#rvlife — Public Fediverse posts
Live and recent posts from across the Fediverse tagged #rvlife, aggregated by home.social.
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I genuinely enjoy work. So it was a real pleasure to have the energy the past two days to really push through the last phase of this project without debilitating fatigue.
We'll see tomorrow (a scheduled rest day) if my fatigue goes beyond anything other than typical muscle pain after hard work. But during the work, even after I got to the point of jelly arms, I didn't have significant brain fog or the type of cell-deep myalgia that signals deeper damage requiring many days of recovery.
The project seemed an endless array of steps and unexpected difficulties. It looks like a simple wooden box, but the logistics in an RV were not simple. Lots of annoying little steps, surprise obstacles, key decisions, and learning new skills. Where stopping for a few days wasn't really an option because that's my only bathroom.
My old skill of just plodding forward, focused only on getting the next step done right, really came in for me. That's a cope I haven't been able to rely on without paying a severe price.
I'm not noticing signs of that price yet. Tomorrow will tell!
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I genuinely enjoy work. So it was a real pleasure to have the energy the past two days to really push through the last phase of this project without debilitating fatigue.
We'll see tomorrow (a scheduled rest day) if my fatigue goes beyond anything other than typical muscle pain after hard work. But during the work, even after I got to the point of jelly arms, I didn't have significant brain fog or the type of cell-deep myalgia that signals deeper damage requiring many days of recovery.
The project seemed an endless array of steps and unexpected difficulties. It looks like a simple wooden box, but the logistics in an RV were not simple. Lots of annoying little steps, surprise obstacles, key decisions, and learning new skills. Where stopping for a few days wasn't really an option because that's my only bathroom.
My old skill of just plodding forward, focused only on getting the next step done right, really came in for me. That's a cope I haven't been able to rely on without paying a severe price.
I'm not noticing signs of that price yet. Tomorrow will tell!
-
I genuinely enjoy work. So it was a real pleasure to have the energy the past two days to really push through the last phase of this project without debilitating fatigue.
We'll see tomorrow (a scheduled rest day) if my fatigue goes beyond anything other than typical muscle pain after hard work. But during the work, even after I got to the point of jelly arms, I didn't have significant brain fog or the type of cell-deep myalgia that signals deeper damage requiring many days of recovery.
The project seemed an endless array of steps and unexpected difficulties. It looks like a simple wooden box, but the logistics in an RV were not simple. Lots of annoying little steps, surprise obstacles, key decisions, and learning new skills. Where stopping for a few days wasn't really an option because that's my only bathroom.
My old skill of just plodding forward, focused only on getting the next step done right, really came in for me. That's a cope I haven't been able to rely on without paying a severe price.
I'm not noticing signs of that price yet. Tomorrow will tell!
-
I genuinely enjoy work. So it was a real pleasure to have the energy the past two days to really push through the last phase of this project without debilitating fatigue.
We'll see tomorrow (a scheduled rest day) if my fatigue goes beyond anything other than typical muscle pain after hard work. But during the work, even after I got to the point of jelly arms, I didn't have significant brain fog or the type of cell-deep myalgia that signals deeper damage requiring many days of recovery.
The project seemed an endless array of steps and unexpected difficulties. It looks like a simple wooden box, but the logistics in an RV were not simple. Lots of annoying little steps, surprise obstacles, key decisions, and learning new skills. Where stopping for a few days wasn't really an option because that's my only bathroom.
My old skill of just plodding forward, focused only on getting the next step done right, really came in for me. That's a cope I haven't been able to rely on without paying a severe price.
I'm not noticing signs of that price yet. Tomorrow will tell!
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But yeah it's finally done!! There's still a few things to finish, but it's usable.
More than a year in planning, and a couple of weeks of paced hard work (MECFS timing puzzles, given that the existing bucket toilet had to be out of commission while working on it.)
What you see here is a compost toilet with a diverter that uses no running water. (More details about how that works in the replies. I might add that and other details officially the thread later.)
Entirely my design (except the seat and diverter) built to fit the space in the RV where the shower used to be.
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But yeah it's finally done!! There's still a few things to finish, but it's usable.
More than a year in planning, and a couple of weeks of paced hard work (MECFS timing puzzles, given that the existing bucket toilet had to be out of commission while working on it.)
What you see here is a compost toilet with a diverter that uses no running water. (More details about how that works in the replies. I might add that and other details officially the thread later.)
Entirely my design (except the seat and diverter) built to fit the space in the RV where the shower used to be.
-
But yeah it's finally done!! There's still a few things to finish, but it's usable.
More than a year in planning, and a couple of weeks of paced hard work (MECFS timing puzzles, given that the existing bucket toilet had to be out of commission while working on it.)
What you see here is a compost toilet with a diverter that uses no running water. (More details about how that works in the replies. I might add that and other details officially the thread later.)
Entirely my design (except the seat and diverter) built to fit the space in the RV where the shower used to be.
-
But yeah it's finally done!! There's still a few things to finish, but it's usable.
More than a year in planning, and a couple of weeks of paced hard work (MECFS timing puzzles, given that the existing bucket toilet had to be out of commission while working on it.)
What you see here is a compost toilet with a diverter that uses no running water. (More details about how that works in the replies. I might add that and other details officially the thread later.)
Entirely my design (except the seat and diverter) built to fit the space in the RV where the shower used to be.
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Now that we’re done with our travels for awhile, our Sprinter is up for sale.
https://www.rvtrader.com/listing/2025-Tiffin-Motorhomes-GH1-1UP-5041787635
Was a great ride (and home) for the 2ish years we were on the road. Hopefully the next owner gets to have the same adventure. ❤️
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Now that we’re done with our travels for awhile, our Sprinter is up for sale.
https://www.rvtrader.com/listing/2025-Tiffin-Motorhomes-GH1-1UP-5041787635
Was a great ride (and home) for the 2ish years we were on the road. Hopefully the next owner gets to have the same adventure. ❤️
-
Now that we’re done with our travels for awhile, our Sprinter is up for sale.
https://www.rvtrader.com/listing/2025-Tiffin-Motorhomes-GH1-1UP-5041787635
Was a great ride (and home) for the 2ish years we were on the road. Hopefully the next owner gets to have the same adventure. ❤️
-
Now that we’re done with our travels for awhile, our Sprinter is up for sale.
https://www.rvtrader.com/listing/2025-Tiffin-Motorhomes-GH1-1UP-5041787635
Was a great ride (and home) for the 2ish years we were on the road. Hopefully the next owner gets to have the same adventure. ❤️
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Skyler in Acadia, Maine.
#dogsofmastodon #nps #acadia #maine #nationalparks #nature #dogs #hiking #outdoors #rvlife -
Skyler in Acadia, Maine.
#dogsofmastodon #nps #acadia #maine #nationalparks #nature #dogs #hiking #outdoors #rvlife -
Skyler in Acadia, Maine.
#dogsofmastodon #nps #acadia #maine #nationalparks #nature #dogs #hiking #outdoors #rvlife -
Skyler in Acadia, Maine.
#dogsofmastodon #nps #acadia #maine #nationalparks #nature #dogs #hiking #outdoors #rvlife -
Well, it looks like the motor on my motorhome leveling system burned up. The magic smoke came out. We're in the process of restoring and customizing an older 2005 Winnebago. I just finished removing this whole assembly which has a DC motor, pump, resorvior and manifold. Ugh. Next I have to take the motor off and inspect the deals. I found some old service manual for this thing. #rv #rvlife #motorhome
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Power outage yesterday was disruptive, but not as much as prior ones because I have the solar half-assed setup, with two USB cables running through the cracked window.
So I had unlimited device usage, albeit without internet.
I'm working to cover more USB devices, and eventually maybe get the battery over inside so I can safely run it in inverter mode without overheating.
Then the goal is to get the panel, along with the other two, set up more permanently. But that's a whole other level.
Higher priority is to get the permanent compost toilet built. It's been well over a year sitting on a wobbly bucket. I've had it!
I now have the plan for that finalized and just need enough energy to start phase 1.
Phase 2 means finish what I start on that same day or I'll have "nothing to go on."
-
Power outage yesterday was disruptive, but not as much as prior ones because I have the solar half-assed setup, with two USB cables running through the cracked window.
So I had unlimited device usage, albeit without internet.
I'm working to cover more USB devices, and eventually maybe get the battery over inside so I can safely run it in inverter mode without overheating.
Then the goal is to get the panel, along with the other two, set up more permanently. But that's a whole other level.
Higher priority is to get the permanent compost toilet built. It's been well over a year sitting on a wobbly bucket. I've had it!
I now have the plan for that finalized and just need enough energy to start phase 1.
Phase 2 means finish what I start on that same day or I'll have "nothing to go on."
-
Power outage yesterday was disruptive, but not as much as prior ones because I have the solar half-assed setup, with two USB cables running through the cracked window.
So I had unlimited device usage, albeit without internet.
I'm working to cover more USB devices, and eventually maybe get the battery over inside so I can safely run it in inverter mode without overheating.
Then the goal is to get the panel, along with the other two, set up more permanently. But that's a whole other level.
Higher priority is to get the permanent compost toilet built. It's been well over a year sitting on a wobbly bucket. I've had it!
I now have the plan for that finalized and just need enough energy to start phase 1.
Phase 2 means finish what I start on that same day or I'll have "nothing to go on."
-
Power outage yesterday was disruptive, but not as much as prior ones because I have the solar half-assed setup, with two USB cables running through the cracked window.
So I had unlimited device usage, albeit without internet.
I'm working to cover more USB devices, and eventually maybe get the battery over inside so I can safely run it in inverter mode without overheating.
Then the goal is to get the panel, along with the other two, set up more permanently. But that's a whole other level.
Higher priority is to get the permanent compost toilet built. It's been well over a year sitting on a wobbly bucket. I've had it!
I now have the plan for that finalized and just need enough energy to start phase 1.
Phase 2 means finish what I start on that same day or I'll have "nothing to go on."
-
National Lighthouse Day
Today August 7, is National Lighthouse Day. Brought to us by the Lighthouse Act of 1789, signed into law by President George Washington.
This picture is one of my favorites. While traveling in 2010 with my friend Gregory, I snapped this in Massachusetts. I cannot remember exactly where in the state it was. Probably on our way to the Cape that day. Early morning sunrise it was an unplanned stop. As it turned out I was standing in the right spot at the right time. The sunlight coming through the top of the lighthouse is natural. No touch-ups. No filters. It was just the right photo at exactly that moment. We laughed, Gregory was standing next to me on my right, and he also took a photo and did not have the same outcome. Wild! I love it when I do something amazing without expecting to do so.
I took this picture in 2023. Our first trip to the coast. Located in Crescent City California, the Battery Point Lighthouse. I didn’t take the walk up to the Lighthouse on this day. Wolf wasn’t up for it, and I remember it was very windy and there was a sign that stated walk across the bridge to the lighthouse at your own risk during bad weather. Me, not a thrill seeker, decided to not take the journey. I settled for a distant photo instead.
During our trip up the Oregon Coastline, we took a daytrip in the motorhome and visited the Umpqua River Lighthouse. I’ve added the history sign. It was smaller than I expected. it is nestled in a neighborhood as most of the historical spots along the coastline. As you can see from the mailboxes for homes nearby. Someone mentioned to me there are nine lighthouses along the Oregon coast. This is the only one we visited. As we traveled North, now I don’t remember if I spotted others. Maybe one or two. By this point in our trip, I was in awe of the coastline itself. I’m sure it would make a great road trip itinerary. I believe you have to travel down a few side roads to see them all. And in a motorhome, that was something we didn’t want to chance getting stuck in a tight area. Coastline communities have very tight, narrow roads that are not RV friendly. My recommendation would be to google satellite the area beforehand.
I love lighthouses. My mother did as well.
For me they are surviving proof that through all of the advances in technology they remain a prominent stance that we cherish their history. No longer a grueling job needed for a keeper during harsh weather. Sailors and ship captains no longer need to keep a close eye out for the beaming light to guide them to shore. Now they are adornments for visitors of days gone by. Just a simple cylinder building with a glass top and a light that many seek to visit. Yeah, I’m kind of one of those people.
I hope your week is good and you are safe and healthy. I just wanted to drop a post about today in history. A topic I am interested in, and I find notable in people’s travels.
#adventure #hiking #Memories #nature #photography #RVLife #Travel -
National Lighthouse Day
Today August 7, is National Lighthouse Day. Brought to us by the Lighthouse Act of 1789, signed into law by President George Washington.
This picture is one of my favorites. While traveling in 2010 with my friend Gregory, I snapped this in Massachusetts. I cannot remember exactly where in the state it was. Probably on our way to the Cape that day. Early morning sunrise it was an unplanned stop. As it turned out I was standing in the right spot at the right time. The sunlight coming through the top of the lighthouse is natural. No touch-ups. No filters. It was just the right photo at exactly that moment. We laughed, Gregory was standing next to me on my right, and he also took a photo and did not have the same outcome. Wild! I love it when I do something amazing without expecting to do so.
I took this picture in 2023. Our first trip to the coast. Located in Crescent City California, the Battery Point Lighthouse. I didn’t take the walk up to the Lighthouse on this day. Wolf wasn’t up for it, and I remember it was very windy and there was a sign that stated walk across the bridge to the lighthouse at your own risk during bad weather. Me, not a thrill seeker, decided to not take the journey. I settled for a distant photo instead.
During our trip up the Oregon Coastline, we took a daytrip in the motorhome and visited the Umpqua River Lighthouse. I’ve added the history sign. It was smaller than I expected. it is nestled in a neighborhood as most of the historical spots along the coastline. As you can see from the mailboxes for homes nearby. Someone mentioned to me there are nine lighthouses along the Oregon coast. This is the only one we visited. As we traveled North, now I don’t remember if I spotted others. Maybe one or two. By this point in our trip, I was in awe of the coastline itself. I’m sure it would make a great road trip itinerary. I believe you have to travel down a few side roads to see them all. And in a motorhome, that was something we didn’t want to chance getting stuck in a tight area. Coastline communities have very tight, narrow roads that are not RV friendly. My recommendation would be to google satellite the area beforehand.
I love lighthouses. My mother did as well.
For me they are surviving proof that through all of the advances in technology they remain a prominent stance that we cherish their history. No longer a grueling job needed for a keeper during harsh weather. Sailors and ship captains no longer need to keep a close eye out for the beaming light to guide them to shore. Now they are adornments for visitors of days gone by. Just a simple cylinder building with a glass top and a light that many seek to visit. Yeah, I’m kind of one of those people.
I hope your week is good and you are safe and healthy. I just wanted to drop a post about today in history. A topic I am interested in, and I find notable in people’s travels.
#adventure #hiking #Memories #nature #photography #RVLife #Travel -
National Lighthouse Day
Today August 7, is National Lighthouse Day. Brought to us by the Lighthouse Act of 1789, signed into law by President George Washington.
This picture is one of my favorites. While traveling in 2010 with my friend Gregory, I snapped this in Massachusetts. I cannot remember exactly where in the state it was. Probably on our way to the Cape that day. Early morning sunrise it was an unplanned stop. As it turned out I was standing in the right spot at the right time. The sunlight coming through the top of the lighthouse is natural. No touch-ups. No filters. It was just the right photo at exactly that moment. We laughed, Gregory was standing next to me on my right, and he also took a photo and did not have the same outcome. Wild! I love it when I do something amazing without expecting to do so.
I took this picture in 2023. Our first trip to the coast. Located in Crescent City California, the Battery Point Lighthouse. I didn’t take the walk up to the Lighthouse on this day. Wolf wasn’t up for it, and I remember it was very windy and there was a sign that stated walk across the bridge to the lighthouse at your own risk during bad weather. Me, not a thrill seeker, decided to not take the journey. I settled for a distant photo instead.
During our trip up the Oregon Coastline, we took a daytrip in the motorhome and visited the Umpqua River Lighthouse. I’ve added the history sign. It was smaller than I expected. it is nestled in a neighborhood as most of the historical spots along the coastline. As you can see from the mailboxes for homes nearby. Someone mentioned to me there are nine lighthouses along the Oregon coast. This is the only one we visited. As we traveled North, now I don’t remember if I spotted others. Maybe one or two. By this point in our trip, I was in awe of the coastline itself. I’m sure it would make a great road trip itinerary. I believe you have to travel down a few side roads to see them all. And in a motorhome, that was something we didn’t want to chance getting stuck in a tight area. Coastline communities have very tight, narrow roads that are not RV friendly. My recommendation would be to google satellite the area beforehand.
I love lighthouses. My mother did as well.
For me they are surviving proof that through all of the advances in technology they remain a prominent stance that we cherish their history. No longer a grueling job needed for a keeper during harsh weather. Sailors and ship captains no longer need to keep a close eye out for the beaming light to guide them to shore. Now they are adornments for visitors of days gone by. Just a simple cylinder building with a glass top and a light that many seek to visit. Yeah, I’m kind of one of those people.
I hope your week is good and you are safe and healthy. I just wanted to drop a post about today in history. A topic I am interested in, and I find notable in people’s travels.
#adventure #hiking #Memories #nature #photography #RVLife #Travel -
National Lighthouse Day
Today August 7, is National Lighthouse Day. Brought to us by the Lighthouse Act of 1789, signed into law by President George Washington.
This picture is one of my favorites. While traveling in 2010 with my friend Gregory, I snapped this in Massachusetts. I cannot remember exactly where in the state it was. Probably on our way to the Cape that day. Early morning sunrise it was an unplanned stop. As it turned out I was standing in the right spot at the right time. The sunlight coming through the top of the lighthouse is natural. No touch-ups. No filters. It was just the right photo at exactly that moment. We laughed, Gregory was standing next to me on my right, and he also took a photo and did not have the same outcome. Wild! I love it when I do something amazing without expecting to do so.
I took this picture in 2023. Our first trip to the coast. Located in Crescent City California, the Battery Point Lighthouse. I didn’t take the walk up to the Lighthouse on this day. Wolf wasn’t up for it, and I remember it was very windy and there was a sign that stated walk across the bridge to the lighthouse at your own risk during bad weather. Me, not a thrill seeker, decided to not take the journey. I settled for a distant photo instead.
During our trip up the Oregon Coastline, we took a daytrip in the motorhome and visited the Umpqua River Lighthouse. I’ve added the history sign. It was smaller than I expected. it is nestled in a neighborhood as most of the historical spots along the coastline. As you can see from the mailboxes for homes nearby. Someone mentioned to me there are nine lighthouses along the Oregon coast. This is the only one we visited. As we traveled North, now I don’t remember if I spotted others. Maybe one or two. By this point in our trip, I was in awe of the coastline itself. I’m sure it would make a great road trip itinerary. I believe you have to travel down a few side roads to see them all. And in a motorhome, that was something we didn’t want to chance getting stuck in a tight area. Coastline communities have very tight, narrow roads that are not RV friendly. My recommendation would be to google satellite the area beforehand.
I love lighthouses. My mother did as well.
For me they are surviving proof that through all of the advances in technology they remain a prominent stance that we cherish their history. No longer a grueling job needed for a keeper during harsh weather. Sailors and ship captains no longer need to keep a close eye out for the beaming light to guide them to shore. Now they are adornments for visitors of days gone by. Just a simple cylinder building with a glass top and a light that many seek to visit. Yeah, I’m kind of one of those people.
I hope your week is good and you are safe and healthy. I just wanted to drop a post about today in history. A topic I am interested in, and I find notable in people’s travels.
#adventure #hiking #Memories #nature #photography #RVLife #Travel -
CW: Compost Toilet and Drain Content – thinking out loud - rambling long post
Trying to figure out if I need a p-trap for my gravity-fed grey water French drain (pee and sink water, but no sewage – there's a compost bucket for that). I'm in an RV, currently on a bucket with a diverter, liquids into bottle, solids into wood chips.
Planning to build out a wood compost toilet, still using wood chips in a bucket but with a solid sitting surface, a better diverter, and eventually simple plumbing into a grey water French drain.
The info online is very confusing! And everyone disagrees. At least now I understand the principles involved. I'll have to think on this.
(This is mostly me thinking it through. I'm open to input but I might not interact. I might just 🤔 about it. I suspect Mastodon opinions will be just as strongly varied as those I found by searching forums.)
The sink already has a p-trap and I can re-use that plumbing.
There is plumbing where I want to build the toilet, left over from the shower that was there, going to a vent and the grey-water tank, and includes the pipe running from the sink. The shower had a p-trap, which is still there (open to air atm), and maybe it could be re-purposed, but I'd like to remove it because it sits in an uninsulated open hole that is *almost* exposed to outside air. It's awkward and untidy when I could have a flat floor.
I am planning to bypass the grey tank one way or another, and feed into a covered hole in the ground with layers of gravel (aka French drain). There is a non-zero chance of it freezing for parts of winter, during which I could switch back to a bottle.
So one option is to reuse the existing contraption, and just remove the grey tank entirely and run the former-tank pipe into the ground. But I can't examine the grey tank to see what's involved unless I take apart the underside of the RV. So that's a commitment. No exploratory, and if I decide that route, I'll have to solve whatever problems I discover.
In this scenario, I'm imagining pee sitting idle in the p-trap. That seems like an ammonia factory that might produce the very smells the p-trap is meant to prevent, and much closer to the living situation than if it just went directly into the hole + sand + gravel.
The simplest option would be to rip out most of the extraneous plumbing (the extra p-trap, the vent, cap what goes to the grey tank), and just run the existing sink pipe together with the pee line straight down into the earth. As I mentioned, the hole in the floor is mostly already there. But then there'd be no p-trap except on the sink, which would defeat its purpose since I would have taken the vent out of the loop. I'd only leave it there to not have to re-plumb the sink.
Without the second p-trap, the pee and grey water would run directly into the gravel where it would disperse and eventually percolate through the clay (yes, clay, sigh). Since there's no sewage-mix, any smells would be "safe" and not so bad. Theoretically not even as bad as the current pee bottle situation.
Right?
That has me leaning towards doing it the simplest way, without the pee p-trap. No removing the grey tank or adding complicated plumbing to get it all over to the exiting trap, or trying to install a new one.
I swore I'd never do plumbing and this is why. It's very complicated! And that's without even measuring, cutting, or gluing anything!
-
CW: Compost Toilet and Drain Content – thinking out loud - rambling long post
Trying to figure out if I need a p-trap for my gravity-fed grey water French drain (pee and sink water, but no sewage – there's a compost bucket for that). I'm in an RV, currently on a bucket with a diverter, liquids into bottle, solids into wood chips.
Planning to build out a wood compost toilet, still using wood chips in a bucket but with a solid sitting surface, a better diverter, and eventually simple plumbing into a grey water French drain.
The info online is very confusing! And everyone disagrees. At least now I understand the principles involved. I'll have to think on this.
(This is mostly me thinking it through. I'm open to input but I might not interact. I might just 🤔 about it. I suspect Mastodon opinions will be just as strongly varied as those I found by searching forums.)
The sink already has a p-trap and I can re-use that plumbing.
There is plumbing where I want to build the toilet, left over from the shower that was there, going to a vent and the grey-water tank, and includes the pipe running from the sink. The shower had a p-trap, which is still there (open to air atm), and maybe it could be re-purposed, but I'd like to remove it because it sits in an uninsulated open hole that is *almost* exposed to outside air. It's awkward and untidy when I could have a flat floor.
I am planning to bypass the grey tank one way or another, and feed into a covered hole in the ground with layers of gravel (aka French drain). There is a non-zero chance of it freezing for parts of winter, during which I could switch back to a bottle.
So one option is to reuse the existing contraption, and just remove the grey tank entirely and run the former-tank pipe into the ground. But I can't examine the grey tank to see what's involved unless I take apart the underside of the RV. So that's a commitment. No exploratory, and if I decide that route, I'll have to solve whatever problems I discover.
In this scenario, I'm imagining pee sitting idle in the p-trap. That seems like an ammonia factory that might produce the very smells the p-trap is meant to prevent, and much closer to the living situation than if it just went directly into the hole + sand + gravel.
The simplest option would be to rip out most of the extraneous plumbing (the extra p-trap, the vent, cap what goes to the grey tank), and just run the existing sink pipe together with the pee line straight down into the earth. As I mentioned, the hole in the floor is mostly already there. But then there'd be no p-trap except on the sink, which would defeat its purpose since I would have taken the vent out of the loop. I'd only leave it there to not have to re-plumb the sink.
Without the second p-trap, the pee and grey water would run directly into the gravel where it would disperse and eventually percolate through the clay (yes, clay, sigh). Since there's no sewage-mix, any smells would be "safe" and not so bad. Theoretically not even as bad as the current pee bottle situation.
Right?
That has me leaning towards doing it the simplest way, without the pee p-trap. No removing the grey tank or adding complicated plumbing to get it all over to the exiting trap, or trying to install a new one.
I swore I'd never do plumbing and this is why. It's very complicated! And that's without even measuring, cutting, or gluing anything!
-
CW: Compost Toilet and Drain Content – thinking out loud - rambling long post
Trying to figure out if I need a p-trap for my gravity-fed grey water French drain (pee and sink water, but no sewage – there's a compost bucket for that). I'm in an RV, currently on a bucket with a diverter, liquids into bottle, solids into wood chips.
Planning to build out a wood compost toilet, still using wood chips in a bucket but with a solid sitting surface, a better diverter, and eventually simple plumbing into a grey water French drain.
The info online is very confusing! And everyone disagrees. At least now I understand the principles involved. I'll have to think on this.
(This is mostly me thinking it through. I'm open to input but I might not interact. I might just 🤔 about it. I suspect Mastodon opinions will be just as strongly varied as those I found by searching forums.)
The sink already has a p-trap and I can re-use that plumbing.
There is plumbing where I want to build the toilet, left over from the shower that was there, going to a vent and the grey-water tank, and includes the pipe running from the sink. The shower had a p-trap, which is still there (open to air atm), and maybe it could be re-purposed, but I'd like to remove it because it sits in an uninsulated open hole that is *almost* exposed to outside air. It's awkward and untidy when I could have a flat floor.
I am planning to bypass the grey tank one way or another, and feed into a covered hole in the ground with layers of gravel (aka French drain). There is a non-zero chance of it freezing for parts of winter, during which I could switch back to a bottle.
So one option is to reuse the existing contraption, and just remove the grey tank entirely and run the former-tank pipe into the ground. But I can't examine the grey tank to see what's involved unless I take apart the underside of the RV. So that's a commitment. No exploratory, and if I decide that route, I'll have to solve whatever problems I discover.
In this scenario, I'm imagining pee sitting idle in the p-trap. That seems like an ammonia factory that might produce the very smells the p-trap is meant to prevent, and much closer to the living situation than if it just went directly into the hole + sand + gravel.
The simplest option would be to rip out most of the extraneous plumbing (the extra p-trap, the vent, cap what goes to the grey tank), and just run the existing sink pipe together with the pee line straight down into the earth. As I mentioned, the hole in the floor is mostly already there. But then there'd be no p-trap except on the sink, which would defeat its purpose since I would have taken the vent out of the loop. I'd only leave it there to not have to re-plumb the sink.
Without the second p-trap, the pee and grey water would run directly into the gravel where it would disperse and eventually percolate through the clay (yes, clay, sigh). Since there's no sewage-mix, any smells would be "safe" and not so bad. Theoretically not even as bad as the current pee bottle situation.
Right?
That has me leaning towards doing it the simplest way, without the pee p-trap. No removing the grey tank or adding complicated plumbing to get it all over to the exiting trap, or trying to install a new one.
I swore I'd never do plumbing and this is why. It's very complicated! And that's without even measuring, cutting, or gluing anything!
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CW: Compost Toilet and Drain Content – thinking out loud - rambling long post
Trying to figure out if I need a p-trap for my gravity-fed grey water French drain (pee and sink water, but no sewage – there's a compost bucket for that). I'm in an RV, currently on a bucket with a diverter, liquids into bottle, solids into wood chips.
Planning to build out a wood compost toilet, still using wood chips in a bucket but with a solid sitting surface, a better diverter, and eventually simple plumbing into a grey water French drain.
The info online is very confusing! And everyone disagrees. At least now I understand the principles involved. I'll have to think on this.
(This is mostly me thinking it through. I'm open to input but I might not interact. I might just 🤔 about it. I suspect Mastodon opinions will be just as strongly varied as those I found by searching forums.)
The sink already has a p-trap and I can re-use that plumbing.
There is plumbing where I want to build the toilet, left over from the shower that was there, going to a vent and the grey-water tank, and includes the pipe running from the sink. The shower had a p-trap, which is still there (open to air atm), and maybe it could be re-purposed, but I'd like to remove it because it sits in an uninsulated open hole that is *almost* exposed to outside air. It's awkward and untidy when I could have a flat floor.
I am planning to bypass the grey tank one way or another, and feed into a covered hole in the ground with layers of gravel (aka French drain). There is a non-zero chance of it freezing for parts of winter, during which I could switch back to a bottle.
So one option is to reuse the existing contraption, and just remove the grey tank entirely and run the former-tank pipe into the ground. But I can't examine the grey tank to see what's involved unless I take apart the underside of the RV. So that's a commitment. No exploratory, and if I decide that route, I'll have to solve whatever problems I discover.
In this scenario, I'm imagining pee sitting idle in the p-trap. That seems like an ammonia factory that might produce the very smells the p-trap is meant to prevent, and much closer to the living situation than if it just went directly into the hole + sand + gravel.
The simplest option would be to rip out most of the extraneous plumbing (the extra p-trap, the vent, cap what goes to the grey tank), and just run the existing sink pipe together with the pee line straight down into the earth. As I mentioned, the hole in the floor is mostly already there. But then there'd be no p-trap except on the sink, which would defeat its purpose since I would have taken the vent out of the loop. I'd only leave it there to not have to re-plumb the sink.
Without the second p-trap, the pee and grey water would run directly into the gravel where it would disperse and eventually percolate through the clay (yes, clay, sigh). Since there's no sewage-mix, any smells would be "safe" and not so bad. Theoretically not even as bad as the current pee bottle situation.
Right?
That has me leaning towards doing it the simplest way, without the pee p-trap. No removing the grey tank or adding complicated plumbing to get it all over to the exiting trap, or trying to install a new one.
I swore I'd never do plumbing and this is why. It's very complicated! And that's without even measuring, cutting, or gluing anything!
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It’s day 2 of our campaign to bring my art on the road, read about it and support us here: https://gofund.me/ad7a75895
#gofundme #independentartist #smallartist #supportsmallartists #gofundmecampaign #illustrator #indieartist #rvlife #artdonation #supportartists #mastoart #mastoartist
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Aldo’s on the day shift today. Sitting here watching every person, golf cart, squirrel, and leaf that dares to move. Camp security is in good paws. 🐕⛺
#Camping #Dogs #CampLife #RVLife #Geocaching #Dog #DogsOfMastodon
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Aldo’s on the day shift today. Sitting here watching every person, golf cart, squirrel, and leaf that dares to move. Camp security is in good paws. 🐕⛺
#Camping #Dogs #CampLife #RVLife #Geocaching #Dog #DogsOfMastodon
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Aldo’s on the day shift today. Sitting here watching every person, golf cart, squirrel, and leaf that dares to move. Camp security is in good paws. 🐕⛺
#Camping #Dogs #CampLife #RVLife #Geocaching #Dog #DogsOfMastodon
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Aldo’s on the day shift today. Sitting here watching every person, golf cart, squirrel, and leaf that dares to move. Camp security is in good paws. 🐕⛺
#Camping #Dogs #CampLife #RVLife #Geocaching #Dog #DogsOfMastodon
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From the "Not On My Bingo Card" file:
We stopped at yet another bush camp last night, noting that they were preparing to run new telecommunications cable along this road (the Stuart Highway).
But that was a long way away.
Woke up this morning to hear the dozer working its way along the trail. A quick jog out to the road, about a kilometer away, to see him trundling by, ripping the ground up in prep for a digger to follow along later. Gave me a nice wave, too.
The track in to the camp went from a nice dirt road to a trap designed specifically for 8-tonne motorhomes.
Waited for him to bugger off and broke out the shovel. Filled in a section wide enough for us, dropped our CG-Gear flooring down (Well worth the money 12 years ago!) and carefully drove out.
No, I didn't dig it back out. He was only ripping, not trenching (thank Dog!).
-
From the "Not On My Bingo Card" file:
We stopped at yet another bush camp last night, noting that they were preparing to run new telecommunications cable along this road (the Stuart Highway).
But that was a long way away.
Woke up this morning to hear the dozer working its way along the trail. A quick jog out to the road, about a kilometer away, to see him trundling by, ripping the ground up in prep for a digger to follow along later. Gave me a nice wave, too.
The track in to the camp went from a nice dirt road to a trap designed specifically for 8-tonne motorhomes.
Waited for him to bugger off and broke out the shovel. Filled in a section wide enough for us, dropped our CG-Gear flooring down (Well worth the money 12 years ago!) and carefully drove out.
No, I didn't dig it back out. He was only ripping, not trenching (thank Dog!).
-
From the "Not On My Bingo Card" file:
We stopped at yet another bush camp last night, noting that they were preparing to run new telecommunications cable along this road (the Stuart Highway).
But that was a long way away.
Woke up this morning to hear the dozer working its way along the trail. A quick jog out to the road, about a kilometer away, to see him trundling by, ripping the ground up in prep for a digger to follow along later. Gave me a nice wave, too.
The track in to the camp went from a nice dirt road to a trap designed specifically for 8-tonne motorhomes.
Waited for him to bugger off and broke out the shovel. Filled in a section wide enough for us, dropped our CG-Gear flooring down (Well worth the money 12 years ago!) and carefully drove out.
No, I didn't dig it back out. He was only ripping, not trenching (thank Dog!).
-
From the "Not On My Bingo Card" file:
We stopped at yet another bush camp last night, noting that they were preparing to run new telecommunications cable along this road (the Stuart Highway).
But that was a long way away.
Woke up this morning to hear the dozer working its way along the trail. A quick jog out to the road, about a kilometer away, to see him trundling by, ripping the ground up in prep for a digger to follow along later. Gave me a nice wave, too.
The track in to the camp went from a nice dirt road to a trap designed specifically for 8-tonne motorhomes.
Waited for him to bugger off and broke out the shovel. Filled in a section wide enough for us, dropped our CG-Gear flooring down (Well worth the money 12 years ago!) and carefully drove out.
No, I didn't dig it back out. He was only ripping, not trenching (thank Dog!).
-
I literally modified an old piece of furniture into a semi-permanent ladder and added a step to get on top of the RV yesterday. Just using my intuition and "man" skills I taught myself in adulthood. I really, really wish I had that ability for knots. It makes me feel so stupid.
And I was kept from both skillsets because I didn't have the correct genitals and was dumped into the wrong caste unsuited to my innate talents. One I was able to teach myself, the other continues to frustrate and elude me.
-
I literally modified an old piece of furniture into a semi-permanent ladder and added a step to get on top of the RV yesterday. Just using my intuition and "man" skills I taught myself in adulthood. I really, really wish I had that ability for knots. It makes me feel so stupid.
And I was kept from both skillsets because I didn't have the correct genitals and was dumped into the wrong caste unsuited to my innate talents. One I was able to teach myself, the other continues to frustrate and elude me.
-
I literally modified an old piece of furniture into a semi-permanent ladder and added a step to get on top of the RV yesterday. Just using my intuition and "man" skills I taught myself in adulthood. I really, really wish I had that ability for knots. It makes me feel so stupid.
And I was kept from both skillsets because I didn't have the correct genitals and was dumped into the wrong caste unsuited to my innate talents. One I was able to teach myself, the other continues to frustrate and elude me.
-
I literally modified an old piece of furniture into a semi-permanent ladder and added a step to get on top of the RV yesterday. Just using my intuition and "man" skills I taught myself in adulthood. I really, really wish I had that ability for knots. It makes me feel so stupid.
And I was kept from both skillsets because I didn't have the correct genitals and was dumped into the wrong caste unsuited to my innate talents. One I was able to teach myself, the other continues to frustrate and elude me.
-
Ignorance of knots is probably my biggest beef against not being allowed into Boy Scouts or some other serious survival/outdoors training as a kid. I'm used to picking up on things very quickly, but knot-tying is a skill I really struggle with. I don't think I would have if I'd been expected to get good as a child.
They DID cover knots in Girl Scouts and LDS Girl's Camp. But it wasn't EXPECTED, so when I sucked at it, it was like ok whatever, go have a smore we're doing crafts tomorrow run along girl.
Now I'm at a stage in life where an intuitive understanding would be helpful and instead it's the hardest part of getting a thing done.
-
Ignorance of knots is probably my biggest beef against not being allowed into Boy Scouts or some other serious survival/outdoors training as a kid. I'm used to picking up on things very quickly, but knot-tying is a skill I really struggle with. I don't think I would have if I'd been expected to get good as a child.
They DID cover knots in Girl Scouts and LDS Girl's Camp. But it wasn't EXPECTED, so when I sucked at it, it was like ok whatever, go have a smore we're doing crafts tomorrow run along girl.
Now I'm at a stage in life where an intuitive understanding would be helpful and instead it's the hardest part of getting a thing done.
-
Ignorance of knots is probably my biggest beef against not being allowed into Boy Scouts or some other serious survival/outdoors training as a kid. I'm used to picking up on things very quickly, but knot-tying is a skill I really struggle with. I don't think I would have if I'd been expected to get good as a child.
They DID cover knots in Girl Scouts and LDS Girl's Camp. But it wasn't EXPECTED, so when I sucked at it, it was like ok whatever, go have a smore we're doing crafts tomorrow run along girl.
Now I'm at a stage in life where an intuitive understanding would be helpful and instead it's the hardest part of getting a thing done.
-
Ignorance of knots is probably my biggest beef against not being allowed into Boy Scouts or some other serious survival/outdoors training as a kid. I'm used to picking up on things very quickly, but knot-tying is a skill I really struggle with. I don't think I would have if I'd been expected to get good as a child.
They DID cover knots in Girl Scouts and LDS Girl's Camp. But it wasn't EXPECTED, so when I sucked at it, it was like ok whatever, go have a smore we're doing crafts tomorrow run along girl.
Now I'm at a stage in life where an intuitive understanding would be helpful and instead it's the hardest part of getting a thing done.
-
TIL about desiccant dehumidifiers, which work better in colder climates and emit warm air instead of cold.
After research, planning to get an Ivation 13-pt unit for the RV. Hopefully that will finally end the condensation issues in the RV this coming winter. It's a little on the large side, but that was going to have to happen. The little $35 shelf units are simply not up to the job. But it's not *too* big as these things go. And it's quiet and efficient.
-
TIL about desiccant dehumidifiers, which work better in colder climates and emit warm air instead of cold.
After research, planning to get an Ivation 13-pt unit for the RV. Hopefully that will finally end the condensation issues in the RV this coming winter. It's a little on the large side, but that was going to have to happen. The little $35 shelf units are simply not up to the job. But it's not *too* big as these things go. And it's quiet and efficient.
-
TIL about desiccant dehumidifiers, which work better in colder climates and emit warm air instead of cold.
After research, planning to get an Ivation 13-pt unit for the RV. Hopefully that will finally end the condensation issues in the RV this coming winter. It's a little on the large side, but that was going to have to happen. The little $35 shelf units are simply not up to the job. But it's not *too* big as these things go. And it's quiet and efficient.
-
TIL about desiccant dehumidifiers, which work better in colder climates and emit warm air instead of cold.
After research, planning to get an Ivation 13-pt unit for the RV. Hopefully that will finally end the condensation issues in the RV this coming winter. It's a little on the large side, but that was going to have to happen. The little $35 shelf units are simply not up to the job. But it's not *too* big as these things go. And it's quiet and efficient.
-
The Sentinel.
The skeletal remains of a wind pump stand watch over the new equipment.
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The Sentinel.
The skeletal remains of a wind pump stand watch over the new equipment.
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The Sentinel.
The skeletal remains of a wind pump stand watch over the new equipment.
-
The Sentinel.
The skeletal remains of a wind pump stand watch over the new equipment.
-
This is quite the bit of kit.
A three-unit wind catcher that drives a small generator via a chqin gear, and a bore pump via a belt. The water went into a large tank with an outlet into a huge ground-level trough.
Originally set up for travellers and drovers.
The pump is run by solar power now, or rather was. I'm not sure it works anymore.
Given the vanes are made of galvanised steel, it must have been quite the sight and sound when it was running.
-
This is quite the bit of kit.
A three-unit wind catcher that drives a small generator via a chqin gear, and a bore pump via a belt. The water went into a large tank with an outlet into a huge ground-level trough.
Originally set up for travellers and drovers.
The pump is run by solar power now, or rather was. I'm not sure it works anymore.
Given the vanes are made of galvanised steel, it must have been quite the sight and sound when it was running.
-
This is quite the bit of kit.
A three-unit wind catcher that drives a small generator via a chqin gear, and a bore pump via a belt. The water went into a large tank with an outlet into a huge ground-level trough.
Originally set up for travellers and drovers.
The pump is run by solar power now, or rather was. I'm not sure it works anymore.
Given the vanes are made of galvanised steel, it must have been quite the sight and sound when it was running.
-
This is quite the bit of kit.
A three-unit wind catcher that drives a small generator via a chqin gear, and a bore pump via a belt. The water went into a large tank with an outlet into a huge ground-level trough.
Originally set up for travellers and drovers.
The pump is run by solar power now, or rather was. I'm not sure it works anymore.
Given the vanes are made of galvanised steel, it must have been quite the sight and sound when it was running.
-
Well, here we are, just north of Tennant Creek, camped for the night.
The old girl (our motorhome, not my wife) has been purring along nicely over the last 700km after all the little fix-it jobs. Fuel economy is as bad as always, but not as bad as when she was crook.We're getting around 22L/100km — which isn't bad for a 6.5L turbo V8 diesel lugging an 8 tonne brick around. Cruising along at 2,000 RPM / 88 kph helps, though it feels remarkably slow when a car shoots past at 130 kph (legal limit up here).
No water scenes here, just flat scubby plains. Like home, really. Love it.
#Travel #VanLife #RVLife #Australia #CUintheNT #NorthernTerritory
-
Well, here we are, just north of Tennant Creek, camped for the night.
The old girl (our motorhome, not my wife) has been purring along nicely over the last 700km after all the little fix-it jobs. Fuel economy is as bad as always, but not as bad as when she was crook.We're getting around 22L/100km — which isn't bad for a 6.5L turbo V8 diesel lugging an 8 tonne brick around. Cruising along at 2,000 RPM / 88 kph helps, though it feels remarkably slow when a car shoots past at 130 kph (legal limit up here).
No water scenes here, just flat scubby plains. Like home, really. Love it.
#Travel #VanLife #RVLife #Australia #CUintheNT #NorthernTerritory