# Toilet with grinder? (big poop problem) **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 16, 2013, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-with-grinder-big-poop-problem/676457 "2013-12-16T12:52:26Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![ratatoskK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ratatoskk/32/2987_2.png) [@ratatoskK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ratatoskK)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-with-grinder-big-poop-problem/676457/1 "2013-12-16T12:52:26Z")
We have a new family member living in a condo that I own who has a big problem with enormous poop. This person is also somewhat mentally disabled and I’m not sure how capable of addressing this issue. So I was wondering whether there are toilets with grinders and power flush (or something like that) that can grind up enormous turds and flushing them away. I googled for grinder toilets and found various models but they all seem to be designed for installing in a basement to solve the problem of flushing upward. I am talking about poop that looks like it came out of an elephant. Is there a mechanical way of dealing with this? ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-with-grinder-big-poop-problem/676457/2 "2013-12-16T14:00:51Z")
Maybe you need one of those institutional toilets, the kind with a 2" water supply (instead of a storage tank) that deliver a high-pressure water jet aimed straight at the outlet to forcibly drive everything down the drain. [“Flushometer”](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flushometer) seems to be what I’m talking about. The bowls and valves appear to be available from multiple manufacturers; I’d suggest visiting a plumbing or building supply store and inquiring about that name. ---
**Author:** ![Gus\_Gusterson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/85f322/32.png) [@Gus\_Gusterson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gus_Gusterson)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 2:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-with-grinder-big-poop-problem/676457/3 "2013-12-16T14:17:26Z")
If the problem is that the stool is too large to fit into the toilet’s trapway, there are toilets with larger diameter trapways. Caroma toilets have 4" trapways. If that’s not big enough (I’ll admit that I’m not familiar with elephant poop), perhaps an incinerating toilet would work. ---
**Author:** ![SpeedwayRyan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@SpeedwayRyan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SpeedwayRyan)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-with-grinder-big-poop-problem/676457/4 "2013-12-16T16:27:42Z")
Pics? ---
**Author:** ![mhendo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mhendo/32/3159_2.png) [@mhendo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mhendo)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 4:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-with-grinder-big-poop-problem/676457/5 "2013-12-16T16:43:51Z")
I had family in town last weekend, and my 15-year-old nephew dropped a log in our toilet that defied belief. If you told me that monstrosity could have passed through the anus of this tall, skinny kid, i would never have believed you. A couple of flushes made clear that there was no way this massive trout was ever going to make it through the S-bend. It had to be physically pummeled into submission with the plunger. ---
**Author:** ![spotthegerbil](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/439d5e/32.png) [@spotthegerbil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spotthegerbil)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 5:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-with-grinder-big-poop-problem/676457/6 "2013-12-16T17:02:00Z")
What about a British style toilet? There’s no valves in the pan, so the waste lands in the reasonably deep water\*. When the flush goes, everything in the pan goes round the U bend which goes into a 4" pipe. Better still if you have a traditional high cistern, where you pull the chain and the water has at least a 6’ head start before it forces the elephant turd down the pan. A cross section of my bog [looks like this](http://home.howstuffworks.com/toilet2.htm), so there’s a reasonably large opening to get everything down. Whether this meets with your local building standards is another matter. The only other option that I have used where volume is not a problem was a long drop composting toilet. Not very suitable for domestic situations, and the smell in the summer was interesting to say the least. \*This has the unfortunate effect of occasional splashback… Possible TMI follows. [spoiler]Or on the other hand you can have the turd which doesn’t break off before it hits the water. Which is even more impressive if you are on a diving board at the time…:)[/spoiler] ---
**Author:** ![MikeF](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@MikeF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MikeF)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-with-grinder-big-poop-problem/676457/7 "2013-12-16T17:32:58Z")
What you are looking for is a macerating toilet. Like this: [http://www.libertypumps.com/Products/Category/?c=21](http://www.libertypumps.com/Products/Category/?c=21) ---
**Author:** ![lance\_strongarm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/87869e/32.png) [@lance\_strongarm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lance_strongarm)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 5:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-with-grinder-big-poop-problem/676457/8 "2013-12-16T17:40:25Z")
Wow, there really is such a thing. ---
**Author:** ![buddha\_david](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee7513/32.png) [@buddha\_david](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/buddha_david)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 6:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-with-grinder-big-poop-problem/676457/9 "2013-12-16T18:17:29Z")
> [@ratatoskK](#): > > I am talking about poop that looks like it came out of an elephant. Did you know that elephants eat their own poop? Not a great suggestion, I know. But if you’re stuck for ideas… ---
**Author:** ![Mdcastle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/958977/32.png) [@Mdcastle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mdcastle)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-with-grinder-big-poop-problem/676457/10 "2013-12-16T18:37:54Z")
How about trying to get hold of an older, non-low flush toilet? ---
**Author:** ![Artemis\_Tardis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4bbf92/32.png) [@Artemis\_Tardis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Artemis_Tardis)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 6:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-with-grinder-big-poop-problem/676457/11 "2013-12-16T18:43:41Z")
Today I learned that there are incinerator toilets. Today I also learned that you can burn poop. ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-with-grinder-big-poop-problem/676457/12 "2013-12-16T18:48:40Z")
> [@ratatoskK](#): > > I am talking about poop that looks like it came out of an elephant. Can you imagine the peanuts? ---
**Author:** ![Artemis\_Tardis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4bbf92/32.png) [@Artemis\_Tardis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Artemis_Tardis)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-with-grinder-big-poop-problem/676457/13 "2013-12-16T18:50:38Z")
I think that a change on his diet would also help. More water and milk. ---
**Author:** ![bump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7c8e57/32.png) [@bump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bump)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-with-grinder-big-poop-problem/676457/14 "2013-12-16T18:56:33Z")
> [@demian\_travis](#): > > I think that a change on his diet would also help. More water and milk. Don’t forget the fiber! ---
**Author:** ![jk1985](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jk1985/32/7309_2.png) [@jk1985](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jk1985)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 6:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-with-grinder-big-poop-problem/676457/15 "2013-12-16T18:57:00Z")
Lol, I have the same problem. For some reason, I always clog the toilet. I think you should just buy a better toilet… one of those with a high-powered flusher. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-with-grinder-big-poop-problem/676457/16 "2013-12-16T19:12:45Z")
> [@Mdcastle](#): > > How about trying to get hold of an older, non-low flush toilet? They aren’t necessarily any better at big dumps. Between regular toilets (which come with a bewildering array of “super-flush” designations, which are nearly all pure marketing BS) and the commercial high-pressure flushers that sound like a backfiring jet engine, there are “vacuum assist” toilets that are not terribly expensive, noisy or requiring of special plumbing. I can vouch for their ability to carry away at least medium-sized elephant poop. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-with-grinder-big-poop-problem/676457/17 "2013-12-16T19:20:49Z")
> [@MikeF](#): > > What you are looking for is a macerating toilet. Like this: > > [http://www.libertypumps.com/Products/Category/?c=21](http://www.libertypumps.com/Products/Category/?c=21) Macerators have become more common with the [RV crowd](http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/flojet-rv-waste-pump-kit/26125#sthash.3Sj0UBMu.dpbs), as well. ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-with-grinder-big-poop-problem/676457/18 "2013-12-16T19:44:54Z")
> [@demian\_travis](#): > > Today I learned that there are incinerator toilets. Today I also learned that you can burn poop. See [Incinolet.](http://incinolet.com/) There was an episode of Dirty Jobs where Mike Rowe was involved in the repair of one of these things. It was a pretty nasty job. As far as burning poop goes…yes, there are some places that actually use dried animal dung as fuel for fires. ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 7:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-with-grinder-big-poop-problem/676457/19 "2013-12-16T19:53:38Z")
Several considerations. You want a toilet with a wide trap. American toilets seem to clog easily because they have narrower traps and “exhaust” diameter. Try to get a toilet with a wider passage. Toilets which use flushometer and have a jet that pushes the waste down are better BUT they require higher water pressure to work well. Make sure before you buy one. Macerating toilets (often used on boats) would not be the best solution because they macerate after the trap where the clog is. The main purpose of a macerator toilet is to be able to use a narrower waste pipe, not to be able to handle bigger waste. Having a regular tank higher up does nothing unless you have a very wide pipe (which you don’t). A low tank dumps the water quicker because the connection is wider. When I travel and clog toilets I will often just take a bucket and pour it from a certain height and the force and pressure is often enough to make things move. ---
**Author:** ![sidecar\_jon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a5b964/32.png) [@sidecar\_jon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sidecar_jon)\ **Post date:** [December 16, 2013, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-with-grinder-big-poop-problem/676457/20 "2013-12-16T19:58:05Z")
The macerating pump is for situations where you cant usually put a toilet, where the “stuff” has to be ground up so it can be pumped through a 2" pipe to the sewer… 2" pipes clog up the box of tricks might stop working and then the only option is set fire to the house and run…On a more practical front a hands off approach is to pour a kettle of boiling water on the offending “stuff”, that helps it break up…also some camping toilets work with a liquid that will dissolve it into goo before flushing… [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/toilet-with-grinder-big-poop-problem/676457.md?page=2)