Gray water drainage design help (see drawing)
Hi everyone, I'm working on my very first DIY camper conversion, using a 2010 extended Ford E250. I'm trying to plan out my gray water sewage system, I want to keep everything above the floor in...
Forum Discussion
Dumping water on the ground is legal and reasonable in a few places but not in (quite a few) others. Shower water may be permissible while kitchen sink water is not due to the food debris it may have. Typically neither would be permitted in city storm sewers, for example.
If you're intent on using the pump, I would eliminate the separate drain for the shower tank and just pump the water to the sink tank that may be drained or not as appropriate. I also would put the little pump tank/enclosure underneath the floor and insulate it appropriately so that it doesn't freeze up. Obviously even if uninsulated it generally won't freeze when the shower is actually being used, in as much as the warm water will be pumped out long before it gets cold enough to freeze. If uninsulated, you could put a little RV antifreeze down the shower drain after showering and leave it uninsulated.
You need a trap next to the shower drain; often one is built into the drain itself. You don't need a trap between the shower tank and the main gray tank. You do need both tanks to be ventilated to the outside. I'm not sure the check valve in the pump outlet serves any useful purpose, but maybe I'm missing something; for sure the check valve between the shower tank and the shower is not useful.
Most motorhomes have the gray and black holding tanks underneath the floor for rather obvious gravity and (especially for the shower) headroom related reasons. If you can plumb things without needing an additional pump, that's one less thing to break down, to have to turn on, and to get clogged with hair and soap scum.
If you're intent on using the pump, I would eliminate the separate drain for the shower tank and just pump the water to the sink tank that may be drained or not as appropriate. I also would put the little pump tank/enclosure underneath the floor and insulate it appropriately so that it doesn't freeze up. Obviously even if uninsulated it generally won't freeze when the shower is actually being used, in as much as the warm water will be pumped out long before it gets cold enough to freeze. If uninsulated, you could put a little RV antifreeze down the shower drain after showering and leave it uninsulated.
You need a trap next to the shower drain; often one is built into the drain itself. You don't need a trap between the shower tank and the main gray tank. You do need both tanks to be ventilated to the outside. I'm not sure the check valve in the pump outlet serves any useful purpose, but maybe I'm missing something; for sure the check valve between the shower tank and the shower is not useful.
Most motorhomes have the gray and black holding tanks underneath the floor for rather obvious gravity and (especially for the shower) headroom related reasons. If you can plumb things without needing an additional pump, that's one less thing to break down, to have to turn on, and to get clogged with hair and soap scum.
