Brown water and holding tank thingy-me-bob

Having just had my very first "most excellent adventure" long weekend away in my lovely new (to me) camper van, I was a bit confused when it came to emptying the brown water.  I naively expected a drive over point, but the site only had an emptying point where caravaners emptied their small portable tanks.  This had a row of bricks around it, so I only just managed to manoeuvre to the side and get the short waste pipe in.  It was touch and go, with an inch to spare, but I managed. 

I just wondered, on average, how many sites in the UK will have easy access drive over waste points suitable for motorhomes.  I've noticed on the CCC site that you can search for MHS (motorhome services), which usually includes drive over points.  I'm trying to get my head around what to do when I arrive on site to find that I cant drive the camper over the brown water waste point!

A friend suggested that I get one of those portable waste tanks used for a caravan.  It would sit in the aisle going, then underneath the van when parked up, and left if driving out for the day (not sure if that is safe).  The suggestion was that you could run the waste water directly into this and just empty it every couple of days when full.  That would negate the need for any fancy driving and manoeuvring around waste points.

Based on the experience and wisdom of those on here, is that a solution to a problem that I haven't got, or is it actually a very good idea.  She does sometimes have them, but her wisdom decreases exponentially with each glass of wine!

Sally
x

The waste of fresh water is commonly referred too as Grey Water. Its usually only large commercial and club sites that have drive over 'dump' points.


I rarely use sites with such a facility, I have a collapsible bucket and a fresh water carrier. If there is a convenient hedge, the grey water goes from the bucket to there, otherwise I take it with the fresh water container to the tap, empty the bucket fill the container and, if necessary repeat. I do this every day rather than let it build to a big job.

I  have a small wheeled waste water container, 23litres,  with tap open on tank water goes straight into the wheeled container so easy to empty, mine fits under the NS seat when travelling, or if you haven`t the room,  in the toilet compartment. 

Driving off pitch just to empty waste tank is pointless and troublesome if staying on that site, why move the van unnecessarily.?
On going out for the day, if taking the van, I empty and put into the loo. have a reserved pitch board to put on pitch so everyone knows it is in use. 


It is GREY water, toilet cassette is Black .

Peter Brown wrote:The waste of fresh water is commonly referred too as Grey Water.  Its usually only large commercial and club sites that have drive over 'dump' points.


I rarely use sites with such a facility, I have a collapsible bucket and a fresh water carrier.  If there is a convenient hedge, the grey water goes from the bucket to there, otherwise I take it with the fresh water container to the tap, empty the bucket fill the container and, if necessary repeat.  I do this every day rather than let it build to a big job.

Peter, do you mean to say, you empty your grey water into a fresh water tap drain, ?    I would never do that, waste water and fresh water kept separate.

daisy mae wrote:
Peter, do you mean to say, you empty your grey water into a fresh water tap drain, ?    I would never do that, waste water and fresh water kept separate.

If it is a proper drain and not a surface soakaway (and only to avoid creating localised smell)

On every site I have been on, including CS`s and CL`s there has been one emptying point for waste and one fresh tap with drain for overfill fresh water.

 On a CL that I go to  regularly,  the waste is emptied into the black emptying point, a manhole cover in this case, the fresh is yards away from this.There is a drain under the fresh tap, but a notice saying not to empty grey down it.

So amazingly, despite several large glasses of wine, Christine has had a good idea. 

Sally
X

Note to self; “grey, it’s grey, not brown, definitely not black, but grey”

Sally
I used a wheeled container on our Nuevo but it's no good for the Sussex as the waste hose has to be low to get water flowing so now I have one of these. You can get a folding luggage trolley from Home Bargains for a fiver (store behind driver'sseat).  The container travels in washroom with 2 gallon fresh container for topping up.

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Paulmold wrote:Sally
I used a wheeled container on our Nuevo but it's no good for the Sussex as the waste hose has to be low to get water flowing so now I have one of these. You can get a folding luggage trolley from Home Bargains for a fiver (store behind driver'sseat).  The container travels in washroom with 2 gallon fresh container for topping up.

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Excellent Paul. I’m on to it 

Sally
X

We take 2 'folding' water containers, 15 litres I think.
We use one for topping up the fresh water and the other for taking grey water to the drain if staying on a site without a drive-over dumping point.

These take up very little space as they fold flat and quite cheep too.

a folding bucket osnt big enough for a couple of showers, when say on a CL or THS.....
of course, you could keep the tank waste closed until after the showers and then empty the tap into a bucket and walk to the disposal point (hedge) half a dozen times.....no....
a Fiamma 23 ltr comtainer seems a good compromise between a bucket (too smal for anything other than a dribble of water, and a Wastemaster, totally too large and completely the wrong shape for easy storing (even with a garage)....

The Fiamma container is what I used with our Nuevo but as I said earlier, van conversions need to unclip the waste hose from under the sill and lower it to empty the tank. As water cannot flow uphill, the Fiamma is unsuitable as the filler hole is too high off the ground, hence the use of the shallow flat container linked to above. It is not small in capacity and is actually very heavy if you let it fill up. So empty it often or get a trolley.

Could someone enlighten me on the difference between a drain and a “ fresh water drain. And does anyone know what happens to grey water onboard river, canal and sea going vessels. Plus touring coaches with hand basins and coffee machines.

I know on the touring Coaches I'v traveled on they have cassettes and water tanks similar to campervans. If going on very long journeys they usually as passengers to use the facilities sparingly, and then come round offering drinks  

biffobear wrote:Could someone enlighten me on the difference between a drain and a “ fresh water drain. And does anyone know what happens to grey water onboard river, canal and sea going vessels. Plus touring coaches with hand basins and coffee machines.

As far as I know, 'fresh water' or 'surface water' drains can go straight to a watercourse, but 'grey water' drains must go through a sewage system.
Whether this happens, or even if the above is correct, I cannot say.

Frank

Hi BiffoBear - I sent you a pm a few days ago,

but regarding canal boats, they discharge their grey water into the canal.
Most have a cassette toilet the same as motorhomes with a cassette for the black stuff.

Oddsnends wrote:I know on the touring Coaches I'v traveled on they have cassettes and water tanks similar to campervans. If going on very long journeys they usually as passengers to use the facilities sparingly, and then come round offering drinks

 Carver, have PM you. All the coaches I have driven over the years have never had a removable cassette for the toilet like a motorhome. Some just have a chargerable Thetford toilet with a built in tank and an additional holding tank as an option on some and never have they had a grey water tank and the sink etc was open to the road. The toilet could only be emptied at a toilet drop at the depot or on some motorway service areas. The Setra I drove had a microwave and steamer for making hotdogs.

biffobear wrote:

Oddsnends wrote:I know on the touring Coaches I'v traveled on they have cassettes and water tanks similar to campervans. If going on very long journeys they usually as passengers to use the facilities sparingly, and then come round offering drinks

 Carver, have PM you. All the coaches I have driven over the years have never had a removable cassette for the toilet like a motorhome. Some just have a chargerable Thetford toilet with a built in tank and an additional holding tank as an option on some and never have they had a grey water tank and the sink etc was open to the road. The toilet could only be emptied at a toilet drop at the depot or on some motorway service areas. The Setra I drove had a microwave and steamer for making hotdogs.

Ah when drivers said the had to empty the tanks I assumed.............