Maccerator???

[bheckie123]

looking for advise on using maccerators...pros and cons?? I park 5 months in a park without full hook-up so I have to use the "blue thing". But I would be within 100 yards of the dump station so maybe a macerator could be a solution? Thanks for any input!

[MARK A]

In my opinion...There's only one thing worse than poop under the forces of gravity, and that's poop under pressure.. :-/
I'm sure there are uses for the macerator but..
Maybe a couple trips around the park every week or so would help your tanks stay cleaner?

Mark

[phillyg]

I had a macerator on my boat. Exact same type used in RVs. Nothing but trouble. Replaced twice, still jammed up and was an impediment when getting pumped out. I don't see how a macerator since your standard set-up is a tank draining downwards through a 3" hose to your blue tank or sewer inlet.

[bigred715]

Gee, and I thought that would be the way to go. Less mess and easier storage. Wrong it sounds like!

[WaltBennett]

I've used one for over six years with first a TT and now our Monty when at home and I need to drain the tanks after a trip or we use it as a guest bedroom. Only problem I've ever encountered was when someone put a tampon in the toilet. Lots of fun cleaning the string out, but it's worked fine ever since (and that was four years back). Our septic inlet is about 120 feet away and slightly downhill, but I don't know if over twice that would work. I first drain the black and then the greys to flush everything out. Guess I use it two or three times a year, maybe four at most though. Some RVs come with them built in, and I don't know as I'd want that - wouldn't want to think of what would happen if one jammed in that situation.

[TLightning]

We had one in a motor home a few years back. Took it out and left it home.

[kdeiss]

I had a Campground neighbor with one in his Motor Home used it for 2 weeks never again!]

[WeBeFulltime]

Originally Posted by WaltBennett

Only problem I've ever encountered was when someone put a tampon in the toilet.

When we have visitors that aren't accustomed to staying in an RV I hold a "class" regarding what can and what CAN'T be flushed with emphasis on WHAT CAN'T !

[waynemoore]

in a previous life I sold giant grinders to wastewater plants. Two thing one needs to know about pumps and grinders. Grinders do a great job with grinding things, like tampons, and other solids. Pumps do a great job of pumping liquids. But when you combine the two the end product sacrifices the abilities of each product to do a good job. Or better said the ability to effectively do the job each was designed to do. In an RV or boat they are marginally effective. What the macerator or grinder pump is trying to do is take a 3" flow with miscellaneous semi solids and turn it into a 3/4" flow with much smaller solids.Then trying to pump (move) it 100 to 200 feet. It mite work if the pump was at the end of the run (on the suction side). But that eliminates the grinder part as the product needs to be ground to fit into the smaller hose. Also if the pump is on the end of the run this greatly reduces pipe drag. Pipe drag happens when semi ground material is send down a long run from the discharged end of a pump (call it the spit end). Pumps suck material in and spit it out.The larger particles will want to settle on the bottom of the hose and can and will plug a hose. Better said pumps moving any amount of solids like to suck not spit. Not MHO 18 years of experience.

[bheckie123]

I have read many good things about the Flojet Macerator so I'm going to give it a try. I will be pumping about 75' with a 3/4" heavy-duty contractors hose, and on a level surface, so it should work just fine. I've read that the trick is not to overheat the pump motor, so I plan to take my time and turn if off periodically to let it cool. Thanks for the posts from all of you on this subject and I hope that I'm not making a mistake...I'll post again if it doesn't work out! Most RV products, if you take care of it and use it properly, normally last a long time and do what they're intended to do.

[jsmitfl]

Looks like you already decided. We used a macerator for two years. Pump from our unit that was in the garage out to a port a let. We would do it every week on the day they came to pump the portalet. It was about 75 feet away and we used a 3/4 hose. IF we would not have done this we would have had to pull the unit 10 miles to the RV park. Once we got the septic system in last summer we were able to pump to the garage clean out. Was it worth it? Heck yea

[bheckie123]

Update!! I purchased and used the Flojet Macerator this weekend for the first time. Emptied my 1/2-full black tank in about 2 minutes. Very happy with the results! I used a 100ft. length of heavy-duty 3/4" contractors water hose and pumped on a level grade to a sewer clean-out about 90ft. away. Everything was clean, there really was very little odor, and I rinsed the macerator and hose from my grey tank and a final rinse with fresh water for a minute. For those thinking about using a macerator, don't be afraid to use the Flojet unit as it works very well.