Thinking of fitting black tank instead of cassette.

[Glas Robin]

We’ve got the standard Thetford cassette which lasts a couple of days or longer if just the Memsahib and me. Emptying is a bit of a pain.

Having had a couple of US/Canadian RV holidays, I like the black tank solution.

I’m scoping out retro-fitting one in place of the cassette. I’ve searched the threads but not really found anyone who has done this.

I’m thinking of:

• an underslung tank, maybe 60l, or a bit more depending on clearance undneath the van.
• No SOG
• A macerator/pump on the outlet, so,that small bore hose can be used and above ground dump points.
• I’m undecided on an inlet macerator too, but probably makes sense.

Was looking at this pump and tank.

Amazon product ASIN B075QYVKMB
I’m a bit concerned at the hozelock connector for the outlet though. It will need to be well macerated to flow well through that restriction.

Amazon product ASIN B00HVF2NV6

I reckon I can do this for around £200ish - tank for £100, pump/macerator £70, hose and connectors £30-50. Obviously a bit more if I have both macerators.

Anyone done this? Any thoughts / advice?

 

[Gromett]

Need an exhaust vent to the roof I believe.

 

[CazPaul]

A lot of work and not as convenient to empty as a cassette, you can empty a cassette every where, we were on a pub stop the other week and someone parked over the septic tank cover so just emptied the cassette back at home.
you can't do that with a tank, we carry a spare cassette too so double the capacity.
If you think emptying a cassette is a bit of a pain then wait til you get a tank, so much easier to just walk somewhere with something in your hand than mess about finding somewhere to empty a tank.
We have a septic tank at home and I wouldn't fancy driving into the field to empty a tank, Rocky and rutted all over.

 

[Jim]

A lot of work and not as convenient to empty as a cassette,

Gravity dumping a large tank in one go is much more convenient than messing with a small cassette everyday. But where you can’t gravity dump, you can peel off just a couple gallons at a time into a small cassette and dump it everyday just like you do.. So a large tank is more convenient all round

 

[simsy56]

We’ve got the standard Thetford cassette which lasts a couple of days or longer if just the Memsahib and me. Emptying is a bit of a pain.

Having had a couple of US/Canadian RV holidays, I like the black tank solution.

I’m scoping out retro-fitting one in place of the cassette. I’ve searched the threads but not really found anyone who has done this.

I’m thinking of:

• an underslung tank, maybe 60l, or a bit more depending on clearance undneath the van.
• No SOG
• A macerator/pump on the outlet, so,that small bore hose can be used and above ground dump points.
• I’m undecided on an inlet macerator too, but probably makes sense.

Was looking at this pump and tank.

Amazon product ASIN B075QYVKMB
I’m a bit concerned at the hozelock connector for the outlet though. It will need to be well macerated to flow well through that restriction.

Amazon product ASIN B00HVF2NV6

I reckon I can do this for around £200ish - tank for £100, pump/macerator £70, hose and connectors £30-50. Obviously a bit more if I have both macerators.

Anyone done this? Any thoughts / advice?

The hozelock on the macerator is for back flushing the tank/pipe, not waste disposal.

Craig

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[Glas Robin]

A lot of work and not as convenient to empty as a cassette, you can empty a cassette every where, we were on a pub stop the other week and someone parked over the septic tank cover so just emptied the cassette back at home.
you can't do that with a tank, we carry a spare cassette too so double the capacity.
If you think emptying a cassette is a bit of a pain then wait til you get a tank, so much easier to just walk somewhere with something in your hand than mess about finding somewhere to empty a tank.
We have a septic tank at home and I wouldn't fancy driving into the field to empty a tank, Rocky and rutted all over.

On RVs I found a pumped dump very easy. Granted, North America is better set up than Europe.

Which is why I was thinking of a macerator pump on the outlet, so I could use smaller bore hose. Pumps I was looking at could raise 3m through something as narrow as maybe an inch. With 25m of hose and 3m lift I reckon I could dump on any site pretty much. And then run grey through the hose to flush.

We have septic tank at home. Currently I have to lift every inspection cover on a manhole every time I want to empty the cassette at home. With a tank/hose I could just pop into a suitable access with out lifting anything.

 

[Southdowners]

I can’t advise on fitting but would say that a black tank is the best and most convenient way to dispose of waste. We have a large one and go for many days without the need to empty. You don’t necessarily have to park over a drain as the hose attachments make dumping possible, except of course uphill

 

[Glas Robin]

The hozelock on the macerator is for back flushing the tank/pipe, not waste disposal.

Craig

Yes, on closer inspection the pump I posted is a 1” outlet.

 

[Glas Robin]

I can’t advise on fitting but would say that a black tanks is the best and most convenient way to dispose of waste. We have a large one and go for many days without the need to empty. You don’t necessarily have to park over a drain as the hose attachments make dumping possible, except of course uphill

Which is where a pump would help...

 

[Glas Robin]

Need an exhaust vent to the roof I believe.

I assumed so, to support aerobic digestion and prevent pressure build up. But I’ve seen posts on here suggesting factory-fitted vans without.

Can anyone confirm.

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[Southdowners]

Which is where a pump would help...

Maybe... My comment about uphill was meant tongue in cheek. All I can say is that we have never had any issues dumping our waste anywhere. We have a marine toilet, a Jabsco. Our system was factory fitted and I don’t think it has a vent anywhere.

 

[Jim]

Macerators are great when they work, I once dumped tanks to an Elsan point that was 50m away, slightly downhill. But when they go wrong, and they will, it's rather more than a tad inconvenient. Think of a 30m 1 inch wide toothpaste tube and you want to squeeze every bit of paste from it. Then imagine that it's not paste you are pushing along the tube! Not pleasant, nor is stripping down the macerator to see what stopped it. Now if I can't gravity dump I use a Fiamma 40L roller, it has waste connections so you can fill it with no splashes or mess. It does a great job disposing of black and grey

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[Two on Tour]

How about swapping your existing loo out for the Dometic loo with a built in macerator.

Dometic Masterflush 12V Orbit Toilet | Force 4 Chandlery

Dometic Masterflush 12V Orbit Toilet. Available to order now with Worldwide delivery. This space saving electric toilet is ideal for retro-fitting. It’s small footprint fits the plumbing points of most commonly used marine toilets & the 360deg ORBIT featu

www.force4.co.uk

 

[jongood]

On RVs I found a pumped dump very easy. Granted, North America is better set up than Europe.

Which is why I was thinking of a macerator pump on the outlet, so I could use smaller bore hose. Pumps I was looking at could raise 3m through something as narrow as maybe an inch. With 25m of hose and 3m lift I reckon I could dump on any site pretty much. And then run grey through the hose to flush.

We have septic tank at home. Currently I have to lift every inspection cover on a manhole every time I want to empty the cassette at home. With a tank/hose I could just pop into a suitable access with out lifting anything.

Dont you have an outside loo?

Great thread btw.
Jon

 

[tonyidle]

Macerators are great when they work, I once dumped tanks to an Elsan point that was 50m away, slightly downhill. But when they go wrong, and they will, it's rather more than a tad inconvenient. Think of a 30m 1 inch wide toothpaste tube and you want to squeeze every bit of paste from it. Then imagine that it's not paste you are pushing along the tube! Not pleasant, nor is stripping down the macerator to see what stopped it. Now if I can't gravity dump I use a Fiamma 40L roller, it has waste connections so you can fill it with no splashes or mess. It does a great job disposing of black and grey

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This looks like a good idea?

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[eddie]

Macerators are great when they work, I once dumped tanks to an Elsan point that was 50m away, slightly downhill. But when they go wrong, and they will, it's rather more than a tad inconvenient. Think of a 30m 1 inch wide toothpaste tube and you want to squeeze every bit of paste from it. Then imagine that it's not paste you are pushing along the tube! Not pleasant, nor is stripping down the macerator to see what stopped it. Now if I can't gravity dump I use a Fiamma 40L roller, it has waste connections so you can fill it with no splashes or mess. It does a great job disposing of black and grey

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I too refuse to use a macerator any more after an incident, where a family friend (non camper) flushed tampons into the holding tank. It seems the string is very tough, tougher that my macerator! It was a bad day

So I too use a rolley dump for the odd time I can’t gravity dump, so have the best of both worlds

No daily commute carrying a plastic pot of poo, just and occasional drive over dump, or, a poo run with my pot

 

[gus-lopez]

Need an exhaust vent to the roof I believe.

None on mine.

We have a septic tank at home and I wouldn't fancy driving into the field to empty a tank, Rocky and rutted all over.

So do I along with an outside toilet .I just dump in to buckets & dispose that way. I suppose I am fortunate that there is a good 16"(40cm) distance between ground & sideskirt

I assumed so, to support aerobic digestion and prevent pressure build up. But I’ve seen posts on here suggesting factory-fitted vans without.

Can anyone confirm.

Yes mine is a factory fitted one piece Thetford toilet & black tank.There is no vent pipe.

 

[simsy56]

That's what I have, works a treat. But, as Jim says, it will at some point stop working, then you have to sort through the 'Richards' to fault find. Yuk! I run a bit of grey waste through it first, to make sure it's working, and it also lubricates the system, followed by the black waste, then the rest of the grey.

Craig

 

[eddie]

There will be a vent, trust me, otherwise when you flush, the higher pressure inside the tank will push the contents of the bowl, back up into the van, explosively

 

[Silver-Fox]

I’ll be honest I can’t think of much worse than having to decant s**t from a tank into a bucket ?

At least a cassette is sealed until the moment of the expulsion ?

But no doubt dumping a big tank over a mongols or similar is more convenient ?

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[Littlewheels]

Maybe... My comment about uphill was meant tongue in cheek. All I can say is that we have never had any issues dumping our waste anywhere. We have a marine toilet, a Jabsco. Our system was factory fitted and I don’t think it has a vent anywhere.

I think you will find it has , immediately above the Loo on roof a small cap type thingy, was on my Charisma and current Carver.

 

[Littlewheels]

I've showed this image previously, here's my set up for moving my waste unto 30m if nessasary.

 

[hilldweller]

an underslung tank, maybe 60l, or a bit more depending on clearance undneath the van

Have you done the payload calculations ?

 

[Landy Andy]

So instead of walking to any disposal point every two days, you need to carry a poo waste trolley, a poo filled hose, a poo bucket, and a poo filled pump whist traveling.

Mmmmm. No, not for me thanks. ?????

 

[Jim]

So instead of walking to any disposal point every two days, you need to carry a poo waste trolley, a poo filled hose, a poo bucket, and a poo filled pump whist traveling.

No just the rollaway tank.

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[tacr2man]

The black tank is more viable the bigger it is , other wise cassette . A black tank dump is not something you want to be doing every couple of days particularly if its a macerator dump . IMHO .
If you go black tank retrofit , then rig it so grey dumps thru same hose.

 

[Geo]

What I miss most from my RV macerating days is the social gathering, it seems emptying a cassette is a rather private affair, however get out the macerator and pipes open up the manhole and voila instant social gathering of shit connoisseurs
Tell me I ain't telling the truth lol

 

[Glas Robin]

Have you done the payload calculations ?

I’m just about to up-plate, but in any event I think the net increase will be around 40ish kg when full.

 

[Jim]

Tell me I ain't telling the truth

Do you remember that New Year Kands covered himself in his own poo at the dirty duck, still funny now

 

[Geo]

Indeed Jim and I had thr plesure of a re run in a French air were he not only covered himself but the stainless steel water and hook up unit and a couple of Frenchmen to boot
Laugh I nearly died

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