Water recycle kit (shower for flushing etc.)

[Coachgeo]

Came across this on another site.... searched here to see if anything had been posted but came up empty. Hopefully my search Carnac searching Wizardry didn't fubar and this is not recycled many times information

Extend Your Stay Tank Saver Parts Kit- http://www.usi-rv.com/product.sc?productId=7&categoryId=2

Basically, this is all you need to take your shower water etc. and recycle it for flushing. Why do that?? You save more water for cooking and drinking thus increasing the time you stay out in the boondocks.

 

[doug720]

As an RV owner for many years, who's camping trips are 99% dry camping, it has been my experience that grey water smells as bad or worse than black.

The amount of water used to flush a toilet is very small compared to grey use, and hardly seems worth the effort, cost, and potential problems to use grey water.

We have a class A with 96 gallons of fresh water. A week of use is easy for 3 people with common sense, including showers.

 

[pugslyyy]

Sure seems like an (expensive and complicated) solution in search of a problem to me.

 

[Coachgeo]

As an RV owner for many years, who's camping trips are 99% dry camping, it has been my experience that grey water smells as bad or worse than black.

The amount of water used to flush a toilet is very small compared to grey use, and hardly seems worth the effort, cost, and potential problems to use grey water.

We have a class A with 96 gallons of fresh water. A week of use is easy for 3 people with common sense, including showers.

The article saw about this addressed the smell. The charcol filtration system takes out the bacteria that causes the smell. Pretty sure though the water can actualy be used for more than just flushing. Pretty sure charcol filtered non-Potable water from the shower can also used for showering again. Also for washing cloths. Taking it a few steps further one could actually continually reuse shower water for lots of things by adding one of the various ways to kill bacteria (ion generator, ultroviolet light etc) and few more filters to remove the now dead bacterial material. In fact done right it could even be drinkable. This would be similar to systems designed to clean rainwater off of roofs enough to be potable/drinkable water.

Would it be cost effective?? that's a possible no....... or hmmm??. If it cuts your water storage size in half; along with water weight in half, the resulting fuel savings over time..... maybeeeee that makes it it's not so much of a cost after all?

 

[doug720]

Filtering takes power, likely gas/diesel generated power, which costs money, filters must be changed/cleaned, etc, it does not pencil out for me.

As mentioned, grey water is nasty, so I'll pass.

 

[Pilat]

It makes sense to me when something like this is employed in a (big enough) boat. Other than that, I can't see much use for having such a system. Much easier to go with slightly larger tanks. Or buy bottled water for those periods where you need extra water (or a few MSR Dromedary bags).

Edit:
And if the boat is big enough for a system like this, then a water maker makes much more sense.

 

[dwh]

http://www.blissmobil.com/en/accessories

 

[Coachgeo]

Filtering takes power, likely gas/diesel generated power, which costs money, filters must be changed/cleaned, etc, it does not pencil out for me.

As mentioned, grey water is nasty, so I'll pass.

no more power than a 12v RV water pump for basic system though that can be Solar powered. Wind-powered the old fashioned way even but that would be overly complex. Filter cost.. you may have a point. Doing something like this makes more sense when building your own rig from ground up. Not so much so in replacing something that works all ready no matter if it is little outdated a system.

 

[grizzlyj]

Hi
.
I know Blissmobil do it and it seems a good plan on paper, but I wonder how often their filters need changing? As said, there will be a fair degree of crud in the grey tank, so how many filters are needed for a long trip? (cost and space?)

 

[doug720]

Take a look at the second picture in the original posts link - attached below. It shows the systems plumbing diagram.

The diagram shows the "Filtered" used water tied directly into the fresh water system. Not a chance I would ever do that. This would contaminate the whole water system!

 

[Coachgeo]

Take a look at the second picture in the original posts link - attached below. It shows the systems plumbing diagram.

The diagram shows the "Filtered" used water tied directly into the fresh water system. Not a chance I would ever do that. This would contaminate the whole water system!

Seems to me that it does not. The OEM water pump acts as a one way valve/check valve thus the newly filtered water can not enter the fresh tank.

 

[Coachgeo]

Fwiw, ( on a superphone, I cant clearly see well the plumbing diagram...)

Anyway, Never depend on a pump alone as backflow prevention if sanitary needs exist.
Further, backflow prevention allows service to the pump on an otherwise charged system. (But regular valves are a better isolation method.)

Its much safer to utilise greywater in some daft scheme of spraying on an overheat prone Unimog transmission.

Felt same as you.....another check valve would be better unless the pump specifically states it contains an internal check valve. Good point on another use of grey water as a cooler by misting on tranny or even diff's or hubs for that matter. Would be easy to do with a landscape mister.

 

[doug720]

Pump, back flow preventer, check valve or not, per the piping plan, recycled water is mixing with clean water within the pipes and coming out all fixtures and faucets! Again, not for me.

 

[pugslyyy]

Fwiw, ( on a superphone, I cant clearly see well the plumbing diagram...)

Anyway, Never depend on a pump alone as backflow prevention if sanitary needs exist.
Further, backflow prevention allows service to the pump on an otherwise charged system. (But regular valves are a better isolation method.)

Its much safer to utilise greywater in some daft scheme of spraying on an overheat prone Unimog transmission.

Excellent, and the grease in the water will provide underbody corrosion protection.

 

[Coachgeo]

One thing I've learned is to not assume someone is stupid. So with that in mind went back to the flow diagram keeping in mind your good point of filtered gray mixing potentially with the good water in the lines creating cross contamination and realized..... there is a chance we read it wrong. I know I was. In the re-look though see now that the one way / check valve connected to the three-way valve where water heads up to flush with, is aligned to NOT let the filtered gray go anywhere but to the toilet. That same check valve will allow fresh water go on thru to the toilet though. The color change in the flow chart of the water to the toilet seems to indicate that is the design.