Grey water tanks

[mikerezny]

Hi,
I was mentioning to a friend that I was considering putting a 150mm PVC pipe under our Penguin to hold the grey water from our kitchen sink. He advised that he had previously done something similar but because there is no S bend, the smell coming up from the grey water tank was quite bad.

Has anyone who has a van with a factory installed grey water tank had an issue with bad smells from the grey water tank getting into the van?

Do Jayco install S-bends as a water trap or use any other method to prevent smells getting into the van from the grey water tank?

My other option is to have an external 10l tote which is big enough to catch the grey water from our kitchen sink and make us compliant for using self-contained RV sites.

many thanks
Mike

 

[Dobbie]

This probably doesn't help at all but....we went through the same self examination a couple of years ago.

We didn't want to compromise compliancy with places that specified grey water containment so, after fluffing around for some time, bought a 40l container, labelled it "grey water only" and felt we were compliant if required.

It's still not used.

It's carried on the roof, in a roof bag, so can emerge if required but we still use the trusty bucket ....emptied onto grateful vegetation...

We do, however, make sure our sullage doesn't just create a bog when free camping. It amazes me that free campers still hook up a sullage hose and assume that's ok.

It's not!

 

[Pauly]

I believe a hepvo valve can be installed to stop the smell coming back up the pipe. Jayco do sell them at head office.
I've just put one on our shower plumbin , not for the use you require though.

 

[Maximage]

Yup, similar solution that can double for a couple of brief showers as well, or just use for sink water depending on circumstances. Naturally sits at exactly the right height for the outlet when using the Jayco elbows, or just connect it to one and the hose to the shower outlet if allowed to let shower water out to ground.

 

[Drover]

@mikerezny if you have a look at my 14.44 thread or/and Big Mals thread, link under The Great Gonzo, you will see how I did my set up, the reason I built it that way was to stop any stink but it does require the end cap to be unscrewed every few weeks or so to hose it out, no need fpr S bends or fancy clacker valves which can only cause more expense and problems later, my tanks have the highly improved KiSS method deployed in the construction and maintenance...........Fit and forget.

 

[Crusty181]

This probably doesn't help at all but....we went through the same self examination a couple of years ago.

We didn't want to compromise compliancy with places that specified grey water containment so, after fluffing around for some time, bought a 40l container, labelled it "grey water only" and felt we were compliant if required.

It's still not used.

It's carried on the roof, in a roof bag, so can emerge if required but we still use the trusty bucket ....emptied onto grateful vegetation...

We do, however, make sure our sullage doesn't just create a bog when free camping. It amazes me that free campers still hook up a sullage hose and assume that's ok.

It's not!

Same as @Dobbie. In fact ours is a 30ltr drinking water container we just say is for sullage. Put it out as a "prop" only twice.

We strain our sullage, and bin the contents when we leave.

I have a 10ltr sullage sump I can sit under the outlet (not connected) with a self activating 12v pump to lift our waste to those uphill sullage points, and with the horrid slime that ends up in that after only a few days i dont think the day will ever come where i would be permanently mounting a sullage tank, unless it something like @Drover's where I could open it right up to clean it.

 

[Drover]

I can tell you, forgetting to flush it will only happen once..............if anybody can remember cleaning grease traps at home then you wouldn't use a shop bought grey water tank ever, it's way worse than cleaning out Old Stinky, thats why my GW Tank wins all the prizes........

 

[Stewscl07]

Hi all, just searching for grey water solutions for my 16.49 waste water from sink only for free camping sites. (Don't have shower fitted) Have been reading postings from members and find that there are a few variations used. I'm looking at a stand alone drum, probably 40ltr in size. What I have read and yet to find regulations on grey water (probably my lack of trying) that there seems to be no standard regulation state or federal. On other forums I have read that one council ranger will allow a stand alone 40ltr containment where others won't. I have read from an RV forum that any external drum requires an auto shutoff valve to prevent the drum overflowing. Another question I have is, if an internal waste water tank is fitted does the tank or all tanks required to be filled prior to any reweigh of the van? Fill up the water tank and grey water tank is full will add around 150kg to the van.

 

[Drover]

No regulations governing grey water tanks, local councils stipulate about dropping of grey water so a bucket that is okay at one place won't cover it at the next......Liquids do not form part of the tare of a van though of course the weight of tank will, they won't compromise the GVM/ATM of your van.
.You will very rarely have to carry grey water very far anyway.......drums are nice and handy but its the picking up of the damn thing that is the problem.....For just a sink, a plastic Jerry can with hose would be plenty.......go for walk during the night.
Certain groups tend to wax hysterical about the subject with a holier than thou approach, ignore them. I free camp all the time and have never been queried.

 

[Stewscl07]

I plan to make a 40ltr plastic drum to capture the waste water. I won't be free camping for long periods at this stage just probably overnight or two. Trying to convince 'who must be obeyed' to try free camping. Thanks for the reply.

 

[Drover]

Thats the way, you will have to have a good look at WiKi Camps for a nice place, not all free camps like parks are all that great especially for the first time.

 

[Crusty181]

I would happy volunteer to have any council dog catcher pull me on for my 30ltr sealable "grey water tank". I really struggle to have anything positive to say about councils in general. Council monkeys can dictate that grey water needs to be captured, but they would absolutely struggle to win any argument that they can dictate specifically how you do that. Their only credible concerns are waste and health, and any one of a gazillion methods will fulfill that issue of waste collection. Most people regardless of whether its on board or not, dump it on the side of the road.

I always physically strain my sullage even in places that it dosent matter, I don't want to camp on top of other people Coco Pops, pasta noodles and other $hit so I don't do it to others. Its an insult Im being told what to do by these over paid inflatable bureaucrats who have no experience or clue what they are bylaw'ing about

I amuses me that in the same areas that dictate freecamp sullage capture, they often have caravan parks (some even council owned) that have no sullage options and actively encourage every single van to happily pump all their waste onto the ground everywhere. I have a huge list called Crusty's Long List of Hypocrites ... and this is on it

Use the 30ltr container and tell them to pi$$ off, scourer the streets for parking tickets, or go catch a dog. Even their mothers hate them. Turds

 

[mikerezny]

Hi,
CMCA have drafted a standard for grey water totes and have some instructions and photos on how to economically build one that is compliant.

I have attached the three documents. Once distilled, it is really rather simple:
1: Must have a tote that is completely sealable for transporting grey water.
2: Van must have a tap to ensure no grey water leaks onto the ground after the tote is disconnected.
3: Connection between van and tote must not leak.

I have a 20 litre plastic container and found another cap in which I fitted a garden hose male quick connect to thread.
Then fitted the same to the grey water outlet of the van. To connect, I just use a 1M piece of garden hose with a quick connect socket at end.
When I transport, I just swap the lid to a normal cap, so it is sealed.

I have not currently put a tap at the end of the van grey water outlet. No reason other than my reluctance to waste $5 just to keep the bureaucrats happy.
So far, I have never been inspected. Since we generate very little grey water, I just seal it up and bring it home and empty it on our lemon tree.

cheers
Mike

 

[Crusty181]

Hi,
CMCA have drafted a standard for grey water totes and have some instructions and photos on how to economically build one that is compliant.

I have attached the three documents. Once distilled, it is really rather simple:
1: Must have a tote that is completely sealable for transporting grey water.
2: Van must have a tap to ensure no grey water leaks onto the ground after the tote is disconnected.
3: Connection between van and tote must not leak.

I have a 20 litre plastic container and found another cap in which I fitted a garden hose male quick connect to thread.
Then fitted the same to the grey water outlet of the van. To connect, I just use a 1M piece of garden hose with a quick connect socket at end.
When I transport, I just swap the lid to a normal cap, so it is sealed.

I have not currently put a tap at the end of the van grey water outlet. No reason other than my reluctance to waste $5 just to keep the bureaucrats happy.
So far, I have never been inspected. Since we generate very little grey water, I just seal it up and bring it home and empty it on our lemon tree.

cheers
Mike

Thanks for the info Mike, at least some clever cookie has found a cheap workaround

I read the attached article referring to the evils of free flowing grey waste.

I'm still struggling to square that away with the significant percentage of caravan parks (many council owned, but all in "some" councils area) that have no sullage at all; they conveniently pretend that doesn't exist

Using a sealed system, when the outdoor bucket is full, which is likely to occur when the on board water is 8 times the capcity of the waste bucket, and the sink is full because the system is full isnt everyone just going to unplug the bucket anyway.

I appluad you Mike for carting your waste home, but I know where most people are dumping it

 

[mikerezny]

I appluad you Mike for carting your waste home, but I know where most people are dumping it

Hi @Crusty181,
whoops, I think I have given the wrong impression. I ONLY bring the grey water home IF I am at an self-contained site and I don't pass a drop point OR go to a 'normal' free camping spot where I will dump it away from the camping sites. I quite like being applauded (thank you!) but I am really only about middle of the road on environmental issues. Somewhere between caring and practical!

For instance, I am pedantic about not leaving any rubbish, but I will not pick up rubbish left by others (exceptions are broken glass, nails, screws etc).

It is a lot simpler to store grey water for us since we don't have a shower. So our grey water is not very much. I should note that us thoroughbreds don't smell or sweat and thus don't need to shower as often as others!

On our last 12-day camping trip, we visited Cowarr Weir and Marley Point and a daily swim counts as a shower. We use a solar shower to wash our hair.
Seems primitive, but still way way more civilised then hiking.

cheers
Mike

 

[Crusty181]

Hi @Crusty181,
whoops, I think I have given the wrong impression. I ONLY bring the grey water home IF I am at an self-contained site and I don't pass a drop point OR go to a 'normal' free camping spot where I will dump it away from the camping sites. I quite like being applauded (thank you!) but I am really only about middle of the road on environmental issues. Somewhere between caring and practical!

For instance, I am pedantic about not leaving any rubbish, but I will not pick up rubbish left by others (exceptions are broken glass, nails, screws etc).

It is a lot simpler to store grey water for us since we don't have a shower. So our grey water is not very much. I should note that us thoroughbreds don't smell or sweat and thus don't need to shower as often as others!

On our last 12-day camping trip, we visited Cowarr Weir and Marley Point and a daily swim counts as a shower. We use a solar shower to wash our hair.
Seems primitive, but still way way more civilised then hiking.

cheers
Mike

Us cross breeds need all the water and soap we can find, and occasionally a Karcher for the stubborn areas.

The Princess picks up others rubbish, she says a couple of pieces here and there is good karma. I get my karma from not dropping any