Removable macerator ok?

[<<B-Guy>>]

Anyone use one of those removable macerators that just hooks on when needed with a Valterra disconnect fitting?

Our van will have the conventional 3" gravity dump andI am fine with that, but I am thinking that with our van parked at home (compared to our trailer that was not!) we may use it a lot more for day trips.

It might be a nice option to just be able to run a 3/4" hose from the van on our driveway ,through our garage and laundry room, to an adjacent powder room toilet!

No more than 50 ft at most I think, with an elevation difference of maybe plus 4 ft..

I see you can buy one for about $300 Can.

Brian.

[BBQ]

.

Don't you have a sewage clean out?

It should locate somewhere in the front of the house.

[<<B-Guy>>]

Originally Posted by BBQ

.

Don't you have a sewage clean out?

It should locate somewhere in the front of the house.

Hi BBQ!

if we do, I have no idea where it is! I have heard other folks speak about this and looked around our property but see nothing at all! Maybe practice is different in Canada!

Anyway, that is why I wondered if the removable macerator might be a good option in our case!

Thanks ......... Brian.

[avanti]

The removable ones are fine for your narrow purpose. They are basically the same pumps with different fittings.

But, I do have to say that with such an approach, you are missing about 80% of the advantage of having a macerator, namely having a completely sealed, no mess system. IMO, people who are "fine" with gravity dump just don't realize how much better their quality of life can be with a proper permanent macerator. It isn't about speed or even convenience, it is about cleanliness.

[Boxster1971]

Originally Posted by BBQ

.

Don't you have a sewage clean out?

It should locate somewhere in the front of the house.

The clean out in my four-story townhouse is inside the garage, which is on lower level.

[<<B-Guy>>]

Originally Posted by avanti

The removable ones are fine for your narrow purpose. They are basically the same pumps with different fittings.

But, I do have to say that with such an approach, you are missing about 80% of the advantage of having a macerator, namely having a completely sealed, no mess system. IMO, people who are "fine" with gravity dump just don't realize how much better their quality of life can be with a proper permanent macerator. It isn't about speed or even convenience, it is about cleanliness.

Thx - sounds as though one should work for what I need then!

I honestly can't say I've ever had any problems at all at a full hookup regular campsite or dump staton with the usual gravity dump, and I do like the simplicity - but i just cant use it at home!

Probably I don't know what I am missing, and if so, maybe if
I buy one to hook up to our gravity dump, I'll wind up using it all the time - who knows!

Brian.

[BBQ]

Originally Posted by Wingeezer

Hi BBQ!

if we do, I have no idea where it is! I have heard other folks speak about this and looked around our property but see nothing at all! Maybe practice is different in Canada!

Anyway, that is why I wondered if the removable macerator might be a good option in our case!

Thanks ......... Brian.

It can be inconspicuous.

[Davydd]

Clean outs are not always outside. The can be inside where the pipe leaves your house.

[Sweetride]

We had a removable macerator that was "permanently" installed on our 2011 LTV Serenity when we recently purchased it. When it clogged and wouldn't function we removed it and cut the 12v power to it. Based on our install it was fairly heavy and would need support as well as the 12v connection. Given that, seems like it would work for your purpose.

[604eholston@charter.net]

I just bought a "Sewer Solution" macerator rig after a colleague hadextolled the advantages. I am planning a 2000+ mile, 2 month trip beginning the after the 4th. I am anxious to try it. I have had difficulty hooking up the conventional 3 inch rig due to arthritis and other age related infirmities. I got a 3 inch straight connector to attach to the dump orifice and plan to hook the macerator and water hose to that. I have a 2016 Winnebago Era.

[docman5]

My class B came with the regular stuff, a flexible hose to drain the black and grey tanks. I wanted to be able to drain my tanks at home and not go find dump station after getting home. I love it for several reasons. This it what I like:
1. I no longer have to worry about having to store the flexible hose in a container box as I travel. The pump is in a small box that doesn't take up much room. It also seals well so there is no odor. The flexible hose storage that came with my rig would not store a hose long enough for to reach some of the places I had to drain to.

2. I can wait a day once getting home to drain the black and grey tanks.
3. I pump straight to a toilet in my house and dump easily.
4. On the road, I carry a 15' foot hose in a pvc pipe hung under my rig. At a dump station, I attach a clear 90 degree el to the standard outlet, then attach the macerator pump (this allows me to visually set the tanks are being drained and allows the pump to slope downward for complete drainage), and then I attach the 15' hose and pump out the tanks.

5. The advantage of the hose over the large flexible drain hose is it drains much better. It has no ridges for stuff to get hung in. Also the macerator chews up everything to a slurry and it flows out the 15' hose so nicely.

I did have to run power to a point that I could plug the pump into the power. But, for me that was no problem.

[<<B-Guy>>]

Originally Posted by docman5

My class B came with the regular stuff, a flexible hose to drain the black and grey tanks. I wanted to be able to drain my tanks at home and not go find dump station after getting home. I love it for several reasons. This it what I like:
1. I no longer have to worry about having to store the flexible hose in a container box as I travel. The pump is in a small box that doesn't take up much room. It also seals well so there is no odor. The flexible hose storage that came with my rig would not store a hose long enough for to reach some of the places I had to drain to.

2. I can wait a day once getting home to drain the black and grey tanks.
3. I pump straight to a toilet in my house and dump easily.
4. On the road, I carry a 15' foot hose in a pvc pipe hung under my rig. At a dump station, I attach a clear 90 degree el to the standard outlet, then attach the macerator pump (this allows me to visually set the tanks are being drained and allows the pump to slope downward for complete drainage), and then I attach the 15' hose and pump out the tanks.

5. The advantage of the hose over the large flexible drain hose is it drains much better. It has no ridges for stuff to get hung in. Also the macerator chews up everything to a slurry and it flows out the 15' hose so nicely.

I did have to run power to a point that I could plug the pump into the power. But, for me that was no problem.

Doug,

Sounds good! Can you tell me what macerator pump you are using please. I had thought only to use the macerator at home, if I had just been using the van for local day trips with no easy access to a dump station.

But I guess if you buy the pump, no reason not to take it along on camping trips and use it anytime if it doesn't take up much space. You would always have gravity backup option on the road if you have a problem with the pump!

If I understand, this is what you are doing?

Thx ......... Brian

[docman5]

I use a FloJet. Yes I take it along on trips. If the pump wouldn't work for some reason, using only my small hose would not be practical. But, I have used the pump for 8 years with no problem. Once it got jammed with a cleaner wipe but the pump has 3 screws to take lose to fix that problem. You could buy an adapter to go from the RV drain to a hose connector and that would allow liquid to gravity drain but any solids would probably hang up in the adapter - a cleaning mess but better than not getting to use the toilet at all! The 15' water type hose I carry in the pvc pipe under my rig is the thing that saves the space and keeps the smelly stuff outside.

[Saldar]

For dumping at home, we modified an $80 garbage disposal to dump 70' uphill to our septic clean out. Since it runs on 120V it is powerful enough.

It must be toted out to the van along with a power cord, as well as the output garden hose all will need. We flush the slinky connection with the sprayer on the back of our Travato. You can find out how to build these on you tube.

We are glad to have the option to dump at home.

[Boxster1971]

Originally Posted by Saldar

For dumping at home, we modified an $80 garbage disposal to dump 70' uphill to our septic clean out. Since it runs on 120V it is powerful enough.



It must be toted out to the van along with a power cord, as well as the output garden hose all will need. We flush the slinky connection with the sprayer on the back of our Travato. You can find out how to build these on you tube.



We are glad to have the option to dump at home.

Interesting solution. Can you post a photo of this device made from a garbage disposal.

[Saldar]

Originally Posted by Boxster1971

Can you post a photo of this device made from a garbage disposal.

Hi Boxster. Here is a photo of ours and some links that inspired us to make our own "poo shooter".

DIY RV Macerator Pump

Home made garbage disposal macerator pump

[<<B-Guy>>]

Originally Posted by Saldar

Hi Boxster. Here is a photo of ours and some links that inspired us to make our own "poo shooter".

DIY RV Macerator Pump

Home made garbage disposal macerator pump

Well that is something for me to think about! Cheaper that buying a flo jet and no need to worry about 16amps of 12vdc as I would only be using it at home and 110v ac obviously available.

One thing I wonder about and maybe you can comment ....... I would only be able to dump into a toilet in our powder room adjacent to the garage, so I guess it would be a two person operation with GMRS radios!

But even with two people to keep things under control I am wondering if the flow might be so forceful as to make a real mess all over the powder room?! (Maybe I'll ask my wife to look after that end of the operation! - Just kiddin')

I suppose you could put a ball valve on the hose end to control things better - and maybe even a control switch on a long extension so that in fact it could be a one person operation.

Should work fine for us s we only pee in the toilet so shouldn't be much opportunity for problems with the garbage disposal unit.

Presume that once empty you would fill the black tank with water and flush everything through to clean the hoses and pump?

Brian.

[Saldar]

The output end on our 70' garden hose does not go out of control when the disposal is on. I expect there would be no problem in your bathroom either, but monitor it the first time to be sure. We aren't getting the high pressure output some of the web links refer to. Our system is slower to empty than by gravity to a station, but fast enough.

We don't often flush our blank tank after dumping, but you could if you want. We do rinse the slinky right into the disposal. I must admit we also only wee in the RV, but I'm sure the disposal system could handle poop.

[A&JB'ers]

Originally Posted by docman5

My class B came with the regular stuff, a flexible hose to drain the black and grey tanks. I wanted to be able to drain my tanks at home and not go find dump station after getting home. I love it for several reasons. This it what I like:
1. I no longer have to worry about having to store the flexible hose in a container box as I travel. The pump is in a small box that doesn't take up much room. It also seals well so there is no odor. The flexible hose storage that came with my rig would not store a hose long enough for to reach some of the places I had to drain to.

2. I can wait a day once getting home to drain the black and grey tanks.
3. I pump straight to a toilet in my house and dump easily.
4. On the road, I carry a 15' foot hose in a pvc pipe hung under my rig. At a dump station, I attach a clear 90 degree el to the standard outlet, then attach the macerator pump (this allows me to visually set the tanks are being drained and allows the pump to slope downward for complete drainage), and then I attach the 15' hose and pump out the tanks.

5. The advantage of the hose over the large flexible drain hose is it drains much better. It has no ridges for stuff to get hung in. Also the macerator chews up everything to a slurry and it flows out the 15' hose so nicely.

I did have to run power to a point that I could plug the pump into the power. But, for me that was no problem.

Hi, this is exactly what I'd like to do with my new Travato so I can dump at home. You said you do this with a Flojet - is it the model 18555-000A? I see that on Amazon for $224.

Did you compare it with other portable macerators before buying it, like the Sanicon or "Clean Dump" twist on, or the Sureflo? The Sureflo doesn't appear to have a bayonet connector so maybe it's not a complete kit?

Lastly, how did you alter your Flojet to plug into a regular household outlet instead of hooking up to a 12v battery? I definitely need something that plugs into the wall of my garage as I am not comfortable messing with the 12v battery stuff and seems more cumbersome anyway. What I really wished I could find was something completely ready to go out of the box but nothing appears to exist. The only thing I've seen that plugs into the wall is the modified household garbage disposals but that is waaaay too much work for me and beyond my skill level to take that on. I think I'd be better off buying the Flojet and asking an electrician to modify the power part so it plugs into the wall...assuming he can copy whatever you did to yours?? Thanks!

[604eholston@charter.net]

Hi, the Valterra "Sewer Solution" system uses water to drive the macerator and requires NO electric power to macerate and dump.