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Old 04-27-2017, 12:37 AM   #1
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Composting and flip up sinks

My wife and I were out to a site that had electric/water but no sewer. We are new owners so this our first real test of relying on our holding tanks. We planned to be there 4 days but cut to three because of the prohibitive rain.
Our black and gray tank meters were at 2/3 or more but less than full. As a retired engineer, I am vexed by meters like this. I have already put in a real battery meter. I imagine we could make 4 days. This was the first time I used the shower and the first time I did a #2 in the can. I mean, my wife has, but I always managed to find a fire ring in an unused campsite or some such place … just kidding.
I noted that the gray tank was at 1/3 early in the game so we were using that tank faster. I also noted that I did not like the placing of the toilet, cabinet, and door to the bathroom. As I sat on it for the first time and closed the door, my knees were touching. I am not going to get graphic but for a variety of reasons, that doesn’t work. So the door remains open. My wife loves this aspect.
We have reviewed the “Gone with the Wynns” video on the pros and cons of their compost toilet. After looking hard for the draw backs I am making plans for a change. I haven’t chosen a unit but the dimensional issues seem to be reasonable. I plan to center the toilet against one wall so that knees can spread with the door closed. I am going to remove the cabinet under the sink. I plan to have custom over head cabinets on all walls. I hope to replace the sink with a fold up model like they have in Europe. That would be ideal. The black tank soil pipe would be plugged and sealed and the compost toilet will sit on top. I want to connect the black/gray tanks for one big gray tank. This would mean weeks of boondocking if successful. The 21 RS already has a large freshwater tank.
How crazy does this sound to you? Can you identify a “show stopper”? Seen any after market flip up sinks?

Bentspoon
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Old 04-27-2017, 01:19 AM   #2
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Sounds like a lot of work for not much gain in my opinion.

My wife and I can go 10 to 14 days easily on the black tank (50 gallon I believe). We never worry about the gray tanks when boondocking as the places we go we can dump the gray water on the ground.

The sensors on the tanks are never correct. After they show full you can usually go for several days more. After you get used to your rig you will get a better feel for how full your tanks really are.

Sounds like you are anxious to mod, so post pics of before and after, and how it works out for you!
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Old 04-27-2017, 06:00 AM   #3
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Composting and flip up sinks

Didn't know that gray water was allowed to be dump on the ground anywhere. But I'd agree with going a couple weeks if I had a way to get rid of gray water. About 5 days for us on the gray tank.

I agree that's considerable mods for what little discomfort it is causing. But we all have done considerable mods that make little or no since. Just because we could. Go for it !!

Russell
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Old 04-27-2017, 07:27 AM   #4
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Don't forget those toilets require a 12 volt source for the vent fan and should be properly vented. A lot of work and expense for little reward. I wonder how that mod would affect the resale?
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Old 04-27-2017, 12:03 PM   #5
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Didn't know that gray water was allowed to be dump on the ground anywhere. But I'd agree with going a couple weeks if I had a way to get rid of gray water. About 5 days for us on the gray tank.

I agree that's considerable mods for what little discomfort it is causing. But we all have done considerable mods that make little or no since. Just because we could. Go for it !!

Russell
Gray water... Everywhere except Kalifornia as far as I know.
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Old 04-27-2017, 12:16 PM   #6
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Not in campgrounds out here! {during daylight hours}
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Old 04-27-2017, 12:17 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by Bentspoon View Post
My wife and I were out to a site that had electric/water but no sewer. We are new owners so this our first real test of relying on our holding tanks. We planned to be there 4 days but cut to three because of the prohibitive rain.
Our black and gray tank meters were at 2/3 or more but less than full. As a retired engineer, I am vexed by meters like this. I have already put in a real battery meter. I imagine we could make 4 days. This was the first time I used the shower and the first time I did a #2 in the can. I mean, my wife has, but I always managed to find a fire ring in an unused campsite or some such place … just kidding.
I noted that the gray tank was at 1/3 early in the game so we were using that tank faster. I also noted that I did not like the placing of the toilet, cabinet, and door to the bathroom. As I sat on it for the first time and closed the door, my knees were touching. I am not going to get graphic but for a variety of reasons, that doesn’t work. So the door remains open. My wife loves this aspect.
We have reviewed the “Gone with the Wynns” video on the pros and cons of their compost toilet. After looking hard for the draw backs I am making plans for a change. I haven’t chosen a unit but the dimensional issues seem to be reasonable. I plan to center the toilet against one wall so that knees can spread with the door closed. I am going to remove the cabinet under the sink. I plan to have custom over head cabinets on all walls. I hope to replace the sink with a fold up model like they have in Europe. That would be ideal. The black tank soil pipe would be plugged and sealed and the compost toilet will sit on top. I want to connect the black/gray tanks for one big gray tank. This would mean weeks of boondocking if successful. The 21 RS already has a large freshwater tank.
How crazy does this sound to you? Can you identify a “show stopper”? Seen any after market flip up sinks?

Bentspoon
Waste (pun intended) of time and effort in an RV if you have consternations about your holding tank fluid levels, do yourself a favor and get and install a SeeLevel tank monitoring system.

FR (and other lower tier) builders use submerged tank sensors that are grossly inaccurate and in black tanks can be fouled by waste.

The SeeLevel system uses external, highly accurate inductive sensors that mount to the SIDES of the tanks EXTERNALLY. Very accurate and relatively easy to install system and SeeLevel also does a battery monitor the is integrated into some of their models.

No, I don't work for them or sell them but I have their system installed in my RV and I know it's accurate and it works flawlessly.

Composting toilets on the other hand are fine for a dwelling install where no septic system is available but they are not without maintenance and inconveinence.

Composting toilets must be charged with sphagnum moss (organic peat moss) and you have to seperate the fluid (urine) from the solid waste. Yes, they do make compost but yes, they can be a PITA even in a stationary (dwelling application), I'd never consider one for a mobile (RV) application and yes, I'm familiar with them, we have one in our remote cabin.

Being an engineer, I think you'll appreciate not only the build quality but the accuracy of the SeeLevel system. That is the fluid level monitoring system you'll find in high end coach's like Newell and Prevost because they work, are reliable and very accurate.
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Old 04-27-2017, 12:52 PM   #8
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Not in campgrounds out here! {during daylight hours}
'Night visitor' then....

But you know I don't do campgrounds. In fact my unit dumps sink water in a bucket (or on the ground) if I want to.. Far as a Grey tank, you do need that to flush your stinky slinky anyway...
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Old 04-27-2017, 01:20 PM   #9
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I live in city....when they paved the street here, they treated me real nice.....out at the curb, they put a drain in......sure makes it handy now that I don't have to sit in a line at a rest stop.......
I went all out and installed my own seperate black tank dump/ septic tank and drain field, but then I own a backhoe and front end loader.

No city life for me. Country bumpkin.
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Old 04-27-2017, 01:26 PM   #10
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Gray water... Everywhere except Kalifornia as far as I know.
Not in any Western state or national park I've been to.
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Old 04-27-2017, 01:44 PM   #11
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But I like greasy grass......
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Old 04-27-2017, 01:45 PM   #12
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Composting and flip up sinks

I've never heard that you could dump greasy gray water on the ground anywhere in any state anywhere

Russell
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Old 04-27-2017, 03:02 PM   #13
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Previous CG I was a seasonal at, all our gray water simply went through a regular garden hose and into an upside down bucket buried in the ground.
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Old 04-27-2017, 04:18 PM   #14
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Don't be surprised when in a few years they are having you dump gray water on your lawn LOL. That day is coming.

In the 70's camping with my parents common practice was the garden hose for gray water into the woods at PA state parks. I camp on the same sites today. The woods are still there, the trees are still there, the wildlife is still there.

I have been to Ohio State parks that had nice stone receptacles built to dump gray water in. They were connected to a pipe that went about 30' away and daylights into the woods.
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Old 04-27-2017, 05:41 PM   #15
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I'm not going to sit to pee or be bagging poop. Been using RV toilets for all functions for 42 years without a problem, going to continue....
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Old 04-27-2017, 06:28 PM   #16
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bentspoon View Post
My wife and I were out to a site that had electric/water but no sewer. We are new owners so this our first real test of relying on our holding tanks. We planned to be there 4 days but cut to three because of the prohibitive rain.
Our black and gray tank meters were at 2/3 or more but less than full. As a retired engineer, I am vexed by meters like this. I have already put in a real battery meter. I imagine we could make 4 days. This was the first time I used the shower and the first time I did a #2 in the can. I mean, my wife has, but I always managed to find a fire ring in an unused campsite or some such place … just kidding.
I noted that the gray tank was at 1/3 early in the game so we were using that tank faster. I also noted that I did not like the placing of the toilet, cabinet, and door to the bathroom. As I sat on it for the first time and closed the door, my knees were touching. I am not going to get graphic but for a variety of reasons, that doesn’t work. So the door remains open. My wife loves this aspect.
We have reviewed the “Gone with the Wynns” video on the pros and cons of their compost toilet. After looking hard for the draw backs I am making plans for a change. I haven’t chosen a unit but the dimensional issues seem to be reasonable. I plan to center the toilet against one wall so that knees can spread with the door closed. I am going to remove the cabinet under the sink. I plan to have custom over head cabinets on all walls. I hope to replace the sink with a fold up model like they have in Europe. That would be ideal. The black tank soil pipe would be plugged and sealed and the compost toilet will sit on top. I want to connect the black/gray tanks for one big gray tank. This would mean weeks of boondocking if successful. The 21 RS already has a large freshwater tank.
How crazy does this sound to you? Can you identify a “show stopper”? Seen any after market flip up sinks?

Bentspoon
Thanks for a good laugh from a fellow victim of poor design. I too have had the knee/door problem (and I have very short legs for my height, which is average for a man).

As to the fire ring, we once had a neighbour at the seasonal site next to ours who put his dog's droppings in the fire, complete with little plastic baggie. Yuck!

Good luck on your efforts, keep us posted.

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Old 04-28-2017, 01:03 AM   #17
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Some replies to the rplies

Thanks for the input everyone.
Particularly to SidecarFlip for calling my attention to the SeaLevel monitoring system. I will definitely look into that. I love information and I hate dummy meters and lights. That will be a near term upgrade.
I have to ask. One responder said the installed meters are notoriously wrong and we will get used to our rig. How exactly would we learn how long we can go. Seems like courting disaster. If the tank is getting real full, will you see it rising in the soil pipe when flushing. Is that too late?
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Old 04-28-2017, 01:16 AM   #18
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It's only too late when it overflows somewhere you don't want it. And yep, you can see it in the sewer pipe when you flush, might have to use a flashlight. The gray will just back up into your lowest point, usually the shower. Not knowing the EXACT tank level is really not that big a deal. At least we have never found it to be critical in the last 5 rigs over 25 years
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Old 04-28-2017, 07:36 AM   #19
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When getting to a critical level the loo will burp.
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Old 04-28-2017, 07:58 AM   #20
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I never trust the meters , we never look at them . Our black tank will easily go 10 days .
Gray tank depends on how many stand up showers we take . There is kinda a relationship between the fresh water tank and the waste tanks ,we do not hook up to pedestal water unless staying for a month . So , we will run out of water before our waste tanks get near full .
NEVER BELIEVE WHAT YOUR TANK MONITORS SAY , THEY LIE !!
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