Using a Macerator to Dump Into Home Septic

[Trivet]

Comparison my old top load washer with one wash, two rinse cycles was 40 gallons of water at 5-6 loads a day sometimes 200-240gallons plus all other household water use a day hitting septic was never an issue.

How big is your septic tank?

I thought about older top-loading washing machines, and the enormous amounts of water they used, and that didn't seem to cause a problem with septic tanks.

 

[Firstime RVer]

The logic is sound, but I think your math is off by a factor of three. 1/20th of 72 inches is 3.6 inches, not less than 1 inch.

But in addition, 40/1000 is 1/25, not 1/20. 1/25th of 72 inches is 2.88 inches, or just shy of 3 inches. So the 40 gallons would add about 3" to the fluid in the tank, not one inch.

At least your logic is sound, and even three inches is not a big deal.

Here's one where the logic wasn't great: A long time ago somebody said that by no longer putting "yellow" toilet paper in the toilet, they increased the amount of time the black tank lasts from 5 days to 14 days, and recommended it as a way to increase capacity in the black tank.

I showed the calculations to convert the volume of a roll of toilet paper into a volume of liquid--it's about a quart. I said that was 1/2 of 1 percent of the OP's 47-gallon black tank capacity. Kirk jumped in with a picture of a package of 24 rolls of toilet paper, noting that even that was less than a 5-gallon bucket.

The yellow toilet paper diverter said it's bigger unrolled.

Actually the level in the tank would not rise at all, because the effluent would run out into the leach field as it was being filled.
Safe travels and all the best.

 

[jymbee]

Actually the level in the tank would not rise at all, because the effluent would run out into the leach field as it was being filled.

Something that has been mentioned here by several others, including myself but perhaps one of the most misunderstood aspects of septic systems.

 

[khill1]

How big is your septic tank?

I thought about older top-loading washing machines, and the enormous amounts of water they used, and that didn't seem to cause a problem with septic tanks.

750gal. as someone mentioned tank is always full, every gallon going in is a gallon going out to leach field. About three 50-60 ft laterals in poor permeation clay in s. IL. Just from memory when I installed each foot of lateral probably could hold 10-15 gallons of liquid if it were dry. Rocky/sandy soils don't need near as much leach field as it absorbs moisture readily where clay does not

 

[Trivet]

Actually the level in the tank would not rise at all, because the effluent would run out into the leach field as it was being filled.

Well I'll be.

What does mean for concerns about adding too much water at once? Does that have to do with how fast water can go into the leach field, and has nothing to do with the size of the tank?

But if so, don't regulations dictate a minimum size of tank based on predicted/assumed water usage? Or is the tank sized for solids maybe?

 

[jymbee]

But if so, don't regulations dictate a minimum size of tank based on predicted/assumed water usage? Or is the tank sized for solids maybe?

Around where we live-- in order to get the permit other than usual things like perk test & overall inspection of the system as a whole-- the size of the tank must be adequate for the intended use based the size of the dwelling, number of inhabitants and number of bedrooms.

I build my own septic system from start to finish and "they" were on site to inspect everything along the way.

 

[khill1]

Depends on where you live and what code is "and if" the code writers (politicians) had clue what they were doing if you followed code you should be ok. Per code 3 full bath, kitchen sink, laundry sink.... they count sinks/bathrooms here, I increased my tank from 500 to 750 and lengthened laterals till 18" from surface due to grade just to over build, "bigger is better, when I'm doing the work" just me, but even with tight clay soils here only 1 guy can make a living pumping tanks out here, 30-40mi. radius.....unless abuse too much grease, bleach, egg shells/excess garbage disposal stuff it probably 20-30yrs or more average time to pump one out here, your mileage may vary, I use a monthly bacteria treatment " cabin obsession" brand to break down solids/sludge but can't claim it helps or not. Trees/shrubs or other heavy woody plant growth over leach field can be a serious problem, common sense roots clog leach field. just my 2 er 10 cents worth on it

 

[Firstime RVer]

LOL. Our local codes sized the septic based on the number of bed rooms. I oversized mine to 1000 gallons based on what I knew from friends I grew up with. The minimal flow rate from a macerator pump thru a 3/4 hose to a 500 gallon tank would seem to be a drop in a bucket.
Just my $.02 FWIW

 

[SMR]

Lost my poop today...first time using a macerator pump and it worked fine.

 

[Firstime RVer]

There are baffles in the tank that help keep the solids in the tank, to decompose and be stored until pumped out.
The solids tend to settle in the first compartment with the liquid flowing over the baffle into the second section, and then on to the leach field.
The whole idea is to deliver a reasonably low flow to the first section, so as not to disturb the solids.
Carryover of the solids would tend to plug up the leach fields over time.
So I doubt that the 5 or at most 10 gpm flow from a macerator would even be noticed by the system.
Just my $.02 FWIW