# Advice wanted - grey waste



## GeoffL (Sep 2, 2017)

We're new to motorhoming and can't figure out how to responsibly empty our grey waste tank. Our motorhome has a vertical dump pipe just forward of the rear axle and about 18 inches inboard of the offside. This has a rod-operated 'slide' dump valve at the end of the pipe. The end of the pipe is only four to six inches off the ground (depending on how the ground lies) and so none of the portable waste containers I've seen fit under it. I guess that this arrangement is designed to be used by positioning the waste pipe over a drainage grating (e.g. at a motorhome service point) and pulling the rod handle to open the valve and dump the grey tank contents into the grating.

About the only thing I can think of is to use a shallow washing-up bowl and empty the grey tank 5 litres at a time -- but that would take ages and be rather messy. Has anyone got a elegant solution for this? Thanks for looking, Geoff


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## yeoblade (Sep 2, 2017)

I have a 3 meter length of pipe which I can connect to the grey outlet to assist emptying if needed.


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## trevskoda (Sep 2, 2017)

On my way to bangor from belfast i was behind a van which just opened his as he went along.:mad1::hammer:would not want to be following on m/bike.


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## antiquesam (Sep 2, 2017)

I find a convenient drain in a lay-by and whistle a little tune as I stroll up and down exercising the dog.
Most CL's nowadays seem to suggest just letting it go.


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## trevskoda (Sep 2, 2017)

When you think of it most car washes etc just let there dirt go down road side drains.


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## Neckender (Sep 2, 2017)

I've seen a bucket with holes drilled into it  then filled with grass or straw, then the grey is run into said bucket which filters any crap out.

John.


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## molly 2 (Sep 3, 2017)

I have used a plastic bag full of grass with holes in the bottom ,.


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## jagmanx (Sep 3, 2017)

*Same here*



GeoffL said:


> We're new to motorhoming and can't figure out how to responsibly empty our grey waste tank. Our motorhome has a vertical dump pipe just forward of the rear axle and about 18 inches inboard of the offside. This has a rod-operated 'slide' dump valve at the end of the pipe. The end of the pipe is only four to six inches off the ground (depending on how the ground lies) and so none of the portable waste containers I've seen fit under it. I guess that this arrangement is designed to be used by positioning the waste pipe over a drainage grating (e.g. at a motorhome service point) and pulling the rod handle to open the valve and dump the grey tank contents into the grating.
> 
> About the only thing I can think of is to use a shallow washing-up bowl and empty the grey tank 5 litres at a time -- but that would take ages and be rather messy. Has anyone got a elegant solution for this? Thanks for looking, Geoff


We pour water from wup bowl into a bucket to make it easier.
See other posts.
We rarely put wup water down the sink (blockages) but dispose of it from the bowl.
Use road drains or waste grassy weedy land.


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## Deleted member 58274 (Sep 3, 2017)

Seems a strange arrangement for a waste outlet....18 inches inboard ? Are many vans like this... ours has valve easily reachable with plenty of room for buckets. Maja


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## Wooie1958 (Sep 3, 2017)

Just open the valve and drive off like a lot of other buggers do and think it`s ok        :mad2:


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## ricc (Sep 3, 2017)

modify a window winder motor so you can open the valve whilst driving and wait for the prat in the audi or bmw to get on yer bumper then dump


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## Wooie1958 (Sep 3, 2017)

ricc said:


> modify a window winder motor so you can open the valve whilst driving and wait for the prat in the audi or bmw to get on yer bumper then dump




What a good idea   :wacko:   :lol-049:


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## chipvan (Sep 3, 2017)

Would a waste master with the small end going under first not fit ?  We had a hire rollerteam a few years ago that had a rod that opened a large flap in the bottom of the tank, great for aires and proper dump stations as it empty fast but a pain when you get home after wilding.  It makes sense that UK manufactured motorhomes have a tap or auto valve right by the side, not four foot under the van.


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## Neckender (Sep 3, 2017)

I've adapted my central 2" waste outlet with fittings I had lying around my garage (ex plumber heating engineer) I shaped a piece of plastic pipe as a support, sikaflexed it to outlet pipework I made and zip tied it to chassis.
It's all very firm and solid, but I will look at getting a piece of threaded bar and a 2" bracket to make it a permanent fixture.

I can now drain into bucket or my extended hose into hedgerow.
John.


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## Neckender (Sep 3, 2017)

sorry double post.


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## vwalan (Sep 3, 2017)

rainwater drains usually go into streams or rivers . home sink waste goes into the sewage system. so is far safer. 
the real question is would you empty your grey tank into a pool full of fish?
thats really what you could be doing tipping into rain water drains . 
in thruth far better to just let if go onto roadside grass etc . at least then the ground can help by filtering out things not so good for water based creatures or other animals drinking stream /river water.


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## Keithchesterfield (Sep 3, 2017)

My Pilote has a central waste spout to let out the grey water.

I added a 40mm flexible plastic pipe as shown in the pictures.

The pipe is attached to the waste spout by worm clips and fastened close to the pull/push handle by a tool clip.

The pipe just pulls out of the clip and can be up to four foot from the waste drain and still get rid of the grey water without a problem.

The whole lot, plastic pipe from a local Aquatic shop, cost less than a fiver.


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## GeoffL (Sep 3, 2017)

Thanks for some interesting ideas. Although I'm tempted with the remote release that ricc suggested, I guess that I'll have to find another solution!

Although the 'thin end' of a Wastemaster will fit under (just) it's a large container that'll probably only collect ten litres or so on a good day. Hopefully, I can find a better solution. (Besides which, I let my Wastemaster go when we sold the caravan.)

FWIW, this isn't a continental european 'van -- it's a 2001 Autotrail Scout. I have no idea what Autotrail were thinking when they came up with that arrangement for dumping grey water. When we looked over the van prior to agreeing to buy it, we saw the (sensibly placed) fresh drain line with a valve at the end and wrongly assumed that was the grey outlet.

I'm even considering drilling an additional hole in the bottom of the tank and fitting a second dump line with a valve at its end -- although I'll probably see if I can knock up something using a compression elbow and some flexy hose that I can temporarily rig to dump the grey to a portable waste container -- if the dump pipe is the right diameter.

Thanks again, Geoff


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## RoaminRog (Sep 3, 2017)

Are you absolutely sure that the slide arrangement is for the grey waste?
I have seen this sort of valve on a toilet dump before. Do you have a conventional toilet cassette?


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## GeoffL (Sep 3, 2017)

RoaminRog said:


> Are you absolutely sure that the slide arrangement is for the grey waste?
> I have seen this sort of valve on a toilet dump before. Do you have a conventional toilet cassette?


Rather disconcertingly, the grey waste full alarm on the control panel reads "SOIL FULL" (and goes off whenever I drive over a rough road with the grey tank more than 1/4 full)! However, the MH is fitted with a Thetford C2 cassette toilet, so I'm fairly sure the slide valve is for grey rather than black waste!


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## Deleted member 72082 (Sep 3, 2017)

We had exactly the same dilemma today after our first ever trip away in a motorhome. We were not sure of the protocol or enviromental impact of this so rather than dumping it somewhere in a North-West Highland layby we ended up bringing it home and letting it go on our own gravel drive...
My thoughts were if anyone passing saw us letting this go at the side of they road would only assume the worst.... and we didnt want to give anyone any more ammo to attack us wild campers with! Saw a few unoccupied campervans parked in passing places today....


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## Tbear (Sep 3, 2017)

We where at the Burghley Horse Trials today and a large modern Motorhome drove off across the middle of the site straight through the crowds with his waste pipe open. :mad1:

Richard


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## barryd (Sep 3, 2017)

I never seem to have an issue with grey waste.  If I am wilding on grass or  none Tarmac I'll tend to park along a hedge or at the side and just leave it open. All washing up water I would chuck in a hedge so all that drips out of the grey pipe is shower or washing water and it doesn't get chance to stink as its straight onto the grass.

Failing that I'll just pull over in a quiet lane and dump it in the UK or at a service point or drain in mainland Europe.  It's just hardly ever an issue


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## n brown (Sep 3, 2017)

i can't be arsed to read this thread, guarantee there's nothing new here.never heard the phrase till i came on this site. built a lot of vans in my time and never felt the urge to fit a waste tank- who on earth would want to store odd amounts of washing up water or shower water? it isn't some sort of deadly chemical ,poison or liquid sh-it for god's sake. i can understand[kind of] if you were on a camp site and didn't want to offend the sensibilities of the prissy denizens of the place, that you might stick your outlet into a container,  but surely leaving a few tea leaves and carrot scrapings for the local hedgehog population isn't that bad
and if anyone comes up with that old chestnut' people might think we're dumping wee or poo', then let them think that, they're obviously a bit thick


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## Tbear (Sep 4, 2017)

The horses had little choice or understanding nor where they dumping their waste where everyone was walking.

Richard


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## Tbear (Sep 4, 2017)

n brown said:


> i can't be arsed to read this thread, guarantee there's nothing new here.never heard the phrase till i came on this site. built a lot of vans in my time and never felt the urge to fit a waste tank- who on earth would want to store odd amounts of washing up water or shower water? it isn't some sort of deadly chemical ,poison or liquid sh-it for god's sake. i can understand[kind of] if you were on a camp site and didn't want to offend the sensibilities of the prissy denizens of the place, that you might stick your outlet into a container,  but surely leaving a few tea leaves and carrot scrapings for the local hedgehog population isn't that bad
> and if anyone comes up with that old chestnut' people might think we're dumping wee or poo', then let them think that, they're obviously a bit thick



A little grey water on rough pasture is going to water and fertilise it. A family dumping all their waste for a couple of weeks can leave an all mighty stink. Those that behave in such a manner often do leave a lot more than just smelly water behind.

Richard


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## Tbear (Sep 4, 2017)

So on a trial of two, you must be correct? The fact that my local council has to spend huge amounts of money tidying up after "wild  campers". The stench and mess, unbelievable. 

As a person who has tent camped on sites for about forty years on and off I can tell you that the water used for cooking and cleaning left to discharge from  a motorhome over time can create a very unpleasant environment for the campers around and those that follow. Would it really hurt you to dump it in the hedge where it would do nothing but good.

Richard


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## n brown (Sep 4, 2017)

Tbear said:


> So on a trial of two, you must be correct? The fact that my local council has to spend huge amounts of money tidying up after "wild  campers". The stench and mess, unbelievable.
> 
> As a person who has tent camped on sites for about forty years on and off I can tell you that the water used for cooking and cleaning left to discharge from  a motorhome over time can create a very unpleasant environment for the campers around and those that follow. Would it really hurt you to dump it in the hedge where it would do nothing but good.
> 
> Richard


to be fair, that's kind of what we do. we once lived in a bus ,unmoving for a couple of years. when the waste drained away it was fine, but once a puddle formed, in winter,it began to honk a bit !,so now we'll drop washing and shower water but washing up is done in a bowl and the dirty water is emptied into the undergrowth.
obviously you have to act according to circumstances


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## ricc (Sep 5, 2017)

theres room for both arguments , a lot depends on what the grey water is contaminated with.   for example a cereal bowl and tea cup arnt going to produce the same grey water as a full english with bacon, sausage etc.

i did hear theres some that dont bother washing up at all ... the dog polishes everything.


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## Byronic (Sep 5, 2017)

I was scared off when I saw the thread title, I thought it was going 
to be about how to deal with anyone over 60. Now that I've dared to look 
I see it's far worse than that ......grey waste water and how to deal with
it, how novel


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## Neckender (Sep 12, 2017)

Update I've improved my mod to the waste pipe by fitting a clamp and bracket to the chassis.
John?


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