Today: Grey Water Drain Change, Hookups and Outside Storage Solutions, Jacks attached, Shower Mat, Dinette Window Repair.
Back ago, like in 2015, I was working on Grey Water (which Chapter is now closed) and had devised this drain method. Screw it onto the straight shot out of the gate valve, connect a garden hose, and drain away!
What I didn't like about that, was the need to have the access door open when hooked up to dump. (My gate valve handle is available for "pull" from inside the camper.)
Let's say you're parked at a "hook-ups" spot in winter for several days in a row. The 21 gallon grey tank is filled (from all that nice, hot shower water you've been luxuriating in for a couple days. You find you need to dump.
So you look out the window and the wind is blowing, and the snow is falling horizontal. You're still only on your second cup of coffee, in sock feet, and still in your "comfies". Who wants to go outside and hook-up the "open access door dump setup"? Not me! No Sir.
Why did I set it up like that? Because I'm too cheap to cut a hundred foot rope. Some of you may remember that story I told about my Dad somewhere back in these chapters. Good luck to you - I can't find it.
But I didn't want to cut down into the floor through a east/west 2x2 framing member in the floor so I set up the "open door" policy.
Lately, I wasn't feeling it. I was coming around to the idea of drilling a hole through the floor - and the framing member. I figured with the plywood top and bottom, and the rest of the strong, secure built floor structure, I'd be just fine. So I made careful measurements, and drilled away! (I had much previously, already built the plumbing part.)
Off came the old way, in go the new parts.
Note the wood is not finished. I think I'll remove the gate valve fasteners, lift the assembly back out, and smear some exterior caulking around on the bare wood surfaces for sealing out the elements and insects, much like I did around the range vent, and the battery floor drain hole.
I think I'll leave the top of the floor unsealed around the pipe, so that any water leaks in here, can drain to the outside.
From underneath, the garden hose attachment is flush with or sunken into, the structure. I'll probably cap it. This area of the camper lives right above the truck bumper and leaves about 8-9 inches between the two. Here you can hook up a hose, run it along the top of the bumper over to the sewage hook-up - then dump any time you need. And the access door can remain closed, offering not only a clean look, but the temperature controlled (heated) basement.
So that's the grey water dumping.
The black water dumping is simply carrying the bottom half (up to five gallons) of the toilet over to a suitable dump spot (outhouse, camp or rest stop bathroom, maybe a sewage hose setup I'll build and store between the camper and the truck rear bumper in a hose tube). Yeah, need to get dressed for that one.
The other hookups are all right here: water (gravity fill and city water) and electric.
But how to store the hose and cord? Oh man, that cord is heavy and bulky. Overkill normally, but quite capable for "when needed". I finally found a nice spot for storage. Now I had tried it here before, but I couldn't get the coiled cord through the small entrance into the 3-4" wide, but quite tall and deep storage location.
So how did I? One coil at a time. Remember before nasty thieves started stealing cords from campers? They had those nifty storage areas where you could push the cord back into the RV and close a little hatch? That's how I stuffed this storage spot. Very effective!
Then in front of that goes the water hose.
And that canvas bag below and to the right? Camp Hookup odds and ends. I had to remove the axe and shovel from here to make it all fit.
Where did those go?
Back here, to the right side of the tank. Folding shovel, 3/4 axe, and a hammer.
And the grey water drain hose on top. In the bags, the shower kit bag holds a small tool kit, and the larger bag holds an extra (always on board) cordless drill with battery. An extra battery, and the charger, live in the electrical cabinet below the dinette seat where it stays plugged in and charging. I'm not sure I'd live long without my cordless drill nearby. Call it my security blanket.
And all stowed.
Note the temperature sensor for the heated basement was moved to the left, so it's out of the way of storage.
I cut and miss-cut two extra shower mats we had on hand, and fitted them together. This will allow a "bit-o-warmth" for bare feet in here, as well as an assistance for keeping the toilet from sliding around while underway.
One evening, at just a bit past beer-thirty, I discovered a faulty window crank component on MY side of the dinette window. And the screen had also been pushing out of the spline channel. What the?
So yesterday I took it apart and replaced the stripped gear box with one of my extras. Also discovered the screen spline was too thin of a diameter, so re-screened the dinette windows with a better spline. Back in business.
I also got my set of Reico-titans installed.
One of the next steps is to get this camper back outside and on the truck (then the jacks will come back off). Once on the truck we can get this baby over to the scale and see the damage! At that point I'll be determining truck capability needs.
When I ordered my 3/4 ton pickup, I got the towing package, which option, I believe it was, that provided the larger of two rear-ends available for the truck. I also ordered cab lights (because I like cab-lights). So the truck is in essence, already a non-dually one ton - minus the springs. So I may have a spring shop work it, or aftermarket stuff. But first we have to see what she weighs. More to come on this subject, so stayed tuned.
And as Grandpa said to
Little Tree, "She's Coming Alive Little Tree, she's coming alive".
(One of the best reads you'll ever have - should you choose to accept the mission.)
