I have been composting for a couple of years but just happened to stumble across this website. The one thing better than composting is talking about it while it cooks.
I live in an apartment,so I compost in 5 gal buckets. Not big enough to fully heat up but that's fine.
I live in a very hot,sunny climate. Is it good to keep my compost buckets in the sun? I find that doing so(after covering the surface with burlap to prevent evaporation) heats it up to about 140 degrees under the combined effect of solar and microbial energy. In the shade,115 is about the most it achieves. My concern is that the rapid rise in temperature caused by sunlight may kill mesophiles before the thermophiles can take over and slow down the process. What do you guys think? I would like my compost to be as hot as possible despite physical restrictions.

It is my unsubstantiated belief that compost does better in the shade; however, all professional compost is made in full sun.

Just curious, what size buckets do you use and where do you place them? Also, what do you use for your mixture? Do you use mostly kitchen scraps or do you forage your neighborhood for grass clippings? Why have you chosen not to use vermicomposting, given your particular situation?

Sasha