Macerator Pro&Con

bigred1cav wrote:
Is a macerator easier to attach to the full hook up system? I have back problems and would like to be able to pull a hose (already attached to tanks) off a reel and place nozzle in receptacle. I have a 3" I now must unroll attach at both ends and elevate on a plastic drain elevation device.

Aside from the mess I hurt for hours if not days after the installation of hookups.

Thank all of you for helping

Sounds like some bad issues with your back. Since the common 3" components are almost weightless, I would surmise that your issues are more related to the kneeling down than with lifting. The macerators I have seen would eliminate the support snake, so maybe less kneeling for that. I don't own one, but from here it doesn't seem like it would be any easier on your back.

If the macerator could be attached and wired semi-permanently, and you just need to attach a garden hose, that might help you. Would depend on your rig as to how difficult that would be to achieve.

I consider moving 25 ft of garden hose vs 25 ft of stinky slinky to be a lot less hassle. don't understand the need for speed as some want. every third night or so I got a FHU site and could dump, etc. at my leisure. take down is a lot easier as with a stinky slinky there would always be about a 1/2 a cup full of "stuff" left that would go on my shoes or on the ground.
bumpy

Is a macerator easier to attach to the full hook up system? I have back problems and would like to be able to pull a hose (already attached to tanks) off a reel and place nozzle in receptacle. I have a 3" I now must unroll attach at both ends and elevate on a plastic drain elevation device.

Aside from the mess I hurt for hours if not days after the installation of hookups.

Thank all of you for helping

My son has one for his MH and swears by it but I still don't get it even after his explanations. But I try to keep it simple and not carry extra stuff. My MH tanks drain very fast so I don't see needing one.

In the end the macerator is a bit slower and more hassle than the stinky slinky. But when you need it , It is another tool in the arsenal.
The macerator allows you to dump in situations that the standard stinky slinky cannot.

We are at a no service seasonal site. Use macerator to pump to tote in truck bed. Hook up to old battery in storage bin with cutoff jumper cables.
Dump site is 10 minutes away with a very good ice cream shop on the way back....

Put a Bargeman plug with a short cord extension. Plug it into the same truck plug the trailer hooks into. Since I put an in bed plug for the trailer I don't even have to unhook the trailer cord.

My dump station is right beside my generator. I took 2 feet of black and white 12g wire and wired them (fused on the hot wire) to the hot wire input on the generator, and the generator's ground wire. I have an indoor/outdoor connector on the wire, and put a matching one on the macerator.

SoundGuy wrote:

toedtoes wrote:
Rather than go through the hassle of doing more wiring, I simply use a jumper cable ...

Certainly that works fine for many but whether installing dedicated wiring for powering the macerator is a "hassle" or not is a matter of perspective. For many of us our campers are also a hobby so a small project like this certainly isn't a hassle but rather an improvement we made to our camper that was enjoyable. I also prefer having this power hardwired back to the waste gate location because I keep my battery box locked so opening it just to connect a jumper cable would be a greater hassle. ;)

Sorry - I didn't mean to imply it was a hassle by default - just that I had personally finished a whole bunch of wiring mods before I bought the macerator and didn't want to get back in there. So I went the "easy" route with the jumper cables - and now I have a nice high quality jumper cable if I ever need it.

At some point, I will likely do the wiring and hook it up that way - but not now..m

F1bNorm wrote:
Those of you that use a macerator, what do you use for a power source? Do you run a line from the cab cig lighter plug? Rewire an external plug near the drain? Portable battery pack? Is there a problem with voltage drop?

I have a sewage cleanout slightly uphill about 20' away and I'm tempted to try a nacerator.

Norm

Harbor freight battery pack
http://www.harborfreight.com/3-in-1-portable-power-pack-with-jump-starter-62376.html