Often when you sit down to talk with another bus owner, you discover that you have a great deal of things in common. For instance, their 2.5 children of legal age, want to move home to live with them again. They do not know why they bought a bus with some 3 million miles on it. And their wife completely does not understand them at all.
The more you talk, the clearer it becomes.
Other than the fact that you are driving something completely different, you quickly discover that you share the same problems.
Such is the case here.
I am talking to this guy and he tells me that his Prevost has an electric dump valve and a switch on the dash and one at the holding tank.
My Eagle has the very same thing. Now his has a mascerator and mine does not, there we kind of part company on the dump circuit of life.
As we talked I told him of a guy who I met who told me that "he had never used a dump station in 15 years of RV'ing in America." Which most folks would find not only hard to believe, but at the same time, disgusting.
Then my new found friend told me this story, which I will now share with all of you:
"We had a coach that had a macerator switch inside the coach if we desired to use that to drain the holding tank. It could be used while we drive. We did not ever use it in that fashion, because I personally don't think it is right to do that.
But he had a coach built to match our features. He decided at one point to use that feature to drian his holding tank to use his macerator. When you are in motion your coach creates a large negative pressure area behind it, which is why you probably have as much road dust and crap stuck to the back when you stop driving.
What he did was use his macerator to empty his full holding tank. (Please insert an appropriate Oooooooo or deep-throated groan or Yuck here)
What he did not realize until he stopped driving for the day that whatever came from the macerator got pulled into the low pressure area behind the coach and it literally ended up painting his new Grand Cherokee with whatever came out the macerator discharge pipe.
And it got every where.
In the door seams, in the air intake vents for the AC system, on the engine, and it created a dried coating over the entire Jeep.
Washing it off reconstituted the dried ****. And no amount of washing got it out of the air intake for the AC or heating system. He did not drain his holding tanks while in motion after that.
BTW, he is not alone is doing dumb stunts as the Dave Matthews bend bus driver realized when he dumped his tanks on a bridge over the river in Chicago hitting tourists on a boat going under the bridge awhile back."
Kind of gives totally new meaning to the expression "My tow-car is a piece of ****."
Oh, hahahahaha ... I think I just hurt myself.
Anyway, often, in the cool part of the day (or after reading some of the comments here), I think of that story and how nice it would be, how it would be so cool to park on some of my BCM detractors driveways'.
Just for maybe ten minutes max, yeah, that would work.
Watch those Right-Handers.
BCO
Now there is one for the magazine Dave. You could entitle it "When The Poo-Poo Hit The Whirly Dirley."
You know you run the risk of giving some not so nice people out there ideas. :)
Years ago, a now deceased friend of mine told me that he was on a train. He went to use the bathroom so when he went to flush the toilet, the bottom of the toilet opened and the crap was just flushed out onto the tracks while the train was moving along at full speed. I don't know what time period he was talking about but don't even thing about it now.
I guess that you could refer to that story as a case of pooetic justice!
When my daughters were young and we traveled not in the bus but an old motorhome. I told them that the toilet just dumped on the road. They used to get such a kick out of Flushing and running to the back window to see if they could get the car behind us. It was hard to keep water in the fridge at times. They were always very hydrated on our trips. They finally saw me dumping the holding tank that game was over.
Rick
The very first bus conversion I ever saw was owned by the local GM dealer when I was a kid. I got to ride home from Cub Scout camp in the bus one summer. I was a Cub Scout so what - 10? at the time. Once we got on the road Cliff's wife kept asking "Is it time yet?" Finally he nodded "yes" and she went aft to pull the plug on the holding tank. That was a long time ago and they for sure weren't pulling anything behind them. We may even have been on gravel at the time although I think that particular highway was paved by then.
As a good friend of mine is fond of saying "the solution to pollution is dilution".
When the train is in the station,
We encourage constipation,
When the train is moving why aren't youuuuu!... :o ::) ;)
Quote from: CrabbyMilton on September 14, 2016, 03:24:06 PM
You know you run the risk of giving some not so nice people out there ideas. :)
Years ago, a now deceased friend of mine told me that he was on a train. He went to use the bathroom so when he went to flush the toilet, the bottom of the toilet opened and the crap was just flushed out onto the tracks while the train was moving along at full speed. I don't know what time period he was talking about but don't even thing about it now.
That's not uncommon still in some countries. Some years ago, when I was a young'un wanting to see the world, I took the train from Munchen in Germany to Istanbul, enroute to points further east, but unfortunately I was booked in a Bulgarian couchette car. Nothing much wrong with that, except it had Asian-style squat loos instead of the western-style porcelain throne-with-a-hole. One could look at the rail ties and ballast whizzing by underneath while one communed with nature, all well and good until the train entered a tunnel somewhere near Nis in southern Yugoslavia and the increased air pressure caused what usually goes down to come back up, and what's more with considerable force. Being Asian-style there was no loo paper, but I was very glad to have my own supply of it at that moment. Once I reached the Indian subcontinent I realized that Bulgarian trains were positively luxurious compared to the norm there - in comparison, Amtrak seems very dull!
John
My uncle told me that one of the first Eagles his charter company owned had a little handle or lever inside the cover of the toilet in the bus that flushed it.
He also told me once that he took a bunch of drunks from GoodYear to the spring race @ Talladega, AL and on the way there they had filled the toilet.
So he stopped at a rest area and dumped it (at a dump station), well while dumping one (or more) of the guys was being helpful and helped him dump it.
So a little while after that someone came to the front of the bus and reported the toilet was full AGAIN.
This time Mr. Helpful told my uncle "keep driving I got this!"
So when the guy managed to work his way thru all the partying drunks to the rest room he yelled to the front of the bus "Is the coast clear?"
To which my uncle yelled "Yes" He said after that every so often he'd hear an echo (being repeated) of "is it clear" start at the back work it's way to the front and he'd check the mirrors and yell "All clear" when it was and it's echo all the way to the rear and all the sudden there would be a cloud of mist behind the bus for a split second.
He said they did it all the rest of the way there and on the way home too!
He said they actually got pissed off the next year when took them because he'd gotten a newer bus, and this one had a different style toilet in it and they couldn't "Let 'r rip" when it was full!
Still the practice in Canada's passenger railway...
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/vias-dirty-secret-has-workers-steaming/article1037344/ (http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/vias-dirty-secret-has-workers-steaming/article1037344/)
Brian
I rode trains quite a bit when I was younger (I am almost 75 ,so train travel was quite common when I was young) never giving a thought as to what happened to the sewage.A few years ago ,I went on a railway excursion sponsored by the local Railway Society .I found it curious that members from the group came through the cars and told everyone to refrain from using the rest room until the train was in motion.I found out when I went to the rest room later on .I flushed the John and thought I got a glimpse of daylite in the bottom of the commode so I flushed again and saw the cross ties rushing past.This stuff was dropping strait down to the RR tracks.I realized at that moment why there was so much tissue on and around the RR tracks we played on when I was younger .People used to talk about what a great job working for the railway was.I kind of wonder if the guy's that had to work on the under carriage of these cars felt the same way!!!
Regarding using dump stations, one of the things I plan to do in the near future is to put in a "cutout" sewer connection near my garage so I can empty my tanks. That will give me control of connections to the dump, a cleaning water faucet with a no-backfeed valve (that I know works), a dedicated dump hose and cleaning hose, etc. I'm sure that I'll still be using dump stations during travel, but I'd like to be able to dump and clean tanks where I know I have secure and reliable connections and equipment.
The only issue with dumping at home through a cleanout is for people like us that are on septic systems. I question whether residential size systems could handle the infusion without effecting the leach lines. If you are on a municipal system, you're okay though.
Quote from: Lin on September 15, 2016, 08:37:38 AM
The only issue with dumping at home through a cleanout is for people like us that are on septic systems. I question whether residential size systems could handle the infusion without effecting the leach lines. If you are on a municipal system, you're okay though.
God point, mine holds 2,400 gallons. That is a lot of groceries, no?
Here is something else: "Why do most entertainer coaches dump on the curbside when almost all of America does it on the other side?"
Close proximity to a street drain for their poo?
After reading all of these I have this
"On The Road Again"..."On The Road Again"..."On The Road Again"..."On The Road Again"..."On The Road Again" and Willie on my mind.
Must be that Polar Vortex thing.
BCO
Quote from: Lin on September 15, 2016, 08:37:38 AM
The only issue with dumping at home through a cleanout is for people like us that are on septic systems. I question whether residential size systems could handle the infusion without effecting the leach lines. If you are on a municipal system, you're okay though.
I have dumping at home for 15 years with a septic tank no ill effect yet,and people who visit us needing to dump use it also
Good, I'll visit you this winter Clifford. My friend that owns the golf course there says I can park there but no dump there.
I did do it once some years ago. My situation though is a little different though. Since the cleanout is quite far from the closest we can get the bus, I used a macerator to pump it the distance. Now, as I understand septic systems, the solids are supposed to go to the bottom to digest, and only fluid is supposed to drain into the leach lines. If large amounts of sludge get into the leach lines, they can clog them up. Eventually, one would be faced with having to install a new leach field. I do not really know if dumping straight or through a macerator is more likely to cause a problem (or even if either/both will for sure do any harm). However, before I made a habit of it, I would do a bit more research.
On the other hand, Clifford's long history of dumping that way is encouraging. I would also guess that there are many people that do it, which, of course, does not mean that it is safe. Anyway, if you choose to go that route, be careful about what chemicals you put in your holding tank. Many are definitely bad for septic systems.
We have hookups for 3 RV's two 30amp, and one 50 amp.. there has always been at least one hooked up and a three bedroom two bath house. Our septic was built to service 14 people 38years ago and has worked perfectly ever since. You will never have any problems with a properly designed system. The best texts on design and care are Chinese. Two NASA engineers designs are the basis of modern American systems..rdw
we have a 3" dump drain that we use all the time to drain the tanks and have used it for years with zero problems on our septic system . if we were home instead of in the r/v the use would be the same . the only extra thing I do is flush more water through the dump drain after use . it just makes life better
dave
Quote from: Lin on September 15, 2016, 08:37:38 AM
The only issue with dumping at home through a cleanout is for people like us that are on septic systems. I question whether residential size systems could handle the infusion without effecting the leach lines. If you are on a municipal system, you're okay though.
My home septic system is sized for 625 gallons a day. I live alone so I doubt 100 gallons from my bus would hurt anything.
Also, if you are dumping into your septic system at home, theoretically you are gone for the same length of time that your home septic system is not being used so it is a zero-sum average kind of thing for all of you that took the math class called Game Theory.
I have a dash switch for an air operated dump valve for my 180 gal mixed gray/black tank . Haven't done a highway dump cause I don't get away for more than a few days at a time, so I always dump on my gravel driveway near a barn that houses the coach. Coming in off the road I don't need the macerater as things are nice and mixed up. No problem dumping on my land , the 30-40 cows on the other side of my house don't clean up after themselves.
My tank additives are some "Green Stuff" for odor and some Calgon liquid water softener to keep things "sliding" around, plus any suds from the shower. I don't if I am wasting cash on the Calgon.
When we hit the road in a few years after stopping work for good, I will have to learn the campground tricks, but as yet I have never had to hook up a hose. I can see a highway dump in heavy rain with no traffic to the rear. After reading about the negative pressure above I'd slow it down to 25mph or so.
Quote from: Dirtball on September 17, 2016, 06:48:11 PM
I have a dash switch for an air operated dump valve for my 180 gal mixed gray/black tank... I can see a highway dump in heavy rain with no traffic to the rear.
Dirtball (and others contemplating this) -http://www.chicagotribune.com/chi-0503100266mar10-story.html (http://www.chicagotribune.com/chi-0503100266mar10-story.html)
FWIW. . .
;)
on the featherlite it has the same switch above the driver seat ...why ? is it like a prevost that have people for that ? what do you have some one that hooks up the drain system to the drain but because you want to be in control you have to hit the switch ?
just kidding you prevost guys
dave
So we now know why no one put's their name on their buses any more !!! lol
Stick a fork in me, I am done.
Kind of tired of "Poo-Poo" talk, how about you? You know times are tough when you cannot stir up any good arguments with a post about dumping on the highway. I would bet by the silence of the lambs that more people have dumped where they shouldn't than we realize.
That is the bottom line ...
Dr. Oz Show said just the other day ... "You want floaters you don't want sinkers." Chew it up and spit it out any way you want, but never put it on a public right-of-way. That makes it a bio-hazardous material, and they have stiff penalties for that (enforced on everyone except political candidates, as usual, they get a pass).
BCO
BCO, I think you have it backwards. You want sinkers not floaters lol. Floaters mean you ate too much fatty foods. For example, after you eat KFC, you'll notice floaters. After eating a big salad and lots of fruit, you will not see a single floater. That being said, I've never in my life dumped anywhere except an approved line. I never let it get that desperate. We plan ahead so we can dump before i ever fill my 150 gallon tank. But I suppose if I were desperate, I'd crack the line just enough for liquids to dribble while driving down a very lonely dirt road in a heavy downpour. I'd deal with the solids later when I had time to flush the tank
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You could very well be right Scott, I have often heard it said, "He is full of it, but NEVER have heard it said, He is an EXPERT on it."
So, I could very well have it backwards. I didn't check yesterday after Long John Silvers, but I did get a free drink when I spoke to the server-person in a Pirate Dialect. She liked that.
Oh well, bigger mysteries in life, eh?
Why do they need my birth date to purchase spray paint, I am over sixty-years old. If mankind evolved from Apes, then how come we still have Apes? Last night I dreamed SHE came back and I woke up screaming.
Man-man, it just has to be Wednesday.
BCO
Just curious and then I too am through with this subject,but what idiot manufacturer would actually put a "dump switch" in the drivers area??With all the buttons and switches already there ,this is a recipe for disaster!!!
Just curious and then I too am through with this subject,but what idiot manufacturer would actually put a "dump switch" in the drivers area??With all the buttons and switches already there ,this is a recipe for disaster!!!
"I'm very sorry Mr. Motorcycle Goon I thought I was turning on the lights. Please pass along my regards to Skull and Nail Face."
Electronic dump valves should be banned on all motorhomes. There is no good reason to dump into the public except someone being lazy. There is enough pollution going on why would you want to add to it ? :( :( :(
Now I'm laughing because I'm thinking of a Johnny Carson sketch with his Floyd R Turbo character. Something to the effect "I'm very considerate. I dump the tank on my WINNEBAGO in the corner of the KMART parking lot. Nobody goes back there anyway."
Then the same character said..."They say we throw out too much garbage. What do they want me to do with it keep it in a shoebox under my bed?"
Congrats BCO! Another provocative and informative Post. Loved it!
By the way, I finished Honeysuckle Rose a couple of years ago and have yet to need to empty the tank which seems to be swelling somewhat--what is your suggestion or will the problem simply clear itself?
Jack :D
No, No--that's not my tanks, that's a propane leak.
That is the problem with Propane. Smells just like a black water tank so you can't tell which is leaking by the smell. Which is good because when people complain about my bus smelling like a sewer when I skimp on toilet chemicals, I just tell them I have a propane leak. It does two things, it stops them from complaining and they get further away from my bus. ;D
Just wanted add one definitive comment to correct any misconceptions anyone might have. Dumping on the road is disgusting. There can be no debate on the subject. It is wrong in so many ways that I do not believe anyone on this board would really be so despicable as to actually do it. Although, I have heard that it is one the things the Islamic State is threatening to do.
Quote from: boxcarOkie on September 14, 2016, 02:49:03 PM
Often when you sit down to talk with another bus owner, you discover that you have a great deal of things in common. For instance, their 2.5 children of legal age, want to move home to live with them again. They do not know why they bought a bus with some 3 million miles on it. And their wife completely does not understand them at all.
The more you talk, the clearer it becomes.
Other than the fact that you are driving something completely different, you quickly discover that you share the same problems.
Such is the case here.
I am talking to this guy and he tells me that his Prevost has an electric dump valve and a switch on the dash and one at the holding tank.
My Eagle has the very same thing. Now his has a mascerator and mine does not, there we kind of part company on the dump circuit of life.
As we talked I told him of a guy who I met who told me that "he had never used a dump station in 15 years of RV'ing in America." Which most folks would find not only hard to believe, but at the same time, disgusting.
Then my new found friend told me this story, which I will now share with all of you:
"We had a coach that had a macerator switch inside the coach if we desired to use that to drain the holding tank. It could be used while we drive. We did not ever use it in that fashion, because I personally don't think it is right to do that.
But he had a coach built to match our features. He decided at one point to use that feature to drian his holding tank to use his macerator. When you are in motion your coach creates a large negative pressure area behind it, which is why you probably have as much road dust and crap stuck to the back when you stop driving.
What he did was use his macerator to empty his full holding tank. (Please insert an appropriate Oooooooo or deep-throated groan or Yuck here)
What he did not realize until he stopped driving for the day that whatever came from the macerator got pulled into the low pressure area behind the coach and it literally ended up painting his new Grand Cherokee with whatever came out the macerator discharge pipe.
And it got every where.
In the door seams, in the air intake vents for the AC system, on the engine, and it created a dried coating over the entire Jeep.
Washing it off reconstituted the dried ****. And no amount of washing got it out of the air intake for the AC or heating system. He did not drain his holding tanks while in motion after that.
BTW, he is not alone is doing dumb stunts as the Dave Matthews bend bus driver realized when he dumped his tanks on a bridge over the river in Chicago hitting tourists on a boat going under the bridge awhile back."
Kind of gives totally new meaning to the expression "My tow-car is a piece of ****."
Oh, hahahahaha ... I think I just hurt myself.
Anyway, often, in the cool part of the day (or after reading some of the comments here), I think of that story and how nice it would be, how it would be so cool to park on some of my BCM detractors driveways'.
Just for maybe ten minutes max, yeah, that would work.
Watch those Right-Handers.
BCO
Now there is one for the magazine Dave. You could entitle it "When The Poo-Poo Hit The Whirly Dirley."
Oh how I've missed my BCO.
I second that Seangie
Something I have considered for getting rid of waste while driving comes from the engineers at GM. The GM Eleganza motor home had an option for a macerator system that then injected in to the exhaust to burn it off. One of many issues to overcome would be cracking the exhaust manifolds, I am not sure exactly how the whole system worked, but my thoughts would be to preheat the mixture with a heat exchanger before injecting it into the manifold. Another issue with this is the turbo, do not want to be sending burnt up gunk into the turbo. This will be a retirement project for me to play with, not something that I would find essential to have now. I have a freind who has an Eleganza maybe someday I can see how his system works.
Jeff LoGiudice
1986 TMC 102A3
Silver 6V92TA
Allison 740
Jeff some of the old Holiday Ramblers had this system also .Talked to a couple of guy's that had them back in the early 80's.Both these guys claimed that it worked .I will interject that I never saw one in action.
So they're basically just a less refined form of DEF - why bother injecting urea into the exhaust if the real thing will work? Not sure about the turds though - I would hate to be behind you when some flaming hot poo is shot out towards me. Maybe it warrents a Python-esque bumper sticker: "I fart in your general direction". Mind you, it would be effective against tailgaters, just like when drivers of old Hall-Scott Crowns would 'encourage' a flame several feet long out their exhaust for the same purpose.
Isn't it amazing that sooner or later the conversation here always gets around to discussing matters excremental. I think us busnuts have a healthy fascination with these things, or is it that most of us are not quite spring chickens, and older folk the world over are known for discussing the state of their bowels to anyone who will listen?
John
I think we all should give a second thought to the new plastic bag toilets coming out. You poo and then "flush" which really just twists the bag shut and opens another bag. Then when your system is full, you throw the bag in the nearest trash can or dumpster. Bag is sealed. No holding tank, no drama :)
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Quote from: Scott & Heather on October 01, 2016, 08:12:23 PM
Bag is sealed. No holding tank, no drama :)
Until such time as the bag gets perforated by sharp garbage! :-\
Come on guys... I'm bustin' a gut laughing at all this and starving at the same time (Got a colonoscopy scheduled for tomorrow)!
Just a wellness check that goes along with this wild & crazy post.
John, if I was keeping score - you took the prize... "So they're basically just a less refined form of DEF ..."
Haven't laughed that hard in quite awhile - thanks
2nd & 3rd prize goes to BoxcarOkie for starting this post and Digesterman for you post name!
I think I can stop laughing now... Kinda made my weekend.
Wow, I gotta get a life.
You guys don't drive thru Amish country very often at all do ya?
Those buggies have no holding tanks and when the horses gotta go they go!
Road apples everywhere!
;D BK ;D
Dan, I cracked up just reading your posts about you cracking up lol! BK, you guys seriously call them road apples? I've never heard that one before but I laughed. I absolutely cannot read this thread at night when my wife is sleeping cause I'll wake her up when I laugh hahah! I could tell stories of my first time lifting the blade valve of my 100 gallon black tank and not realizing I should put a brick on the 90° elbow going into the sewer pipe!!!!!
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(https://i1.wp.com/ldsrr91.files.wordpress.com/2015/08/images23.jpg?ssl=1&w=450)
Ahhhhhhh, the old poop string, never in my wildest dreams did I think this would go as far as it has. Kind of like Hillary and Donald, no wait, that would be politics and we don’t want to find ourselves talking nasty here. If this is not “the” definitive answer to man’s problems, I don’t know if there is one.
Really liked the DEF comment, that was a hoot.
In the late seventies, the railroad bought brand spanking new locomotives from EMD and they had electric toilets in them. Located down in the nose it did not take us long to figure out it was best to NOT use this marvel of technology and wait for a depot or some other suitable place.
We need to focus our energies on some other subject boys and girls. Let us think about the last trip down to the Carri-bean and how idyllic it was, the white sand, the long walks on the beach, the bride in all her new found mature beauty.
Yeah, that is the ticket, warm water and cold drinks under a thatched hut. Then she looked at me and said,
“Did you leave anything turned on at home?” and the mood kinda went away.
Looking out at that great expanse of blue water, shimmering and dancing under the mid day sun, then it came to me:
“I remembered that cruise ships dump more than 1 billion gallons of sewage in the the ocean each year. A cruise ship with 3,000 passengers and crew will produce enough sewage to fill 10 backyard swimming pools a week.” Kind of gives you a warm fuzzy and makes you all tingly inside doesn’t it?
Next time we can talk about the looks my dog gives me as I follow her around with a little shovel and a plastic bag. How she looks at me when I scoop it up, still warm and fragrant, and I put it in the sack. Let us take it one step farther, what if aliens did come to earth, and they observed us doing this practice, would they still wish to invade our planet?
I-don’t-think-so.com
Well, have to go, I am looking for a new toad to pull behind my bus. I went on the Internet and typed in “Hummer” and you would not believe what came up!
Watch those Right-Handers
BCO
Boxcar, I hope you take this as a compliment but many of your posts remind me of the late Andy Rooney. Abstract observations are often a favorite of mine and most are funny.
Your quip about overlooking your favorite landscape and suddenly wonder if the house burned down because you may have left a light on reminded me of my late Grandma and she went a step further worrying if their friends were waiting for their call for their Saturday night card session since this was in the 1970's-80's and no mainstream cell phones back then.
As for the dump subject, hey we all gotta go sometime...right?
Well, all of this talk is causing me to become pooped out now. :)
All of us (well most all of us ) are all to familiar with the doggy poo bags .Maybe the answer to this whole thing is over sized poo bags!!!
Quote from: CrabbyMilton on October 04, 2016, 06:48:13 AM
Boxcar, I hope you take this as a compliment but many of your posts remind me of the late Andy Rooney. Abstract observations are often a favorite of mine and most are funny.
You ever see that ventriloquist (try spelling that sucker will ya?!) Jeff something, he has the dummy Walter. That would be more like me, I am a cynic by nature, my outlook on life is sometimes a little harsh and cranky.
Over the years been compared to a lot of people. Your observation is welcomed and believe me, "very mellow" compared to some I have had here.
BCO
If you were "Walter", poo wouldn't be an issue considering Jeff Dunham's hand placement.