Flojet RV Waste Pump Kit

[Dr. E]

I'm looking for an alternative to the standard 3" pipe for the black/gray water dump connection. On my first trip last week I had to caress and coax my "stinky slinky" to get it to dump into a pipe that was several inches off the ground. Got it to work, but it was not a real enjoyable experience.

I came across an macerator called the Flojet RV Waste Pump Kit that seems to be a superior (though expensive) alternative. Do any of you good folks have any experience with the Flojet? Any other alternatives to recommend?

Thanks for the help.

Gig 'em.
--
Dr. E

[bryanl]

The Sewer Solution is one product that works for a bit of uphill action but only if you have a good pressurized water supply. See
http://cabotumc.dns2go.com/ss/sewer.htm
for a home made version

There are a couple of macerator pump kits that attach to a typical RV sewer fitting and they seem to work well. You need a good 12v supply capable of ten amps or more for them.

There is also an article around somewhere (sorry, lost the link) about how to plumb your waste tanks for a permanently installed macerator pump. The key here is to use 3" to 1 1/2 asymetric reducers and to keep the pump accessible because on occasion you need to clean out the impeller.

And you need to be careful because this topic is ripe for an Aggie joke.

Been way too long since College Station days... remember 170' bonfires and an all corps student body?

[Dr. E]

Thanks for the info, Bryan. Especially about the need for a 12V/10 amp source. Neither Camperworld nor the Flojet site offer any info on power needs.

I would rather be able to attach and remove the macerator as needed, so am pondering installing a cigarrette lighter type connector in the rear access compartment and wiring it to the streamer's battery. That should allow for portable operation, but I'm not sure what all is involved in that.

Good to hear from another Former Student. Incidently, some friends have already presented me with a burnt orange 'horns decal which I plan to mount on the macerator. ...tea-sips can draw their own conclusions.

Gig 'em.
--
Dr. E

[bryanl]

I'd suggest not using a cigarette lighter plug as they really aren't designed for this sort of current. Instead, find a good marine supply or electronics store for a connector designed for high current DC. If you have a local amateur radio enthusiast handy, he might be able to help you find the high current quick connect plugs currently popular in that community. You will want to use 8 or 10 guage stranded wire depending upon where the battery is. Overkill, probably, but motors do love good voltage with their current.

There's something about Texas and football...

[Pahaska]

Have you heard that Texas A&M has ordered 276 septic tanks?

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As soon as they learn to drive them they intend to attack UT.

[Dr. E]

Thanks, Bryan. I'll get a high current connector if I get a macerator. I visited the "Sewer Solution" site you suggested. No moving parts is appealing. I may try building one before investing in a FloJet.

As for Pahashka's comments, you should know that the septic tanks have been returned to the vendor. They were all defective. Not one included a steering wheel! ...Must have been designed at that other school.

Gig 'em.
--
Dr. E
-Proudly displaying my first "Rivet".

[Roadtoaster]

Only used mine twice but pleased with the results. Wanted to be able to clean at home as opposed to just dumping at the campground. I ran heavier than necessary wire to a new receptacle behind the fridge access door. Easy to plug in and use. Noticed the other day that Dyers had it for under $200.

Gerg

[bake315]

Originally Posted by Dr. E

As for Pahashka's comments, you should know that the septic tanks have been returned to the vendor. They were all defective. Not one included a steering wheel! ...Must have been designed at that other school.

Not only that, but they also discovered none of them wanted to run uphill.

[tadpoletim]

Our AS came with a Flojet Waste Pump kit which I used for the first time this week and it seemed to work as intended. I am now looking at my options for supplying it with 12v 15 amp power when I need to use it. This time I hauled out an old 12v Lead-Acid batttery which after a quick 10amp charge was able to do the job but would not be very convenient when traveling. Running a new fused 12v power line circuit from the front of the coach to the sewer connection towards the rear is one option. I am also thinking of using a Motomaster Eliminator Jump Starter and Power Bank. This has 24Wh Li-Ion batteries and is rated up to 750 amps so I figure it should be capable of putting out 15 amps for a couple of minutes (15 A x 12V = 180W/30 or 6Wh) required to empty the tank through a 50' 3/4" hose. This device can be recharged while on the road via the accessory power socket in my TV and is light and compact enough to find a permanent home on board.
Has anyone tried using this type pf device for this purpose?

[Pahaska]

Originally Posted by tadpoletim

Has anyone tried using this type pf device for this purpose?

I installed a marine cigarette-lighter type outlet behind the outside grille of my refrigerator. That would be convenient to your dump area. I tied my outlet into the feed for the refrigerator and used it when needed for my heavy-duty 12v tire pump. There were several other exposed sets of wires in that area, all color coded, that I could have tied into. You could pick any color set that is fused adequately. The copper is plenty adequate.

[joshjack]

I just ordered one of these as well. Our AS sit much lower to the ground than any other campers on the market, and therefore our sewer connections seem to be lower. I often run in to issues with sewer connections that are just 1-2" too tall to make it work easily.

To add insult to injury, I bought a brand new 42gallon tote for our long weekends at TN state parks which rarely have sewer. The first weekend out with the tote and there's a sharp uphill on the sewer connection side. The tote is really tall anyway, but with the uphill I had to get real creative to make it work.

All that to say - I'VE HAD IT with uphill connections and ordered a Flojet on Amazon for $200 with free shipping. I'll rig up a 1" dump hose connection with parts from Lowes and probably a 90degree elbow to stick down into the sewer inlets at uphill sites.

[Pahaska]

Originally Posted by joshjack

I'll rig up a 1" dump hose connection with parts from Lowes and probably a 90degree elbow to stick down into the sewer inlets at uphill sites.

You can order a pre-made macerator dump hose with a drip-free faucet on the end and several adapters for different size sewer openings. This is the hose that comes with the Interstate touring coaches like I have. I think it would be better than one made up of miscelaneous parts. Amazon lists various lengths and terminations.

Search using the term "rv macerator hose".

[Airtandem]

I have a Sewer Solution and have had good luck with it It does require a high pressure connection. It has a back flow valve, on/off and a "directional jet" that can back flush the system. It also worked up hill; I had about a 12 inch rise.
It takes a "plumber" if using the tank flush and Sewer solution at same time.
mike

[SteveSueMac]

Reviving this particular thread on Flojet to ask a question about quick connects.

I had a bear of a time connecting my (dedicated) discharge hose to the body of the flojet - I don’t want to expound on that further...

I thought - quick connects would be a good answer. No worrying about thread stripping, etc. and I bought some. But since it seems they must physically restrict the flow due to their size, I’m wondering if the pressure (there seems to be a LOT of pressure from this macerator) would just blow up the connection somehow or send high pressure poop leaks out from the quick connection rather than down the hose.

Sorry for the ugly image - but would rather hear from experience before being the guinnea pig on this one! Thanks for any insights!

[jeff4506]

This may not be your situation, but I had trouble connecting mine and finally realized the o-ring I put on was a spare not realizing the unit already had an o-ring on. Once I removed it, it went on as one would expect.

[SteveSueMac]

Originally Posted by jeff4506

This may not be your situation, but I had trouble connecting mine and finally realized the o-ring I put on was a spare not realizing the unit already had an o-ring on. Once I removed it, it went on as one would expect.

Yes. Different situation. I know what you’re talking about - it came with a spare o-ring for the connection to the dump pipe itself, i.e., the input side of the equation.

I’m talking about the output side of the equation where you connect a garden hose to run to the campground dump (if it’s uphill from the dump pipe on the trailer) or to your home sewer clean out if you’re fortunate enough to be able to use that. I have a quick connect for that but am wondering if that’s a disaster waiting to happen. [emoji3]