pros & cons of waste pumps with macerators

[hatwate]

We have a Class A and my husband is thinking of purchasing a waste pump. We utilize only campgrounds and rarely need to use other dump stations. Why would we want one of these? Wheat are the pros and cons?

[Effy]

My MH came with one from the factory due to the bathroom tank setup on the camp side so it has to pump over the frame rail to the hookup side.

The pros and cons are different if you use portable pump or as a permanent install. A handheld portable I found a great help to dump at home in the cleanout at the house on our old MH.

Cons: it's electrical - so there is the risk of it malfunctioning. It never has in 3 years but it could. I can unhook and manually dump if this happens. Another con is that you can't leave the grey open while camped. You can but nothing happens unless you turn the pump on.

Pros: It can pump uphill, it's much cleaner, the smaller hose is much easier to manage. I have 30' of hose so I can dump pretty far and can add hose if I need to. There is less risk of a spill, if something comes unhooked, just turn off the pump and everything stops. Try that when a gravity hose comes loose.

I installed a remote control switch on ours. So I hook up at a camp site, open the valves. I keep an eye on the tanks and if I need to dump them I have a little keyfob that turns the pump on . I can do it inside the coach or in a chair outside whatever. It's a remote control tank dump which is pretty cool.

[hotpepperkid]

I bought one even though I have a dump on the side of my house where I park my RV. However it is on the opposite side. There are both about the same height. The problem is the hose lays on the ground and 20' of sewer hose holds a lot of water so getting all that water out is a pain. I have to crawl under the RV and lift the hose as I move toward the sewer hook up. With a macerator pump I get all the hoses hooked up pull up a chair and pump away

[Triker33]

When at my winter spot I use one that needs to pump uphill and about 30' away.

But when traveling in the summer I never use it. I use the faster dumping slinky hose. At full hook ups I leave the gray valve open with a U in the line 2 days before needing the black dumped I close the gray.

With the slinky when dumping you get that whoooosh. Can't get that with the pump.

[ScottG]

I bought one on sale about ten years ago and it's still in the box. I'm of the camp that unless you need to pump up hill, you dont need it.
It wont clean out the tank any better.

[mgirardo]

donn0128 wrote:
They then allow you to pump uphill and onto a toilet for instance.

Most people would prefer if you pump into the toilet not ONTO a toilet 🙂

-Michael

[2oldman]

SoundGuy wrote:
I can use the macerator for that purpose as well by offloading macerated content into portable containers sitting in the back of the truck,

In addition to this use, I'm currently in a FH site with the hookups on the opposite side. I don't have 50' of sewer hose, but I do have garden hose and a macerator.

[SoundGuy]

As a long time Flojet Waste Macerator owner I'd heartily recommend it. :B Yes, if you always dump into campsite sewer inlets or always use campground dump station facilities then gravity dumping with a stinky slinky will work just fine. I don't, ever ... rather than get stuck in a long lineup at the dump station at 2 pm on a Sunday afternoon when everyone else is there for the same reason I simply pass on by and give everyone a friendly wave as the waste macerator allows me to service my tanks at home, at my leisure. 🙂 No fuss, no muss, no need for a stinky slinky, and I can take as much time as I want with no one standing there tapping their feet wanting me to "speed it up". :R In the rare situation we may be camping and the black tank needs offloading I can use the macerator for that purpose as well by offloading macerated content into portable containers sitting in the back of the truck, all with no need for an expensive, heavy, awkward to store wheeled tote tank. To each his / her own but I'd never consider not having a waste macerator. Pics are in my gallery. 🙂

[oldmattb]

I like to give our tank a final clean when we get home, and dump our (no formaldehyde) waste into our home septic system. The clean-out I use is about 50 feet away, with about an 18" incline, so a macerator is necessary to get the waste into a hose and uphill.

It takes about the same time to set up the hose and macerator as it does to empty both tanks at a conventional waste disposal. Emptying both tanks with the macerator takes 10-15 minutes.

I can see no advantage to using a macerator at a conventional dump site.

Matt B

[bid_time]

Is long as the dump connection is not higher then the outlet on your motorhome, there is no reason to have a pump. A pump is used to pump up to a higher elevation. A macerator pump is used to grind the poop so it goes through a smaller diameter hose while pumping it all up hill. There is no need for grinding if everything is going downhill and your using the regular 4 inch diameter stinky slinky.

[donn0128]

You dont. Mascerators are only needed to dump the tanks when there is no convenient sewer opeining that you can use. They then allow you to pump uphill and onto a toilet for instance.