The success of the Excel design meant that a three chamber unit could be specifically designed for those with NO continuous 110 volt supply.
First launched in 1981, the Excel NE has long been the standard toilet for those living off the grid. The Excel NE has no fan or heater. Odorless operation is achieved by a 4″ vent mounted at the top rear of the unit which acts like a chimney on a wood stove.
For good air movement the vent should be installed vertically and to 2-3 feet above the peak of the roof. The optional 12 Volt Fan should be installed if you need to install the toilet with any bends in the vent. No more than 2 45° bends are encouraged, even with the fan. If the Excel NE is used residentially or heavily, or is in a place which is subject to downdraft, the optional 12 volt fan should be installed in the vent stack. This fan draws 1.4 watts and can be powered by a solar panel and 12 volt marine battery.
Where Can a Non-Electric Composting Toilet Be Installed?
Thanks to its self-contained and non-electric design, a Sun-Mar composting toilet like this can be set up almost anywhere you need it. No need for sewer lines, running water, or even a power outlet—which makes it a favorite for off-grid cabins, remote camps, tiny homes, backyard studios, boats, and even yurts. Whether you’re homesteading in the woods, upgrading your hunting shack, or finally making that lakeside getaway livable year-round, your installation options are wide open.
Evaporating capacity on the Excel NE is variable, so the 1″ drain at the rear should be connected to an approved drain pit, container, or other facility. Installations include, but are not limited to: cabins, cottages, homes, businesses, resorts, camps, treehouses and workshops.
Dimensions and Weight
Wondering if the Excel NE will fit your space? Here’s what you need to know:
- Overall Size: 36″ tall, 28″ wide, and 36″ deep—compact enough for cabins, tiny homes, and other off-grid retreats.
- Clearance for Emptying: For smooth removal of the compost drawer, you’ll need at least 46″ of depth from the wall behind the unit.
- Weight: Sturdy at 81 lbs, allowing for easy installation by two people.
These dimensions make the Excel NE a flexible fit for a wide range of off-grid living arrangements—no electric outlet required.
To learn more about the Excel NE, check out our video on Youtube!
What’s Included with Your Excel NE
When you purchase the Excel NE composting toilet, everything you need for an effective setup is bundled right in the box. Here’s what you can expect to find alongside your unit:
Complete installation hardware, including a bowl liner and footrest for comfort and clean operation
A set of three 31″ sections of 4″ ABS vent pipe, plus a 6″ diffuser for optimal venting
Rake for managing compost materials inside the chamber
Flexible 1″ drain hose (8′ long) for easy connection to your approved drain facility
Compost Sure Green starter bag to help kick-start the composting process
Owner’s manual and warranty card, so you’re covered and never lost in the setup process
Available in white
White CSNL-01101W
The Excel NE is certified to Standard 41 with the National Sanitation Foundation (NSF). Visit here to view a list of Sun-Mar’s NSF certified products.
California residents – WARNING: Cancer and reproductive harm – www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.
All Sun-Mar composting toilets have a 3 year warranty on parts. For information on Sun-Mar’s warranty, visit here to view a copy of Sun-Mar’s warranty card.
Check out some reviews from our customers!
Great product
Easy to setup, simple to use, no odour. (Verified Home Depot Canada review)
10+ years and going strong!
I have an Excel NE, so I hope this is the correct model I’m reviewing. I own a small, off-grid island in northern Ontario. There was no possibility of having a regular toilet, due to the rocky surface necessitating an above-ground septic tank. (Not only the insightliness, but also the challenge of having an island septic tank serviced, made that option unsatisfactory.).
Happily, my SunMar composting toilet is an awesone substitute. We’re typically there every 2nd or 3rd weekend from May ‘til October, but have been there for a few weeks, at times, or had large groups for a few days. I even lived there for four months, in 2005. It handled it all very well.
The only criticisms I have are the ease of which the material forms into balls, which hold their shape even in the finisher; the large size; the price (although, with over a decade of use so far, the cost-per-use is low); as well as the handle’s tendency to to want to slide back into its groove, while turning. I am keenly aware of this latter fact, so I keep tension on the handle, pulling it towards me as I rotate it. But not everyone understands this, and I’m dreading the day I show-up and find a chunk of plastic snapped-off the handle or the unit. (I hate broken things.) Surely, a design adjustment could prevent this from happening, rather than relying on the user to remember to apply outward pressure while also turning. I think I’ve put an adequate amount if fear into everyone, which is why it hasn’t happened yet.
Do I recomnend this product? So much, yes! I keep wondering why this product isn’t mass-produced for countries where open pit elimination and outhouses are still commonplace? The user experience of this product is so similar to a standard toilet, it is probably the best choice for anyone wanting or needing to live greener. (Verified Home Hardware review)
We have been very happy with our composting toilet.
We could have put in a real outdoor style toilet but did not want the constant smell that is associated with outdoor toilets. With the Sun-Mar we can enjoy a smell free process and the compost is recycled to the surrounding woods without worry of smell or contamination of the environment. There is little maintenance involved. In the spring, we add moisture, compost and microbe mix to begin the season.
The compost is sprinkled near our plentiful trees, bushes and flowers and dug in to enrich our sand/clay soil. It improves our soil.
When my husband Jim and I retired to our hunting cabin in the Wisconsin Northwoods, we decided to simplify our lifestyle. He built a small building about 8′ from our 25′ by 25′ A-frame, to use as a bathroom and shower house, and we installed the Excel-NE. In 4 years of daily use, we have had no problems with our composting toilet. In fact, we are delighted with it! There is absolutely no odor, to the surprise of our “downstate”, city visitors.
We have a summer cottage on a barrier beach here on Cape Cod
We installed our Sun-Mar and since then have helped 4 other cottage owners switch over from old fashioned outhouses to your product.
