Is there a Right or Wrong Amount of Leachate

[HotBin]

Leachate is a rich dark brown liquid that is produced during the composting process. Many gardeners collect it and use it as a form of garden fertiliser as it is high in nutrients.

How much leachate is too much?
If your HOTBIN is consistently operating at hot composting temperatures of 40-60°C, you should not experience more than an espresso cup’s worth of leachate being produced each week.

Should you notice considerably more than this being produced, it is likely your HOTBIN tell you that its contents is too wet. You can remedy this by adding and stirring in more shredded paper and/or torn up corrugated cardboard, this will help to absorb some of the excess liquid.

[Sally1]

I am concerned that I have to add so much shredded paper that the nutritional value of the compost, when used, will be reduced.

[stevieafloat]

Leaky leachate is hard to collect!

Hotbins are supposedly self containted, yet not quite.

I thought I could use it on our houseboat in a utility area. In truth I've had some issues doing this in practice.

The leachate ran out the bottom front grill and flooded the floor in our boat, often.

I now have my hotbin sitting on towels which are washed and replaced frequently.

It makes it work for us, yet it really is a bit of a faff.

I plan to modify my hotbin to collect the leachate using a tap.

I wish hotbin had done a tap on these in the first place, to make them 'truly' self containted.

Never mind

Stevie

PS Thought this might be helpful for people planning to run hotbin in a boat...or shed, greenhouse or garage in winter, expect leachate floods if you do. LOL.

[Noodlynoo]

Ive not had my hotbin long so have no leakage yet, but I was surprised to see there was no way of collecting the liquids. I have a well established wormery that has a tube that comes out to collect it and works beautifully.