Well, I broke it.

[pugslyyy]

In spite of it not working (probably something simple...), do you like having a macerator for sewage processing? Heard a lot of pluses, not many minuses. Main advantages for you?

I'm a fan of the macerator. It really opens up a lot more options for dumping your tanks. I can dump easily into a sewer cleanout, septic tank, toilet, etc. It's also handy (for places that allow it) to be able to dump grey water quite a ways from your campsite instead of right on the ground.

The downsides are
1. It's another piece of gear, which takes up space and can break.
2. It takes a bit longer to pump your tanks than dump your tanks.


(The reason it isn't working is because it doesn't have power run to it, so yes something simple - there is a connector that needs to be replaced)

 

[dlh62c]

In spite of it not working (probably something simple...), do you like having a macerator for sewage processing? Heard a lot of pluses, not many minuses.

Macerating systems are not designed for the disposal of sanitary napkins, tampons, condoms, kitchen waste, disposable diapers, dental floss or paper towels.

 

[dwh]

In spite of it not working (probably something simple...), do you like having a macerator for sewage processing? Heard a lot of pluses, not many minuses. Main advantages for you?

My truck has a permanently installed FloJet macerator. LOVE IT!

I can use either a standard dump hose (never, haven't even carried one for years), or hook up a garden hose and turn on the macerator.

Its output is plumbed to a T and then runs to a standard Perko style male hose fitting with cap on each side of the truck.

I use a 25' grey water hose and I've pumped out into pit toilets, sewer clean-outs (they're everywhere if you know where to look and have a ginormous set of Channel-Locks), through a bathroom window straight into a toilet - and even RV dumb stations. If there is a hose bib around (usually is) I can move the hose over to it and turn it on to flush/clean out the grey water hose. If not, I can hook it up to my grey water tank and use that the flush out the hose.

I can also just run water into the toilet and into the black tank to flush out the hose, but it doesn't work as well and it's a lot slower.


ONLY problem I've ever had with it, is that the T is a standard off the shelf 3/4" galvanized plumbing T, and it corroded and sprung a leak and I had to replace it.



Love it, love it, love it, love it, love it.

 

[dwh]

Macerating systems are not designed for the disposal of sanitary napkins, tampons, condoms, kitchen waste, disposable diapers, dental floss or paper towels.

You left out cigarette butts.

Nothing has ever gone into mine since I've had it except #1, #2 and toilet paper. I'm a bit obsessive about that, because I'm in love with the macerator.

 

[whatcharterboat]

I can also just run water into the toilet and into the black tank to flush out the hose, but it doesn't work as well and it's a lot slower.

Hi dude, how are you going?

Yeah, great system. If this helps. We run the outlets out of the black and grey water tanks to a big changeovervalve before the macerator. Pump out the black, changeover and pump out the grey. Cleans the black water residue in the hose with the soapy grey water. Run with lay-flat hose......They dont smell as much nor hold water. Some of us fit a short pipe on the end to make it easier to direct the outflow......handy in some cases.

I wasn't sure how you had the T setup.....do you do something similar?

I'm a bit obsessive about that, because I'm in love with the macerator.

If you ever visit Australia, I can introduce you to some girls.

Regards John.

 

[dwh]

Hi dude, how are you going?

Good good. Talking about replacing broken down house batteries the other day made me think it's about time to do it. Winter's coming in Southern California and it's about time for things to cool off a bit. In other words - Desert Time! Don't ask me why people goto Death Valley in the summer. Been there, done that, and don't want to do it again if I don't have to. Suffering sucks.

Guess I'll go battery shopping when the part shops open in another hour or so. Bleh...battery day.

Yeah, great system. If this helps. We run the outlets out of the black and grey water tanks to a big changeovervalve before the macerator. Pump out the black, changeover and pump out the grey. Cleans the black water residue in the hose with the soapy grey water. Run with lay-flat hose......They dont smell as much nor hold water. Some of us fit a short pipe on the end to make it easier to direct the outflow......handy in some cases.

I wasn't sure how you had the T setup.....do you do something similar?

No, mine was on the truck when I got it. I actually didn't know it was there until the first time I flipped that mystery switch under the dashboard - "grrrr" - mystery solved.

It's a camper van with a short Thetford on top of the black water tank in the back. The Thetford is standard camper van center position and the tank is above the floor. The outlet on the 10 gallon black tank is all the way in the furthest corner on rear port side and aims straight down. Tucked in *tight* (sort of amazing they made it fit there) under the floor in the corner of the bodywork, is where the dump valve and macerator are. Can't even see them unless you get down and look.

It's a bit of a weird looking setup. The 3" drain from the tank goes into a T turned sideways. Straight down is the dump valve, off to the side is the macerator and the macerator has a support made of plumber's tape.

(For those who don't know, plumber's tape is this stuff)

But the grey tank is a separate 20 gallon fiberglass unit that fits up between the bodywork and the frame on the port side midships. No way to connect black and grey together without running the pipe through the left rear tire. The grey has its own 3" dump valve that faces to the rear. I had to add a hose connector to it so I could use the water hose to drain it instead of the big dump hose. Though probably 70% of the time, I just open the valve and dump it when I'm at the car wash. Nice thing about that is I can stuff the entire length of pressure wand up in though the dump valve and hose out the grey tank.

The outlet from the macerator runs through 3/4" automotive heater hose, alongside the fuel tank, to the T which then runs out both sides through more heater hose to the Perko fittings. The hose to the starboard side runs along right in front of the fuel tank.

If you ever visit Australia, I can introduce you to some girls.

Regards John.

Girls are good. I like girls. They don't seem to like me as much as I like them, but it's an imperfect world.

 

[pugslyyy]

Planning on final tweaks in the next week or two.

1. Fix the electrical connections to the macerator and the raw water system.
2. Demount the passenger side fuel tank and get the crack in it welded.
3. Replace a blown propane line in the basement
4. Install new propane leak detector.
5. Source spare water heater control board (had to use the spare at Expo East).
6. Figure out the sensor error on the Fuso that keeps throwing an OBD2 code that won't clear
7. Source a spare serpentine belt (installed the spare before Expo East).
8. Oil change
9. Replacement awning crank handle (it broke).

 

[Gatsma]

Pugslyyy- Any idea what caused the fuel tank to crack? Of all the major/minor foibles that occurred, that one would concern me most. Was that one OEM, or aftermarket? Advise when convenient....

 

[pugslyyy]

It's a custom fuel cell of rectangular welded aluminum.

I think it just got racked/beat up by the flexing when the frame broke. (It was actually leaking a little before we took the truck apart).

Our tank shop welded it up and we installed it, but the welds didn't hold. Sometimes stuff like that just happens!

 

[Gatsma]

Anything being done, if possible, to prevent recurrence? Or just better welds? And you're so right, ******* happens, and of course, there's always Murphy's Law. And it's been said that Murphy was an optimist......

 

[pugslyyy]

Anything being done, if possible, to prevent recurrence? Or just better welds? And you're so right, ******* happens, and of course, there's always Murphy's Law. And it's been said that Murphy was an optimist......

Well my top strategy for fuel cell integrity is for the frame to not break next to it again.

Other than that, just better welds. I think that they just didn't do a good job on the welding the first time that they attempted the repair. It's a good shop so no real reason - other than the 'sometimes stuff happens and doesn't work out quite as planned'

 

[Gatsma]

Well my top strategy for fuel cell integrity is for the frame to not break next to it again.

I would call that a slam-dunk, as now having a much-stronger rear frame ought to prevent a recurrence of that; unless of course a bit of over-confidence in the much-stronger frame leads to a bit of over-exuberance in the off-road sector of your expeditionary experience ;-)

 

[pugslyyy]

Back to working on a few truck chores after letting it sit for a few weeks. I had a propane leak (which I have bodged but still not fully repaired) which caused my propane alarm to hard fault - they recommend replacing every 5 years anyways so it was time. The old one was a surface mount but I went with a flush mount this time - one less thing to kick/bump into at floor level.

Also running the generator under load (AC on full blast) for an hour or two since it hasn't been really exercised in a while.