RV waste to septic system?

[skiwest]

Was thinking that we will have people visiting with trailers and wanted to set up a parking spot with water , power and waste hookup.  What kind of connection would I need?  Just a pipe with a cap, or a Y tee with a cap on the Y and a length of pipe on the straight run for venting?  Not sure what they supply at a RV park.

[builderboy]

A guy I know with an rv has a capped pipe (4" I think) out thru his basement wall and tee'd into his sewer pipe inside the basement. He just backs the rv in close, uncaps the pipe, sticks the rv drain in and lets er go. He says it works as well as rv dumping stations.

[bayviewps]

   Most smaller trailers will require 30 amp 120 volt service.  Larger trailers - fifth wheels -
motorhomes will require 50 amp 220 volt service.  Get the outlet with a breaker.  Hang
the outlet - breaker on a post about 3' high.
 
https://2688800741.monstercommercesites.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWCATS&Cat
egory=751

  Depending on distance from your water supply, you may run 1/2" or a 3/4" water line to
an above ground hose bib.  Make it convenient, about 1 1/2' above ground.  We installed
an underground drain with valve for potential freezes.

  "T" into the septic line with the appropriate 3" or 4" sch 40 PVC.  Making sure you
have the required 1/4" drop per 1' of length.  PVC needs to be 6"-8" above the
surrounding grade.  Place a tight fitting cap on the above ground pipe.  Sewer odor will
vent out of the trailer when hooked up to the septic.  Most hold the "black water",
dumping when the tank is full.
 
  Make sure that the black water (toilet tank) deodorizer is "septic" friendly.  Some have
formaldehyde that will ruin the good bacteria is your septic tank.

  All lines were run in separate trenches . . .  But were conveniently located within 2' of
each other.

  Generally all hookups on the trailers are on the left (driver) side.

[MountainDon]

How frequent do you anticipate you will have visitors who will need to hookup? You don't necessarily have to offer full service facilities if it's only a couple-three weeks a year. It is a mobile RV after all.

The electrical hookup is almost no bother at all. It's just wiring. Be aware that RV hookups have their own unique plug configuration. The limiting factor may be your ability to provide 30 or 50 amp power. Most RV'ers will have a converter plug that will allow them to pluf into a 15/20 amp outlet and operate with reduced power. I can run my RV off a 20 amp circuit as long as I don't try to run my microwave and A/C at the same time.

The water hookup is no big deal. If your supply is only 1/2 inch all that means is your guests will have less flow and less incentive to overstay their welcome. That's just me, YMMV.    As far as I'm concerned an RV's primary purpose is to allow you to go where there are no civilized connections. They can do it on their own for periods of time.

As for waste hookup, a serious RV'er will have a connection hose with a foam donut thingy that will seal the RV hose to sewer pipe connector, to prevent sewer gas to atmosphere leaks. As far as formaldehyde vs. non-formaldehyde holding tank treatments I've read that the dangers of formaldehyde may be overstated.

I have a simple branch sewer waste line that I use for dumping my own RV tanks into. It ends beside the RV parking area and to use it I unscrew the ABS plug, dump and re-insert the plug. It's only used a few times a year.

Personally I hesitate to make things too easy for relatives to stay for lengthy periods, but that's just me.

[skiwest]

...
Personally I hesitate to make things too easy for relatives to stay for lengthy periods, but that's just me.

But I put them to work so they won't stay too long any way    

[MountainDon]

I meant to add something in my prev post. I made a concrete drain surround for the sewer hookup. Like a shallow funnel. Sooner or later there will be a spill and doing this will allow for an easier sanitary cleanup.

[Amanda_931]

Somebody does make a wheeled container so someone can dump their RV sewage and then wheel it to some kind of septic tank inlet.

(good mulch will keep the odor down moderately well if you spill)

(and for months I had an adaptor to put go from a standard plug into the trailer.)

[desdawg]

bayviewps hit the nail on the head. Make sure you are not dumping a lot of chemical toilet waste that will kill the bacteria in the septic tank. That bacteria needs to be there. It reduces the solids to liquid and is the pretreatment for the effluent. Final toxin removal occurs when the effluent filters through the soil in the drainfield. All of this needs to occur before the wastewater ever gets into the water table.

[skiwest]

The parking spot I'm thinking of will almost be right on top of the sewage line from cottage to septic system.  So will only be tee and 10 or so feet of pipe.  

Chemicals is a good point though that would apply to everyone using system.  Would have to remind if using something deadly to bugs to dump befoer hand and while at cabin just flush with water.

[MountainDon]

There are formaldehyde free holding tank chemicals. SAs far as I'm concerned the formaldehyde formulas should not be used anymore, there are other health concerns about their use, not just that they muck up septic systems.

If you are only making an occasional dump into a septic system with a formaldehyde based chemical in the RV it's probably nothing to worry about.

The problems originally showed up  a number of years ago with the increasing number of RV's. More people were dumping at state or municipal septic systems than the systems were designed for. Even if the RV'ers were using "friendly" chemicals the systems were overloaded. Many locations closed up, rather than big dollars spent to increase the system size.

[MountainDon]

FYI;
Active ingredients you should avoid using in your RV holding tank deodorizers.

Bronopol                    bacterial pesticide

Dowicil                      bacterial pesticide (EPA states "Do not discharge effluent containing
this product to sewer systems without previously notifying the local
sewage treatment plant authority.")

Formaldehyde             kills or retards bacterial growth, recognized by EPA as probable
carcinogen1; moderately toxic to humans  (lethal dose for 150 lb person is between 1 ounce to 1 pint)

Glutaraldehyde           Retards bacterial growth and covers sewage odor, eye/inhalation
irritant

Paraformaldehyde       very toxic to humans3 (see formaldehyde) lethal dose for 150 lb person is between 1 teaspoon to 1 ounce  

Para-dichlorobenzene          known carcinogen1 and drinking water contaminant; moderately toxic
to humans  (lethal dose for 150 lb person is between 1 ounce to 1 pint

SOME OF THESE MAY NO LONGER BE IN USE; MY LIST IS A FEW YEARS OLD. READ THE LABELS.