DIY RV Macerator Pump

[timmac]

Going to make a Macerator pump this weekend from a garbage disposal, I have seen plans on the internet and feel this will be better than the weak 12 volt one I got at Camping World for $240.00 that only after 6 months of use it has stopped working, would take it back but cant find receipt for warranty plus I have already dissembled it to see why it stopped working, the motor has gone out, its to weak as far as I concerned, so a 110 volt should work better.

And yes I do use a 3/4 hose but my distance is about 45 foot so I think the 12 volt just wont perform long term..

Any ideas on what works best would be great to hear before I head off to Lowes..

:B

[KeithAS]

I never use a dump station. It's either a sewer hookup at a campsite or at home. It's about a hundred foot run from the driveway to the cleanout in front of the house. The macerator handles this easily. I allow it to dry out completely before storing. The only issue is that when starting it up, sometimes it will not run. Using a screwdriver on the end of the housing to break it free works fine.

[bob_nestor]

popeyemth wrote:

SRockwood wrote:
Made mine a while back. Doesn't work very well, but I used our old disposal after remodeling the house.

Can you expand on this?
What don't you like about it?
Thanks,Mike

Guessing here, but since there's no pumping action in a disposal it probably doesn't work very well if you have get the stuff to a higher location. But if your downstream drain is at or below the level of the disposal it probably does a great job of chopping everything up.

I have a built-in macerator pump on my RV and had pretty much decided my next RV won't have one. But recently I cobbled together some fittings from Home Depot where I can attach the macerator output line thru a 25' 3/4" hose into a clean-out at my house. Being able to dump and really clean out the tanks at home is priceless! I've got a whole new opinion about that macerator pump now. And for the record, I have had to rebuild the impeller assembly on it once and I have a spare sitting on the shelf for the next time it's needed.

My thinking now is if my next RV doesn't have a macerator I might get one of those portable ones just so I can continue to dump tanks at home. Sure beats the side trip and cost to where I used to dump.

[popeyemth]

SRockwood wrote:
Made mine a while back. Doesn't work very well, but I used our old disposal after remodeling the house.

Can you expand on this?
What don't you like about it?
Thanks,Mike

[tenbear]

want-a-be wrote:
What am I missing. Why would you need a Macerator Pump? Are want one?

When I get home after a trip I often have stuff in the black tank. I now drain it into a bucket and carry the bucket about 75', slightly uphill, to the septic tank. It usually takes about 6 bucket fulls. A macerator would sure be nice.

Maybe someday:h

[SRockwood]

Made mine a while back. Doesn't work very well, but I used our old disposal after remodeling the house.

[PNW_Steve]

want-a-be wrote:
What am I missing. Why would you need a Macerator Pump? Are want one?

Because the Wife doesn't like to poop in the woods when the black tank fills up...

We pump into a 325 gallon tank on a trailer and haul that to the dump station every 3-4 months. Without that we would have to haul the 5er down a difficult mountain road every 10 days just to dump the black tank.

If I don't feel like hauling the trailer the hour drive to dump I can call the Honey Bucket folks and they will come pump it (325gal tank) out for $95. The same fee they charge for emptying the 32 gallon tank in the 5er.

To the OP: I have considered building a macerator as you did.

I have never had the motor fail on my FloJet macerator but I have had to rebuild the pump end of it 3 times due to inappropriate items attempting to pass through the pump. NO FUN having the pump fail mid pump and have to disassemble, clean "non masculine" objects out and replace the impeller. It's a s#!*y job....

I did also have one issue where the pump started making a horrible noise. I stopped the pump, flushed as best I could, and looked inside. I found a 9mm shell casing stuck in the pump. I am still puzzled by that one as I don't own a 9mm.

I think the garbage disposal based macerator would handle this sort of issue and survive without having to rebuild the pump. Also, being where I have 120v AC power at all times, it would make sense to have a 120v macerator.

Please let us know how your unit is working for you.

Thanks

Steve

[robatthelake]

I built one because several RV Parks that We frequent have inadequate Sewer Lines. They as People to refrain from flushing Toilet Paper. I prefer to not have any used TP smelling up My Rig!

Yes I have a sensitive Nose!

The Macerator does a great job of grinding up the Black Tank contents and helps to keep the Park lines flowing freely!

There is an Electrical Outlet in the nest Basement compartment to the Wet bay!

[SoundGuy]

want-a-be wrote:
What am I missing. Why would you need a Macerator Pump? Are want one?

SRockwood wrote:
Some of us like to sling poo 75' uphill?

Bingo! ... the reason we call it a Poop Cannon! :W

[SRockwood]

want-a-be wrote:
What am I missing. Why would you need a Macerator Pump? Are want one?

Some of us like to sling poo 75' uphill?

[SoundGuy]

want-a-be wrote:
What am I missing. Why would you need a Macerator Pump? Are want one?

Perhaps YOU don't want a macerator but if you'd read the entire 3 pages of discussion you wouldn't be missing anything and would know why the OP wants one. 😉

[want-a-be]

What am I missing. Why would you need a Macerator Pump? Are want one?

[Need-A-Vacation]

Tim, looking forward to pics and feedback on how it works!!!!

I have considered a macerator pump, but the time I would need one it could portentially be about 125' or so to the drain.... Not sure if one would work that far???

I had considered the diy that Tim just made. Wondered if hooking water up to the dishwasher drain fitting would help "push" the slop through the hose.... I would add a check valve if I went that route.

Any suggestions???

[timmac]

popeyemth wrote:
Will you run it on an inverter or strictly plug in?
Could you post some pictures?
Thanks,Mike

Yes I might post some pics soon, it runs off my 110 plug in the drain compartment area, I only use it at home and use the 3 inch drain hose at camp sites.

[popeyemth]

Will you run it on an inverter or strictly plug in?
Could you post some pictures?
Thanks,Mike