Septic Tank For Fulltime

[Belinda10]

I have the opportunity to park my TT on property once occupied by a modular home. There is a septic tank the property owners said I could connect to and the plan is to stay here for 1 year.
There is a pole for my 30 amp connection but the septic tank is about 40 feet away from my hookups and runs parallel to the ground. I can't get any closer. I would prefer to buy sewer pipe to connect but not sure how to address the connection at the septic tank. Any suggestions how to do this will be appreciated or do I need to hire a plumber?

Thanks.......

[Almot]

The other end of the pipe - at trailer:
In a seasonal setup in Mexico, to connect trailer outlet to PVC pipe, I used This swivel adapter. Very convenient, as you can easily disconnect it from trailer - if needed.
Onto those threads I put a Flexible coupler (it says PVC, but the coupler is rubber).
Into the coupler I put a short piece of 3" PVC pipe, then elbow and another short piece of pipe to the ground (in fact, few inches into the ground), then another elbow and a long run of PVC pipe to the tank. Flexible coupler provides additional freedom of movement at the trailer end, to connect/disconnect, and also if you miscalculate the direction and need to adjust it.

Vinyl RV hoses are not popular in hot and sunny places like that. Also, as somebody noted, smooth PVC walls flash better than the hose.

garyemunson wrote:
Don't make the mistake of thinking you can now leave the black valve open all the time. As said above, keep it closed and wait until at least 3/4 full before dumping.

I dump it in the morning once a day or once every 2 days. There is usually enough water in there, sometimes I also empty pots and pans in toilet after washing, to add water to the tank - just water, no food leftovers. When I wait for 3 days or more, more smell from the tank makes its way into the trailer.

I use the cheapest toilet paper - there is no evidence that so-called RV paper dissolves much better. Paper doesn't actually dissolve, but disintegrates into separate cellulose fibers, making a white sludge. Then it rots like a wood, it takes time, so don't throw in too much. In rural Mexico a "septic tank" is usually a dry pit, 2 barrels in the ground, stacked one on top of another. It is "aerobic", things rot with air access, not "anaerobic" like a real septic tank. Process is faster than without air, but the barrels should not be placed close to the trailer and/or upwind.

[John_Joey]

garyemunson wrote:
Don't make the mistake of thinking you can now leave the black valve open all the time. As said above, keep it closed and wait until at least 3/4 full before dumping.

Flip side is a septic system can't always take 40-80 gallons of raw sewage all at once. They are designed for constant use, not weekly. Might want to leave the gray open, dump black every 2-5 days.

To the OP, I would simply buy some PVC sewer pipe and plumb it to the inlet. Make the slope at least 1 inch per 10 feet. Run your stinky hose into the other end of that. You can even glue on a screw in just like at the campgrounds.

On edit:

On the end you put the stinky slinky glue up a cleanout, just in case. Any cheap handyman can do all of this.

[dirtyhandz]

I use a septic system on some property we own all the time. Use it just as pulling up to any other dump station. No big deal.

[Belinda10]

Wow....great information. Yes, the lot is in North Florida & can get pretty cold in December & January, I had RV sewer hose crack this year after 3 nights of 20 degree temps. I really want to use the pvc pipe to have a more secure setup. The property owner said never any issues with the tank. It was not used at all for over a year.
I don't leave black water tank open but do empty it every 7 days. After draining, I dump in Calgon water softener, All detergent & 2 gallons of water into the toilet. Been doing this for a couple of years & have had no issues.
Since I won't be able to do this myself, so not sure if I should call a plumber or a handyman service. I have not found anyone in the area who does RV work and renovations but if you know of anyone in the Leon County, Florida area, let me know.
Thanks for all the invaluable information. I can see this is the best way to find answers - how much better than folks who have RV's. Appreciate you all.

[soren]

nodepositnoreturn wrote:
If you can buy some enzymes and dump the box in the septic when you get going , the health of the septic is important. No bleach or strong cleaners,enzymes break the solids down.

Strong cleaners and drain cleaners might possibly slow a system down, but reasonable use of household bleach will have zero effect on a septic system, never has, never will. First the gallon of bleach you grab at the store has very, very little actual bleach (Sodium Hypochlorite) in it. It's actually a jug of that about 95% full of water. Second, it is typically diluted again by the end user. Finally, when it enters the on-site system it is futher diluted in 500-1000 gallons of black water. At that point, it's ability to do any harm to a septic system is long gone.

There is a ton of online info. on the bleach issue including:

[COLOR=]"Chlorine bleach in moderate amounts isn’t as bad for a septic system as you may have heard. But even a little drain cleaner may be terrible. One study found that it took nearly two gallons of liquid bleach but only about a teaspoon of chemical drain cleaner to kill the beneficial bacteria in a septic tank."

As for adding enzymes, the fact that they do absolutely nothing to improve an on-site system has been well documented for decades. Bottom line is that most additives do no harm, other than wasting your money, and provide no measurable benefit.

[soren]

SDcampowneroperator wrote:
You can leave the dump valves open all the time. You must use plenty of water to flush the solid wastes Fill the commode twice, flush twice. All freezing weather campers do it when their waste tanks or valves are susceptible to freezing.( did it for years)

Max, this is a case where something works well for you, and very well might be a disaster for the next guy. I get that it should be just fine if you literally "chase" the deposit with a few gallons of water, but it's a huge waste of water, and not SOP for most users. I know for a fact that more than a few RVers will end up with a real disaster if they decide that they can leave their black valve open, and others will be just fine. It is highly dependent on the configuration of your black tank, and how well it evacutes any solids deposited. Many tanks tend to pool waste in the bottom since they have a bowl shaped bottom, or have other design quirks. In that case, a cone of solids will accumulate and eventually block the tank. As some experienced members here will attest, breaking this mound apart can be an unpleasant and difficult task. I know several people who made this mistake as beginning RVers, and one guy who got a really good buy on a used TT, with the knowledge that the black tank was totally clogged. The previous owner, who used it with the valve open, chose to not pay a repair shop to remove, and attempt to clean the tank.

Our 40 gallon black tank takes about a week of full time use to fill, leaving the valve open and wasting a few hundred gallons of water to avoid a build-up isn't something I recommend on a regular basis.

[soren]

NMDriver wrote:

soren wrote:
Assuming that this is in Florida, it's a pretty easy issue to deal with. If you have enough drop from the valve to the inlet, you can use an adapter to a thinwall rigid plastic plumbing pipe, often called "Schedule 10" or "Sewer and Drain". this stuff is inexpensive, available at HD and Lowes, and has a bell end, so you just glue it together without needing couplings. After you are done, it can be easily hand sawn into small pieces and tossed in the dumpster. To clarify, you need at least 1/8" per foot of drop to make this work, at least 5" overall, not 12, as another poster claimed. As a Fl. snowbird, I see this done frequently in these parts. I just pointed one of these set-ups out to the wife, while walking through a campground. It was an above ground run of the pipe I mention, about 90-100' long, with two 90* turns from the trailer to the inlet. If you do this, as mentioned, you still need to follow RV protocol of keeping the black tank closed until it's relatively full. I would also fill the gray tank, and use that water to flush the line, after you dump the black.

1/8th is a minimum for 3-6 inch pipe. For any run from 40-50ft 10-12 inches will be better. BTW: I am state certified in NM as a septic installer.

Yea, licensed builder, electrician and more, so I don't get too excited about expert opinions. As you well know, an 1/8" will work just fine, and a 1/4 would be more desirable. The point is thay the whole idea doesn't get scrapped, since the OP took a look and said, "well, that won't work, I'll never get a foot of drop". BTW, while doing remodeling and renovations, I have repeatedly seen 3" and 4" waste lines under homes, with zero and even slightly negative pitches. I always ask if there have been blockage issues in the past? If the pipe in question is PVC or ABS, the answer is always no.

[nodepositnoretu]

If you can buy some enzymes and dump the box in the septic when you get going , the health of the septic is important. No bleach or strong cleaners,enzymes break the solids down.

[SDcampowneroper]

You can leave the dump valves open all the time. You must use plenty of water to flush the solid wastes Fill the commode twice, flush twice. All freezing weather campers do it when their waste tanks or valves are susceptible to freezing.( did it for years) The lightwall pvc mentioned before is sdr 35, a sch. 20. grade it 1-1 1/2" in 10' Do not create a trap.
Septic tanks and absorption fields are a matter I do know a great deal about, with 4 commercial EPA licensed systems we designed and built, and having installed dozens for private homes. I cannot advise you on the system in place, not knowing its size, date or maintenance. Go to the local planning office to learn of any issues about your particular system. Wastewater is not a dump and forget issue. It does not disappear.
To hook up, dump into the septic tank if it has an inlet inspection riser, use it, thats easiest. Be certaain its the inlet not the outlet inspection riser. Next is through the big clean out lid somehow. not easy if its concrete or below grade. Best is through a cleanout upstream of tank, even if you have to excavate and install one. That might also shorten your drain line if it runs nearer your rig. Whether the tank has inspection risers is dependent on its construction date, local planning.

[Ivylog]

azrving wrote:
Pumping the tank has nothing to do with the amount of water the RV uses. Knowing that the system will weep and then pumping the tank will assure that the system works and he is not spending money or moving onto a lot with a system that doesn't work.

It's common practice and often required by municipalities or mortgage companies each time the property changes hands. So does he want to know if the system is good before or after he gets involved? It could be a $5,000 question.

The property is not changing hands and there will not be a mortgage. The amount of water into the system has much to do about it's ability to do it's job. He can alway have it pumped ($400, not $5K as pumping tells you nothing about a systems health). It's easy to spend someone else's money...why on a IF or MAYBE? You can put 10 RVs on a 1000 gallon septic system which the mobile home would have.

[NMDriver]

soren wrote:
Assuming that this is in Florida, it's a pretty easy issue to deal with. If you have enough drop from the valve to the inlet, you can use an adapter to a thinwall rigid plastic plumbing pipe, often called "Schedule 10" or "Sewer and Drain". this stuff is inexpensive, available at HD and Lowes, and has a bell end, so you just glue it together without needing couplings. After you are done, it can be easily hand sawn into small pieces and tossed in the dumpster. To clarify, you need at least 1/8" per foot of drop to make this work, at least 5" overall, not 12, as another poster claimed. As a Fl. snowbird, I see this done frequently in these parts. I just pointed one of these set-ups out to the wife, while walking through a campground. It was an above ground run of the pipe I mention, about 90-100' long, with two 90* turns from the trailer to the inlet. If you do this, as mentioned, you still need to follow RV protocol of keeping the black tank closed until it's relatively full. I would also fill the gray tank, and use that water to flush the line, after you dump the black.

1/8th is a minimum for 3-6 inch pipe. For any run from 40-50ft 10-12 inches will be better. BTW: I am state certified in NM as a septic installer.

[azrving]

Ivylog wrote:
The inlet to the septic tank is probably PVC and I would use 3" thin wall PVC if you can find it (it will fit into the adapter for your normal sewer hose) or 4"...no need for schedule 40 or gluing. Sometimes the thin wall is outside in the landscaping department. I would create some slope using bricks to help it drain. No need to pump the tank as a RV uses 1/5 th the water of a mobile home.

Pumping the tank has nothing to do with the amount of water the RV uses. Knowing that the system will weep and then pumping the tank will assure that the system works and he is not spending money or moving onto a lot with a system that doesn't work.

It's common practice and often required by municipalities or mortgage companies each time the property changes hands. So does he want to know if the system is good before or after he gets involved? It could be a $5,000 question.

[Ivylog]

The inlet to the septic tank is probably PVC and I would use 3" thin wall PVC if you can find it (it will fit into the adapter for your normal sewer hose) or 4"...no need for schedule 40 or gluing. Sometimes the thin wall is outside in the landscaping department. I would create some slope using bricks to help it drain. No need to pump the tank as a RV uses 1/5 th the water of a mobile home.

[TenOC]

garyemunson wrote:
Don't make the mistake of thinking you can now leave the black valve open all the time. As said above, keep it closed and wait until at least 3/4 full before dumping.

I disagree. Due to some medical issues I have been "parked" at my son's house for 3 years and connect to his septic tank. I leave my valves open all the time. Simply make sure your use lots of water when you flush.

I also use the cheapest one ply toilet paper. I think that some of the problems people have with build up is the use of the expensive hard to dissolve toilet paper.

About ever 6 months I do use a flashlight to look down the commode to check for any build up. I have never had any build up.

Do a Google search for "rv sewer hose to pvc adapter" to connect to the PVC pipe. They make a number of different type to fit what type (threaded or glue type) of plumbing you use. I did not glue my fitting, simply a tight press fit (with some boards to support the PVC) does not leak since there is no pressure on the drain lines. This way I am able to disconnect and reconnect when I take the RV on a weekend trip.