Macerator question

[TurnThePage]

I'm having to use my travel trailer into the fall and winter while it's tucked in my backyard. I have a cleanout about 50 or 60 feet away.

I've always been curious about a macerator kit. When you use one, how do you deal with the remaining water/stuff in the hose after you shut it off?

How does it do at or below freezing?

[toedtoes]

Turnthepage and JRscooby - my apologies. Having no idea of the deleted post, the reference to "not liking my question" didn't make any sense unless you were the same person. With the added information that a post was deleted it makes a lot more sense.

JRscooby - Yes, if you need absolutely ALL the liquid removed from the hose, then walking it is the only sure way.

But, whether that level of elimination is needed or not will vary between individual users. I explained my process and added that using a cap during the reeling would eliminate any dripping if that were a concern. I stand by that.

In my use, the macerator pump eliminates most of the liquid in the hose. What little is left has never been a problem in regards to freezing (similar to my other hoses that are not drained after use). I don't worry that "some" liquid is left in my hose because it is not enough to be an issue in my circumstances.

I do acknowledge that if you NEED to drain your other hoses to prevent damage from freezing, then my routine would not work for you.

[TurnThePage]

We're not the same person. Or are we? :W

Lots of good info here though. I appreciate all the input, and I think I've got it figured out.

Thanks!

[JRscooby]

toedtoes wrote:
Am I correct in that JRscooby and Turnthepage are the same poster? As JRscooby did not ask any questions on this thread, yet references "my question", it appears so.

I use no other name on this site. Right after you posted capping the hose to roll it up I quoted you, and asked if you advocated leaving the hose full. In the same post I mentioned a hose full of fresh water would freeze, and full of black or grey would be worse. Somebody deleted that post. That is why said somebody did not like my question.

JRscooby/Turnthepage - macerators have a pump. It pumps most all the contents of the hose out into the cleanout. When done, there is no "hose full" of liquidated stuff.

I have worked around many pumps, pumping many things. I know of no pump that will MT much of the discharge line. Now if you are pumping to a lower point, most liquids, if hose is full, will flow most of the water on out, even if must go up some on the way out. But only if air can get in. You cap it, it will not drain.

toedtoes wrote:
If you read my whole post, you'd note that I said my hose is on a reel.

The cap simply prevents any dripping while the hose is being reeled up. No need to carefully hold the hose end up high with one hand while you try to roll up the hose with the other. No worry that any movement of the hose will push any liquid out that end (and potentially on you). The other end is still in the cleanout, so no concern about drips there.

Once the hose is reeled up, you can then remove the cap, holding the end of the hose higher than the reel, and let any final draining happen at the other end. Then pull out that end from the cleanout. Done.

No walking hoses 50+ feet, no drips. Takes seconds to put the hose away without drips.

Unless you have a hose that flattens as pressure is removed, a reel will not drain a hose. If your reel can walk the hose, slow enough for the water to drain, toward the cleanout, you might have a MT hose. If both ends are open!
If, as you said, the reel is at cleanout, and you just crank it in you will likely have 1/3 of the hose full. (And a wet trail from end of hose) Now you cap it, then reel it in most water will stay in hose, because air must come in the same place water is coming out.
Think I'm wrong? Run some fresh water thru your poop canon to your cleanout. Cap the hose, roll it up, then set the reel of hose on a scale. Pull it back out, uncap, and walk the hose slowly. Reel it in and weigh it again.

[toedtoes]

Am I correct in that JRscooby and Turnthepage are the same poster? As JRscooby did not ask any questions on this thread, yet references "my question", it appears so.

JRscooby/Turnthepage - macerators have a pump. It pumps most all the contents of the hose out into the cleanout. When done, there is no "hose full" of liquidated stuff.

Unlike a stinky slinky that is all gravity based, macerators actually pump the fluid through the hose. That's why they can work 50 feet uphill.

[toedtoes]

If you read my whole post, you'd note that I said my hose is on a reel.

The cap simply prevents any dripping while the hose is being reeled up. No need to carefully hold the hose end up high with one hand while you try to roll up the hose with the other. No worry that any movement of the hose will push any liquid out that end (and potentially on you). The other end is still in the cleanout, so no concern about drips there.

Once the hose is reeled up, you can then remove the cap, holding the end of the hose higher than the reel, and let any final draining happen at the other end. Then pull out that end from the cleanout. Done.

No walking hoses 50+ feet, no drips. Takes seconds to put the hose away without drips.

[JRscooby]

toedtoes wrote:
I dump the black tank and then the grey tank. My hose is on a reel that sits near the clean out so I leave that end in the clean out until the hose is reeled back up. That's usually enough as the grey water pushes everything from the black tank through the hose. If worried about any drip, you could just put a cap on the end before reeling it up.

The macerator also has a port to run tap water in through it, so you could do that until it runs clear.

I guess somebody did not like my question about the hose left full.
Ever put a straw in a bottle of oil, put finger over end, then pull it out, remove finger to put a little oil on something?
You cap the end of a hose, and you have a hard time getting that hose to drain.
Better idea would be use a pan to catch the drips

[wa8yxm]

Thanks Ktmrsf.. Always good to know you like my process.

I'm used to walking hoses in the winter.. Grew up on a divided farm (Dairy/Swine) so we had hoses out year round.. We had to make sure they were drained in the winter. (Oh Growing up on a livestock farm good prep for listening to politicians.. You see.. I've shoveled that stuff by the ton 🙂 )

[ktmrfs]

wa8yxm wrote:

TurnThePage wrote:
I'm having to use my travel trailer into the fall and winter while it's tucked in my backyard. I have a cleanout about 50 or 60 feet away.

I've always been curious about a macerator kit. When you use one, how do you deal with the remaining water/stuff in the hose after you shut it off?

How does it do at or below freezing?

On my macerator I had an "inlet" i forget if this was built in to the macerator or to the short backflush adapter.. It uses city water pressure to shoot up into the tank to "Backflush" (I do not think it's all that effective) but on my RV I used a starignt (not elbowed) version of the one I'll link to

After the tank was empty and flushed by the other rinser.. I then hooked the hose to teh clear extension/adapter and filled it with water.. Pump running.. Several times to flush the hose.. Then I "Walked" the hose followign the following procedure.

Disconnect pump assembly from RV
Lift high. disconnect hose from Pump. (Stand up hold at chest level)

Slowly coil the hose allowing it to drain into the septic system as I walk towared the ground end of the hose. Disconnect and store.

In cold weather every dump
In warm weather Only when breaking camp.

yup, the same process I use.

[wanderingbob]

As said above , to clean the left over water in the hose , raise the the hose and walk towards the discharge . I usually rinse the hose before using it to put water in the fresh water tank " just joking ". Harbor Freight sells a one inch hose in 75 foot length that I use ! The larger the discharge hose the better !

[wa8yxm]

TurnThePage wrote:
I'm having to use my travel trailer into the fall and winter while it's tucked in my backyard. I have a cleanout about 50 or 60 feet away.

I've always been curious about a macerator kit. When you use one, how do you deal with the remaining water/stuff in the hose after you shut it off?

How does it do at or below freezing?

On my macerator I had an "inlet" i forget if this was built in to the macerator or to the short backflush adapter.. It uses city water pressure to shoot up into the tank to "Backflush" (I do not think it's all that effective) but on my RV I used a starignt (not elbowed) version of the one I'll link to

After the tank was empty and flushed by the other rinser.. I then hooked the hose to teh clear extension/adapter and filled it with water.. Pump running.. Several times to flush the hose.. Then I "Walked" the hose followign the following procedure.

Disconnect pump assembly from RV
Lift high. disconnect hose from Pump. (Stand up hold at chest level)

Slowly coil the hose allowing it to drain into the septic system as I walk towared the ground end of the hose. Disconnect and store.

In cold weather every dump
In warm weather Only when breaking camp.

[toedtoes]

I dump the black tank and then the grey tank. My hose is on a reel that sits near the clean out so I leave that end in the clean out until the hose is reeled back up. That's usually enough as the grey water pushes everything from the black tank through the hose. If worried about any drip, you could just put a cap on the end before reeling it up.

The macerator also has a port to run tap water in through it, so you could do that until it runs clear.

[Bobbo]

I disconnect the hose from the macerator and lift it head high, walking the raised portion to the opposite end. That empties the hose, but does not rinse it out. I call it good.

As far as below freezing, the macerator and hose are in the garage unless I am actively dumping. The garage does not get below freezing. I do not leave them out.