How do I power and vent a Nature's Head composting toilet in an RV?

Answered by RV Parts Giant · Upland, CA · October 17, 2026

Short answer: Every Nature's Head has a small 12V fan built in. Wire its 18" single-pin cable to a 12V circuit through the included fuse holder, or use the 12V wall transformer on shore power. Then run the included 5 ft of 1-1/2" hose to an outside vent: a Shell Vent through a wall, or a mushroom vent on a boat. Leave the fan running so the compost stays aerobic and odor-free.

The fan and vent are what keep a composting toilet from smelling. The fan pulls air through the solids bin and out of the RV, which keeps the compost aerobic. Plan both before you fix the toilet down.

What comes in the box

Both the standard Nature's Head and the Weekender ship with:

The 12V fan, already mounted on the toilet
An 18" single-pin cable for the 12V fan hookup
A fuse and fuse holder for the 12V connection
An inside vent flange
5 ft of 1-1/2" vent hose with ends
Two mounting brackets with knobs and screws

Power: four ways to feed the fan

Situation	Part
Hard-wired to the house 12V system	Included cable and fuse holder; the 6 ft 12V cable (NH-Cable) if the run is longer
A 12V socket is nearby	12V Cigarette Lighter Plug with on/off switch and 6 ft cord, or the Power Kit with a socket if you have none
Cabin or a site with 120V only	12V Wall Transformer (NH-Adapter), which powers the fan on both the Nature's Head and the Weekender
A tidy permanent port on the bathroom wall	12V Wall Power Port Kit: panel-mount barrel socket wired to your 12V system, waterproof plug, 6 ft cable to the toilet

Keep a spare fuse (NH-Fuse) in the RV. If the fan stops, check the fuse first, because odor follows quickly once air stops moving.

Venting to the outside

Through a wall (vans, trailers, schoolies): the Shell Vent with Installation Kit gives an exterior wall termination with a built-in insect screen, 12" of 1-1/4" PVC pipe and an interior trim ring.
Through a boat deck or cabin top: the Portos-1 mushroom ventilator has a 3-3/8" cutout and fits a deck about 1.1" to 1.6" thick.
Longer runs: add 1-1/2" vent hose by the foot (NH-Hose). It fits both the Nature's Head and the Weekender.

Keep the hose as short and straight as the layout allows so the small fan can move air.

Fitting one on a boat? Our Nature's Head boat install guide covers the Marine Kit, deck venting and winter lay-up.

Fan upgrade

Nature's Head's High-Flow fan assembly (NH-HighCFM-Fan) becomes standard on new toilets from August 2026. It is 15mm thick against 10mm for the original, moves more air without more noise, has an IP67 dust- and waterproof coating, and uses WAGO connectors so the fan alone can be replaced later. It fits existing toilets as an upgrade.

Not sure which fan your toilet has? Our Nature's Head replacement parts guide shows how to tell and lists filters, seals and agitator parts.

Power draw

Nature's Head's user guide lists the fan at 0.07 A, or 1.68 Ah a day at 12V with the fan running continuously, on a circuit fused between 2 A and 5 A. Our Nature's Head installation guide covers mounting, venting and wiring step by step.

Shop the full Nature's Head range at RV Parts Giant.