Where / How to Dump?

[nagel]

I live 1 mile from a State Park and for years I had the luxury of simply pulling into the park and dumping my gray/black tanks as needed. When I drove a Motorhome this was awesome because we could use the "facilities" on the trip home with no worries. (I've moved back to a Travel Trailer recently).

Anyway, the State Park has recently started charging $10 to dump (for non-guest). I actually don't mind supporting them, but this could get expensive if we have to dump a lot.

Any good words of advice on how/where to dump from home? Obviously, the goal may be to dump before we head home, but what if we still need to dump once we get back home?

Anybody have any luck with dumping into a tote and releasing into septic? Maybe I just want to pay the $10 and be done with it.

[nagel]

drsteve wrote:

TNGW1500SE wrote:

nagel wrote:
Macerator pump".......do those handle "solids"? I have boys.

FYI, girls poo too.

I think nagel is talking about other sorts of solids...

Lol. Don't even go there.

[drsteve]

TNGW1500SE wrote:

nagel wrote:
Macerator pump".......do those handle "solids"? I have boys.

FYI, girls poo too.

I think nagel is talking about other sorts of solids...

[SDcampowneroper]

Atlee wrote:
I either dump at the camp ground or usually dump at the university where we tailgate 6 times a year. The camping is strictly boondocking, but the university does have a dump station we can use. That's always a "quickie" deal. Can't take time to flush out the black tanks. But that doesn't usually matter. We'll be using the trailer again the following week.

If I need to really flush out the black tank because we will not be using the TT for a while, or we've boondocked somewhere dumping is not available, we will drop by a local campground. So far, they let us dump for free. Of course, anytime I need propane, I go there to buy it.

.

Hear Hear! These folks and the camp 'get it'. Patronize the business, develop a relationship. Quality businesses provide free services to attract patrons. Respect the property, they will remember you as quality patrons.

[patbac]

Really, I'm not gloating. But, oh how I love living in a 55+ community with free RV parking and its own dump station...

[nagel]

TNGW1500SE wrote:

nagel wrote:
Macerator pump".......do those handle "solids"? I have boys.

FYI, girls poo too.

Yea. You enter into a whole new realm when you are traveling with 5 teenage boys. Enough said"......

[Atlee]

I either dump at the camp ground or usually dump at the university where we tailgate 6 times a year. The camping is strictly boondocking, but the university does have a dump station we can use. That's always a "quickie" deal. Can't take time to flush out the black tanks. But that doesn't usually matter. We'll be using the trailer again the following week.

If I need to really flush out the black tank because we will not be using the TT for a while, or we've boondocked somewhere dumping is not available, we will drop by a local campground. So far, they let us dump for free. Of course, anytime I need propane, I go there to buy it.

[SoundGuy]

BCSnob wrote:
Plus our discussion of possible shortcomings for the use of a macerator (which you did not offer) may be of use for the OPs (or other readers) situation.

Since I own and have been successfully using a macerator for a dozen years now I can't say I've come across these "shortcomings" of which you speak so how I could I "offer" them? :h Perhaps you can enlighten us based on your own experience. 😉

As for my replies to the OP they were in direct response to his request in his first post -

"Any good words of advice on how/where to dump from home? Obviously, the goal may be to dump before we head home, but what if we still need to dump once we get back home?"

This is exactly what I do - service my waste tanks at home using a FloJet Waste Macerator. 🙂

[BCSnob]

And the untility of a macerator pump applies to your situation or ones like it.

Without all of the information from the OP how would you know if a macerator will be as an excellent choice as it is for your situation? However my recommendation of using the pay dump site has a proven record of working for the OP. Plus our discussion of possible shortcomings for the use of a macerator (which you did not offer) may be of use for the OPs (or other readers) situation.

[SoundGuy]

SoundGuy wrote:
... 'though I do wonder why you have to "turn around your rig multiple times to dump" if using a macerator ... what difference does how the trailer is oriented make? :h

BCSnob wrote:
... the lean of the trailer when pulling into drive in front of house makes emptying the tanks difficult without significant lift of the opposite side of the trailer from the dump valve and raising the tongue of the trailer.

So in other words your earlier comment applies only to your particular situation ...

"Macerator set-up is too complicated at home to be worth the effort; parking location closest to clean out requires turning rig around for dump followed by turning around again to get to storage location plus needing to pump 75’-100’ uphill to clean out."

... and therefore isn't relevant to the OP nor to anyone else who may be interested in using a macerator for servicing their rig's waste tanks. In fact, your situation has nothing to do with whether you use a macerator or not but rather the fact that the lean of your rig doesn't allow proper gravity draining of the tanks. As one who has been using a waste macerator for more than a dozen years now I can absolutely say it can be an excellent method of servicing one's waste tanks, specific situations such as yours notwithstanding. 🙂

[bikendan]

nagel wrote:
Great info. Free dump stations at rest stops in Iowa. Wow. We don't see that in Missouri. I talked to flying J and they also want $10 so might wait until I get home.

Washington State also has free dumps at rest stops. we are able to dump at one that's on our way home, only 10 miles away.

[TNGW1500SE]

nagel wrote:
Macerator pump".......do those handle "solids"? I have boys.

FYI, girls poo too.

[BCSnob]

SoundGuy wrote:

BCSnob wrote:
unless you too have to turn around your rig multiple times to dump and then park, my comment goes not apply to your situation. But if you want to require implicit statement of “my situation” in addition to a detailed description of my situation, so be it.

That's the point - every situation is different, 'though I do wonder why you have to "turn around your rig multiple times to dump" if using a macerator ... what difference does how the trailer is oriented make? :h Not arguing, just asking what this has to do with using a macerator ... if anything, I would think it would be easier as you just run the macerator hose whichever direction you want, unlike a stinky slinky which is limited in length and can only function properly by gravity if it's sloping in the right direction.

the lean of the trailer when pulling into drive in front of house makes emptying the tanks difficult without significant lift of the opposite side of the trailer from the dump valve and raising the tongue of the trailer. Turning around to park in front of house facing other direction requires pulling up a steep 30’ high hill into a pasture, turning around and the pulling out of the pasture down in front of the house. Parking this way allows access to a small level spot for the trailer but not TV that is not accessible with the rig pointing the other direction. Then parking in the storage location requires pulling across a one lane colvert on the drive, turning around in a different pasture, pulling back up hill into the pasture above the house and backing in next to barn.

These “features” are part of the charm with our 200year old farm. It also puts limits on the size rv that can be pulled up to our house.

Things are easier with flat ground. We have a lift pump between our septic tank and leach field which is 30’-40’ higher than our septic tank.

[JaxDad]

nagel wrote:
Any good words of advice on how/where to dump from home? Obviously, the goal may be to dump before we head home, but what if we still need to dump once we get back home?

It’s not very well known but almost every municipal sewage treatment facility will accept RV sewage, usually for free, during their regular business hours. Most also have potable water available, also free.

I’ve done so all over North America over the last 30’ish years.

[nagel]

centerline wrote:

nagel wrote:

Anybody have any luck with dumping into a tote and releasing into septic?

are you on an actual septic tank or city/municipal sewer system?... dumping into a septic tank is no issue as long as you dont use a formaldehyde based chemical....
and if you use an environmentally friendly chemical with enzymes, it could be beneficial to the septic system...

if you are on the municipal sewer system, it doesnt matter...

a macerator system may work well for you, as it could pump the waste thru a hose for some distance, and yes, it will grind whatever has passed thru your body, and toilet paper which are the NORMAL solids one would find in the toilet, but NOT wipes, or sanitary napkins...

I'm on a septic. Not city or municipal.