MOTORHOME MODIFICATIONS - *M* Macerator (a.k.a. PoopEater!)

I am going to start off the new year with posting some of our motorhome modifications, a few at a time. I will post repairs, modifications, or neato things we have found for RVing.  I have lots of pics in my files so I will do them in alphabetical order.

Underneath that stuff, I will post my regular daily stuff..... kinda sorta fun, eh?

So here it goes, we are up to the letter M now!

MOTORHOME MODIFICATIONS 

STARTING WITH THE LETTER M

Mascerator:

We all do it.

Yup.

We sure do.

We use the toilet.

Well, most do.  Some prefer to do the natural thing in the woods. That's okay I guess.  But when you have a motorhome, it usually has a bathroom that contains a toilet.  And that stuff has to go SOMEWHERE~  Right?

When our black tank is just about full (the toilet stuff is called the black tank) then we need to find a place to dump it.  Also our shower and kitchen sink water (the grey tank). Our black and grey tanks each hold 50 gallons, and our freshwater tank holds 100 gallons.

Now, most folks have to pull up stakes, stow the gear, and look for the nearest dump station.  That usually involves a monetary fee to whatever campground is nearby.

Steveio has this SUPER DOOPER POOPER TOY to play with.... called a Macerator! It's similar to a garbage disposal.  It grinds up the errrr ummmm tank waste, and pumps it out a hose with pressure. Enough pressure to go uphill and over humps or even into a household toilet!

It pumps it out of a long skinny 3/4" hose, even uphill, to dump at far away locations like an inground septic tank, and then we follow up the process with the grey water from the sinks and shower to rinse out the dedicated hose.

It is great for many RVing situations, besides saving on dump station fees:

• -Many RV sites with sewer provided are only designed if your RV is backed into the site.  But our motorhome has a solid back wall in the bedroom.  If there is a pretty view, we may pull in forward so the view is out our front windshield in the living area of the rig.  That puts the sewer opening on the wrong side for us.  The macerator can help with that.
• -Or if sitting in someone's driveway it can dump tanks into a septic or even a toilet. (done that)
• -Or if at a poorly designed dump station that is too slanted to dump properly by gravity. (seen that)
• -Or if at a campsite with sewer available but the sewer pipe is a foot off the ground (seen that)
• -Or if at a curved road leading to the dump station and no way to line up 40 foot rig at their hole (seen that)

We do not use the "blue" RV holding tank deodorizers anymore as they can introduce bacteria-killing products into our septic tank.  Septic tanks and sewer systems need certain bacteria to keep them running properly.  We pour in a few tablespoons of RidX liquid septic tank treatment into our RV tanks to keep them working properly until they are dumped.

Here is a link to one like ours on Amazon that is for a marine use: Jabsco-18590-2092   Steve chose the marine type one over the ones available thru RV dealers because some of their impellers are only plastic.  Here is what it looks like.

Steveio took a standard drain cap that goes on the bayonet mount of any RV drain pipe.  He cut an inch and quarter hole in the middle of the cap with a holesaw bit on the drill.  That allowed the cap to fit right over the opening on the bottom end of the macerator in the pic above (he removed and discarded that grey elbow fitting in the photo)

He also drilled four small screw holes in the cap to line up with the four holes in the housing, using screws to hold it tight, along with a bead of silicone between the cap and the housing.

The discharge end on the left side of the machine has a 1 inch barbed fitting.  He attached a 1" piece of clear plastic hose (to be able to see the "progress of material" going through the hose)  At the end of the clear hose he attached a piece of threaded hose fitting to screw a black 3/4" hose that is 50ft long that goes into a septic, drain hole, sewer system etc. That long black hose is dedicated to dumping only, never to be used for anything else. Coils up in a 5 gallon bucket for storage in the motorhome basement.

The electrical line of 12 volt power was wired up to a 12volt plug cigarette lighter type with an ON/OFF switch on the line.  He installed a 12 volt powered outlet in our compartment near the drain valves to power the macerator when in use.

Now the macerator can hook onto the bayonet mount of the RV drain pipe when in use. It can then be removed and stored in a tote in our basement compartment when not in use.

With the adapted cap, it just hooks onto the bayonet mount

of the drain outlet on the motorhome. 

We last used it when we were in Florida a year ago.  We were parked for 6 weeks in Mom's backyard. There isn't any septic cleanout or septic tank access close to the house. So Steve chose to run the black hose up and into the bathroom through the window and have it flush right into the toilet.

Once the black tank contents are done running through the machine, the motor changes sound in pitch and it's done. We then shut it off and close the black tank handle.  Next comes the grey tank (shower and sink water) valve is pulled and turn it back on and run through the machine.  This also helps to rinse the hose out before storing it away.  It is a good idea to screw the two ends of any hose together during storage to prevent leakage or intrusion by insects. 

We got the job done, and our tanks are now empty.  I did not take any pics of the ummm errrr process, as you can use your own imagination.  The clear section on the macerator hose is there to observe the situation, and once both of the tanks are emptied, then we run some fresh water to flush everything out. The machine and the black hose are dried off and stowed into a separate bin away from our other compartments.

That is the poopy way to handle your RV holding tanks!

~~~~~~~~

It has been rain rain rain on and off for the last three days.  I have been doing some sewing, but it's a secret so I can not say anything yet until after next Saturday.  I don't think my kids or grandkids ever read this blog, but you never know. They might.   I wish they would.  If they wrote blogs I would read theirs, faithfully. 

Oh well, I know my darling dad-in-law Paul does, because he comments on mine all of the time!  He thinks I should publish my motorhome modification blogs into a DVD format and sell it. Hmmmmm I wonder? 

We spent a busy Sunday afternoon going from store to store (we both HATE shopping!)  going to Lowe's, Home Depot and Menards.  We were comparing prices and getting ideas for all of the upcoming projects on Steve's Honey Do List!   We got a lot of ideas, and figures and help and fun stuff in our brains.  Now for the warmer weather, some official stuff, some deliveries and then find a few more pennies to pay for it all!   

Our son Dan and wife Heather, along with their kids and their Auntie Kim and Grandma Peggy just got back from a fun filled week in Florida at Disney.  We have been having such a time reading along on Facebook and watching videos and seeing pics of all their adventures.  What a great vacation for them! I can't wait to hear Allegra and Mason's excited re-telling of their exciting vacation. 

School is out next week so we are going to take the oldest grandson Jameson for a day or two.  I think we will find some projects for him, and do some cooking, and just hang out and have some time together.  He hasn't had an overnight since camping last summer, so it's his turn now. Gotta be fair and take them all, but space them out a bit so they don't wear US out!  LOL 

Tuesday is going to be an exciting Loom Getting Day for me!!!! A long time ago I sold a wonderful table loom to my friend Linda.  She has had a lot of other looms come and go in her studio in Tennessee and decided that this one was not in high demand.  So she offered to sell it back to me.  It is all boxed up and on it's way on the UPS truck, destined to arrive on Tuesday at my house. Wheee heeee!   It is a favorite of mine, and I always kinda regretted letting it go.  It's the smaller 4 harness  Tools of the Trade that I sold her when I got the heavier 8 harness one.  Now I will have both, and honestly the smaller 4 harness is easier to take along camping. 

The 4 harness on the left and the 8 harness on the right....

Well, the cozy fire is going on a damp wet rainy night.  We are thankful that it's warm 42 degrees and not freezing rain and ice.  March is almost over, but we are known to get snow and ice in April too.  Steve leaves early tomorrow morning for his Old Fart Party Bus job, and I am glad he is not driving on icy roads.