Hello all, new here, have a rather unique issue I think.I recently became a RV live in by choice, no wanting all the space I do not need I opted for a used 32 footer. But plan on getting her onto a permanent pad when construction of my machine shop is further along. I didn't know what I was getting myself into with the septic system in these things. I currently am "dry camping" on septic and use a portable to dump in nearby house septic system, nasty business that is for me, can't wait for permanent hook up. But I have had some issues so far.For starter every time I walk in the trailer it smells like someone just passed wind, to my left walking in is the pantry, right on the other side is the toilet room. Occasionally I smell the tanks contents near the bed. My trailer has the master bed in the front obviously, but directly adjoined is the lav and shower with toilet room aside the shower with walk way between them, also hope to get a "bulkhead" or panel wall installed to separate the master from bath.But my desire is to replace the toilet with a 10" rough in residential (with only 9-3/4" actual rough in) and to drop out the black tank and hard pipe the toilet to existing dump pipe. I don't wish to have to dump my tank twice a week forever, even with a permanent hook up.Now I have never messed with RV's till now, but I am tech savvy and handy with all manner of tools and machines.Anyone out there that has experience and or knowledge please help.Can I fit a 10" rough in toilet in a 9-3/4 rough in space?Can I easily drop the black tank out with what I think is an insulated underbelly. Of course all I can see is that typical black plastic cover sheet and foam to fill gaps.Can I easily hook pipe to the underside of the closet flange and plumb that to the dump pipe.I understand how to remove the tank itself but the details above need answers please.Thanks-Bill

The problem is you will be filling and emptying the black tank very often if you use a residential toilet. And you don't want to just leave the valve open if you have sewer connections.A working RV toilet should not smell so I think you have something else going on.

Cant do it unless you also remove the holding tank and then replumb the waste system. Better solution might be to learn the proper use of an RV waste holding system and dump once a week or so. BTW RV's do NOT have a septic system. They do have waste holding tanks. Proper use generally does not result in odors improper use does.

on our TT you flip a switch when the tank is full and then after about a min you flip the switch back. It takes about a second to flip the switch and we do it about every 5 days. If you are parked in one spot you don't need to play with the hose only open the valve. The easiest way would be to learn how to use what you have.

ScottG wrote:The problem is you will be filling and emptying the black tank very often if you use a residential toilet. And you don't want to just leave the valve open if you have sewer connections.A working RV toilet should not smell so I think you have something else going on.You must have skimmed over all that, I had the intent of removing the black tank when using a residential toilet.

First.......That 'smell' may have nothing to do with black waste holding tank/toiletLook under the bathroom sink (and kitchen sink) for 'air admittance valve'.They are hand screwed onto a stub pipe after the 'P' traps. They allow air into drain pipe so 'P' Trap doesn't get sucked dry when dumping grey waste holding tanks.If they don't close grey waste tank smell will come inside. Grey stinks as much as black.Any hardware store.....easy/cheap to replace Toilet.....Does current toilet hold water in bowl?If it doesn't---black waste tank smell can come back up thru toilet.Clean bowl seal so that it holds waterAs for replacing with residential toilet.They use same floor type floor flange but issue is not enough clearance for water tank that sits on bowl.Bowl part will mount but when you try to attach tank the back wall will probably not allow tank to fit.

Permanent Residential Toilet Retrofit | Good Sam Community

UGL
Explorer
Jan 30, 2015
The toilet is installed and everything is buttened up, used the original tank vent cavity for toilet vent. Hard plumbed from dump hook up to clean out. It works well and is a luxury compared to that RV toilet and tank junk I've been dealing with.
UGL
Explorer
Jan 30, 2015
Got the tank dropped out, flusher line bulkhead fitting leaks bad, insulation below tank caked with waste. Bottom and top sagging. About to hard plumb from closet flange to dump side of blade valve, which is no longer there and from dump output to cleanout. Got a 10" rough in toilet, test fitted it and it works, to my relief. Should finish it tomorrow.
UGL
Explorer
Dec 07, 2014
Yesterday I had to empty the tank again. I hooked up the portable in preparation to empty and turned on the flusher, not sure if I didn't open the valve enough or just thought I opened it. But it wasn't open, I didn't run the flusher like that long, but when I did I noticed drips trickling down the pipe. So I looked under it and there were steady trickles coming out the side of the underpinning and through a few cracks in it. It was clearly black water.

This leads me to believe that there is a crack or failure in a union somewhere, and that is the reason for the foul smell when the tank gets fairly full. Just curious as to what may be going on.
Remember the tank is coming out soon anyway.
UGL
Explorer
Nov 25, 2014
RoyB wrote:
I suspect making a permanent tie into your septic system at home will require approval from your local county folks... Our county for instance does not allow trailer house connections except at a trailer lot. Making a permanent sewer connection probably makes you a trailer house instead of a RV Trailer in their eyes...

This to me is alot different from occasionally dumping your black tanks into your septic system. The is also the 12VDC Macerator Flojet pump system that helps big time pumping your black tanks to your septic tanks. I have seen some RV'ers at home would run a 3/4-inch hose into the toilet inside the house thru the window and dump directly down the toilet using the Macerator Flow-jet system.

Probably best to find what your county folks will allow before doing it...

Just saying...

Roy Ken

Good point Roy,

But our county is pretty lax on stuff like that. That's why I love living in Gregg County!
No county permits required for residential building of any kind, light restrictions in general.
The only thing that gets on my nerves around here is the tight aerobic septic laws, they need to loosen
up a bit.

I don't mind if it is considered a permanent domicile, I decided my TT will be on jacks, anchored to the ground, skirted, and have the wheels and axles removed.
RoyB
Explorer II
Nov 20, 2014
I suspect making a permanent tie into your septic system at home will require approval from your local county folks... Our county for instance does not allow trailer house connections except at a trailer lot. Making a permanent sewer connection probably makes you a trailer house instead of a RV Trailer in their eyes...

This to me is alot different from occasionally dumping your black tanks into your septic system. The is also the 12VDC Macerator Flojet pump system that helps big time pumping your black tanks to your septic tanks. I have seen some RV'ers at home would run a 3/4-inch hose into the toilet inside the house thru the window and dump directly down the toilet using the Macerator Flow-jet system.

Probably best to find what your county folks will allow before doing it...

Just saying...

Roy Ken
UGL
Explorer
Nov 16, 2014
TyroneandGladys wrote:
IMHO One of the biggest sources of yuck odor is not the black tank but the grey tank. The water evaporates out of the p traps allowing grey tank odor into the RV. Try running some water into every drain in the RV sinks and shower.

I use the sinks and shower daily, I don't remember if I said it but the smell cleared right up after I emptied it and then filled the portable up after a thorough rinse out with the doohickey on the wall.
Perhaps there is a hidden problem, like a crack in a fitting or the black tank that only lets odor in when near full.
TyroneandGladys
Explorer
Nov 16, 2014
IMHO One of the biggest sources of yuck odor is not the black tank but the grey tank. The water evaporates out of the p traps allowing grey tank odor into the RV. Try running some water into every drain in the RV sinks and shower.
consumeratlarge
Explorer
Nov 16, 2014
That disk could be the hole saw piece that they cut out to glue the fittings on, from the factory. Lots of stories of that happening.

Remember, when you get everything out, if it looks like mine did, you will have a rough cut hole through the plywood looking down at the ground. So, buy a flange that will somehow convert to, say, a 3" sewer pipe. You should definitely have enough room to move it a little if it looks like mine was. Get as many wood screws in it as you can, but make sure the middle of the slots for the flat head bolts that literally attach the toilet bowl to the flange are centered. You don't want that extra wide section where you slide the flat head bolts into the flange to be too close to where the bolts need to stay as they're tightened.

In my previous post, I mentioned putting some antifreeze in the bottom of the bowl when you winterize, just as you would put some in the holding tank too, after it's nearly empty (fed from the water source, then shut off the valve at the toilet). We have had some brutally cold winters where every single can exploded, but the toilet has never cracked, and we just put about 50/50 at most in it.
bsinmich
Explorer
Nov 14, 2014
It is going to take a lot of Vaseline to get the 10" toilet into the 9 3/4 in. space.
UGL
Explorer
Nov 14, 2014
Emptied the tank yesterday, brim full. Ever since I got my TT the tank indicator has read full, once for a few minutes it read 2/3 full.
So I check the level through the toilet, didn't realize it was so shallow, emptied her out real good with a second dump with mostly rinsing water. Saw a black disk in there, not sure if I saw it move, not sure it's part of the tank or a rubber disk.

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