Waste Storage tank

[bobhenry]

Sometime the simplist answers just seem to evade us.........

http://campermama.wordpress.com/2010/07/31/25/

[StandUpGuy]

I wasn't looking for the simplest answer I was looking for the least expensive.

[bobhenry]

SORRY!

It was well under a couple hundred dollars !

[bobhenry]

So what is so special about waste storage tanks? They are just plastic containers with a few do-dads on them. So how about using another container modified to be a waste tank. Frankly I do not have a few hundred bucks to drop on storage tanks. First to start how about a grey water tank made from a 5 gal. gasoline container? I have a couple extra ones in the garage.

SORRY!

As you know I am the king of cheap but by the time you gather fittings and spend your time reinventing the black water tote it might be almost as cheap to simply purchase one. They make a little 5 gallon rv waste water tote for $39.95 retail.

I liked the Therford one shown as it had a overfill check valve to prevent a potential yucky mess. It was only $69.95 for the small one.SORRY !

[StandUpGuy]

You are no doubt right about the reinventing the wheel bit. I cannot figure out a way to connect 3" PVC fitting to a retro fit container. The containers you have are great for a grey water tank as they have a 2" threaded already but will not work for black water unless there is a way to make a new inlet. I thought about the large 4" PVC tube, which maybe the only real workable solution. They are about 15 dollars for a 10' length. If I cut it in half it would be two tanks. I could cap one end and put a reducing elbow on the other. That is pretty simple. A 5' tube with wheels on one end and a handle on the other would be pretty good but capacilty is low.

I think the reality is that the black water tank is serious business and a 10 or 12 gallon purpose made unit is probably in order and as far as the grey water I do not think that is serious business. I think dumping into any old container with bad seals on it is fine. No doubt I will walk the container over to the bushes and water them.

[bobhenry]

You could always take the solids out of the equasion........

http://www.rei.com/product/679029/reliance-luggable-loo

Then the liquids will work in your 2" bung holding tanks.

http://www.rei.com/product/823665/reliance-double-doodie-waste-bags-with-bio-gel

[StandUpGuy]

You could always take the solids out of the equasion........

http://www.rei.com/product/679029/reliance-luggable-loo

Then the liquids will work in your 2" bung holding tanks.

http://www.rei.com/product/823665/reliance-double-doodie-waste-bags-with-bio-gel

Yet again you have another good idea. I could have a pee pee only toilet. 90% of the time that is what they are used for. Probably this would be a less stinky around the trailer solution too.

[StandUpGuy]

I think I have a way figured out how to put a 3" flange on a retro fit container without costing an arm and a leg. It involves a 3" toilet flange and a plastic toilet extension ring. The extension ring is simpy a large PVC "washer". My plan is to cut a slot on one side of this extension ring. This slice through will allow me to get this large ring inside the container through a 3" dia. hole. The extension ring can have four bolts caulked in place so they are afixed pointing outward. I will of course drill four holes through the container ahead of time to correspond to these bolts. Then on the ouside I will place a rubber gasket or a bead of silicone. I then attach the toilet flange by means of nuts onto the bolts. If the container has a nice big flat surface, the rubber gasket should give a decent seal. The cost of the PVC parts is about $8. If I have a free container then it is a pretty cheap solution. I kind of like the idea of having several 5 gal containers done up this way and caps to cap them off once filled, though I guess at that point I would need to empty them or have a relief valve so they do not explode due to "fermentation".

[StandUpGuy]

I found 40 of these !

The guy wanted $5.00 each.

I bought 6 for me and 2 for a buddy. They had contained car wash soap.



They have a 3/4" and a 2" NPT threaded bung just like their 55 gallon cousins.

I figured 1 for pottable water, 1 for rainwater harvest ,and one for greywater storage.

Draw from the 2" with a tee installed for a cleanout drain and utilize the 3/4" for the vent stacks

I went to the local carwash and inquired about their detergent containers. They throw them out he said, so they were none on hand. He told me they just threw them out two days ago and that they went through a container every week and a half or so depending on weather. Sounds like they will just give it to me if I time it right.

[StandUpGuy]

I have another whacky idea. How about I make 5 gallon retro containers and I make them hook up to the toilet in a more direct fashion. No elbows or corrugated tubes for poo to get stock on. Just drops straight down into the 5 gal container. I can make a craddle to hold the container so it does not move. Maybe no fancy discontects but just a friction fit couple over tube. Very simple. As long as the craddle forces the container up tight to the tube it should be a decent seal. Of course I would have the vent stack still venting the tank. It would be like a poor man's canister toilet.

[M C Toyer]

Was this view from underneath the drains for the toilet and shower?

If so do the shower and sink have traps?

How do you plan to handle the gray water from your shower and sink?

[StandUpGuy]

That photo is of a dry fit of plumbing. They have not been glued and I will be changing the configuration. It is meant for the toilet only this drain pipe. The smaller pipe you see teeing off of the larger is for the vent stack. For the shower and the sink I was planning on a seperate run of drain. I was not planning on any sort of trap as I will have this go into a seperate grey water tank. Because this tank will have no actual sewage so I see no need for a trap. So probably just like your sink set up. Where did you get your jugs by the way?

[M C Toyer]

OK, makes sense.

You had said something about watering the bushes if you used a separete pee tank. In the Texas State Parks just dumping gray water is prohibited including washing hands, feet or dishes at the water tap.

I've seen a set-up in a van with a pee tank that had a trap which was filled with small amount of water after use to rinse and prevent odors.

I got both the square freshwater tanks with spigot and the thin upright tanks with spout at Walmart.

M C

[StandUpGuy]

OK, makes sense.

You had said something about watering the bushes if you used a separete pee tank. In the Texas State Parks just dumping gray water is prohibited including washing hands, feet or dishes at the water tap.

I've seen a set-up in a van with a pee tank that had a trap which was filled with small amount of water after use to rinse and prevent odors.

I got both the square freshwater tanks with spigot and the thin upright tanks with spout at Walmart.

M C

I would not dump sewer water anywhere but a dump station. As far as grey water...Grey water can be very nasty or almost drinkable. It depends on what makes it grey. No soapy water should never be discarded by a water source.

[bobhenry]

A lot of the park rules about "watering the trees" with used dishwashing water is for our protection. The food particals tend to draw unwelcome visitors (both 4 legged critters and 6 legged pesky bugs).

When I am in a jam and need to dispose of waste washing water I will pour it into the campfire ash. It seems the charcoal residue help mask the smell and the ash is no were near inviting.