RV dump at home

Bob P · 10-01-2020, 07:02 PM

Just curious if people take their RV home and dump the black/ grey water down their cleanouts? As most RVers know dumping at campgrounds etc are not always convenient and can be a long wait so we have a cleanout on the side of our house that I could access to dump and rinse out with out having to rush. Just wasnt sure if the cleanout could handle the rush of fluids etc. TIA for any input.

**flybouy** · 10-01-2020, 07:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob P

Just curious if people take their RV home and dump the black/ grey water down their cleanouts? As most RVers know dumping at campgrounds etc are not always convenient and can be a long wait so we have a cleanout on the side of our house that I could access to dump and rinse out with out having to rush. Just wasnt sure if the cleanout could handle the rush of fluids etc. TIA for any input.

Absolutely use it! There is no difference between the cleanout at home and the dump station anywhere else. If a neighbor asked what you are doing just watch the movie "Christmas Vacation" for the answer.

One other consideration. If you're leaving a campground with a long line at the dump station and they have sires with sewer connections look for an open site with a sewer connection. The campground won't care and most likely would be grateful that you weren't clogging up the road waiting.

Bill-2020 · 10-01-2020, 07:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob P

Just curious if people take their RV home and dump the black/ grey water down their cleanouts? As most RVers know dumping at campgrounds etc are not always convenient and can be a long wait so we have a cleanout on the side of our house that I could access to dump and rinse out with out having to rush. Just wasnt sure if the cleanout could handle the rush of fluids etc. TIA for any input.

I bought a portable dump tank to do just that. My septic clean out is in the front of the property and the camper is stored in the back. If we bring home anything from a trip I dump it into the portable, then roll the portable around to the front and dump and rinse. Easy as... ok, not easy as pie, but easier and free versus finding a dump station somewhere else.

Bob P · 10-01-2020, 07:36 PM

Thanks Flybuoy for your feedback, we thought about going to an empty full hookup site on our way out but our camping friends told us in advance they got shutdown or denied to dump there which made no sense to us. We were concerned about our cleanout at home if it had the capability to handle to onset or other issues from the city/ sewer company.

**flybouy** · 10-01-2020, 07:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob P

Thanks Flybuoy for your feedback, we thought about going to an empty full hookup site on our way out but our camping friends told us in advance they got shutdown or denied to dump there which made no sense to us. We were concerned about our cleanout at home if it had the capability to handle to onset or other issues from the city/ sewer company.

Perhaps that's the policy at that cg but I can't imagine why, it all ends up in the same place. I've done that hundreds of times without issue but I guess there's always the possibility.

BrooksFam · 10-02-2020, 02:27 AM

I have done it. My last RV (motor home) had a macerator which makes it supper simple. Used a garden hose and can pump it 100 feet.

Speaking of macerators, I don't see any mention of them here on this site. Anyone have one? I am thinking of adding one to our new TT as I like them..

QCMan · 10-02-2020, 06:19 AM

Great idea! We are on our second stick home that has a built in dump station per our specs when it was built. Also they both have a 50 amp outlet next to the rv storage site. The first one was without official permission but this one has all the local blessings it needs.
You will have the cleanest tanks around and will be able to bypass the dump station lines which can be crazy, especially on rainy days. Put in the same size fitting that you find in campgrounds and then you can use your normal gear to dump. Lots of peace of mind and you can also use the rv as a guest house if needed.

**flybouy** · 10-02-2020, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrooksFam

I have done it. My last RV (motor home) had a macerator which makes it supper simple. Used a garden hose and can pump it 100 feet.

Speaking of macerators, I don't see any mention of them here on this site. Anyone have one? I am thinking of adding one to our new TT as I like them..

I bought a macerator pump years ago when we had FR ultralight that sat low to the ground. I got tired of constantly lifting the hose to drain it. I've also used it at home just to keep the seals lubricated and to "exercise" the motor.

The one thing I'll mention is that when we were using it regularly the impeller would gather hair. At the time, two daughters and DW (all with long hair) were using the bathroom. Had the same issue with bathtub drains at home). My solution at both locations was to buy a set of extra long tweezers from Harbor Freight. They worked well as they were long enough to distance my gloved hand from pulling out the debris.

BauerAP · 10-02-2020, 10:15 AM

On topic but off topic...has anyone added to their septic system? We were planning on building but with materials becoming ridiculous the DW found a house she couldn’t live without. We close next week.
The septic tank is about 50’ from where the 5er will go. We do have a honey wagon but will be borrowing/renting a trencher to run 50A and hopefully a yard hydrant. I would like to have full hook ups for an in-law suite/guest house and we also do some partial boondocking. Any tips or advice for connecting to an existing septic system?

dutchmensport · 10-02-2020, 10:45 AM

I think we've done it both ways, but no macerator. When we lived in town, we used the house clean-out for dumping our tanks. I had to run about 50 feet of RV sewer hose from the trailer(s) to the clean it, but it worked. I never left the hose attached, only when actually dumping.

When zoning said we had to move the trailer, (after 16 years of parking it there), we moved it all right! And we moved with it, never to return again.

Current house has a septic tank. A few years ago, when it needed to be clean out, the lid was dug out and I replaced the lid (buried) with a pipe that come up above the ground with a lid for easier clean out. And bingo! I had a convenient way to dump the tanks in the trailer(s).

I do use my Blue Tote, as it's probably 175 feet or more from where I park the camper to the cap of the septic tank, but the tote works very well. I built a 'ramp' for the septic tank so the Blue Tote would be above the opening and gravity could do it's job. It's worked fantastic for, probably, 8 or 9 years now. I use to use the John Deere riding lawn mower as a tow vehicle. But since, found it much easier.... much easier .... to just pull the tote across the drive way, over the grass and up the ramp.

I'd love to run a line from where the trailer sits, but that would also mean cutting a trench through two different sections of asphalt driveway and that just isn't going to happen. Meanwhile the Blue Tote works great!

wiredgeorge · 10-02-2020, 11:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BrooksFam

I have done it. My last RV (motor home) had a macerator which makes it supper simple. Used a garden hose and can pump it 100 feet.

Speaking of macerators, I don't see any mention of them here on this site. Anyone have one? I am thinking of adding one to our new TT as I like them..

My RV slot on my property is about 215' from a septic clean out. The slot is up the hill and I run about 190' of 1" heavy duty garden hose down the hill and pump into the clean out via a macerator. My bro-in-law & sis stayed in this spot about 5 weeks earlier this year and used the macerator with no issues. Only issue is the water which is raw from the well and full of calcium and very hard. I am going to eventually try and figure out how to tap into my home water system as it runs through an effective softener. Our well water has a 125 hardness index.

**JRTJH** · 10-02-2020, 11:03 AM

Paul,

Depending on the elevation difference between your RV pad and the septic tank site, you may face an "uphill battle" getting a sewer line to drain into the septic system. If there is an "uphill drainage problem, there are pumps that you can buy to attach to the RV sewer outlet to "macerate the liquid waste and pump it uphill".

The only other concern I see is the potential (with larger holding tanks) of dumping too much effluent into the septic tank at one time, causing it to "dump raw sewage into the field lines. You can usually "safely dump" 50-75 gallons of waste into a 1000 gallon septic system with no problems, but dumping 100 gallons into a 250 gallon septic system may "overtask the tank"...

So, your best bet would be to get with the county building compliance inspector and/or a licensed septic installer and find out exactly what your county permits and whether your current system can be modified to meet your requirements and still stay within the county ordinances.

wiredgeorge · 10-02-2020, 11:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BauerAP

On topic but off topic...has anyone added to their septic system? We were planning on building but with materials becoming ridiculous the DW found a house she couldn’t live without. We close next week.
The septic tank is about 50’ from where the 5er will go. We do have a honey wagon but will be borrowing/renting a trencher to run 50A and hopefully a yard hydrant. I would like to have full hook ups for an in-law suite/guest house and we also do some partial boondocking. Any tips or advice for connecting to an existing septic system?

Use a macerator. They will pump up hill for 50' easily. You can put the motor under a slide or in a plastic box as it needs to be out of the elements. If you proposed slot is above your septic, run a drain pipe and connect into the pipe that feeds into the 1st tank.

**flybouy** · 10-02-2020, 11:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BauerAP

On topic but off topic...has anyone added to their septic system? We were planning on building but with materials becoming ridiculous the DW found a house she couldn’t live without. We close next week.
The septic tank is about 50’ from where the 5er will go. We do have a honey wagon but will be borrowing/renting a trencher to run 50A and hopefully a yard hydrant. I would like to have full hook ups for an in-law suite/guest house and we also do some partial boondocking. Any tips or advice for connecting to an existing septic system?

It would be difficult to give advice site unseen. The unknowns are the Slope (sufficient fall) from proposed cleanout to the downturn, existing design for the downturn, government requirements (permitting? Master plumber required to pull a permit?).

In my situation the cleanout is at the end of the driveway about 5' laterally away. From the trailer tank connection to the cleanout in my case is about 30' away with plenty of fall as the driveway slopes down to the street and cleanout.

What I ended up doing was getting a couple of lengths of 3" waste pipe at Home Depot. On one end an elbow with about a 6" piece to go on the clean out. The other end is a 3" threaded adapter with a bayonet fitting screwed into it. A 5' stinky slinky connects the camper to the pipe. This set up allows for a quick connecting/disconnecting with only one pipe to store in the shed along with the cheap 5' hose that somehow was accumulated (most likely from one of those "free" starter pkgs from the dealer.

This arraignment is rather stealth (no one seems to notice it) and doesn't wiggle around like a giant earth worm when it's in use.

QCMan · 10-02-2020, 11:34 AM

Our last house had a cesspool and this one has a septic tank and leaching field. Even after a good rinsing there are no issues. The amount you dump is probably no more than a good sized tub. Just keep away from formaldehyde in your black tank.

Javi · 10-02-2020, 11:35 AM

When I could bring my trailer to the house, I used the sewer cleanout at the house. The cleanout was 40 feet from the trailer and fortunately downhill.. I just used my regular sewer hoses from the trailer.. I always carry four 10' sections of the Rhino hose at all times.. Been caught once without enough hose at a campground.. never again...

dutchmensport · 10-02-2020, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

...d. I am going to eventually try and figure out how to tap into my home water system as it runs through an effective softener.

We live in the county and are on a well too. We had Kenetico install their system and I did some creative replumbing to get it for full house. However, the spigot outside the house was piped before the Kenetico system, so it's pretty bad water.

I ended up just running a second spigot outside, right beside the old existing one, plumbed back to the supply line after the water treatment stuff. Now, I have both natural water from the ground and filtered water outside. Guess which one I use to fill the water tank in the camper?

Hopefully, you can access the plumbing line that runs to your RV hook up, and do a simple switch over to a line after your filtration system. It truly IS worth the effort to do so.

It's an amazing difference when washing the vehicles and the trailer, water spots and all. Hope you can figure it out.

wiredgeorge · 10-02-2020, 12:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dutchmensport

We live in the county and are on a well too. We had Kenetico install their system and I did some creative replumbing to get it for full house. However, the spigot outside the house was piped before the Kenetico system, so it's pretty bad water.

I ended up just running a second spigot outside, right beside the old existing one, plumbed back to the supply line after the water treatment stuff. Now, I have both natural water from the ground and filtered water outside. Guess which one I use to fill the water tank in the camper?

Hopefully, you can access the plumbing line that runs to your RV hook up, and do a simple switch over to a line after your filtration system. It truly IS worth the effort to do so.

It's an amazing difference when washing the vehicles and the trailer, water spots and all. Hope you can figure it out.

Well and a 3000 gallon storage tank are about 80 uphill from the house. Right now I cut into the supply line which goes to the house and connected the tee to 1/2" PVC with a shut off valve about 30 above the well and from there get it up the hill by hose. Ground is so rocky and uneven, trenching for a PVC line is impossible. I have a little plumbing skill and all our lines are PVC (or CPVC) and could cut into a line that goes through the water softener and then about 120' up to where it would go into the hose connection... just haven't done it yet as it will be a bit of a job. Just had my 3rd water softener put in. First was a Home Depot special (about $400 if memory serves) and was woefully inadequate. 2nd was also undersized as a real good hardness test was not done and sizing the system was estimated (and poorly). It recharged almost daily and we used tons of salt and still had pretty hard water. This system was professionally designed and installed and is a two tank system and is working great... cost less than Kinetico (gave them a chance to give me a bid as well as a couple other companies) and installed by a local guy who understands local water. 125 grains of hardness as tested by three different water companies.

**flybouy** · 10-02-2020, 01:04 PM

With that hardness you must have rocks rolling thru your pipes.

Is your latest system an RO system (reverse osmosis)? When I was working with a restaurant chain they had to use those in a few Pennsylvania locations as well as other states. They work well but use a lot of water.

wiredgeorge · 10-02-2020, 02:10 PM

We have a double tank water softener; they are 60k grain tanks and when one needs to be regenerated, the system automatically switches to the other tank; they regenerate every couple days. The system is calibrated for 125 grains of hardness. This provides soft water to all water taps in the house. Under our kitchen sink is a reverse osmosis system and we use it for making coffee/tea and the like. Other than the hardness, the water is clean.

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