2021 Grey tank hose

jkjenn

With the advent of the casette toilet, I am curious as to whether 2021 320 owners could get away without a refular sized sewer hose.

I have one of the caps on the grey tank that has a small cap that will fit a garden hose on my 2015 T@b. Could a 2021 owner get away with just a garden hose or would that be too painfully slow and start a riot at the dump station line?

MuttonChops

jkjenn said:

. . . have one of the caps on the grey tank that has a small cap that will fit a garden hose on my 2015 T@b. Could a 2021 owner get away with just a garden hose or would that be too painfully slow and start a riot at the dump station line?

Draining gray tank is boring long with a 3-inch drain, a 3/4 inch will be a time nightmare.  Plus expect the 3/4 inch hose will clog with fine bits of sink and shower drain items.

Have read articles about Black Waste Macerator Pump systems draining into 3/4 inch hose.  Owners 'pump-out' at full hook up sites or at home . . . . while reading a good book.

Sharon_is_SAM

@jkjenn, when we drain into a portable tank, it does take forever!

jkjenn

Sharon_is_SAM said:

@jkjenn, when we drain into a portable tank, it does take forever!

SUch a shame to have to store a full black hose for just the grey tank but it does seem inevitable.

MuttonChops

jkjenn said:

SUch a shame to have to store a full black hose for just the grey tank but it does seem inevitable.

LOL

Just another reason the cassette only toilet is a Bad Marketing choice. IMHO of course.

jkjenn

MuttonChops said:

jkjenn said:

SUch a shame to have to store a full black hose for just the grey tank but it does seem inevitable.

LOL

Just another reason the cassette only toilet is a Bad Marketing choice. IMHO of course.

As much as some (usually existing owners) are opposed to it, I have heard from numerous people who were considering the 2021 that they were buying because of the casette toilet. As a frequent biondocker, the idea has become appealing to me. 

bergger

I actually think NuCamp made a great decision going with the cassette toilet in the 320.  More people are apt to boondock with that trailer and the cassette is way more convenient to empty in those situations.  I wish it was standard or an option on the 400. 

falcon1970

Why is a cassette toilet better for boondocking?  Is it because it uses less water?  With such a much smaller tank would you not need to empty it more often?

DharmaScout

The cassette toilet is why I went with the 2021 320S. Haven't been out in it yet, but anticipate campsites & areas where a pit toilet might be the only option to unload.

jkjenn

falcon1970 said:

Why is a cassette toilet better for boondocking?  Is it because it uses less water?  With such a much smaller tank would you not need to empty it more often?

I boondocked for 3 months with a 6 gallon black tank on my 2015 320. With only me using it, I could make it last pretty close to 2 weeks. If I had a casette, I could have popped it out a couple of times to empty it during that same 2 week period, which would come in handy during the times my sister-in-law joined me. Alternatively, I believe you could pick up a spare cassette and empty them at the same time without having to break camp.

bergger

falcon1970 said:

Why is a cassette toilet better for boondocking?  Is it because it uses less water?  With such a much smaller tank would you not need to empty it more often?

Yes you can always carry a spare tank as jkjenn mentioned and the best part is you can dump it down any pit toilet you find. When boondocking pit toilets are much easier to come across than dump stations.  Also no extra hoses to carry and hope they don't leak.  

MuttonChops

bergger said:

falcon1970 said:

Why is a cassette toilet better for boondocking?  Is it because it uses less water?  With such a much smaller tank would you not need to empty it more often?

Yes you can always carry a spare tank as jkjenn mentioned and the best part is you can dump it down any pit toilet you find. When boondocking pit toilets are much easier to come across than dump stations.  Also no extra hoses to carry and hope they don't leak.  

While dumping in a pit toilet might be a positive.  I'm still anti-cassette.
It is just a fancy 2-piece porta potty . . . .
When dumped into a standard toilet it is a Mess of smells and back smashes

Need to clean bathroom and take a shower after dumping.

How to Empty "technology" is not right - - - yet

I'm fine with having a 'blue tote' to extend boondocking.
And can connect the tote with a standard waste hose to dump station.

SubaruLou

I think it would be nice for resale to be able to replace the cassette with a new one for a fresh start. 

Denny16

In in Europe they are using special dumping stations, adjacent to camp grounds, that look like a vending machine, you insert the cassette into a compartment and it gets dumped and rinsed, no mess, no fuss.    This is what we need in the US if cassette toilets are going to catch on. 

Edit: seems this is a new “pay vending machine” type technology being driven by Thetford, and is still in the being tested/adopted stage, with test sites, which is what I saw in a travel video.  EU mandated dump sites Look like a raised pad about 1-meter high, with a large covered square tapered sink that you dump the cassette into, with a rinse and refill faucet mounted above the dump point.  While not as cool as the vending machine, which is the future of cassette toilets, it beats trying to dump a cassette in a regular toilet.

cheers

MuttonChops

Denny16 said:

In in Europe they have special dumping stations, adjacent to camp grounds, that look like a vending machine, you insert the cassette into a compartment and it gets dumped and rinsed, no mess, no fuss.   This is what we need in the US if cassette toilets are going to catch on. 

cheers

Agree, that type of nation wide service would make cassettes more usable/easy.

Knowing how US Business works, those stations will be $5/use and red blooded Americans will continue to dump in (free) public toilets leaving the mess for others to clean up.

Sorry, for being so negative, but difficult to see upside/positive when so many Americans seem to feel their person rights override community responsibility.

If the US RV Industry wants to go cassette then the US RV Industry should be educating/funding the installation of cassette dump stations!

jkjenn

MuttonChops said:

Denny16 said:

In in Europe they have special dumping stations, adjacent to camp grounds, that look like a vending machine, you insert the cassette into a compartment and it gets dumped and rinsed, no mess, no fuss.   This is what we need in the US if cassette toilets are going to catch on. 

cheers

Agree, that type of nation wide service would make cassettes more usable/easy.

Knowing how US Business works, those stations will be $5/use and red blooded Americans will continue to dump in (free) public toilets leaving the mess for others to clean up.

Sorry, for being so negative, but difficult to see upside/positive when so many Americans seem to feel their person rights override community responsibility.

If the US RV Industry wants to go cassette then the US RV Industry should be educating/funding the installation of cassette dump stations!

 

In all of my travels I have never seen a bathroom wrecked by a casette toilet dumping run amuck. I have seen plenty of grossness at dump stations from blank tank dumping run amuck. 

There are plenty of pay dump stations so I would have no issue with pay casette toilet machines. 

MarkAl

We only now are moving from tenting to trailering. I've been told our 2021 320S Boondock is on the truck to us so I have no experience. As has been said above we expect to camp a lot in campgrounds with no dump stations so the cassette was thought a good option.  But my question concerns the original graywater dump thread.  I'm baffled probably by my naivety, as to why a short length of 3/4 inch hose isn't run into the woods and just let the water dump?  Currently when tenting we throw our dirty clean up and dish water into the woods, and I assume people using outside showers don't capture the waste for dumping.  I understand in developed grassy sites where just dumping wastewater may create mud or small ponds this is not acceptable but in the remoter campground sites we've been in I can't believe it's a problem.  Unless a lot more waste water is generated trailering than tenting, I'll take the larger fresh water tank and what appears less plumbing under the sink for added storage. Our expectation are among others to use this trailer for staging on hiking/kayaking trips.

jkjenn

MarkAl said:

We only now are moving from tenting to trailering. I've been told our 2021 320S Boondock is on the truck to us so I have no experience. As has been said above we expect to camp a lot in campgrounds with no dump stations so the cassette was thought a good option.  But my question concerns the original graywater dump thread.  I'm baffled probably by my naivety, as to why a short length of 3/4 inch hose isn't run into the woods and just let the water dump?  Currently when tenting we throw our dirty clean up and dish water into the woods, and I assume people using outside showers don't capture the waste for dumping.  I understand in developed grassy sites where just dumping wastewater may create mud or small ponds this is not acceptable but in the remoter campground sites we've been in I can't believe it's a problem.  Unless a lot more waste water is generated trailering than tenting, I'll take the larger fresh water tank and what appears less plumbing under the sink for added storage. Our expectation are among others to use this trailer for staging on hiking/kayaking trips.

It's a great question and the answers you get will vary. It will depend on where you camp.

At some spots, that is perfectly acceptable. It will be similar to tenting in that you will need to make sure you are not near water sources and that local laws will not be violated. Best to check with the local rangers.

Other considerations:

- Showers produce wastewater...probably a lot more than you would tenting.

- Both dishwater and showers could contain fragrances that attract unwanted critters

MarkAl

Good to know these things.  It sounds like if you use water similar to tenting needs it may be fine.  Just be sensitive to the surrounding conditions.  We already use soap and disposal meant for backcountry sensitivity.

VictoriaP

Also, the general rule on greywater is it should be scattered over a wide area rather than dumped in one spot, and using a hose will not scatter it. Greywater can harbor bacteria and bits of food; puddled out in the open, it can degrade into a nasty, smelly mess that attracts pests. If it’s going to be “dumped” in one spot, it needs to be promptly buried.

And that’s assuming it’s legal to dump your greywater tank anywhere other than a specified dump site. In many places, it isn’t.

bergger

I've planned on adding this sewer cap with hose connection to our 400.  When tent camping or in our old trailer (no grey tank) where we used a 5 gallon bucket we used some of the grey water to put out the camp fire.  The remaining was scattered in the woods or into a hole and buried. All biodegradable soap and minimal food scraps.  This cap will allow us to do the same with the 400.   

Tampakayaker

MuttonChops said:

jkjenn said:

. . . have one of the caps on the grey tank that has a small cap that will fit a garden hose on my 2015 T@b. Could a 2021 owner get away with just a garden hose or would that be too painfully slow and start a riot at the dump station line?

Draining gray tank is boring long with a 3-inch drain, a 3/4 inch will be a time nightmare.  Plus expect the 3/4 inch hose will clog with fine bits of sink and shower drain items.

Have read articles about Black Waste Macerator Pump systems draining into 3/4 inch hose.  Owners 'pump-out' at full hook up sites or at home . . . . while reading a good book.

I just finished making up one of these setups but a little different.  I have a short section of sewer hose to the input of the pump.  Then it goes to 48 foot 1 1/4 inch sump pump hose.  You can see it in the thread Mods/upgrades while waiting out social distancing.  Goes pretty quick.  Went right thru solids with no issue.  As long as my stay doesn't fill up the tank, I don't need to look for a dump site.  Just dump at home.

MuttonChops

Tampakayaker said:

MuttonChops said:

. . .  Have read articles about Black Waste Macerator Pump systems draining into 3/4 inch hose.  Owners 'pump-out' at full hook up sites or at home . . . . while reading a good book.

I just finished making up one of these setups but a little different.  I have a short section of sewer hose to the input of the pump.  Then it goes to 48 foot 1 1/4 inch sump pump hose.  You can see it in the thread Mods/upgrades while waiting out social distancing.  Goes pretty quick.  Went right thru solids with no issue.  As long as my stay doesn't fill up the tank, I don't need to look for a dump site.  Just dump at home.

Sounds great and a bit nicer then installing a home sewer dump/drain.
On Past Life Boats used macerator between toilet bowl and holding tank which gave the microbes a headstart breaking down solids.  Also made marine pump out (vacuum) less stressful.

One possible disadvantage of the RV set-up (macerator between tank and drain) for systems without a reliable back flush is you loose the extra suction / water volume to really flush out the holding tank . . . assuming one tops off the holding tank with fresh water prior to gravity dumping.

Tundra57

@muttonchops. I have a macerator. 3/4 hose. To empty a half grey tank and half black tank took no longer than the full size hose. Plus I have to watch it dumping  into my toilet. So no book reading for me!

Tampakayaker

@MuttonChops in my yard layout to get to the current cleanout would be a slightly uphill almost 50 run.  Didn't think that would be the best way to go.  This macerator pump seems to do a decent job.   Just playing around with it, after the initial black tank clean out, I filled the black tank and grey tank with clean water 3 times each, and each time it was probably less than 5 minutes to pump them dry.