Macerator - Metal Impeller -vs- Polyurethane Impeller

[markopolo]

Low voltage would make the pump draw more amps to do the job. You probably have a 20 amp fuse for the macerator. Low voltage will cause that fuse to blow. If you've blown a couple of fuses then the wiring or connections would be the thing to check. You can plug the van into grid power or run the van motor while using the macerator to make sure to keep the voltage up.

Re: the porta-potti hold-down - it looks like there are different ones for different model toilets. A few links that might help:

http://www.thetford.com/HOME/PARTS/Port ... fault.aspx
http://www.ebay.com/itm/08336-S-Thetfor ... 0210888400
http://www.adventurerv.net/thetford-por ... 29675.html

If you get a new macerator pump installed then keep the old pump and replace the impeller in it and then you'll have a spare pump. Of course, with a spare pump on hand and ready to go the installed one will probably work forever

[wabbit]

Sportsmobile tells me that they recommend an exterior macerator rather than a built-in (although they will configure either way). Does that make sense?

[Mike]

Yes. I believe our esteemed Admin installed a semi-external macerator in his '04 C190P Roadtrek.
More info and pics here.....
viewtopic.php?f=12&t=39&hilit=roadtrek+macerator

I'm sure he will respond to this comment as well.

[markopolo]

With a B van, storage space is always something to consider. Where do you store the portable macerator? If you have dedicated space for it and a discharge hose and some fittings then a portable one is the best of both worlds. Install a 12v plug not far from sewer connection and the valve handles so you don't have to clip it to the battery every time.

I'll probably get one of those portable Flojet macerators if I happen to catch a sale at Camping World.





It would be used for emptying the tanks at home though because I don't think I have space for it in our van. It comes with a nice case that you'd have to make sure doesn't leak if putting it with other items in a van.

[Ron]

Good information.

Ron

[Mike]

and don't ever confuse it with the coffee grinder or juicer.

[Ron]

I believe I read, possibly may have a photo of a Class B RV that has the 2 systems for dumping, one being the macerator pump, the other being the gravity slinky hose.

Anybody have any info?

Ron

[markopolo]

Phoenix Cruiser Class C has an emergency sewer dump:
http://www.phoenixusarv.com/albums/2350_models/


You already have a lot of what you'd need on your Roadtrek Ron. (I have to use your photos )







You can see in the photos that your RT emergency clean-out is after both the gray and black tank valves. That's good.
You need to figure out how to extend it to a point where you could reach in and and attach a dump hose.
You'd have to operate the black and gray valves from the driver side but connect a standard hose to the passenger side.

The clean-out looks smaller than 3 inch so you'd need a fitting to get it up to 3 inch. Also I think it would be best to add a third valve before the RV sewer hose connector.
You'd probably only use the emergency dump if the macerator failed. If it failed then the pipes would have some waste in them so a third valve would let you attach a hose without first dumping any waste on the ground.

[markopolo]

As I suspected, Ron had been working on this

He sent me some photos of his emergency dump system:















Using a pan to catch the small amount of waste that would be present between the macerator and the valves and released when you remove the clean-out is a good idea.

There is a chance some waste and paper will accumulate in that clean-out junction dead-end. Might take years though. In my plumbing experience, clean-outs tend to be installed a bit higher than the pipe where waste flows. There's not much room under a Roadtrek to do it differently than they did. It might be a good preventative maintenance idea to clean out the clean-out at least once to see if any paper and waste has accumulated and solidified there. I've cleaned out a dead-end on a waste pipe before. It was about a foot long so it was longer than what I see in the photos in the post above this one.