What are different ways to use my camper with full hook up on my land?

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Maanameg

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Jul 31, 2017
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I don't need any comments on IF I can do it legally. I need to know how to do it. How can I get septic without actually having a business come dig and install? What about electric? Would I need a business to do install a well? Or what are other ways can I live in my camper without forking over tons of money? I need all amenities because I will be living in it during the summer months.

I need to have use to a bathroom close by so renting or buying a Porta potty is out of the question. I have to be able to use the toilet that's in the camper.

If I can get help on all 3 areas (well, electric, septic) that would be great!

Thanks everyone in advance for your help!
 
Hire contractors to install a state approved septic system, about $10,000. Hire a well drilling company, more money. Then there is the expense of running power from the road to where you want to set the power pole. There simply is no other way to do it safely or legally.
 
Is your property unrestricted? If so there are tons of info on the internet on putting in a "septic" system that will handle a camper, especially with no laundry. Electric, you probably are pretty much tied to a contractor, I'm really no sure.Well? whats the soil? Can you drive a point? Again, it's not like you need hundreds of gallon of water a day with a camper, again with no laundry.
I'll be boon docking probably a couple months in Maine next summer. 1st month beside a clean river, that is plenty clean enough for shower, dishes etc. Will buy dinking water. Second month near a fresh water spring same deal. Will buy drinking water. Black tank I will have to use honey tank. Although 2nd stop has outhouse, that will work for me, wife can use toilet in camper, should be able to go 1 - 1+1/2 weeks on that. Grey water where we are it can go on the ground.
 
A septic tank could be used to empty the trailer into and then have a company come and empty the tank once a month. Cheaper than a full septic bed but you have an ongoing expense to get the honey wagon to come and empty it.

Electricity: Solar and a pile of batteries could provide what you need, especially if you're staying in one place and can put up a bunch of solar panels on racks on the ground (as opposed to the roof of the RV)

A Water tank on a stand that someone comes and fills once a week could keep you in fresh water. Buy a giant 500 gallon plastic tank (abourt $500) and a bunch of 4x4s and build your own water tower so it gravity feeds the RV tank when needed. You could still use the RVs pump for pressure.
 
You can possible get the local power company to put a pole on your land with a meter, but the service charge will be monthly and continues.
Once you have AC power you might be able to hand drive a well, but with no hint where you are I can't even guess at the possible success there. I made it year ago....
To put in a septic tank and drain field anywhere needs machinery even if you don't need approvals.
Best of luck there.
Matt
 
In these day's a waste system can get you in real hot water in a hurry if your county or district does not allow it,, even your neighbor will rat you out..>>>Dan ( Also think about vandalism,, private property means very little in some areas.)
 
Without knowing where you live and the local regulations it is impossible to answer this question.
 
I installed a 1,000 gallon septic tank and leach field when I built our former house. I did have a friendly building inspector that was very helpful in making sure I did it right. My cost for the tank, distribution box, piping, and crushed stone was around $4,000 at today's prices, but that doesn't include some portion of the costs for my backhoe. I had the 200 foot well professionally drilled for about $3700, but that cost can vary a lot depending on soil/rock conditions and water depth. And that didn't include the cost of the pump, pressure tank, and assorted plumbing. For electric, our power company would run overhead lines up to 100' from their pole at no charge, so I planted a $400 pole and guy wire at 99' and ran 250 feet from there to the house underground for another few hundred dollars for wire, meter box, and breaker panel.
 
You might consider an incinerator or composting toilet which eliminates using the black tank. Gray water could be dumped into a box of woodchips. The gray is just water and soap which won't have much impact on the environment.
 
How can I get septic without actually having a business come dig and install?
As it happens, some years ago I helped a friend of mine put in his own septic system so I have some knowledge of what is required, at least in TX. Septic systems are probably the most regulated part of the process, with wells second. You can buy all of the needed items for putting in a septic system but I know of nowhere that does not requite that they meet state standards and that they be inspected. There are regulations about the size of the tanks and of the drain-field in pretty much every state. To do the digging you will need a backhoe or similar equipment and before you start you need to run a perk test in the area of the drain-field. It is a lot of work but it can be done.

The well is an issue that depends a great deal on your location as the needed depth varies a lot. Putting one in requires either the hiring of a well drilling contractor or buying/renting a well drilling rig. Check with local well dripping companies to get a feel for the cost.

For electricity you need to contact the local provider as there is usually a cost for installing the power drop and meter. The amount usually depends on how far they have to come from the existing powerlines.
 
There is no cheap way unless you do the labour ie digging a well or septic, years ago you could get away with a lot more.
If you own the land outright you may want to consider having a "neighbor" who pays rent to offset costs of installing everything if zoning will allow it.
 
You can do all 3 if you don't mind doing hard work.
The septic can be illegally done with a couple of 55 gallon drums cut in half, top to bottom, and buried open end down. Pipe the water in and let it soak into the ground. Newer, legal systems resemble this in a way without the long pipes.

Solar for electric, but if you want air conditioning in the summer you will need a lot of solar panels, lots of battery and an efficient a/c unit like the mini-split. It would need 1500 watts maybe to run, when running depending on the size.
Without needing a/c then your electric is run easily on solar.
Heat with propane is common on an RV, but look into the diesel heaters, off eBay, as they will use much less electricity to run the fan and are much cheaper to run off diesel than if you use a propane heater.

The well depends on how deep the water table is, and do not put the well near your illegal septic. There are ways to use water to blast a hole if the ground is not rock and if the water table is not too many feet deep. Search, dont ask for this info.

All 3 will require permits if you hire pros, and alert of your intentions and bring unwanted attention to your illegal uses and permits will be denied. Typically in most areas you cannot live in a camper on your property.

Ir you have neighbors willing to sell you electric then 300 feet is about as far as you want to run it. The farther your run the bigger wire you will need. This is not an ideal solution. Putting an electric cord on wet ground might not end well.

Im here to tell you you can do it, but dont get caught.
 
Don't want comments on doing it legally? You need to check local regulations before you do anything, once you know the local codes you will have a better idea of what you can do. Or you can do it your way until they find you, someone reports you, and pay the fines or do the time. Some places have no tolerance Beretta TV: Can't do the time don't do the crime. Warning: XX is known to cause cancer in CA.
 
Waking up in the morning is known to cause cancer in Cali. Am I the only one that wonders why everything causes cancer in Cali??
 
You might consider an incinerator or composting toilet which eliminates using the black tank. Gray water could be dumped into a box of woodchips. The gray is just water and soap which won't have much impact on the environment.
Absolutly, grey water is very harrd on a septic system anyhow…..especially laundry.
 
It's not difficult to build a basic septic system unless the ground is rocky or full of tree roots. Then it becomes a real PITA, both to build and to keep it operational after. I'd want at least 200 gallons of tank capacity, but 500 would be much better. You can get away with a modest drain (leach) field in most cases. You can find septic construction info & videos online.

A well is usually harder, but again it depends on the terrain and the water table depth. You need to learn how deep you have to go to get safe drinking water - in some regions it will be over 100 ft.
 

What are different ways to use my camper with full hook up on my land?​

This answers the question, what other options do you have?
1. Use it
2. don't use it
 
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