ordered a Flojet 18555 MACERATOR and I have some questions

[melloftus]

I recently came across a great thread here called "Dump Rage" and in it people were talking about a Macerator and dumping at home. Due to a recent unfortunate event in our home sewer we have located our outside sewer clean out. This amazing discovery only cost me an entire Saturday,emergency visit from the city,then a plumber and a $375 lighter checkbook so I am trying to find the silver lining in it.
Its only about 10 feet from where we park the TT however there is a slight pitch there and the clean out is a bit on a upward slope (maybe about a foot) I had trouble in the past getting all the water out of my fresh tank where it sits when I did the fresh water sanitation. I would hate to get it parked into its spot only to find out I cant get the black/gray tanks empty.
So the next option is to park it on the street which is level and dump from there using the Flojet. Now its about a 50-70 foot distance and about a 5-6 foot slope uphill to our clean out. From what I have read the flowjet should be able to handle this.
Here are my questions:
1) will this work
2) if yes, what recommended hose size- I am thinking 3/4 inch and either a 25 +50 foot or a single 75 foot
3) I understand it just comes with 2 short wires to power the pump. Our battery bank is all the way in the front of the trailer, waste valves in the back... My generator (Champion 3400-Watt Inverter) has a 12-Volt DC automotive-style outlet and the flowjet manual states it needs a 12 VDC, 20 amp power source. The generator came with what looks like jumper cables to fit into this outlet but I was thinking of getting something like these off amazon
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07KFBMWN6/ref=ox_sc_act_title_5?smid=A2WBV9COGZXR17&psc=1
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MRPKPPG/ref=ox_sc_act_title_4?smid=A9JH5EZBE3SH8&psc=1
However now that I look at my Circuit diagram for the generator the fuse is 8 Amps there so I am not sure that will work, I just dont want to have to purchase a separate battery for this alone or run it all the way to my battery banks up front. (I can hear my husband complain already about what a PITA my "poo-blender" has become when really I am doing this for him. )
Could I make a plug to use to go into the wall or the outlets on my generator? The amp on my circuit on my generator is 20 there?
If I could do that that would be the best option as I could use the generator while out camping into a vault toilet if there was no dump station and then plug into shore power when home.
If none of the above would work recommendations for a power source for this would be appreciated.
Thank you for your time.
M

[PastorCharlie]

rvshrinker wrote:
I am building a carport for my trailer, which also serves as a place for guests, and I want to be able to dump at home. Unfortunately my sewer cleanout is 125 feet from where my grey tank valve will be.

Option 1 is to put a sewer dump at the end of the concrete pad. However the sewer would have to run 100 feet to the clean out and from my internet searching it seems like it will have to have a 25 inch drop in height to meet code/work. SO that is likely out, since my sewer clean out is at most 1 foot below ground.

Option 2 is to use a FloJet or other macerator, and a garden hose to my sewer clean out. From many reviews it seems that going 125 feet and totally flat in a 3/4” hose should be fine. Any concerns that it would not work?

I would really prefer a more permanent option. I’m doing a whole backyard project and it’s going to cost a lot of money so it sort of stinks that I’m going to be stuck running a garden hose across my new landscaping and pool area to dump poop. It’s just not very elegant. Plus I’ll have to do it manually rather than just leaving the trailer hooked up for guests, etc.

Any thoughts or other ideas? Or is the macerator my best option and not that bad?

You could bury a 1' PVC pipe from your pad to the cleanout and tie it into the line there. At the pad end install a garden hose adapter and use a short run of 3/4" or 1" commercial garden hose to connect from there to camper. That hose will be removeable and able to store it until needed. You will power the Macerator from camper battery. Mine pumps both tanks (100+ gal.) in 10/15 minutes.

[rvshrinker]

bpounds wrote:
For OP: Return the Macerator. Purchase a Sewer Solution. Pocket the extra cash. And disregard any need for electrical power.

For RVshrinker, how high your clean-out isn't the question you should ask. How deep is the trunk line is the question. Probably a lot deeper than a foot, and might give you the drainage slope you need, which is 1/4" per foot.

That makes sense. Thank you

[bpounds]

For OP: Return the Macerator. Purchase a Sewer Solution. Pocket the extra cash. And disregard any need for electrical power.

For RVshrinker, how high your clean-out isn't the question you should ask. How deep is the trunk line is the question. Probably a lot deeper than a foot, and might give you the drainage slope you need, which is 1/4" per foot.

[rvshrinker]

I am building a carport for my trailer, which also serves as a place for guests, and I want to be able to dump at home. Unfortunately my sewer cleanout is 125 feet from where my grey tank valve will be.

Option 1 is to put a sewer dump at the end of the concrete pad. However the sewer would have to run 100 feet to the clean out and from my internet searching it seems like it will have to have a 25 inch drop in height to meet code/work. SO that is likely out, since my sewer clean out is at most 1 foot below ground.

Option 2 is to use a FloJet or other macerator, and a garden hose to my sewer clean out. From many reviews it seems that going 125 feet and totally flat in a 3/4” hose should be fine. Any concerns that it would not work?

I would really prefer a more permanent option. I’m doing a whole backyard project and it’s going to cost a lot of money so it sort of stinks that I’m going to be stuck running a garden hose across my new landscaping and pool area to dump poop. It’s just not very elegant. Plus I’ll have to do it manually rather than just leaving the trailer hooked up for guests, etc.

Any thoughts or other ideas? Or is the macerator my best option and not that bad?

[PastorCharlie]

I hard wired a number 10 copper strand wire with 30 AMP fuse from the front of my 40 MH battery bank to the dump bay at the back and installed a ground wire from the frame at that location. Both are connected to a plug that mates with the macerator wiring. I purchased a 100' and a 40' 3/4 commercial hose for different applications. I have used both together for a 140' run. Never had a problem pumping with any combination of runs and up hill works fine. I use the Flojet macerator and it easily connects or disconnects to allow the original drain hose to be used.

[ktmrfs]

my cleanout is about 1 ft higher than the trailer dump valve. I've used the floject for years now. The main cleanout is further away than I wanted, so we dug down on the cleanout pipe, added a sanitary T, and ran pipe to near the side of the driveway to make a dump station. Just make sure you have some downhill slope in any added run to the cleanout.

1) I made a 12V circuit from the battery to a marine plug near the valve so I can easily plug in the flojet.
2) I bought a 3/4" diameter water hose dedicated to the flojet

I back the trailer into the driveway and dump away. Works perfect

[D_E_Bishop]

A lot of folks have their macerator pumps hard wired in, and don't remove them.

I made my own and it uses 120vac so I don't care at all.

My opinion is have a 2 wire cable run to the waste cabinet and plug it in as you need it. Don't screw around with it, don't over think it, provide a 3" hose connection and a two wire 12vdc connection and be done with it.

Mine will pump up the 12 inches I need and once it is flowing gravity feed takes over.

K.I.S.S.

[IAMICHABOD]

2oldman wrote:
I use a garden battery which I also use to pump water from my truck to RV tank.

I gotta ask what is a"garden battery" does it need special feeding,how deep do you plant it do you have to prune it or just let it go,a picture would be nice also some info on the care and feeding of this thing.:W

[wa8yxm]

Observations. on MY flo-Jet

IO had a bunch of 10/2 wire (Speaker wire no less very nice) so no problems DO put a fuse near the battery (30 amps for 10 ga)

THe switch "Handle" has a fuse hidden under a cover on the "Bottom" of the handle

THe pump suffers from "Stiction" so the motor shaft extends out the 'Bottom' of the pump and has a slot. Give it a twist before hooking up.

FInally 1 foot up hill no problem

Oh and level your trailer before dumping. Park the low side on 2x whatever the width of the tire treads are.

[2oldman]

melloftus wrote:
recommendations for a power source for this would be appreciated.

I use a garden battery which I also use to pump water from my truck to RV tank. I cut the macerator wires nice and short and use big alligator clips. Things heat up after a while.

[CFerguson]

I may be misunderstanding the problem but I have 2 thoughts nonetheless.

1) follow the cleanout line until a connection would be below the level of your outlet in the TT. Install a new connection at that point if feasible.

2) build up the area where your TT wheels are to make it a foot or so higher.

I wouldn't be trying to push water 5-6' uphill in any condition without a dedicated pump.

[Dutch_12078]

A couple of years ago a friend asked for my assistance in deciding which macerator pump to use for pretty much the same problem you have. Before spending any money, I suggested we probe the clean out drop pipe to see how far down the sewer pipe was. When it turned out the pipe was a good foot or so lower than the RV outlet about 15' away, we just dug down around the clean out and dug a trench to the RV. Then we cut the drop pipe off a couple inches above the sanitary 'T' at the house line, inserted another sanitary 'T' and ran a 4" pipe over to the RV location with an elbow, riser, and another clean out. Problem solved for about $40. If necessary, we could have cut the new 'T' into the house line to gain a few more inches of depth, but the pitch was correct without doing that.

[SoundGuy]

melloftus wrote:
If none of the above would work recommendations for a power source for this would be appreciated.

I can't imagine why you'd use a generator to power a FloJet waste macerator when your battery is sitting right there. Buy a length of 10 gauge or 12 gauge cable, put clamps on one end to connect to the battery OR do as I did and permanently install the cable, running it from the battery location back to where the waste gates are. I mounted a standard Bargman connector at the waste gates and wired my FloJet with a matching Bargman so when I want to use it I just plug it in. Pics start here - click "i" at the top of any pic for a text description.

[opnspaces]

You say the clean out is about a foot higher when parked in the driveway. Are you talking just a foot higher by driveway, or a foot higher thanthe dump outlet on the RV. My thought is that if the outlet is lower than the dump outlet you could still use your stinky slinky. Gravity will push the stuff up hill until your tank is empty but leave the hose partially full. Then you can just lift up the hose (leave it connected to the RV) and walk the rest of the hose empty.

Another option might be to see if possibly the sewer pipe runs under a planter or the lawn before it gets to the street. On my driveway my clean outs are multiple feet above the level of the trailer. While I was considering a macerator I noticed that the cleanouts were angled slightly toward the lawn and not straight down the driveway. After some digging around in the lawn I now have a cleanout way down near the street that I can dump into.