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Topic: Hot weather and the frig--changing topic to macerators (Read 4 times) previous topic - next topic
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Hot weather and the frig--changing topic to macerators
Yahoo Message Number: 147330
I apologize for tailgating in here, but I read the LWALD  newsletter as AOL email in groups of 25, so have never been forced to ride the  learning curve of Yahoo and I cannot seem to log in and post  normally.
 Our 30' IB LD, Piscataqua River, hasn't been out of the  driveway for a couple of years (assorted stupid mostly medical reasons), but has  saved our bacon a couple of times anyway (the week the squirrels moved in to the  house and wouldn't either leave or pay rent, the six days without power because  the windstorm defeated Edison and square miles of  our Los Angeles suburb  were dark, etc).  For a while the pizza delivery guys would ask "House or  RV?"
 So we thought adding a macerator would help avoid the 20 mile  trips to the nearest dump station after the next emergency, and my husband, who  has read the article in the LD Companion, had a couple of questions for the  LD experts:

A quick internet search  show two basic types available:
 The electric (12 Volts DC) Flojet  18555-000 which runs on battery power and is around $200.
 The Sewer Solution, which runs on water  pressure and is about $120.

Is one type inherently better than the  other?

Are there any that run on 120 Volts  AC?
 We plan to use this mostly at home, where  it would be pumping into the sewer cleanout about 60 feet away from where the LD  is parked.

Appreciate any advice you might offer.

Pat B, navigator, Piscataqua  River
Re: Hot weather and the frig--changing topic to macerators
Reply #1 –
Yahoo Message Number: 147340
I still like my system best. When I get home after a trip I take my 5 gal. water jug with a larger hole cut to fit over the outlet and drain off 3 gal and take it in the house and dump it down the tolet. Been doing it that way for over 15 years.
Re: Hot weather and the frig--changing topic to macerators
Reply #2 –
Yahoo Message Number: 147341
A macerator is both a pump and garbage disposal rolled into one.  You must have a 12volt powered unit to do the job. If your sewer clean out or wherever you plan to send the output is any distance, you need the pumping action.

I no longer have my macerator, but when I did, the effluent was pumped through a 3/4 inch garden type hose to my sewer clean out 100 feet away.

Dale 24 FL & Cherokee Toad

One finger typed on my iPad, which is responsible for all typos ;-)
Re: Hot weather and the frig--changing topic to macerators
Reply #3 –
Yahoo Message Number: 147344
"I still like my system best. When I get home after a trip I take my 5  gal. water jug with a larger hole cut to fit over the outlet and drain  off 3 gal and take it in the house and dump it down the tolet. Been  doing it that way for over 15 years"
 While this may be an acceptable practice for a retired plumber, most will be repelled by the "yuck" factor, the possibility of a terribly messy accident and having the physical strength to safely handle a full bucket.
 For most, a macerator kit is a more practical  and sanitary solution for home dumping, it has worked well for us for a couple of decades. I built a kit many years before commercial RV kits became available and use it often, the last time this afternoon. Our home does not have an accessable place to connect to the sewer so a macerator pump was the only solution, other than the bucket method mentioned above.
 There are two common types of macerators, water powered pumps (Sewer Solution) and 12-volt pumps.
The water powered type is fine for home use if adequate water pressure and flow is available and you don't mind using a lot of water. For use on the road, a 12-volt type is more practical IMO.
I built the macerator kit below a couple decades ago before the commercial kits became available.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/lwade/sets/72157602095132874/show It uses a Jabsco marine macerator pump plus a few plumbing fittings modified and glued together.
Along with the pump, we carry 65' of dedicated drain hose, a big pipe wrench and a 4' cheater, used to open sewer clean-outs, when "driveway camping" at relative's and friend's homes.
Our pump gets used once or more monthly, the last time being this afternoon.
I wouldn't be without one for our style of travel.

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze
Re: Hot weather and the frig--changing topic to macerators
Reply #4 –
Yahoo Message Number: 147346
While this may be an acceptable practice for a retired plumber, most will be  repelled by the "yuck" factor, the possibility of a terribly messy accident and  having the physical strength to safely handle a full bucket.


 Larry I did say I would put 3 gal in a 5 gal container. 3 gal is not that heavy.
 One thing about this subject is I did not know that a requirement to own a MH was that you had a nanny take care of you children till they were potty trained.  Changing there diapers was far worst then ever draining the black tank.
 
Re: Hot weather and the frig--changing topic to macerators
Reply #5 –
Yahoo Message Number: 147353
"One thing about this subject is I did not know that a requirement to own  a MH was that you had a nanny take care of you children till they were  potty trained.  Changing there diapers was far worst then ever draining  the black tank"
 Well, maybe...until the first three gallon bucket of effluent is accidentally dumped in the hallway.
Most folks here are older and not as athletic as we once were. Splashing is hard to control with buckets filled with any type of liquid.
 This weekend we were at a small GTG of friends where one rig accidentally, while backing up, bumped the black water drain valve, cracking the body of the valve and breaking off the stem. The handle no longer worked so the tank was drained by unscrewing the valve body, removing it, then allowing the tank to be drain through the hole where the valve had been removed, into buckets. Lovely work, glad I was only minion.
Can't say we had lines of volunteers begging to assist with the hauling of the buckets.
 IMO, buckets are a last resort way of dumping, when a dump or pump isn't available YMMV.

Larry
Larry
2003 23.5' Front Lounge, since new.  Previously 1983 22' Front Lounge.
Tow vehicles  2020 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon, 2001 Jeep Cherokee
Photo Collection: Lazy Daze