Home dumping station - Page 2

**JohnB** · 11-30-2012, 05:16 PM

Debbie,

Thanks for the info back. On my aerator system and doing just the clean up, I'm OK as I have filters in the tank and there is not that much water as it is just clean up. Our washer dumps to this same system and it can pump out 5 + gallons at a time. But once again 5 gallons is different than 30 at once.

However, not all septic system now a days are created equal. If you are on and older 1 tank septic then out to the leach field what you where told for sure can fit. I can see that especially if the main tank is high on solids.

Some of the newer 2 tank systems may be OK or may not be. Basically they have 2 very large tanks. One overflows to the 2nd tank then they have a pump in the 2nd tank to pump the effluent out to the drain bed. The 2nd tank has a high low level for the pump to work. This type "may" be an option.

We will be putting a new system in in the next year or so. I'll have to ask the soil engineer about this as I wanted him to design in a proper RV dump pipe.

Thanks for posting back.

John

mainah · 12-01-2012, 02:19 PM

It is very possible to recreate dumping your camper with two toilets and a washing machine all running there are two sides one says no problem the other does. Think about how often a camp ground would be having their systems repaired if it was an issue.

PanamaRvers · 12-02-2012, 09:12 AM

I read somewhere that you can hook a small pump to your dump valve, hook a garden hose to the pump and run that to a cleanout port or some other connection to dump your tanks. A garden hose should not overwhelm a home septic system.

mainah · 12-02-2012, 04:04 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PanamaRvers

I read somewhere that you can hook a small pump to your dump valve, hook a garden hose to the pump and run that to a cleanout port or some other connection to dump your tanks. A garden hose should not overwhelm a home septic system.

Yes some thing like this Flojet 18555000A Portable Waste Pump : Amazon.com : Automotive it will pump up hill not the cleanest but they will work even if you dump in a toilet.

Jim-Bev-2363 · 12-03-2012, 04:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mainah

It is very possible to recreate dumping your camper with two toilets and a washing machine all running there are two sides one says no problem the other does. Think about how often a camp ground would be having their systems repaired if it was an issue.

Most campgrounds I've seen with full hookups have not had typical septic tank systems. They were either on city sewer or they had commercial grade systems with large aeration ponds and pumps. those sections you do not want to park by on a hot summer day. Systems are to be designed for the use they will receive. The best way to find out if your tank is OK to dump into would be to ask the local Code Enforcement Office. They should be familiar with your soil conditions, laws and the kind of septic system installed at your home.

mainah · 12-03-2012, 06:09 AM

When I added the pipe to my tank I decided that it might be a good ideal to have it pumped. At the same time I was dealing with not being able to get any thing to grow in the sand that covered the tank not even weeds so the top was completely uncovered. The guy that was the one who installed the tank and drain field came to pump it out for me and he had all the hitches off and I had a good look inside as to how it was built. My tank is a ledge tank larger then deeper and I showed him the pipe in the cover his response "good ideal" I asked about any issues for dumping an RV tank and he said that it was not an issue have at it. So it seems to be those that say no and those that say yes. I would like to see some real hard facts, some how I can't see how 20 gallons of stuff can have much effect on 500-1000 gallons of storage.

Mellow Yellow · 12-03-2012, 02:08 PM

Just to clarify, this was in regards to dumping the entire contents of the RV tanks, a situation that would be hard to duplicate with household wastewater, as toilets and washing machine may dump in water, but it is not 40 gal. in one big rush. Our system is a traditional 1,000 gal. septic tank with a leach field. The waste water goes in and the solids settle to the bottom, eventually (ideally) breaking down into clear water. The water is in the middle of the tank and flows out into the leach field and disperses. So, any sudden and big rush could "stir up" the bottom and send it, unprocessed, out into the leach field. Would that happen? Who knows. But we kind of baby our septic so as not to have issues, limiting chemicals and using the TP recommended, Rid X, etc. so I don't think we will take any chances with it. But, to each his own !

mainah · 12-03-2012, 04:03 PM

I don't know but dumping less then %5 of the tank volume into it is not too likely to stir it up much now if the dump pipe went to the bottom that may cause an issue it's sort of like pouring a few oz. into a 20 gallon fish tank. Me I not going to worry about it, it is so much easier and most camp grounds will charge up to $50 to dump if you don't stay there. I work for a camp ground and could dump there but I come home from an adventure and just dump in my tank and put the camper away. 75% of my camping is willy wags no power,water or dumping .

Jim-Bev-2363 · 12-03-2012, 06:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mainah

I don't know but dumping less then %5 of the tank volume into it is not too likely to stir it up much now if the dump pipe went to the bottom that may cause an issue it's sort of like pouring a few oz. into a 20 gallon fish tank. Me I not going to worry about it, it is so much easier and most camp grounds will charge up to $50 to dump if you don't stay there. I work for a camp ground and could dump there but I come home from an adventure and just dump in my tank and put the camper away. 75% of my camping is willy wags no power,water or dumping .

Here I can dump at any of a handful of dump stations from $5 to $10. Not going to take a chance on replacing the drain field for that small amount.

My concern was with the crap run through the macerator pump. Larger pieces of crap from the house toilet sink faster than the fine particles run through the pump. The tanks are probably sized on the speed needed to separate the larger particles. The longer separation time needed for the finer particles is what runs on through to the drain fields and covers the bottom of the drain fields. Even with the filter to protect the fields it could be a problem with more cleaning of the filters.

I'd rather not chance digging up my yard at costs of thousands or more. The septic man said, two months ago, our tank should be pumped out every ten years, on average (two bedroom, two bath home), and that is a few hundred dollars each time. Drain fields like my neighbor just had installed cost twenty-five hundred dollars for the same size house. I will play it safe for that kind of money.