Anyone have issues with dumping the tanks at home?

[JohnnyLee]

Or, just go here to find a Dump station near you without having to pay for an app:
https://rvdumpsites.net/

[norty1]

Originally Posted by JohnnyLee

Or, just go here to find a Dump station near you without having to pay for an app:
https://rvdumpsites.net/

That website is not accurate from the few I looked that I have first hand info and also out of date. I would not rely on it.

[richwg]

I have a question.... I am wondering about using a standard septic system to empty my RV tanks into. To me...it seems that it would plug up the system by dumping a 70 gal black tank into a septic tank that is designed to take toilet flushes of a couple gallons at a time.
Does anyone know...would this plug up or adversely affect the system?
Hoping someone has done this and knows it is either OK or is a problem. Thanks in advance for any info!!!

[JFlightRisk]

Originally Posted by richwg

I have a question.... I am wondering about using a standard septic system to empty my RV tanks into. To me...it seems that it would plug up the system by dumping a 70 gal black tank into a septic tank that is designed to take toilet flushes of a couple gallons at a time.
Does anyone know...would this plug up or adversely affect the system?
Hoping someone has done this and knows it is either OK or is a problem. Thanks in advance for any info!!!

I would guess it would depend on a couple of things. If the septic tank is 1000 gallons or more, and has been cleaned out in the last year, and you're not dumping your tanks into it frequently it would handle it with only the black tank dump. Otherwise it would overwhelm the system. A plugged leach bed is expensive to fix.

[richwg]

Exactly what I was thinking! Thanks for the reply!

[richwg]

Thanks. I am thinking about an off grid location...my own land...and putting in some sort of system I can dump to myself. We would likely be too far from dump stations to make it practical to go there regularly...so I am thinking of doing my own on site for the times we are there. A regular septic tank setup doesnt seem like the proper setup tho.

[Jayflight 23]

There are adapters for your hook up on your rv that lets you macerate your discharge and pump it in a hose to any access into your residential sewer line, no matter the angle or distance. Buy a dedicated hose. But for septic systems I have always heard that the rv chemical is not good for your home septic systems, which breaks down your residential sewer for the manifold and drain fill lines.

But on the other hand, if you store your rv for any length of time, a completely dry or almost dry tank has its own issues unless you have the ability to flush it completely with added water as you dump. Paper becomes clumps of solid waste, which may plug up at your valve on your next trip. So I like to leave some water in my tanks between trips and then add more water before leaving the first day on my next trip so that things slosh around and then dump at the next available spot.

[JohnnyLee]

Originally Posted by richwg

I have a question.... I am wondering about using a standard septic system to empty my RV tanks into. To me...it seems that it would plug up the system by dumping a 70 gal black tank into a septic tank that is designed to take toilet flushes of a couple gallons at a time.
Does anyone know...would this plug up or adversely affect the system?
Hoping someone has done this and knows it is either OK or is a problem. Thanks in advance for any info!!!

I've dumped the tank a few times at home using a Macerating pump that literally turns the waste into liquid and pumped through a 3/4" hose. It's basically a Vitamix for RV's... Our tank was only 32 gallons but I only did it occasionally. I would not do a 70 gallon tank often though. And definitely not without a macerator.



Another alternative is searching for a dump station location near you. You can usually find one locally and pay $10 or so to dump there.

[10yearsbehind]

With a properly designed and maintained septic system it will not be a problem.



A properly designed tank will allow solids to fall to the bottom of the tank. The liquids rise to the top and get dispersed into the leach field.



I would NOT recommend using a macerating pump to discharge into any septic system. This will create a slurry and will be difficult to separate the solids from the liquids. Now you will introduce the slurry into the leach field, potentially clogging perforated piping and gravel.



Bottom line is, if you are designing your own septic system make it right. Settling tank with a baffle. Liquid tank separate. It can be a dual compartment single tank.

[10yearsbehind]

I dump my RV tank into my septic system at my own home. I know my septic system is proper, so I am not the least bit concerned. Same stuff different toilet.

[Old and soft]

Just last month I had a new septic system installed. It is an engineered drip emitter system with 2 1000 gallon tanks. Installer said not more than 100 gallons at a time. The emitter pump/emitters need time to handle that much liquid without overflowing pump part of the second tank.

[jimmoore13]

Originally Posted by richwg

I have a question.... I am wondering about using a standard septic system to empty my RV tanks into. To me...it seems that it would plug up the system by dumping a 70 gal black tank into a septic tank that is designed to take toilet flushes of a couple gallons at a time.
Does anyone know...would this plug up or adversely affect the system?
Hoping someone has done this and knows it is either OK or is a problem. Thanks in advance for any info!!!

You use the word "standard" to describe your septic system. A "standard" system MIGHT be designed like this:

• Entry point "upstream" of a baffle that holds back solids that come in at the top. Most solid waste in sewage effluent tends to float, so this baffle retains the solids while they begin to digest and liquify.
• Beyond the baffle, there may or may not be a second baffle...for similar purposes, but at a more "refined" level.
• Now comes the most important part. The baffle at the outflow of the tank. This is a critical baffle in that it prevents floating solids from exiting the tank. In concrete septic tanks, this baffle often deteriorates, because sewer gasses tend to corrode the concrete. If this baffle has deteriorated, it's important to replace it...more on that below.

30 to 40 gallons of RV blackwater effluent won't overwhelm the system so long as you dump it upstream of the first baffle in the tank. If you use a sewer cleanout, that will happen automatically. If you pop the cleanout lid on your septic tank, just aim the stinky slinky for the upstream side of the baffle. (I had manhole covers on my septic, so I dumped straight into the tank...for many years.) Bear in mind that you are likely to have treated your black tank with chemicals that accelerate decomposition of solids, and the solids will sit on top of the "heap" of solid wast already in the tank that's breaking down. Liquids (flush water and urine) will sink and make their way below the first baffle, as liquids are supposed to do...substantially reducing the relative amount of the dump.

Also consider that, if you've been away for a while, the tank has been digesting waste with no ongoing input, so the capacity to absorb your dump...likely less than the typical ongoing input to the tank when people are home for the same period of time...will be greater.


About the output baffle. If your tank's output baffle is crumbling, it will allow far more solids to enter the leach field. Not a good thing. But the repair is simple. A tapered flange presses into the exit pipe. The flange connects to a tee. The two sides of the tee are oriented vertically, with a short pipe up into the air space above tank effluent...a vent of sorts...and about an 18" length of pipe going straight down into the tank effluent to reach the (almost) pure, digested liquid that can exit into the leach field. This repair is actually better than the concrete baffle that was built into your tank. I had his repair in my 1000 gallon tank. The guys who pumped the tank took a simple digging bar and knocked off the concrete baffle (now in the bottom of the tank) and added this. It took them 10 minutes.

So...there's no problem dumping 40 gallons of blackwater into a septic system. My system was installed in 1992 when my log cabin was built, and it passed inspection with flying colors in 2020 when we sold the place. I know for a fact that far less waste water went into the tank after an RV trip than if I had stayed home.

I typically went 3 to 4 years between tank pumps. If you have ANY concerns about what's in your tank, just get it pumped.

[poohbear]

Originally Posted by 10yearsbehind

I dump my RV tank into my septic system at my own home. I know my septic system is proper, so I am not the least bit concerned. Same stuff different toilet.

Same here. No problems. When we built our new home this year we tied the existing 500 gal tank that we dumped the rv into to our 2 new 500 gal tanks . When it was the rv only I worried more about enough stuff being dumped to keep the microbes fed.