Water/ Wastewater Usage

[TheCoachPotatoes]

We turn off the shower head also while soaping up. However, we still seem to fill up the gray water rather quickly. Carol, we just love the way you describe things, always gives us a chuckle and yet you are always right on!! You go girl!!

[uhftx]

I have put some thought into this and The only way you can perform this function is by what you describe. Maybe use double check valves though, and a vacuum break valve also.

The primary reason is due to the way the toilet petals work.
IF you could open the flush valve without calling for fresh water with the existing fresh water plumbing.

I would suggest installing a separate 12V (marine bilge pump) or (small 120V Pond/fountain pump running off an inverter).

Without cutting into the fresh water and eliminate the possibility of checkvalve failure.
Modify the grey water tank drain plumbing with a tee and a cap and or valve to contain the pump (essentially making a well for the pump). Run a separate hose to the toilet along with a switch to control the pump on / off.

The separate hose would be held in place and hooked over the bowl. This would give you the option of either using the fresh water at full hookup sites or using the grey when boondocking. You would just have to modify the pedals on the toilet for separate flush.

So much for my two cents. It's always easy to talk about doing things. Lots more work to accomplish. This is not out of the realm of Al and Nita's capabilities.

[CountryGuy]

Thanks Al and Nita, I try, like others here at MOC, find that a little humor won't hurt any of us!

Steve, I think if you get that shower hose out of that hose holder thingy you will love it! No more restrictions! Don't tell the canines about it, they might beg to be showered IN the house instead of OUTSIDE! So much more private and refined, don't cha think??

[ols1932]

We use plastic containers that just fit into the kitchen sink to catch our dish water, then pour it into a 5 gal bucket that we set in the bathroom. We also catch the extra water in the shower (only take Navy style baths) and dump that in the bucket also. We then use that water to flush the toilet. You'd be surprised how much fresh water that saves. We recently went 15 days and still had fresh water in the tank. However, we do drink bottled water quite often when we are dry camping (boondocking).

Orv

[TheCoachPotatoes]

Chris, You gave me some new ideas. My brain is still working, as I am still trying to improve on my original plan. Having 2 check valves is something I also thought would be a good idea. Again, you come up with a better way, and you call it your two cents worth. You always save up 2 cents until you get to at least 50 cents worth! lol. I respect your knowledge on some of the more complex matters!

Al

[Parrothead]

When we did our PDI the tech told us to carefully cut through the middle of the round ring hose thingy that Carol describes. Then you can get the hose out but put it back if you want. Since I am short and a 7 ft single male designed our unit, I put the shower head down on the round thingy and it works great for me. I would like our hose (shower) to be a bit longer though for rinsing shower after cleaning especially if you are in a park with low pressure.
Happy trails........................

[Steve and Brenda]

quote:Originally posted by TheCoachPotatoes

...Having 2 check valves is something I also thought would be a good idea...

Of all the improvements I wish to do with my Montana this is certainly not at the top of the list but for a owner wishing to extend their boondocking time I can see the benefit to the modification. There is no way I would ever consider plumbing fresh and grey water together, check valves or no, due to the possibility of contamination of the fresh water system. Once you decide to pump grey water to the commode totally divorce that line from the fresh.

Two things to consider if you have not done this modification yet: 1) You need grey water to begin with meaning that you'll likely need to fill some fresh water from a sink for the initial use of the toilet or waste fresh water to fill the grey tank for the pump to kick in. 2) You need a 12 VDC pump that activates on demand or have to put up with the hassle of powering the pump each time you wish to flush.

[bsmeaton]

That would be called a "cross-connection" between potable water and waste water - bad idea.

There is no certified way to isolate the cross contamination, as you would need a reduced pressure backflow preventer that would operate at the lower pressure and smaller diameter hose, of which there is no such thing.

[vabluebird]

Al,
My dad lives on a farm and has saved all his live. 94 years old and went through the Depression. When they have a dry season, (even in VT) it gets dry, he has a plastic milk bottle beside the sink and catches the cold water while waiting for the hot to come through. He uses this to water the chickens.

If we were to do the same thing while boondocking it could be used to flush the toilet. Another thing I have used to conserve water is small plastic dishpans. I even reheated the rince water to use to wash the next batch of dishes.

And I think it's Helen and Bill who go to Dollar General and stock up on paper products before going to the desert so they don't have to use water to do dishes. Lots of ways to conserve without altering very much.

I was always taught that every little bit saved adds up. Of course when you get to a park with water in and water out, all those ideas go to the wind.

[melnjoy]

We have three gallon Jugs that hold our drinking water so we always have safe water. Where we use the most water is doing dishes and showers being a old Sailor I can and have taken water limited showers. When I sailed the Deep Sea we figured 10 gallons per day per man and that included clothes washing.
As for dishes we can use paper and plastic. The black tank has always lasted at least 2 weeks.
We will be going to Quartzsite for a week with every one so I will be able to see if we can still do it.
Mel