Community Forums

Hidesert · 11-28-2009, 10:28 AM

Anyone have any ides why a garbage disposal can't be installed, especially with the sani con system.

paz · 11-28-2009, 11:09 AM

I would be afraid the ground-up garbage would just settle out in the holding tank while the liquid drained away. Even if you left your gray tank drain valve closed like you're supposed to do with the black tank and only opened the valve when dumping, food particles that are heavy would just sink to the bottom and stay there.

Also, the proper use of a garbage disposal in a residential setting requires copious quantities of water to prevent clogs. If you did the same thing in an RV, even one with an extra large gray tank, you would end up having to empty the gray tank every day or two.

I figure the daily walk to the dumpster in the campground is good for me.

RV Wizard · 11-28-2009, 02:53 PM

The upper end coaches do have a garbage disposals and one can be added to any coach that has room under the sink and 120vac switched receptacle to power it. You will have to use more water to get it washed into the grey holding tank but other than that, you just have to dump when it gets full; or close to it.

Hidesert · 11-29-2009, 08:08 AM

RV Wizard ....thanks I appreciate that....

LindaH · 11-29-2009, 10:35 AM

YMMV, but personally, I would never put all that garbage into my gray water tank. As it is, I use stainless steel mesh screens in both kitchen sinks to minimize stuff going down the drain.

jspande · 11-29-2009, 12:56 PM

I believe that code for residential dwellings defines kitchen sink waste as "black water". RVs use a different definition and call it "gray water".

I think it's a bad design to use a disposal if the drain is connected to a "gray water" tank, which I believe all RVs do.

George Z · 11-29-2009, 01:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jspande

I believe that code for residential dwellings defines kitchen sink waste as "black water". RVs use a different definition and call it "gray water".

I think it's a bad design to use a disposal if the drain is connected to a "gray water" tank, which I believe all RVs do.

I think I have to agree

hwyd · 11-08-2010, 12:22 AM

Just a thought on the garbage disposals in an rv. I think it would be ok, 1 if you had the room for it under the sink and access to 120v outlet, 2 if the black and gray tanks were a combined tank like on some rv's or you modified the drain for the particular sink that you were installing the gd to, to connect up to the black water holding tank, so you were not blocking up the grey tank or damaging any components in it that are not meant to handle that type of waste. Like I said, just a thought, hope it might be useful.

Daniel

az bound · 11-09-2010, 05:43 AM

We have a garbage disposal in our rig and it does drain into the grey tank. We have not experianced any problems. The sink is stainless. I would have reservations about installing one on anything other than a steel sink. The added weight and vibration may cause a problem. I do treat the grey tank the same as the black, using Eco-Save bacteria in both tanks. We do mostly boondocking so it does help with the small amount of food waste we have. Don't have to haul around stinky garbage bags.

deandec · 11-09-2010, 11:11 AM

On my rig, the grey tank and black tank empty into the same sewer. Both tanks are just tanks with no moving parts. Other than odor, I can think of no reason to avoid ground up food waste in the grey tank.

We do not treat the black tank very often, but one could put odor treatment into the grey tank or more Dawn in the dishwash water.

I would worry most about the weight of the disposer causing damaging vibrations on California freeways.......

rf4 · 11-09-2010, 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by deandec

. Other than odor, I can think of no reason to avoid ground up food waste in the grey tank.

that was my thought...the odor of the ground up food in the gray tank...

az bound · 11-10-2010, 07:09 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rf4

that was my thought...the odor of the ground up food in the gray tank...

Never had a problem with odor as long as there is water in the P-traps and the vents are clear.

ralper · 11-11-2010, 11:04 PM

As a retired plumber I will say IMHO garbage disposers should be outlawed. They cause more plumbing backups than they are worth. I would never install oue in my home and especially never in an RV.

Gary RVRoamer · 11-13-2010, 12:35 PM

It certainly can be done, but putting any semi-solid stuff into the gray tank just strikes me as a poor idea. It's going to settle out there, and needs a good "whoosh" to suck it out when you empty the gray. But the gray drain is only 1.5" pipe, so it doesn't ever "whoosh" like the black tank.

I'm sure some folks will use the disposal cautiously and get along fine, but somebody else will think nothing of flushing lots of foods and other wastes down the drain and wonder why they have problems.

And I hate to even mention the guy I know who routinely flushes the cat's litter down his toilet... But he says "no problems' too.