning, you can use a manual open/close trap door feature, that will allow you to flush, but it won’t initiate burn. Note, if you do this,

it is important to press the number of urine or waste flushes after to add up the appropriate burn times; i.e. if you used the manual flush option 3 times, it is important to press urine 3 times later to add up the correct burn times, if you don’t do this, it will not keep up with the load.  

Also, even though the TinyJohn is going through a burn cycle, you may interrupt a burn cycle to use it again – there is a magnetic sensor on the lid that will put the burn cycle on standby when the lid is opened.  When you are finished, simply put the lid back down, press the applicable flush button, and your TinyJohn will resume, adding time to the original burn cycle to incinerate the newly added waste.

How long is a burn cycle?

TinyJohn Gas:  60 minutes for solid waste; 30 minutes for liquid waste

TinyJohn XL Gas:  30 minutes for solid waste; 15 minutes for liquid waste

TinyJohn Electric: 2 hr and 15 minutes for solid waste; 1 hr and 15 minutes for liquid waste

TinyJohn XL Electric:  40 minutes for solid waste; 20 minutes for liquid waste

Note: Even though the complete burn cycle time may be 1+ hour, the actual burning time is a lot less; the burn cycles operate in burning and cooling states to be as efficient as possible on the fuel and electric

Does the venting system or chimney get hot?

No, but it does get a bit warm.  The TinyJohn is equipped with a 3” metal type B vent and it gets warm to the touch.  The exhaust air releases between 150-180 degrees F from the outlet of the pipe, but the pipe will not burn you.

How Do I Clean Out The Ashes?

To clean the ashes from your TinyJohn you'll first open the access panel in front of the Tiny John.  Then you'll pull out the tray and dump the neutralized ash into your trash or onto your flower garden, or you could even vacuum the small amount from out of the chamber.  It's that easy!

How Often Do I Need To Empty The Ashes?

This all depends on usage.  We recommend checking the ashes after each burn cycle for the first few weeks to see how much it accumulates.  As a safety feature, a burn cycle will not activate if the ash tray is too full.  Some customers empty once a week or once a month, depending on use.

Is the TinyJohn safe?

Completely!  The TinyJohn has several internal safety features including temperature sensors, safety shutoff valves and switches to prevent anything from catching fire, and it is completely sealed and insulated with a sealed burn chamber.  As soon as you open the seat, open the control unit, or open the ash chamber, the TinyJohn instantly stops and goes into standby until you tell it to resume.

Is it good for the environment?

Yes!  As a matter of fact, the TinyJohn provides a zero waste, completely self-contained disposal solution. There are no emissions or bacteria.