question about using toilet when hooked up at home

[tim1970]

I keep my 5th wheel at home when we are not using it, and although I have a dedicated 50amp plug in, I do not have anyway to empty my black tank. (I live 5 acres in a very rural area, so I have no issues dumping my grey tanks at home).

From time to time I will be using the 5th wheel at home when company or relatives come and visit. Should I keep them from using the toilet? My concern is it might be 2 or 3 weeks before I take the 5th wheel anywhere. The black tank obviously would not be very full from just 1 night of someone staying in it. Is it ok to travel with a little bit of solids in the black tank? What does everybody else do if you use your RV at home, but don't have a dedicated dump site at home?

[troubledwaters]

WTP-GC wrote:
OP lives on 5 acres in a rural area...
Just dump it on the ground and let nature do the work. If the TP doesn't dissolve quickly, then just rake it up once it dries a bit. Your talking about a few turds once in a while....
Nothing like over-thinking a simple problem.

How would you feel later if you found out your grandkids went back there and built sand castles in the mud?

[2012Coleman]

Tvov wrote:
The whole issue with doing things "by the book", "weight police", "dumpsite police", etc is just amount of usage. At a campground, campsites are being used constantly and need to be kept clean, even from grey water, or they get really gross. At forest "campsites", spots where people have camped before, again if people keep dumping even "just a little bit" there it will get gross.

At your house, if you keep using your camper and dumping the black tank where you park it - eventually you will have parking area coated in waste.

It is all common sense, and unfortunately since so many people have the attitude of "oh it's just this one time" (or especially that rules are for the "other people"), more and more rules and laws are created.

Just use common sense, and have fun camping!

I say plant a vegetable garden...

[jwolf55]

I have a SewerSolution it is portable and was inexpensive, I keep it in my garage for those times I need at home dumping. I have also added a 50 foot 1” hose to it due to the locator of our septic tank to where I park the coach. The SewerSolution allow me to dump at home in to my septic tank.

[Tvov]

The whole issue with doing things "by the book", "weight police", "dumpsite police", etc is just amount of usage. At a campground, campsites are being used constantly and need to be kept clean, even from grey water, or they get really gross. At forest "campsites", spots where people have camped before, again if people keep dumping even "just a little bit" there it will get gross.

At your house, if you keep using your camper and dumping the black tank where you park it - eventually you will have parking area coated in waste.

It is all common sense, and unfortunately since so many people have the attitude of "oh it's just this one time" (or especially that rules are for the "other people"), more and more rules and laws are created.

Just use common sense, and have fun camping!

[Tvov]

How about saying okay to use the camper toilet for pee, but not poop? And then only if really necessary - otherwise use the house facilities.

I think it would be fine to make a temporary hole-in-the-ground for guests... but make sure they don't try to take a shower or something like that!! Even too much using the sink could overflow your temporary hole. It is amazing what people will do even if told not to, when they don't fully understand the system.

[tinner12002]

Most clean outs these days are usually near the house and in the same drain the house uses and not close to the septic tank.

[2012Coleman]

I'd just use the on-board pump to transport the mashed up waste to my pasture/hole in the ground if I were in the OP's situation. And yes, I do pee in the woods behind my workshop - only because my fridge is well stocked!

[Grit_dog]

Easy way to solve this connnundrum is make your guests dump the tanks whe they're done....
People need to take care of their own sht!

[Grit_dog]

DSteiner51 wrote:

tim1970 wrote:

WTP-GC wrote:
OP lives on 5 acres in a rural area...
Just dump it on the ground and let nature do the work. If the TP doesn't dissolve quickly, then just rake it up once it dries a bit. Your talking about a few turds once in a while....
Nothing like over-thinking a simple problem.

I have actually thought about this, but was afraid I would get roasted alive for even suggesting something like this. Like you said, it would be very little solids (nobody living in the RV, just for the occasional guest) Especially if I use my macerator, I can't imagine what I would be dumping would be any worse than what my cows do every day.

You are exactly right. One cow does more in one day then four people. Dig a 18" "post hole" 😉 to run your garden hose to. Just don't mention it here lest the "city" folk here hit the roof. After all, everyone knows the rabbits, deer, fox, coon, dogs, cats, birds, cows, etc all use an EPA approved septic system. :B. Many state parks use a hole in the ground with a fancy seat above it.

There will be no room for common sense like this around here!
We is all about needing a dually with 4.56 gears and 19.5s to pull a pop up camper to the state approved dump site to drop the tank.
(Probably a bunch a people who think it's gross or unsavory to take a leak out behind the shop or a ...... In the woods. ).

[2gypsies1]

Having your guests use it during 2-3 weeks time is no different than sitting on BLM or national forest land and boondocking for 2-3 weeks. We've done that. If your tank is big enough don't worry about it. However, I wouldn't just dump it on the ground!!!!!

[DutchmenSport]

We installed an easy access to the septic tank at home for easy pumping. (No more digging to find the concrete hatch or the tank). There is no actual "clean-out" on lines, the lines run under the house, under a concrete slab. (at least half the house does). But the easy remove lid works great now when we need to get it pumped out.

But the pipe is a bit high, so I built a very simple ramp using just cinder block and 2x4's and 2x6's. They aren't nailed or anything, they are just sitting there, easy to remove if I need to or any reason.

Meanwhile, it now makes a great ramp for my blue tote. I've been doing it this way for 3 years now with any problems. This works great or me. I don't mind using my blue tote. The distance the trailer is parked is too far and would require tearing up my asphalt drive way in several places to run a separate line just or the trailer. So, this works very well for us.

[DSteiner51]

tim1970 wrote:

WTP-GC wrote:
OP lives on 5 acres in a rural area...
Just dump it on the ground and let nature do the work. If the TP doesn't dissolve quickly, then just rake it up once it dries a bit. Your talking about a few turds once in a while....
Nothing like over-thinking a simple problem.

I have actually thought about this, but was afraid I would get roasted alive for even suggesting something like this. Like you said, it would be very little solids (nobody living in the RV, just for the occasional guest) Especially if I use my macerator, I can't imagine what I would be dumping would be any worse than what my cows do every day.

You are exactly right. One cow does more in one day then four people. Dig a 18" "post hole" 😉 to run your garden hose to. Just don't mention it here lest the "city" folk here hit the roof. After all, everyone knows the rabbits, deer, fox, coon, dogs, cats, birds, cows, etc all use an EPA approved septic system. :B. Many state parks use a hole in the ground with a fancy seat above it.

[tim1970]

WTP-GC wrote:
OP lives on 5 acres in a rural area...
Just dump it on the ground and let nature do the work. If the TP doesn't dissolve quickly, then just rake it up once it dries a bit. Your talking about a few turds once in a while....
Nothing like over-thinking a simple problem.

I have actually thought about this, but was afraid I would get roasted alive for even suggesting something like this. Like you said, it would be very little solids (nobody living in the RV, just for the occasional guest) Especially if I use my macerator, I can't imagine what I would be dumping would be any worse than what my cows do every day.

[DSteiner51]

tim1970 wrote:
Actually my RV came with a built in macerator. I have just been bypassing it and using the gravity fed dump. How can this help me at home and how can it help me avoid the lines at dump sites?

Forget the lines at the dump station entirely and just head for home. Driving will help break down the solids and put less stress on the macerator if needed at home. Depending what you have at home will determine if you bypass the macerator or no. If your clean out is outside your home great.

If not, do you have a clean out as pictured above in the basement of your home, is there a window you can open near by? If so, two fittings (maybe three?) and a cap will convert it for a garden hose connection... or you got several different options depending on it's placement or your desires.

No way I am going to wait if I am headed home where I can do it at my leisure. It may take me a total of 30 minutes to stretch the garden hose, drain the black and two grey tanks and put it all away when done.

If headed to another campground I may or may not.. will I have full hookups? Will I arrive at a time that most likely will not have a waiting line etc? The added weight of full tanks takes no more power then adding a couple mph to the tow speed due to aerodynamics. I see a bigger drop in gas mileage going from 62 mph to 67mph then water in tanks or no so I always leave home with a full fresh water tank which during use gets transferred to black and grey tanks.