Macerator pump

[RRR]

Never had the need and I am totally ignorant about them.

My grandson and his girlfriend are very close to buy a small trailer with the idea of short trips in the Tillamook Forest and parking/living in it at our daughters. Most toilet usage will be in the house. His idea is to use a blue tote, put in in his pickup and take it to local dump station. How he is going to manage this is anyone's guess. It is an advantage he is young, with a weak mind and strong back.

Anyway I'm thinking there is an accessible sewer clean out. So maybe...
What should I look for? Price? They seem all over from $80 to the size of wallet. Is pumping out a 100 feet realistic?

 

[Kirk]

Things like the lift ability of the pump and the distance between the RV and the cleanout are important considerations. Is the cleanout for a septic system or into a public sewer system? While I have been around them many times, like you I have not used one so have no suggestions on which pump is best. I am wondering also where the property he plans to part the RV on is located as he could run into zoning restrictions or other local rules, that should be considered before other planning, if it has not already been looked into.

 

[RRR]

Things like the lift ability of the pump and the distance between the RV and the cleanout are important considerations. Is the cleanout for a septic system or into a public sewer system? While I have been around them many times, like you I have not used one so have no suggestions on which pump is best. I am wondering also where the property he plans to part the RV on is located as he could run into zoning restrictions or other local rules, that should be considered before other planning, if it has not already been looked into.

Public sewer. I said something to the DD but I never got an answer. Side yard that is fairly well out of site. It is a small rural community so with a little luck maybe they won't bug her, but if they do not my problem. Guess I could do a little research. I think I got a week or two till it happens. Thanks for the reminder.

 

[RV_Lee122]

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

If using the macerator to dump a sewer tote tank, the macerator pump needs a 12v power source (a battery, which could be the one in a near by vehicle) and two hoses, a short one to suck from the portable tank and another to push the sewage out to the sewer system inlet. Yes they can pump 100ft but that generally requires a large diameter output hose. 1" or more is preferred so that the pump doesn't have to overcome a lot of back-pressure.

But if they RV is close enough to the sewer access point, you don't need the sewer tote and you can use a macerator designed to connect directly to the RV's sewer outlet via a bayonet-style connect built into the pump. Then you only need a suitable output hose (see my previous paragraph) and you can use the trailer battery for the 12v power. You probably need to make your own wiring harness for that because the clip leads that come with a macerator kit often are not long enough. The gauge of the wire is often minimal as well - you need at least 12 gauge wire to provide enough amps to the pump when it is working hard.

Portable tanks are usually designed to be emptied by gravity and that works well enough if the sewer access point is flush to the ground or if there is some way to place the tank outlet high enough to run down to the sewer inlet.

 

[Believer45]

I camped in a friends' driveway when our house sold and it took six weeks for our next house to close. I bought a FloJet macerator pump kit that attached to the hose connection for my sewage outlet and pumped 160 feet and about 4-5 feet uphill to a city sewage cleanout in his back yard. It worked great. I did get 3/4" garden hoses and I did cap off the exit end. When I needed to empty I simply removed the 4" cleanout cap, uncapped the garden hose and slid it a couple feet into the cleanout pipe. Had no issues emptying one black and two grey water tanks a couple or three times a week.

LINK TO FLOJET and yes I did buy it from Camping World. Best price I could find at the time, believe it or not.

 

[IBTripping]

I've had several macerator pumps. Like Believer45, I've found the Flojet to be the most reliable and able to pump well uphill. However, it is pricey.