Honest guys...I did a search on this and didn't come up with anything. Here's the problem;
Buses don't sit as high as S/S jobs and at this park (and the one in FL) the Thetford fitting (45 deg) which clamps on my discharge creates a problem. Even though I block the bus up to aired up height it still settles and the 45Deg el ends up with tremendous pressure on it.
But being the reasonable intelligent person I am (I thought) this year I got some PT 2X10 and put 3 peices under the LF tire and 1 under the RF. Good drainage...as long as the bus was aired up! when it settled, while there was no pressure on the 45 El...the hose was full and I was smelling that ugly sweet smell that we all know so well. ???
Simple you say.....add another tier of 2X10 under the front tires. Fine...except that SWWNBD is 5' tall and God shorted her on legs in addition to the fact that she has a stability handicap. >:(
My solution? A short turn 90Deg. El to match the Thetford dogs would be just peachy keen. The problem is that no one makes a 90. BTW...I have only a black water tank...no gray. Me thinks that with the normal flow out of the tank a 90 should 'carry the traffic' without much difficulty. :(
Please help! I know my poop doesn't stink....it must be someone else's! :D
If anyone has an viable ideas...I'm all ears (for a change).
NCbob
Hey Bob,
There's something to be said for spring ride suspension, like on my GMC. ;D
I'm not sure it would work, but while I was at Browns RV in McBee, SC they had some clear "close ells" made by Camco.
I'm not sure why anyone would want the poop schute to be clear, but there it is!
Another thought, how about using 2 close 45°'s? Or the really simple fix, ----- get a macerator pump and don't worry if the hole is higher than the bus.
It is also the way the s**t runs uphill! ;)
Well after reading Dallas's input on this I'm leary of trying to help! After all if s**t can be made to run uphill, I'm afraid of where uphill it might get directed! Especially since every one knowsI have basically 0 experience with problems with conversions ! But I got an idea Bob! You an Jackie hop in the ol' MCI and make a trip over here to West Tennessee an we'll fix you up with a system that'll allow you too raise the coach about 4-6" b4 blocking it! That way once blocked it won't be able to settle so low! Simple to do, not to expensive, and easy to use; flip a switch while parking, allow air to build while raising air bags, get out place blocks, have the misses flip the switch and watch the coach come to a stop on the blocks! Easy enough? Think about it, give me a call, and we'll get'r done! BK ;D
Bob I have a 90 on my hose. They show it on page 130 of the latest Camping World catalog! It is clear so we can admire our handy work. I think I bought it at Wally world.
I posted a while back that doing it over again I would not put the drain through the floor. Several people said they did not see what the problem was. At least I have one on my side now!!
It sound like you need to find a solution to this. You may end up damageing your holding tank. Or is the discharge setup so that cant happen?
I only ever used and abused macerator pumps. They are well worth the extra money and lack of hassle
getting stuff to flow in the right direction with only a 3/4 inch garden hose. The odors from the dump hookup
also will not return into the coach.
I dump my tanks at home by taking a cleanout plug off that is on the side of the house, insert hose
and turn on pump.... Black first then grey.. If you only have black tank, hook a hose onto the water
injector port on the macerator to flush the drain hose and valve.
Don't get me wrong, I have all 3" drains but use a macerator that twists onto the camco style valve barbs.
I got a 90 degree elbow from camping world a while back and they still make them I think.
I carry a 3" dump hose and in 10 years have never had to use one yet.
I did use one on someones camper once.. It kept springing leaks.. Not a fun cleanup....Reminds
me of the scene in RV ( the movie )...Fecal Matter..whoosh!
Macerators also pull a vacuum which will pull stuff out with little fanfare. at up to 13 gallons a minute.
The only things they don't like are bunches of long hair, cigarette buts and pop top rings, and hair bands..
Don't ask me how I know.. It is also handy to have a rebuild kit on hand when things get lodged into stuff.
Heck you could even pump into a plastic barrel in the back of a pickup if you needed to.
Just my experience. Then it doesn't matter where or how you park or how low...
You mean like this...
http://www.campingworld.com/browse/skus/index.cfm/Outdoor-and-RV-Accessories/RV-Maintenance/Sanitation--Sewer/Sewer-Fittings/90-Degree-Clear-Sewer-Hose-Adapter-with-Bayonet-Lugs/skunum=22171 (http://www.campingworld.com/browse/skus/index.cfm/Outdoor-and-RV-Accessories/RV-Maintenance/Sanitation--Sewer/Sewer-Fittings/90-Degree-Clear-Sewer-Hose-Adapter-with-Bayonet-Lugs/skunum=22171)
By the way, I use a clear fitting, and like it. I can tell when everything stops running out of the tank. I'm not squemish, like some must be, so seeing the waste run down the line doesn't bother me.
craig
I have the same problem with the drains that NCBob has. I think the clear 90 degree elbow would help, but I am also going to set up a macerator pump like DrDave says so I can pump it into the septic tank when I get home.
Right now I dump it into the farm field behind my house, BUT, the dogs always seem to find it, and these are house dogs, the boss dosn't like it very much after they decide to roll around in the saturated ground.
Jim
Wow! Thanks to all who offered their advice and Bryce...one never knows where we'll show up.
Richard, I'll contact Camping World this morning and see about the El and connector.
I have given much thought to a macerator and at this point not sure it can be accommodated. It's to be seen whether I can live with the existing system, with slight modifications, or bite the bullet and tear it out and do it over. For the record it wasn't my brain child...probably installed by a disbarred plumber in the CHI area.
Thanks to all......
NCbob
Craig...pardon my inoperative brain....I was sooo certain the link to Camping World was offered by Driving Miss Lazy I thanked him by mistake.
Please accept my oversight and apology. Might have known you'd be on top of a topic like this. ;D
NCbob
Quote from: NCbob on May 02, 2007, 06:21:35 AM
Craig...pardon my inoperative brain....I was sooo certain the link to Camping World was offered by Driving Miss Lazy I thanked him by mistake.
Please accept my oversight and apology. Might have known you'd be on top of a topic like this. ;D
NCbob
It's ok. Really. I'm used to be shunned and ignored! ::)
That's why I like ABS and PVC pipe components for drain plumbing.
If it don't fit, a hacksaw or sawzall will make it fit, A little glue and it's all better (or worse).
My drains have always been inside a bay and not hanging underneath. Main reason is they get trashed
or knocked off at some point. I have a hole to run a line down through but that's all. It stays blocked when
I am moving around too. Mines not perfect, In fact I don't think there is a perfect way to do it without some
problem somewhere.
My current drain has a Tee with a place to mount a permanent macerator, Just haven't done that yet
but will as soon as I have time and energy. It will mount on the bulkhead above the main line. I have a valve on each
tank that goes to another valve that closes off the end of the line. I can open either of the tank valves and pump directly and not need to even go into the bay to hook up a sewer line. ( well that's the plan ) I looked at how the boat guys do it and
went that way.
My drain used to go thru the floor with an air valve that was controlled from the drivers seat, I changed that to have a 90 and it's now inside the bay with a manual valve to open it, I like it much better this way and it's higher so no longer a problem with the way they set up the campsites.
Is the macerator any faster or slower than just letting it run out a 3" pipe?
Sounds like to me a macerator pump would be the cure. Good Luck, TomC
Quote from: H3Jim on May 02, 2007, 07:38:19 AM
Is the macerator any faster or slower than just letting it run out a 3" pipe?
No it's a slower dump because the solids are ground up and pumped into a 3/4 inch hose.
Clogs and lumps get shredded and sucked out of the tank outlet.
My 90 gallon Black tank takes about 15 minutes if full.
The Grey flows faster because it is all liquid in usually about half the time.
Darn you guys! Everytime you start talking in one of these threads, I discover there is a new toy for the bus that I need. Now it is a macerator that I have to add to the list. Previously, I thought I was doing just fine with my dump valves and fittings (which are high enough that I have no problems). Then I read this thread and I start thinking .... always dangerous.
Usually I try to dump my waste tanks before I return home so I don't have to worry about matters there. But once or twice a year the situation forces me to empty my tanks at home. I have been using one of those wheeled portable transfer tanks you can buy at RV stores. I bought a larger one (35 gal?) so that I wouldn't need to go through the operation 4 or 5 times. Let me tell you, the damn thing is heavy and dragging it around is no picnic. Depending on the level in my tanks, I can usually empty both my black and gray with two transfers. I get to fill the tank, wheel the tank, dump the tank, repeat that whole process a second time, and then clean up. I'm can be looking at close to two hours, depending on what other stuff distracts me.
The place where I dump is a septic system connection point in my yard. It is 45-50 feet from the nearest location I can park the bus. It is certainly more distance than I would think about snaking a 3"
dump hose. They are both at roughly the same elevation, and I would have to break out a water filled hose or something to determine which was higher.
Now you have me thinking that a macerator would make life a whole lot easier. Back the bus into position, roll out the 50 foot hose, and throw the switch. The macerator processed material would even be easier on my septic system. Hmmmmmmmmm.
Who's got info brands/models/costs? How does the macerator inlet connect to the tank?
This is what I have, FloJet RV Waste Pump Kit
I Have tried one other brand, But next time ( after I wear out the 2 that I have. ) I will probably
go to an Oberdorfer Marine macerator as it's all metal and made to last 30 years.
You may be able to get a better price somewhere but here it at ;
http://www.campingworld.com/browse/skus/index.cfm/Outdoor-and-RV-Accessories/RV-Maintenance/Sanitation--Sewer/FloJet-RV-Waste-Pump-Kit/deptID=3:subOf=19:skunum=26125:src=TSC
Dave....
Oh.. And on occasion West Marine has a sale on the pump by itself that you have to adapt for around $99 cause thats what I paid
for the non-kit version. They come om 3" or 1 1/2" inlet, they both have the actual same size intake hole, Just one allows you to fit the 3" flex pipe over the outside. ( handy for impossible locations but prone to leaking if the hose checks out. )
They run on 12 volts @ 15 amps, Fused for 20 is best. About 20 minutes run before getting hot.
That's why I am thinking about the marine version that has a heavy duty motor that can run for hours if needed.
There is danger to your septic system when you dump your RV tank into your home system. Septic tanks are designed for water and solids to enter at a reasonably slow rate. All the solids are supposed to stay in the tank where they are broken down by bacteria. Normally after a toilet flush, all the solids just drift down while the water goes out the overflow into your leach lines. Only water is supposed to flow out of the tank and into your leach lines. Any solids getting into your leach lines clogs them up, and once clogged, they cannot be cleaned, but teh entire leach line system must be replaced - very expensive.
So dumping potentially hundreds of gallons all at once creates the possibility of stirring up the solids enough so some will go out the overflow. Done regularly, will soon enough cause your leach lines to fail.
Also, dumping huge quantities of grey water disturbs the fermentation process / breakdown of the solids that are in there.
You especially do not want to use any of the RV tank additives that stop the fermentation in the interest of keeping the smell away. If your solids cannot ferment and break down, they will fill up your septic tank to the point where they can go out the overflow and clog the leach lines.
A typical septic tank is 1000 or 1500 gallons. Putting a significant percentage of that into the tank all at once is a recipe for an expensive repair.
The typical Florida tank is 750 gallons.
I only use all natural non-formalehyde non-stink stuff in my tanks.
The nice part of the macerator is the relatively slow flow with no large surge, Septic tanks have baffles designed into
the input end that allow solids to drop out and fluids to migrate to the top.
I jus the other day had the tank here at the house pumped. I looked and watched carefully looking for traces of the blue or green dye that I use. It dropped out very nicely and you could see the banding almost like a time log of when I drained my tanks.
The tank, lines and drainfield were inspected and were all clean and no solids migration at all even after 3 years of black tank dumping. If you want to know how a septic system works just ask someone who does them for a living. They know and will tell you what should and shouldn't go in there that might cause you a problem.
Never use a preservative, add active bacteria to your RV tanks each year, Let it sit and cook a little before you dump so that solids will disolve easier. It is recommended to move the RV in normal driving so that the tank contents will slosh around and solids will not clump into mountains.
Unless you have a curved drop pipe into your tank from the toilet, a Handy wash down wand can be used to add water and stir things up before you drain the tank. Some tanks can have a permanent wiggle-hose washdown fitting added to the tank that all you have to do is apply water pressure to the fitting and the hose in the tank will flap around and wash down and break up solids.
Works for Me....
Dave....
Hi H3Jim,
Sorry, but I have to disagree with you about dumping a holding tank into a sepyic system. In our part of the country many of the campgrounds have septic systems and also have dump stations. Depending on the number of sites with sewer hookups they probably have larger septic tanks but they also probably have more users of the dump station. We put in a dump station at our home 15 years ago and have been dumping into our septic system regularly ever since. We dump as soon as we arrive home so that any solids are in suspension and have never had our 115 gallon black/grey combination full but our drain field was inspected by the system installer recently and he said there had never been any water past the first run of pipe in the drain field so I'm quite sure we have not done any dammage. Do you fully understand how a septic tank is constructed? Ours has a baffle between the inlet and the outlet so in order for solids to get from the inlet side to the outlet side they would have to go to the bottom below the baffle and back up to the top on the outlet side to get into the drain field. In your area you probably only dump into a city sewer system but next time you are at a rural campground ask them if they have a septic system and if they have problems with solids in their drain field.
Thanks, Sam 4106
Another RE: septic systems, I have what is commonly referred to as a mound system. In Wisconsin, they are for the most part replacing normal gravity septic systems when the ground is not optimal for a conventional gravity system.
The mound system has two tanks. The first tank breaks down the contents, and the second tank has a pump in it that pushes the contents under pressure through the field or bed, they do not rely on gravity, the entire field gets uses each time, therefore it virtually eliminates the clogging referred to.
There was a lot of resistance to this type of system at first due to cost, but they do work well because the mound, or ground where the Field pipes are laid is trucked onto the site and the soil is perfect for leaching the contents of the field.
I am not worried at all about pumping into my system, if it were a conventional gravity system I could see where it "may" be a problem if the contents were not broken down.
Jim
I think a bigger tank makes for no issue. I think its still a concern for a small home system.
Actually, the pipe that goes between the two tanks in the standard Cal septic tank is not at the bottom, that would be a disaster and encourage the solids to move through. You want to keep them in the tank until they break down. The outlet pipe is just below the surface of the water with a down facing inlet. That way neither floaters nor heavy solids get through to the next stage. That is the way the outlet from the first compartment to the second works, and also the way the outlet from the second to the leach field works.
Since the penalty for letting solids get to your leach lines is so expensive, I stand by my comments as something to be aware of when you are dumping. I'm glad that it does not happen frequently and that at least several of you have had good experiences.
Thats also why the experts recommend to have it pumped out frequently, which many people also do not do. Some of that may be to encourage business, but the rule of thumb out here is 12 years divided by the number of people in the household is the number of years to let pass before pumping it out. Also, its better to do a little unnecessary maintenance than to put in new leach lines.
And yes, I have a septic system here in the hills east of San Diego, and I grew up in Connecticut where we also lived on septic. I have seen my share of septic issues. I don't dump my black tanks here, although I might if it was easier to get to.
One last thing, its good to have water move through the system. A well used system is generally in better shape than one that sits and is not used. My concern is not too much water (a significant percentage of the tanks) all at once.
Thanks for all the good comments. For the record, I have the mound type system and it was installed in 1991 when the home was built. 1200 gallons sticks in my mind as the size of the settling tank, which is underground near the house. From there, a pipe runs about 250 feet towards into the back yard where the mound is located. At the mound, there is a secondary tank and a pump.
Last year the pump died (oops, almost said it crapped out.) I was told 15 years out of one of these pumps is better than the 10-12 year average most people see. The tank was also pumped out at that time. The general condition operating condition of everything (except the pump) got high marks from the guy that did the repair and pumping.
My bus has a 75 gallon black and a 75 gallon gray tank, so the absolute most I could do would be 150 gallons. I know I have never had them completely full when I have dumped at home. 50-60 gallons total is more likely. Based on some of the cautions here, I would be carefull about how much I fed it all at once. Being at home gives me the luxury of not having to rush it.