water Forums

johng1974

Hi all..
i have now fulltimed for 2 nights!! Smile

I have an old RV with large (I thought) onboard tanks and a sluice exit for them..

I filled up the fresh water tank on Sunday afternoon.. emptied the grey and holding tanks too (for the first time)
Was suprised at how much the grey tank held..

Then I moved to site.. I honestly thought me on my own would take a long time to fill the grey tank.. it seems after two days, three showers and a little washing up - that the fresh is empty and the grey 60-80% full... I had no idea how much water we use..!

so now I am on a site with no real manhole etc that I can empty into, and i was supposed to be here for weeks...
I can get a hose feed into van, (city water) so fresh water wont be a problem, but waste, especially grey is going to be an issue.. Sad

The only thing i can think is to modify the large diameter sluice to 'run into' a standard hose, and for that to find its way somewhere safe to have a continous feed out..
Realistically, can my grey leak into ground.. I am fairly sensitive environmentally i would say...

otherwise, I guess I just have to really avoid using onboard water at all to be able to survive Sad

seems a shame and a long walk to showers, washing up etc..

John

badger

I'm no expert on this and the subject has been raised before (and if GT were here we would be away again) Laughing

But basically, grey water to an active topsoil is the environmentally sound way of doing things BUT. If you are on a proper site, or somewhere others may follow. Its not very nice to leave. Rolling Eyes

There is I'm sure a way of draining directly into a container, to be emptied periodically, and I'm sure some expert RVers will be along shortly to explain.

dodgey

You can get a widget that fits the waste pipe to reduce it to a small bore hose to allow easier emptiing into a suitable container, ideally with wheels, that you can then wheel to an empty point. This is our way when not fully serviced though at the moment we haven't got the widget so have a faff with the 3" hose into the container which has a 3" opening, sounds good that idea but of course the hose is 3" ID hence faff. Could be wrong but Linda may be able to help here (Stateside tuning, details at top of RV section).

artona · Moderator

Hi John

You can get a wheeled container from the camping shop that you can leave the tap open on the RV and then wheel to the empying point.

At this time of hte year we drain straight onto the grass and it vanishes within minutes due to the soft earth, not always the option in summer though.

Where are you staying

stew

johng1974

thanks all Smile

I am on a farm site in sussex.... to be honest, there will be no one near me / or after me - as such, and I can easily get to topsoil etc.. maybe just draining straight to ground is the answer.. as long as I am not really doing any damage environmentally... dont want the local fish stocks cleaned up with fairy Wink

however, a wheelable container would be a good investment any way Smile

zaskar

theboadacea

.... and when you try and pull off and your rear wheels drive over the soggy spot .. you'll sink !!!! Laughing

johng1974

TBH.. the pitch i am due to move to is all gravel.. hmmm...

i was just thinking to leave to sluice slightly ajar to allow a continous drip rather than once a week a tidal wave Smile

but I am taking eveyone's posts into account ...

John

Rapide561

Hi

I am fulltiming too and get through a full tank of water - measured manually to be about 150 litres every three days. I used the vans for showers etc etc

For the waste, I leave the drain open and the grey water runs into a waste master thing. I think the waste thing (which is on wheels) holds about 50 litres. I empty it into the site drain every day. Only takes a minute or two.

Please don't let your grey water into the ground. No lectures or anything, but I am not sure of the legality and also after a few dumps, the area round you will stink!

My waste wheely trolley thing cost just over £30.00

Russell