RV Hookups at Home

[GaryB]

Hi - I'm planning to build a house with RV garage (outside RV parking not permitted in subdivision) and have already got some great advice from this forum on electrical hookups.

Well, I was just thinking that it may be fun for my little boy and I to camp out in the driveway occassionally on those weekends when I don't have time to drive around to a campground.  So that's brought up questions on water and septic hookups as well.

1) Can the RV fresh water hose attach to a standard household outdoor water faucet (like those you attach a garden hose to when washing the car)?

2) I think I've read before that it's possible to dump into a home septic tank.  Unfortunately, my septic tank may be on the "low" side of my lot (walkout basement side) whereas my driveway "camping site" will be on the "high" side.  So the septic tank may be 60-100 feet away from my RV.  Has anyone seen dump hose extensions that are long enough to span this distance?  Would this function OK?  By the way, does one simply open the lid on the septic tank and hold the hose down into it while dumping?  As you can see, I don't have a clue on this stuff, but home camping may be more fun than no camping when time doesn't permit otherwise.

Thanks
Gary

 

[Wendy]

We hook up the water to our outdoor water spigot when parked at home. Do the same thing at my parents place, hook up to their garden spigot. No different from a campground water hookup.

As for the sewer, I have no advice since our RV parking place is excavated out with retaining walls (steep slope up from the street) so it's way downhill from the sewer lines and you know what they say about you-know-what not flowing uphill. Fortunately there's a free dump at the local city park less than a mile away where we can dump when necessary.

 

[Tom]

Gary,

Instead of trying to hook up 100 feet of sewer hose, consider a macerator pump that will attach to the sewer outlet on the RV and allow you to run garden hose from there to the septic tank inlet. I can't comment on how well your septic tank will handle the "load" of a dump though.

 

[John From Detroit]

Since you are building it makes things fairly inexpensive. (As opposed to very costly)

Now, a few simple questions... Are you planing on moving it out of the garage when the kids "Camp out" (I sould suggest)

Look at your RV, most "Dump" on the driver's side so decide if you are backing in or pulling in and have them lay a 3" pipe that comes up just at ground level right next to the RV garage.

Also have them run a fresh water line out there, (If you live where it freezes make sure you can cut it off and drain it back from the basement) and run a fifty amp RV style power line, put in a Campground style breaker box (the most expensive part of this) with 20-30-50 amp 0utlets and breakers (This should be INSIDE the garage so it's double lockable) you can also use it to power your tool bench, electric lawn mower, whatever needs power (The reason for the 20 amp outlet/breaker)

 

[Jeff]

Just about all homes have a sewer clean out to use in case of a plugged line. Ours were in the garage and the basement for our last two homes so it should be simnple to plan a claenout in a convienent location. With a macerator it is quite simple to run a hose to the cleanout to dump.

 

[Shayne]

The house we sold in Dec in ILL had hookups for 4 RVs complete hook ups, adaptable in Spring and fall to 8 (4 on the grass) Plus ours in the garage.  Had many use it over the years and when my Mother and Motherinlaw passed a way all 8 spaces were utilitized.  Boy where the neighbors confused for a few days on both occassions.. When  we had to 8 hooked up we had to put them all on 30Amp. Water was fill your tanks and use the pumps  We had 2 O/S sewer hookups and adaptors so it worked out great. It certainly was packed with their 8 Rv's and Cars  and then our RV with at that time 11 cars and trucks, 2 trailers and a dolly.  Had our own Mini Rally and CAMPFIRE.  Breakfast and dinner was always expensive for us and boy was I tired of cooking.  Heck  forgot the 2 boats in back, but they were in the water so they really don't count. So hooking up at home can be done and certainly is worth the extra effort to do so.

 

[GaryB]

Thanks all, for the great advice!

Sounds like I should ask my Builder to install a septic cleanout pipe just behind the driveway from where I'll be "camping" with my RV.  As I understand, it runs directly to the septic tank.  Then I'll buy the Macerator pump.  Do I need the Macerator pump if the cleanout is only 15 feet behind my driveway?  Is that much further than in campground?

Thanks again all
Gary

 

[Alaskansnowbirds]

Thanks all, for the great advice!

Sounds like I should ask my Builder to install a septic cleanout pipe just behind the driveway from where I'll be "camping" with my RV.  As I understand, it runs directly to the septic tank.  Then I'll buy the Macerator pump.  Do I need the Macerator pump if the cleanout is only 15 feet behind my driveway?  Is that much further than in campground?

Thanks again all
Gary

Gary,

Why have the builder install the dump at the back of the driveway? Decide where the RV will be parked and have the sewer dump installed where it's less than 10 feet from where the RV's dump valve is. This is new construction, you can put it where ever you want it. Have the water and electric run there also. The added cost now is minimal compared to doing it later after construction is done.

 

[Carl L]

Sounds like I should ask my Builder to install a septic cleanout pipe just behind the driveway from where I'll be "camping" with my RV.? As I understand, it runs directly to the septic tank.? Then I'll buy the Macerator pump.? Do I need the Macerator pump if the cleanout is only 15 feet behind my driveway?? Is that much further than in campground?

Thanks again all
Gary

Whoa.  Read what Tom said.  You have a septic tank geared for your house's rate of production of sewage over a certain span of time.  Running a black tank dump, maybe 25-40 gallons of raw sewage at one time may overwhelm your tank.  I would check that out with who ever is servicing your tank.  I would see no issue with leave the grey water open to your tank, but maybe your kids can use the toilets in your house.  Would simplify things a bit.

 

[GaryB]

Thanks.  I'll be "camping" outside on the driveway and so just behind the driveway would be the most convenient place to put the dump.  I mentioned 10-15 ft. behind the driveway since there will likely be other underground utility lines running immediately behind the driveway (cannot dig into them). 

You brought up a good point - maybe I can ask the builder to put a "pole" of some type behind the driveway with water and electric hookups in one place, and the dump (cleanout) nearby also.  I was originally planning to put the water and electric hookups along the outside wall of the garage.  But that would require me to connect 20-30 ft away to the RV when "camping" outside.  In case that still turns out to be necessary, I'm assuming a simple 30+ amp extension cord and long water hose will resolve that distance issue??? 

 

[GaryB]

Thanks Carl - I just saw your post after my last post.  Yes, if I end up camping outside my house often, then I'll definitely check into that septic capacity issue further (or else use the indoor toilets).  I may end up camping outside in the driveway very infrequently.  I just thought it'd be a neat thing to do whenever the little guy starts screaming because he's bored - then again he may start screaming again one hour after entering the RV ).  So I'm not sure how often I'll do it.  I'm just trying to plan for the proper utilities/hookups at this point.

Thanks again
Gary

 

[Alaskansnowbirds]

Whoa.  Read what Tom said.  You have a septic tank geared for your house's rate of production of sewage over a certain span of time.  Running a black tank dump, maybe 25-40 gallons of raw sewage at one time may overwhelm your tank.  I would check that out with who ever is servicing your tank.  I would see no issue with leave the grey water open to your tank, but maybe your kids can use the toilets in your house.  Would simplify things a bit.

Carl,

With Gary's new construction, I agree he should ask his plumber.

In my case here, I dump into our septic tank all the time and most everyone that has stopped by for a visit has also and we haven't had any problem. As a general rule I think (and I'm just guessing here) the solids to water ratio (more water than solids) in an RV dumping is less than there is in a household toilet flush. All that water just flows through the tank into the leach field.

 

[Betty Brewer]

All that water just flows through the tank into the leach field.

Why is it that  almost all RV discussions come a back to black water?

Betty
blackwater tank 45% FULL

 

[John From Detroit]

Whoa.  Read what Tom said.  You have a septic tank geared for your house's rate of production of sewage over a certain span of time.  Running a black tank dump, maybe 25-40 gallons of raw sewage at one time may overwhelm your tank.  I would check that out with who ever is servicing your tank.  I would see no issue with leave the grey water open to your tank, but maybe your kids can use the toilets in your house.  Would simplify things a bit.

You should have seen the septic tank my dad dug when our house was moved....

Though you may well be dumping 40 gallons in one day,  You will usually preceed that with a week of zero gallons, so I do not think it should be a problem.  Of if it is it will be only for a very short time (Example, don't run the laundry first thing when you get home, wait an hour or two)

 

[Karl]

Maybe I'm missing something here, but I can't believe one man and one boy can come close to filling even half the black tank in a single weekend. That said, with the small amount produced, it's not a good practice to drain your tanks dry after each weekend - makes for solids build-up. Even when camping long term with hook-ups, you'd normally leave the gray water tank open, and keep the black water tank closed to allow the bugs to do their magic, until nearly full or you're ready to move on. I also think that a properly sized septic system should be able to handle an occasional full-tank dump (rv'ing friends stop by for a visit) without any problem.

 

[Wendy]

My parents property in Oregon is on septic. They dump their 5th wheel when they get home from trips and we dump whenever we stay there (usually about a week's worth of, well, you know) and they've never had a problem in over 15 years.

 

[John From Detroit]

I just thought of sometihng...

Perhaps the concern of the effect of the RV dump (I can dump just over 100 gallons if all 3 tanks are full (2 gray, one black 36 gallons each) however I've only filled one tank (Gray) one time (last trip out) full, the rest of the time I dump first).

The concern, stems from back in the days of Formalhyde as a deorderant  That much Formalhyde might just mess up a septic system

Today's deorderants tend to be biologiclas that digest the sweage, this actually IMPROVES Septic tank performance

Also septic systems have changed over the years, where they used to use a septic tank/drywell system, it's not septic tank/drainfield system.  And some drainfields 100 gallons over the course of a few minuts would indeed spell OVERLOAD. 

I mentioned the dw/st system my dad dug at the house I grew up in (Fit for a 40 room hotel it was) however their new house (After I'd moved out) was a st/df system, we had to enlarge the drain field as the original was not enough for 2 adults and some part time kids (also adults) .

Got in something of an argument with my dad as to where the pipes were layed (I have excelent memory for that kind of tihng) we disagreed by about 3 feet.

Finally I grabbed a shovel and demonstrated my superior spacial memory Put the point of the shovel against the side of the pipe I did)  I very strongly recommend wearing proper protective gear when doing this (Hip boots, gloves, that kind of thing)

And a good outdoor shower is kind of nice too

(I have one of those..... Now,, back then it was cold water only, today it's hot/cold/inbetween)

(The workman who fixced the sewer on this house was very appreactive of that warm shower)

 

[Carl L]

Why is it that? almost all RV discussions come a back to black water?

Betty
blackwater tank 45% FULL

Haven't you seen the movie "RV"?

 

[Karl]

Carl,

It's out on DVD now. I'll pick up a copy so we can all have a good laugh at Alamo Lake or Quartzsite!

 

[Tom]

Karl,

If you'd come to Moab you would have seen the movie when we went to view it as a group at the local cinema.