Having some sewer work done on the house, so I'm thinking why not add a RV dump point? Thinking 3-4 inches high in the flower bed.Any thoughts? Yay or nay? Where would I look for fittings, caps, lids etc.Norm

Sounds like a good idea to me. The guys doing the sewer work should be able to tell you. I suspect a typical cleanout pipe would work just fine.

I did it when I got my 1st MH 20yrs ago... (in the flower bed, even). I've seen dire warnings in other threads on here. Will overwhelm the system with volume, wrong chemicals, chemicals will ruin your septic system and on and on. The only thing is can tell you is from my experience (nothing theoretical). We used our MH to go to the races. My wife and I were out 1 or 2 nights a week from Feb thru Nov. Always dry camped in the race track parking lot and used the water and toilet at will. We would even party with friends from time to time.I never had any problems with my home septic system in the 15 years I dumped into it and the system passed inspection when we sold the house.

We had one put in when we installed our septic system, and a friend recently added one to his city sewer line. Just make sure you've got your elevations right and you should be fine.

Absolutely. Whoever installs does not even need to know what you intend to use it for. Just call it a clean-out pipe (4 inch PVC), and then you can drop your camper sewer hose right in it. Put a screw on cap on it. I you live in town and tapping into the city sewer this way from your house, your in good shape. If your on a septic system, you can do whatever you want. Call it a "clean-out" no matter what though and have it installed as low to the ground as possible.

Maybe I was misunderstood. I like the idea. It was the part about dunnin it into the flower bed at a shallow depth that concerned me. If you can do it safely I sure wou8ld

Home dump station | Good Sam Community

mowermech
Explorer
Mar 31, 2014
2oldman wrote:
No problem. Just try to not use chemicals.

Why not? Even if you have a septic tank at home, how often will you be dumping your tanks into that septic system?
Let's look at the supposed "worst case scenario": A formaldehyde based chemical. You dump 4 ounces of powder into your 50 gallon holding tank. Most of that 4 ounces is perfume, about 5% (that's a guess, I don't really know) is actually formaldehyde.
When the tank is about 4/5 full, you dump it into your 1500 gallon septic system. You do this once or twice a month. Is that little bit of formaldehyde REALLY going to pollute the 1500 gallons of waste water in your septic tank?
Admittedly, an RV park with a 10,000 gallon septic tank, where 40 or 50 RVs dump chemicals into the system every week, is a quite different proposition.
But, YOU dumping into your home system, and nobody else using it? I can't see where you will have any trouble.
I haven't. But then, I rarely use my home septic system to dump. I dump somewhere before I get home.
time2roll
Nomad
Mar 31, 2014
As long as it is ABS you can add any fittings you like from Home Depot etc to change the cap or raise or lower the pipe after the contractor is done. Even put cement pan around if you like.

If you want an RV cap there are plenty available. Example:
http://www.trumbullrecreation.com/towerdumpstation.html
traveylin
Explorer
Mar 31, 2014
I tried that with my septic tank and there was just not enough free headspace to freeflow a 4 inch dump. Made a mess the one time. If you are connected to a muni sewer the flow capacity should be larger

pops
Mocoondo
Explorer II
Mar 31, 2014
Don't dump into a septic since chemicals will slowly destroy the septic function of the system, but sewer is technically fine. Most municipalities will not allow it, however, since you pay for sewer service vis a vis how much water you consume and not how much sewage you discharge. Sewer usage is not metered, therefore you are not paying for the sewage you are dumping.

I use a clean out at home and have a real dump station at my shop.
Francesca_Knowl
Explorer
Mar 31, 2014
Mocoondo wrote:
Most municipalities will not allow it, however, since you pay for sewer service vis a vis how much water you consume and not how much sewage you discharge. Sewer usage is not metered, therefore you are not paying for the sewage you are dumping.

Assuming you have a link to provide for any Municipality that "doesn't allow" sewage to be dumped into a cleanout:

How does that Municipality monitor/enforce such a restriction without a metering system?
Lumpty
Explorer
Mar 31, 2014
For those poo-poo-ing a home dump arrangement into a septic (see what I did there?) because of "chemicals", well then, don't use them. I never have, using the flush with plenty of water method, and nothing stinks or smells. We do try to minimize lumps in the black tank; that's the only accommodation we make for the RV plumbing.

Also, there is a 99% chance the typical campground dump discharges through a septic tank and field, given the usual rural locations.
Mocoondo
Explorer II
Mar 31, 2014
Francesca Knowles wrote:

Assuming you have a link to provide for any Municipality that "doesn't allow" sewage to be dumped into a cleanout:

How does that Municipality monitor/enforce such a restriction without a metering system?

Let's rephrase.

If you are on a sewer, go down to city hall and try to pull a permit for installation of an RV dump station at your residence. See what happens next.
ACDNate
Explorer
Mar 31, 2014
Mocoondo wrote:
Francesca Knowles wrote:

Assuming you have a link to provide for any Municipality that "doesn't allow" sewage to be dumped into a cleanout:

How does that Municipality monitor/enforce such a restriction without a metering system?

Let's rephrase.

If you are on a sewer, go down to city hall and try to pull a permit for installation of an RV dump station at your residence. See what happens next.

Or for that matter just call and tell them "hey I'm going to start dumping my rv waste down the cleanout since it will fit the pipe. That ok?"
mowermech
Explorer
Mar 31, 2014
Mocoondo wrote:
Don't dump into a septic since chemicals will slowly destroy the septic function of the system, but sewer is technically fine. Most municipalities will not allow it, however, since you pay for sewer service vis a vis how much water you consume and not how much sewage you discharge. Sewer usage is not metered, therefore you are not paying for the sewage you are dumping.

I use a clean out at home and have a real dump station at my shop.

HMMM...
If I am on a municipal water/sewer system, where the water use is metered, and I fill my 100 gallon water tank from my outdoor faucet, then dump 50 to 75 gallons of waste water into the municipal sewer,
how is it that I am not paying for the water I used and the waste water I discharged?
camperforlife
Explorer
Mar 31, 2014
Mocoondo wrote:
Francesca Knowles wrote:

Assuming you have a link to provide for any Municipality that "doesn't allow" sewage to be dumped into a cleanout:

How does that Municipality monitor/enforce such a restriction without a metering system?

Let's rephrase.

If you are on a sewer, go down to city hall and try to pull a permit for installation of an RV dump station at your residence. See what happens next.

I did that and they said if it is for my personal use no problem. They also said if that wasn't convenient, they had a dump at the treatment plant I could use.