Disposal of grey water

I know there is no such thing as a dumb question but here goes.

For years for grey water disposal I have been using the black container with two red caps......the ones you see everywhere.

The drain tap from the van has to be unclipped and then located on top of the aperture in the container. When draining it invariably moves so I have to hold it in place either with my hand or foot. 
I could just leave the hose/tap clipped in place  underneath but then the flow is very much reduced.

Also I’m sure every time I empty the container it gets heavier.

I am looking at those wheeled container usually used by caravans. 

Are there any other options that I am missing that are glaringly obvious?

Hi Bob

It all depends on exactly how you camp of course, including how long you stay in one place before moving, and how big the tank is on your van, but do you really need a container at all?

We've never needed one, except on very rare occasions when a collapsible bucket does the job, albeit needing several trips to the emptying point.

We always dump as we leave a site, or if that's not possible for some reason we find an environmentally acceptable place en route. Many lay byes have a drain, and grey waste is not nasty so it goes down there if there's nobody about to suspect us of dumping the toilet waste - or whatever else we might get accused of! 

Many CLs and CSs ask you to dump it under the hedge rather than fill up their septic tanks, so that's also where it has gone on odd occasions, again using the bucket.

Just a thought

Dave

Bob- you will have discovered that you don't get a good flow into the container as it's too high. The Fiamma wheeled containers are the same height, I've got both in the garage. I used the wheeled container in the Nuevo as that was fine with a fixed drain tap above it. Look at this photo and you'll see that the flat container is much lower giving a better flow. I carry this together with a trolley from Home Bargains (£6) for when I let it fill to a level that's too heavy to carry any distance...
Trolley [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

We use a Fiamma Roll Tank 23 litre for grey water disposal. Also Aquaroll 40 litre to deliver fresh water to van using the Whale filling system. Interestingly, both were second hand obtained from caravan owners. This system works best for us as less trips to and fro service points. So in part, similar to caravans  but unlike a motorhome, don't have an under slung 100 litre waste tank.

A friend taught me a useful trick recently. We were on site for a few days. After 2 days or so, I needed to empty the toilet cassette - can't carry too much weight. No problem.

But as there were no washing or washing up facilities available [Covid] I knew that our grey water tank must have been holding a fair amount by then - possibly 50%. (My waste tank gauge has long ceased to work). I  really didn't want to move the van to dump the grey water. So my friend said "Why not use your cassette, now empty, to drain off and dispose of some grey water? It'll clean up the cassette, too."

Easy. Slide open the cover plate and place cassette under the drain tap. Run off grey water until you reach what you determine as the weight you want to carry. Take it to WC disposal; repeat a few times.

Wouldn't want to do it as normal procedure, but in those strange circumstances it was fine. No need for separate grey water carrier.

Cymro

The roll tanks are fine for coachbuilts (as I said we used one for the Nuevo) but the van conversions have a tube which unclips and has to be lowered to drain the water.

That's a great idea, Cymro, especially as I recently bought a refresh kit for our Thetford loo and the new cassette has built in wheels.  We have a fixed grey water drain valve which this will easily fit below.

Really like that one Cymro! At least 2 of us doing lateral thinking!!
I especially hate (not just in MH) having to move something to get to something else, in a space such as the Warwick, the container would be lucky to GET to the first stop!!!

Thanks Cymro. A sort of double whammy there......cleaning out the loo!

Paulmold wrote:The roll tanks are fine for coachbuilts (as I said we used one for the Nuevo) but the van conversions have a tube which unclips and has to be lowered to drain the water.

Apologies for my misunderstanding as didn't appreciate the need to unclip hose to gain adequate drain from PVC.

We use the slim black container (as seen in Paul’s photo). They’re made by Fiamma. I got it from eBay for £10 and guard it with my life! The black ones with the red lids are too high to drain into. 

Nora

Our S/H coachbuilt came with a wheeled grey waste container, which we've never used. They are surprisingly bulky; it takes up far too much space in the van and with a bit of planning we can keep on top of our grey waste with a bucket (or drain the tank when we move the van). I love Cymro's idea too.

Traficlady wrote:We use the slim black container (as seen in Paul’s photo). They’re made by Fiamma. I got it from eBay for £10 and guard it with my life! The black ones with the red lids are too high to drain into. 

Nora

My slim black container was (no longer made) made by Thetford. I got mine off eBay (luckily local seller) for £5. I have seen them with a wheeled frame around them but they are very rare.

If anyone wants a black container with red caps or a wheeled Fiamma (used for waste) and can pick up from Flintshire, let me know.

Mine is definitely a Fiamma. I had a a Fiamma toilet in my van and the cassette was exactly the same?

We dont have a container.  If on a Club or commercial site we dump at the official drain, when necessary.  But we use quite a lot of CLs & they are usually quite happy with grey water going onto hedges or trees so we have a 5m tube that fits on the waste pipe and just decants the water off.  Leave the tap open and pipe connected whilst on site.  DOnt know if that would work or not for you.

Cymro wrote:"Why not use your cassette, now empty, to drain off and dispose of some grey water? It'll clean up the cassette, too."

A good idea and one we've used ourselves in the past. 

Just be aware though, that if the black waste point drains in to a septic tank, the detergents in your grey waste water might cause issues.

I don't carry anything other than a bucket. If we're on a site for a week I'll drain it on leaving at the service point, if there isn't one I'll drain it daily with the bucket. Like the cassette idea though although you may have to defend yourself if someone sees you at the sink draining it!
Rich.

Thanks all for your responses. As suspected there is no silver bullet but some things to think about.

Bob

I just use a bucket and empty grey into it every morning and then empty down the grey drain.

We use a wheeled container , fits in under bed store with outside locker, some times move van to empty, depends on circumstances at the time. best of both worlds.

I use a bucket and nearest hedge when not on a main site.
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Richard

I’m puzzled that some above are saying the black jerry can (with 2 red lids) is too tall.  Just back from a week on the IOW and used one all week.  It worked perfectly.  I reckon that you’re left with <10% in the tank which of course drains better if you lower the drain tube outlet down to ground level, but it’s better than moving the van  to a service point (assuming that there is one of course) every couple of days!

As you say the lower the better. That remaining 10% is where any grease and bits will settle. As long as the tap is lower than the water level you will get a flow, just the lower the better.