Macerator bathroom

richardkillmon · January 02, 2019, 05:07:16 PM

Hello all and happy new year,

I'm rebuilding an MCI 5B 1976 bus and have completed all the insulation and the panels replaced.
I'm thinking of installing a macerator toilet system in the bus.
What is the best toilet to use?
Is the system worth it?

Thanks

Rick

oltrunt · January 02, 2019, 05:48:02 PM

While I don't have a macerator toilet in my bus I do have a macerator after the black tank slice valve. This allows me to empty my tanks with a short section of 5/8" garden hose rather than a 3" stinky slinky and even allows for uphill discharge--love it. Jack

Gary Hatt - Publisher BCM · January 02, 2019, 07:27:06 PM

I have a macerator toilet in my bus. It chews everything up and spits it into my black water tank.

The advantage of this type of toilet is that if you do not have a straight drop into the tank you can pump the sewage horizontally for some distance as I have to in my bus. The other advantage is that when you dump your black water tank it is very easy as there are no clogs.

The disadvantage of these toilets is that they do not flush completely without using a lot of water. There is always residual "stuff" left floating in the toilet. Yes, you can clean it completely but it may take more than twice the amount of water than a regular drop toilet. Also, if you lose power, you cannot flush your toilet. They are also a bit more noisy than a regular toilet, but not that much.

Dave5Cs · January 02, 2019, 07:35:23 PM

Masadisposerator The only way to fly. 1/2" to 3/4"garden hose will do up to 145 ft...

TomC · January 03, 2019, 10:51:34 AM

There is this big misconception that your black tank has to be directly under the toilet. My bus has the black tank mounted in the center with about a 4ft ABS 3" feeding it. Granted I have to use a bit more water, but then I have more water in the tank at flush out (45gal).
My truck I have a run that goes to the right then slopes down about 8ft to the tank 2ft below the toilet. I too tossed around using a Macerator toilet, but there's is nothing more reliable than a gravity toilet. Good Luck, TomC

Fred Mc · January 03, 2019, 10:54:46 AM

My first camper had a mecerator toilet. It worked fine until it didn't. After I had "fixed" it I swore I would NEVER have another one-ever-never-ever. I probably don't need to tell you why.And I haven't.

Jim Blackwood · January 04, 2019, 08:00:14 AM

Nothing beats a straight drop.

Dave5Cs · January 04, 2019, 09:48:33 AM

yes actually a straight drop will end up with the almighty pile of poo that hardens a little at a time if you don't really clean out your tanks well every time.
Mine has a 6 inch drop and then turn and slops down for 2 feet and then drops in. I also have a 3" sewer cap and fitting on the top outside edge of the tank so I can use a sprayer to wash out the tank after it finishes dumping.

richard5933 · January 04, 2019, 10:59:51 AM

Whether you have a straight drop from the toilet to the tank or a few feet of sloped pipe before the tank, you still can have problems with piles of poo building. Both of these setups will at some point drop things into the tank, and if enough water isn't in the tank piles will build.

We move quite often, not usually staying in one site for more than a few days. This keeps things in our tank mixed up pretty well. Doesn't hurt either that we have a combined black & gray tank, which means that we've always got a pretty liquid mix.

Geoff · January 04, 2019, 12:57:32 PM

Ok. I have a house toilet with a straight drop into the 35 gallon black tank. I use a 3" hose to dump with no problem, or a 3" marcerator pump and dedicated black garden hose for long distance dumping. No problem with the house toilet, and no smell.

eagle19952 · January 05, 2019, 12:03:36 AM

crap mountains only happen when you skimp on the flush water.

windtrader · January 05, 2019, 02:38:10 PM

With the toilet directly over the tank, any poop hill can be gone with a strong blast of streaming water from a garden hose stuck in the open toilet drain.

Geoff · January 05, 2019, 03:10:05 PM

Quote from: windtrader on January 05, 2019, 02:38:10 PM
With the toilet directly over the tank, any poop hill can be gone with a strong blast of streaming water from a garden hose stuck in the open toilet drain.

Sometimes people don't dump their black tanks for months and the contents can turn into clay. That's when the RV places tell the affected person to dump a bag of ice cubes through the toilet and go for a drive on twisty roads. They will charge you heavily if the have to pull the tank off to clean it up and put it back in.

chessie4905 · January 05, 2019, 03:44:43 PM

Add more fiber to your diet😏

dtcerrato · January 05, 2019, 04:57:31 PM

When hooked up to shore sewer we always hold the black tank and dump when needed if a long duration stay, or dump upon leaving, mountains don't build under liquid - at least in our black tank. We have a pair of 74 gal. - 1 black, 1 grey. Black dumps 1st, then we dump grey into black - that 3" blast from one tank to another will move mountains if there were underwater earthquakes...