STOP AND READ: Thanks for the many comments. For those that want to read the actual RULE ON DUMPING GREY WATER on BLM, it is ***below. Dumping "wash" water is fine (SEE THE PHRASE "other than wash water" below) just not water that comes out of your sewer drain. Since I have no sewage, I'm just expelling "wash water" and STILL going the extra step of evaporating. FOOD PARTICLES are in wash water... Just saying): ***Although the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) found at 8365.1-1 (3) generally excludes “wash water” from BLM’s prohibition against draining or dumping, it can be specifically prohibited by Supplemental Rules issued for a specific area. This applies equally to RVers and tent campers. TITLE 43-PUBLIC LANDS: INTERIOR CHAPTER II-BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR PART 8360_VISITOR SERVICES Subpart 8365_Rules of Conduct Sec. 8365.1-1 Sanitation. (3) Drain sewage or petroleum products or dump refuse or waste other than wash water from any trailer or other vehicle except in places or receptacles provided for that purpose; Source:rvtravel.com/more-on-the-gray-area-of-dumping-the-gray-tank/
Creativity RV What some feel is " WASH" water is different from others. I feel wash water is from clothes and bodies NOT dishes filled with food residue. Do they care if it's water from washing dishes? The actual rule is in big bold black writing stating that kitchen wash water is definitely considered BLACK WATER PERIOD. But what you are doing is great because your catching in several different ways....everything but actual water. Your greese and food particles are being caught in at least 5 different ways. Ex: 2 wool socks, absorbent mat, rocks, and bucket. 😉 Great job by covering all bases by catching what chunks/ grease may come out of your grey tank into the sock and then disposing of that in the garbage. I think most others feel it's perfectly ok to dump their grey water which is everything but "poo" onto the ground. Thank you for taking the extra care to make sure you help do your part to keep our free land "free" before they get pissed and stop all open free camping period. I had a separate showering tank installed and can if I choose to evaporate that water but I won't. I will wait till I get to a dump station to dispose of my 3 tanks. This way....im not contributing at all to any harm to the environment period.
Please read the " Source" in blue writing people. It will tell you in big black bold print that kitchen wash water is definitely considered BLACK WATER not grey. So read the laws for yourself and if you misinterpret the laws and rules for dumping than its your fault and no one e lses.
one moment at a time I agree. I think they state it that way because in an RV, kitchen dish water goes out the same line as the black tank, thus, bio hazards would be dripping out along with the sink water. Tent campers, however, who don't have a black tank, can dunmp out their dirty dish water on the ground. My feeling is that my dish and shower water is just like the tent campers "wash water " because it is not in contact with any human waste (or animal products, btw, because I'm vegan). I also strain all my dishes before i wash them to catch a many food particles as I can.I don't think it's appropriate to dump or evaporatw grey water if it's comingling with any type of sewage. I appreciate your thoughtful comments on this topic!
one moment at a time thanks! I have been surprised how controversial this has been. Some people think I'm nuts for not just dumping it, others are mad I'm suggesting evaporation at all! Oh well. I do appreciate you have given me your opinion in a constructive and positive way! Safe travels to you ☺️
You are a breath of fresh air (no reference to the topic!) in the RUclips nomad community. I’m thrilled to have found your intelligent, informative channel - a thank you to Bob.
That is very clever. Guess you can just get new socks when those have too much gunk in them. You might consider black ceramic briquettes instead of rocks. They can be found most places that handle BBQs. Look like charcoal but are some kind of ceramic. They would absorb a lot more heat and might speed things up. As a solo woman and also full time I find your videos very refreshing. I find problem solving to be fun and not a cause for stress.
@@vincent-leroymclopezki5919 Those stove fans use induction heat and quite a bit of it. I have put my stove fan out doors on a sunny day and got nothing but a nice shiny still fan!
If you add a simple $5 garden hose valve on the sewer dump cap, you can control the water flow much easier than using just the grey water valve by itself.
I took your advice and am trying out the setup for the first time today. :-) The one I purchased didn't have a precise enough lever at the spigot, but I was going to try it anyway and it wouldn't fit on the Valterra tank cap. I do think it's a great idea though and I will look for another one.
Lol! As the sole dumper of our tanks (my husband is squeamish!) I have no issues with dumping tanks. My only real interest is making them last longer so we don't have to dump as often. If we are wanting our tanks to last longer, we use provided bathrooms whenever possible, that includes toilet and showers, and I do my dishes in dishpans instead of straight in the sink. I wipe food off any dishes prior to washing using a paper towel, which keeps the water cleaner. I also only use biodegradable cleaning products in the RV. I empty the dishwashing water onto plants, feeding several with each bin. I also do this at our cabin, where I have to haul every drop of water uphill from the lake. Years of this practise on the flora and fauna around the cabin has resulted in healthy plants and no smell whatsoever. I do not endorse the random draining of grey tanks wherever and whenever, but careful conservation of what space there is in my tanks has allowed us to avoid dumping tanks for longer periods and to stay longer in beautiful locations. JMO!
I can see why that corporate boss hoped to keep you for 30 years. You are a joy to watch and listen too as well as very smart. I'd take your advice any time!
Hello! I've watched a lot of your videos, and they are great. I admire you for choosing this lifestyle and sticking with it. I do have a suggestion for you regarding your evaporation method. That nifty cap you have for the dump is probably threaded for garden hose. You can get a really inexpensive hose shut-off valve that you could screw on there, then attach your socks. it would give you a much easier and precise way to adjust the flow coming out. They also have plastic quick release ties and clamps that would let you stop using your hair ties. I think these suggestions will make your already good system even better! Good luck, and stay safe!
Your rocks could be improved by finding the black porous lava rock. Wal-Mart would sell a small bag to use to plant orchids in. It would help with the evaporation greatly. They would also heat better than the white rocks your using now..
I love the creativity, truly. I'm gearing up to start recording videos for my RV (which is more vintage than yours) to show things I'm doing to prep it for travel. So much fun to see what you're doing.
thanks,,, just throwing another number at you... a gallon of water weighs a little over 8 1/3 lbs.. and for me, every lb is needed for other things than grey water so this is a great trick.. you made a new follower in me..
First time checking out your channel. Quite a interesting subject. Me personally. I dump my grey tank on the ground if I’m out boondocking and getting full. But usually that’s not the case because I’ll need fresh water, so I’ll do all that at the dump station. The plants need the water and if the food particles aren’t biodegradable, I shouldn’t be eating that crap anyways.
I love this idea. Didn't know it was necessary to do this type of drain. NOW I get it! I so enjoy following your channel. I am going NOMAD in just a few weeks. I haven't quite decided on my RV rig. Funds will be the determining factor. I have to find work online since my social security won't cover it all. I have 2 masters and can't find a job out here. I have been a car traveler for years, now I'm going full time to the nomad lifestyle. Between you, Carolyn, Bill, and a few others I am getting well educated. Thank you so very much. Blessings.
I think it's awesome that you're so considerate of the environment and make this extra effort to do your part! Thank you for all your informative videos!
Very creative and refreshing. I watch a lot of rv channels and you are the first person I have watched that has even dealt with gray water like this. Way to go! New sub here :-)
Nice video. Jason and Nikki Wynn at Gone With the Wynns did a segment at Burning Man where they showed several methods of evaporative grey water disposal.
Lava rocks (as in barbecuing) might retain more heat. Also, if you used two plastic bins you could unfold the dish mat to double the surface area and increase evaporation rate.
Very ingeniously done. Also on a very small footprint one thing you might have pointed out was that it works best in a low humidity environment. Also the amount of wind at the sock or wind speed. Thanks for opening my mind to this method. safe travels and Keep Smiling and Laugh a Lot to Live Long.
Just hadn't imagined the lengths people would go to solve a non-problem if the water is safe for ground dispersion. I would just create a drip system below a 3 gallon holding tank so that after it has water flow into it from a shower, or well filtered sink, it just starts dripping out at a slow rate which gets soaked in over several hours of dripping, to no notice on the ground as it would soak in as fast as dripping, unless of course it is raining, and then nothing will be noticed at all. If desired and I would think especially if you do have food particles in the water, literally any tool to dig a small divot into the ground where it is dripping will let you push the dirt back over afterward before leaving to absolutely leave no evidence behind... But I would prefer filtering particulates out so that the drip system doesn't clog as readily.
Great video. The adapter cap is for hooking up a garden hose a lot of people use that to run their grey water into the woods. You can screw on the cap to the adapter a few threads until you get the correct amount of drip flow, instead of having to find the correct flow using the main valve.
Awesome idea. My partner & I have a travel trailer & I plan on building a DIY composting toilet. As a retired nurse I NEVER want to touch poop again, hence the composting toilet. We didn't want to deal with draining the water from the grey tank either, so this sounds like a grand idea. We haven't been on the road yet, so my plan is to try this idea out in the back yard first. Looking forward to more videos and great ideas from you. Thanks.
Don't worry about the haters. Most of them are just ignorant. Personally, I would just hook a water hose on to the sewer cap and run it to the nearest tree. Let it drip water the landscape....good for the environment (as long as there isn't anything toxic in your gray water). Great job!
This was fascinating! How much better than others sneakily dumping their grey water when no one is looking, or saving it up and taking it to a dump station. Geniuis!
Great idea! We too have a composting toilet in our trailer (and actually two in our sailboat). What a difference that has made in our fresh water usage & how much gray water we can now hold (and possibly evaporate)!
Just recently started watching your videos. I enjoy your thinking process, your definitely unconventional and informative, as well as fun to watch. Thank you for sharing with the rest of us.
Either get dark colored rocks or paint the rocks black to increase heat absorption. Also use a black basket. Increasing the area of the pad would also increase the evaporation rate.
Insanely clever and inspiring. Thank you so much!!! I'm getting ready to hit the road full time and need all the info I can get about off-grid boondocking. This is awesome.
Hello Robin.... Thank you for the tip on 'Evaporating' the water from your gray tank. I found it to be practical and solves a problem RV's would have. I don't write comments...but I felt compelled to do so..so as to keep encouraging you to continue making these videos. I'm just glued to them and all those good tips you contribute. Once again....thank you... from Luis from Lake Alfred, Florida...
By the way I know people that have "outhouses" and they use big zip lock bags for the paper it is sealable and odorless and dumpable at the first dumpster. I love this video. there is no LOVE button.
I don't know about any of you. But, I think pooping in a plastic bag, not compoted, and throwing raw sewage into land fills is somehow just not quite right. I do not think people realize that most garbage is put on conveyer belts, and humans go through it to separate plastic, glass, metal, wood, from non recycle people's garbage. Can u imagine them opening a plastic bag of camper poop? And we all wonder why our water and streams are polluted. Better to compost and leave composting bag on back rack with genny, and evaporation of grey water is brilliant!!! One would think, with knowing how dry it is out in blm, desert, what harm grey water would.do to all that sand?? I have often wondered. Other than particles of food and what not soap would be trapped on the surface after water filtered down.
Placing your partially composed human waste in a trash receptical is very bad. It takes many weeks under IDEAL conditions between when you stop adding fresh material and when you discard. If it smells like poop...do not toss it into the trash.
One of your new biggest fans, thank you for sharing your experiences and by far my favorite vlogger, representing solo female full timers!! I'm a newbie the midst of hardcore research phase and composting toilet was definitely on my wish list; you just solidified ;) it. And your grey tank idea is brilliant. Your story and honesty about full time RVing is so inspirational. Thanks again Robin!!
You are F'ng awesome! This is totally cool and necessary. We all know everything is changing in this world we live in and so many other changes to come. I love it and how your creative mind works. Great job!
I love your videos. What was the compelling reason to evaporate vs dump it? Like doesn’t it absorb into the ground from the mat anyhow? Plus reading about it being ok if not food particles. Perhaps just strain with the socks or some filter to catch the debris you can’t dump n discard the socks.
I love this idea and will do it as soon as I can. I have subscribed and I linked that thing that goes on the end of the sewer outlet to my shopping cart and I have the socks and everything but the dryer already. I plan to begin living in my RV while emptying my house next month, and I will use this method to get rid of my gray water. FUN! Thanks!
Hi Robin I have learned a lot from you and am so glad you are out there doing weird experiments like this so I don't have to. I really enjoy your light-hearted videos. Thanks🤓
This is so darn creative and earth friendly! I have seen Burning Man videos do something similar using evaporation to deal with water they have showered in. I will be referring to this video of yours for sure, once I’m full timing 🙌🏻😀
Fascinating and very clever! Thank you, Robin, for sharing your process. I've also found this thread to be quite informative. Here's a dumb question from a newbie (me): What's so horrible about the dumping station? Particularly when it comes to grey water? I understand why the black water would not be much fun and the desire to compost for that reason. I'm not there yet -- I don't have my RV yet (although I found her today! YAY!) -- but now I know where to look once I start doing all this myself. Thanks again everybody!
Very interesting and a great educational video. You are quite creative and this is another one of your functional tips! Thank you for your research and demonstration of evaporating the grey tank water in an environmentally safe manner. Lin H.
Just found your channel - loving it! You have great information and a really good on camera personality. While I'm not full-timing (yet!), I love this idea. The only thing I think will be a problem down the road is that solids will sit and likely congeal in the bottom of the tank over time. Using a dump station minimizes this as the large volume of liquid moving will pull most of these solids out. The trickling will leave much of them behind. So I think that every once in a while you'll need to go through a cleaning process and use a dump station.
I you use biodegradable soap, you water can go on the ground. I'm sitting here looking at the trees behind you, thinking they'd probably like a drink, lol.
I find it funny when someone talks about getting rid of grey water and also then uses an outdoor shower. Think about the thousands of people that use the outdoor shower every day at the beach and it just runs on the ground.
Thats very clever think ill have to use your idea. I saw gone with the wynns show how people did it at burning man. Yours is a lot less bulky, i love it
Hi Robin ~ I Love these videos and ideas. I was thinking that Dr. Bronners with water could be sprayed around the sock to erase any odors and help keep it even cleaner.
I think you’re great! Really good ideas and thanks very much for sharing with everyone! (weather they seem to appreciate it or not) lol. I’m active duty Navy for 12yrs, but I have a 4yr old and I am going to go ahead and leave, give up early retirement package in order to raise & home school her (spend real time with her) while traveling in an RV. I will get out in June next year and I’m so excited and also nervous :) your positive energy is so encouraging ❤️ God bless you!
I'd think periodically you'd WANT to dump your grey tank to get little bits of food, hair, whatever gets into the grey tank from your sink or shower. I'd be afraid of that crud filling up in the tank or gumming up the works.
Love ur setup. I might add a usb charging battery fan from walmart and also one time a month fill ur grey tank w clean water and force flush the normal dumping way to get rid of "leftovers". Very well done. Ty.
My concern would be smell and insects. Might want to use a splash of citronella in the layer of mats... Had a seasonal site and we created a french drain dug with rocks and gravel and a large barrel underground. Was extremely careful to scrape foodscraps well and use the drain catches in sinks and shower... Enjoy your vids very much. Cannot wait to get back on the road in our 33 ft Class A soon...Hope to see you sometime! Ty for your research...Deb Tip...save your store bags for trash. We do this in the RV and home by purchasing office waste baskets...saves money and recycles!
This is sooooooo smart! I know the grey water can really smell - do the socks and dish drying mat retain any smell as or does drying them outside eliminate all that? Really enjoying your videos!
I am not an RVer but I have spend 20 years as a certified Master Gardner specializing in water harvesting and reclamation in the state of Texas. I appreciate your attempts to "safely" dispose of gray water but this is all so unnecessary and frankly silly. All over the world and the USA gray water is totally safe and legal to be diverted into lawns and ornamental gardens. By "gray water" we mean water used for showering, hand washing, laundry water and dish water. Ideally all soaps should be biodegradable. The BML laws are there to prevent corporations and companies from dumping large amounts 1000's of gallons of gray water onto Gov land creating washouts, and pools. Hikers and campers are allowed to discard their gray water 100' away from a water source. while on trails throughout the national and state park systems. Before releasing gray water it should be strained with a fine mesh strainer to remove food particles, after that it is best to release water slowly to allow the soil to absorb it. This is not only safe but beneficial to the environment as a whole. As long as the water does not leave traces upon evaporation or large soggy wet spots it is perfectly ok to release as much as the soil can absorb this will greatly enhance the biodiversity in the soil. I also understand that if you have 100's of campers all in one spot this needs to be taken into consideration, and common sense should be used. But while you are camping in campsites with a few people over the course of the season and especially dry environments it is perfectly safe.
You are absolutely correct and everything that you said. Years ago I was a Texas certified nurserymen back in the day. I did not take the Master Test I was out of the business. There is very fine strainers that you can put in your sink and bathtub the catch the larger particles. That is where most of the odor occurs. Is very beneficial for plants and they will transpire very very close to 100% pure water. What goes up an evaporation is 99.9% clear water vapor. Where her system would be beneficial as when you have neighbors close by they may be offended by a odor and that is legitimate but you don't want to have to explain to somebody gray water is safer than stream water for soaking into the ground. In reality you can put it through a solar still AKA water dehydrator and drink it. What is this water called that is a purest water on Earth yep distilled water. This is a way of dealing with grey water creating freshwater at the same time
G.A.Buba You seem very knowledgeable on this! Can you answer one question... can urine be grey water? I have a composting toilet that separates the urine in a jug. I want to plumb that into my grey tank as I have no black tank. Seems fine in my head as it will be diluted by all the other grey water. Thoughts?
All this talk of dumping waste and gray water reminded me of that DNC bus dumping everything in a storm drain... ruclips.net/video/vtC9XGwMLDQ/видео.html I read most of the article that was referenced in the first post. Seems like gray is ok on blm except for a couple of supplemental spots that have special regs. like the long term place in az. So some spots hare special regs. Rangers have discretion to site violators or not... that probably has to do with the honey truck collecting all the water and just dumping 3000 gals in one spot.
@@iant720over 30 year contractor. In a home septic system solids settle in the septic tanks to decompose while the liquids (grey water and urine) pass freely into the lateral lines where they seep into the soil and/or dump into a cesspool.So yes urine is technically grey water.It is most likely more sterile and acidic than grey water but dilution is the key.
I love you already! I'm just a girl who loves to research and find smarted ways to do things as well. I have a composting toilet but haven't been able to have anyone install it into my class B sprinter RV. Bought coconut core as well. I'm in love 😍🙋🙌🚐
Try stacking the rock baskets for more evaporation action or rig up a splitter to go into more than one basket. I love your videos. I'm trying to figure out how to get on the road soon. You are inspiring!
I appreciate your ingenuity, usfull technique while on an extended stay! I dont disagree that disguarding GW at a hose length works fine BUT when that combo of weather & geographic location turns unfavourable; GW attracts mosquitos etc and occasionally lets off that stagnated dish pan odor! With a little streamlining, your design will not only take less effort but be much more user & eco friendly. Definitely got me thinking, can't wait to see future updates!!! Thank you!
If you rinse foods or allow any particulate to go down the sink and shower drains, that will eventually foul your system but you simply throw away the socks and mat more often. Of course you can occasionally back flush and maintain your grey tank when near a dump station. With our RV which is 36' long we use the hose adaptor to a garden type "Soaker" hose that has thousands of tiny pores to allow dispersion. I then position the soaker hose down the center of our RV under/between the axles and it normally keeps up quite well with the grey water we generate and we do not get a wet spot. This works better over sand soil or lush grassy areas. and it is great for the grass! One issue is our washing machine. I smply place a 5 gallon bucket under the large grey valve opening when we do a load. It just about perfectly fills the bucket. Sometimes if hotdry pavement is available I walk down the center of the pavement and slowly pour the grey wash water out and it will evaporate quickly.
Just thinking if you take Orbit Arizona Mist Hose Attachment and rv 12 volt water pump a drip line fitter and two short garden hoses one clear and 25 foot tank wash hose 1: use the the drain cap with the hose end 2: one short garden hose to the drip line fitter 3: short clear hose from fitter to the 12 volt pump 4: hook up 25 hose (side note NOT you fresher water hose) your tank washing hose to the Orbit arizona Mister 5: plug in your water pump 6. use a black trash bag on the ground under mister I think about one hour 30 gallon be gone.
Can you try a soaker garden hose inside the pair of sock? hook the soaker hose on the the sewer cap and make the other end of the hose block off this will help with water flow. (may be ) try it? second run that soaker hose in a black tub and let sun do it work. For BLM she is add water into air and add to the water cycle I think your system work well in a hot dry or wind place. P.S. well done
Love this post and it has me thinking of a way of incorporating it into my van build. I was just wondering how well this works in the winter when there is little to no sun.
I'm not sure, I started it last spring. This winter I'm testing other methods in AZ. Maybe I'll do an update. Please let me know if you figure anything out on your side too :-)
Im going to figure this out on a little bit of a bigger scale and out of a 5 gallon bucket. I am planning on visit Black Rock City for Burning man in 2020 and found your page while doing research. Love the information, enjoy your travels.
1.) Love you're hair during this video; 2.) Love your top. I have one that looks almost the same with Itasca State Park on it. My favorite lightweight sweatshirt ever. And I LOVE, LOVE Kauai. That is where I first kayaked ever!; 3. Are you still doing this method and if so, and modifications since this video? I'm buying all my gear this winter to start full timing in 2021.
We always use a dish pan in our kitchen sink while we're in our travel trailer. But I'm wondering what happens to those small bits of food and the hair from the bathtub and bathroom sink when you empty the gray tank like this? Do they come out with the gray water into the socks, or do they stay in the tank? I wondering if you emptied the tank all the way if those bits would get stuck on the bottom of the tank? I am guessing you probably flush out the gray tank occasionally when you do stay at a campground, but just wondering if all the gunk comes out into the socks too.
Starla Ross I strain out the little boys the best that I can and still see a few pieces come out in the sock. I absolutely flush the tank out periodically though and disinfect it.
Just thinking out loud. My husband is backpacker. When he’s out with a group, he uses a gravity feed water filter. I wonder if something like this would work with rv gray water. This way you could reuse the water.
STOP AND READ: Thanks for the many comments. For those that want to read the actual RULE ON DUMPING GREY WATER on BLM, it is ***below. Dumping "wash" water is fine (SEE THE PHRASE "other than wash water" below) just not water that comes out of your sewer drain. Since I have no sewage, I'm just expelling "wash water" and STILL going the extra step of evaporating. FOOD PARTICLES are in wash water... Just saying):
***Although the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) found at 8365.1-1 (3) generally excludes “wash water” from BLM’s prohibition against draining or dumping, it can be specifically prohibited by Supplemental Rules issued for a specific area. This applies equally to RVers and tent campers.
TITLE 43-PUBLIC LANDS: INTERIOR
CHAPTER II-BUREAU OF LAND MANAGEMENT, DEPARTMENT OF THE
INTERIOR
PART 8360_VISITOR SERVICES
Subpart 8365_Rules of Conduct
Sec. 8365.1-1 Sanitation.
(3) Drain sewage or petroleum products or dump refuse or waste other than wash water from any trailer or other vehicle except in places or receptacles provided for that purpose;
Source:rvtravel.com/more-on-the-gray-area-of-dumping-the-gray-tank/
Creativity RV
What some feel is " WASH" water is different from others. I feel wash water is from clothes and bodies NOT dishes filled with food residue.
Do they care if it's water from washing dishes? The actual rule is in big bold black writing stating that kitchen wash water is definitely considered BLACK WATER PERIOD. But what you are doing is great because your catching in several different ways....everything but actual water. Your greese and food particles are being caught in at least 5 different ways. Ex: 2 wool socks, absorbent mat, rocks, and bucket. 😉 Great job by covering all bases by catching what chunks/ grease may come out of your grey tank into the sock and then disposing of that in the garbage. I think most others feel it's perfectly ok to dump their grey water which is everything but "poo" onto the ground. Thank you for taking the extra care to make sure you help do your part to keep our free land "free" before they get pissed and stop all open free camping period. I had a separate showering tank installed and can if I choose to evaporate that water but I won't. I will wait till I get to a dump station to dispose of my 3 tanks. This way....im not contributing at all to any harm to the environment period.
Please read the " Source" in blue writing people. It will tell you in big black bold print that kitchen wash water is definitely considered BLACK WATER not grey. So read the laws for yourself and if you misinterpret the laws and rules for dumping than its your fault and no one e lses.
one moment at a time I agree. I think they state it that way because in an RV, kitchen dish water goes out the same line as the black tank, thus, bio hazards would be dripping out along with the sink water. Tent campers, however, who don't have a black tank, can dunmp out their dirty dish water on the ground. My feeling is that my dish and shower water is just like the tent campers "wash water " because it is not in contact with any human waste (or animal products, btw, because I'm vegan). I also strain all my dishes before i wash them to catch a many food particles as I can.I don't think it's appropriate to dump or evaporatw grey water if it's comingling with any type of sewage. I appreciate your thoughtful comments on this topic!
Creativity RV
I agree with you 100% Your doing it right girl! 😉 I love your set up. Keep exploring and enjoying yourself out there.
one moment at a time thanks! I have been surprised how controversial this has been. Some people think I'm nuts for not just dumping it, others are mad I'm suggesting evaporation at all! Oh well. I do appreciate you have given me your opinion in a constructive and positive way! Safe travels to you ☺️
You are a breath of fresh air (no reference to the topic!) in the RUclips nomad community. I’m thrilled to have found your intelligent, informative channel - a thank you to Bob.
Doo Dah awww, thank you!
That is very clever. Guess you can just get new socks when those have too much gunk in them. You might consider black ceramic briquettes instead of rocks. They can be found most places that handle BBQs. Look like charcoal but are some kind of ceramic. They would absorb a lot more heat and might speed things up. As a solo woman and also full time I find your videos very refreshing. I find problem solving to be fun and not a cause for stress.
Carol Nicholls good idea!
what about cat litter?
I'd just throw the socks into the wash along with my other laundry.
A small, solar powered fan blowing across the medium would speed up evaporation tremendously, and it wouldn't tax your battery bank.
Like a dehumidifier idea?
This is a method used in swamp coolers.
I wonder about using one of those heat generated wood stove top fan if you have enough sun to make the fan spin?
@@vincent-leroymclopezki5919 Those are 2% efficient while a solar fan is like 50% efficient
@@vincent-leroymclopezki5919 Those stove fans use induction heat and quite a bit of it. I have put my stove fan out doors on a sunny day and got nothing but a nice shiny still fan!
If you add a simple $5 garden hose valve on the sewer dump cap, you can control the water flow much easier than using just the grey water valve by itself.
I took your advice and am trying out the setup for the first time today. :-) The one I purchased didn't have a precise enough lever at the spigot, but I was going to try it anyway and it wouldn't fit on the Valterra tank cap. I do think it's a great idea though and I will look for another one.
Lol! As the sole dumper of our tanks (my husband is squeamish!) I have no issues with dumping tanks. My only real interest is making them last longer so we don't have to dump as often. If we are wanting our tanks to last longer, we use provided bathrooms whenever possible, that includes toilet and showers, and I do my dishes in dishpans instead of straight in the sink. I wipe food off any dishes prior to washing using a paper towel, which keeps the water cleaner. I also only use biodegradable cleaning products in the RV. I empty the dishwashing water onto plants, feeding several with each bin. I also do this at our cabin, where I have to haul every drop of water uphill from the lake. Years of this practise on the flora and fauna around the cabin has resulted in healthy plants and no smell whatsoever. I do not endorse the random draining of grey tanks wherever and whenever, but careful conservation of what space there is in my tanks has allowed us to avoid dumping tanks for longer periods and to stay longer in beautiful locations. JMO!
I can see why that corporate boss hoped to keep you for 30 years. You are a joy to watch and listen too as well as very smart. I'd take your advice any time!
Nifty idea! I love how you problem solve these little life necessities and then share. Great. Thank you!!
Genius! I haven't seen this idea in 6 months of researching RV life.
Hello! I've watched a lot of your videos, and they are great. I admire you for choosing this lifestyle and sticking with it. I do have a suggestion for you regarding your evaporation method. That nifty cap you have for the dump is probably threaded for garden hose. You can get a really inexpensive hose shut-off valve that you could screw on there, then attach your socks. it would give you a much easier and precise way to adjust the flow coming out. They also have plastic quick release ties and clamps that would let you stop using your hair ties. I think these suggestions will make your already good system even better! Good luck, and stay safe!
Your rocks could be improved by finding the black porous lava rock. Wal-Mart would sell a small bag to use to plant orchids in. It would help with the evaporation greatly. They would also heat better than the white rocks your using now..
I love the creativity, truly. I'm gearing up to start recording videos for my RV (which is more vintage than yours) to show things I'm doing to prep it for travel. So much fun to see what you're doing.
Christopher 3D thanks! Good luck
thanks,,, just throwing another number at you... a gallon of water weighs a little over 8 1/3 lbs.. and for me, every lb is needed for other things than grey water so this is a great trick.. you made a new follower in me..
First time checking out your channel. Quite a interesting subject. Me personally. I dump my grey tank on the ground if I’m out boondocking and getting full. But usually that’s not the case because I’ll need fresh water, so I’ll do all that at the dump station. The plants need the water and if the food particles aren’t biodegradable, I shouldn’t be eating that crap anyways.
I love this idea. Didn't know it was necessary to do this type of drain. NOW I get it! I so enjoy following your channel. I am going NOMAD in just a few weeks. I haven't quite decided on my RV rig. Funds will be the determining factor. I have to find work online since my social security won't cover it all. I have 2 masters and can't find a job out here. I have been a car traveler for years, now I'm going full time to the nomad lifestyle. Between you, Carolyn, Bill, and a few others I am getting well educated. Thank you so very much. Blessings.
I think it's awesome that you're so considerate of the environment and make this extra effort to do your part! Thank you for all your informative videos!
Very creative and refreshing. I watch a lot of rv channels and you are the first person I have watched that has even dealt with gray water like this. Way to go! New sub here :-)
Sue G I agree! I am totally impressed, and I'm a new sub also.
Ditto ^^^^
Ditto...
Nice video. Jason and Nikki Wynn at Gone With the Wynns did a segment at Burning Man where they showed several methods of evaporative grey water disposal.
Girl, you are a genius! You need to patent this idea before someone else does. We're going to utilize it. Thank you so much, Miss Creativity!!!
Lava rocks (as in barbecuing) might retain more heat. Also, if you used two plastic bins you could unfold the dish mat to double the surface area and increase evaporation rate.
Very ingeniously done. Also on a very small footprint one thing you might have pointed out was that it works best in a low humidity environment. Also the amount of wind at the sock or wind speed. Thanks for opening my mind to this method. safe travels and Keep Smiling and Laugh a Lot to Live Long.
Just hadn't imagined the lengths people would go to solve a non-problem if the water is safe for ground dispersion.
I would just create a drip system below a 3 gallon holding tank so that after it has water flow into it from a shower, or well filtered sink, it just starts dripping out at a slow rate which gets soaked in over several hours of dripping, to no notice on the ground as it would soak in as fast as dripping, unless of course it is raining, and then nothing will be noticed at all. If desired and I would think especially if you do have food particles in the water, literally any tool to dig a small divot into the ground where it is dripping will let you push the dirt back over afterward before leaving to absolutely leave no evidence behind... But I would prefer filtering particulates out so that the drip system doesn't clog as readily.
Great video. The adapter cap is for hooking up a garden hose a lot of people use that to run their grey water into the woods. You can screw on the cap to the adapter a few threads until you get the correct amount of drip flow, instead of having to find the correct flow using the main valve.
Awesome idea. My partner & I have a travel trailer & I plan on building a DIY composting toilet. As a retired nurse I NEVER want to touch poop again, hence the composting toilet. We didn't want to deal with draining the water from the grey tank either, so this sounds like a grand idea.
We haven't been on the road yet, so my plan is to try this idea out in the back yard first. Looking forward to more videos and great ideas from you. Thanks.
Kristy Cook thanks! Please let me know how it goes
This is why this is the creativity RV channel
Oh, man! What an awesome idea! I didn't even know this was possible.
Don't worry about the haters. Most of them are just ignorant. Personally, I would just hook a water hose on to the sewer cap and run it to the nearest tree. Let it drip water the landscape....good for the environment (as long as there isn't anything toxic in your gray water). Great job!
This was fascinating! How much better than others sneakily dumping their grey water when no one is looking, or saving it up and taking it to a dump station. Geniuis!
That’s really great and a very ethical method. Personally, I’d open the tap and just drive on up the road.
Great idea! We too have a composting toilet in our trailer (and actually two in our sailboat). What a difference that has made in our fresh water usage & how much gray water we can now hold (and possibly evaporate)!
Bravo to you both for being so responsible and for sharing this evaporization method which I think is quite elegant.
Very cool! This is exactly what I've been wanting to do. I like your teaching style! Thank you.
Oh good! I hope it helps.
Great Idea..I have also seen home composting toilets that use a fan and vent to evaporate urine......
Just recently started watching your videos. I enjoy your thinking process, your definitely unconventional and informative, as well as fun to watch. Thank you for sharing with the rest of us.
Either get dark colored rocks or paint the rocks black to increase heat absorption. Also use a black basket. Increasing the area of the pad would also increase the evaporation rate.
Insanely clever and inspiring. Thank you so much!!! I'm getting ready to hit the road full time and need all the info I can get about off-grid boondocking. This is awesome.
Such an ingenious way of doing it. I am impressed.
Hello Robin.... Thank you for the tip on 'Evaporating' the water from your gray tank. I found it to be practical and solves a problem RV's would have. I don't write comments...but I felt compelled to do so..so as to keep encouraging you to continue making these videos. I'm just glued to them and all those good tips you contribute. Once again....thank you... from Luis from Lake Alfred, Florida...
By the way I know people that have "outhouses" and they use big zip lock bags for the paper it is sealable and odorless and dumpable at the first dumpster. I love this video. there is no LOVE button.
I'll love your response!
I don't know about any of you. But, I think pooping in a plastic bag, not compoted, and throwing raw sewage into land fills is somehow just not quite right.
I do not think people realize that most garbage is put on conveyer belts, and humans go through it to separate plastic, glass, metal, wood, from non recycle people's garbage.
Can u imagine them opening a plastic bag of camper poop? And we all wonder why our water and streams are polluted.
Better to compost and leave composting bag on back rack with genny, and evaporation of grey water is brilliant!!! One would think, with knowing how dry it is out in blm, desert, what harm grey water would.do to all that sand?? I have often wondered. Other than particles of food and what not soap would be trapped on the surface after water filtered down.
Victoria Price The signs certainly say so! It is illegal to dispose of bodily fluids... something like that
Placing your partially composed human waste in a trash receptical is very bad. It takes many weeks under IDEAL conditions between when you stop adding fresh material and when you discard. If it smells like poop...do not toss it into the trash.
yet the same bins are full of baby diapers full of poop
I can’t wait to get out on the road. Your videos are soooo very helpful. Watching and learning from you will really help when I transition. Thank you!
One of your new biggest fans, thank you for sharing your experiences and by far my favorite vlogger, representing solo female full timers!! I'm a newbie the midst of hardcore research phase and composting toilet was definitely on my wish list; you just solidified ;) it. And your grey tank idea is brilliant. Your story and honesty about full time RVing is so inspirational. Thanks again Robin!!
Thanks Trinity!
Great idea, as long as you sit in one spot all day and the sun is shining on the socks/mat.
That is just so smart. I just bought a tote and store. We are gonna be stationary for awhile. But this is so helpful!
Thank you
Joan Davis thanks! Please let me know how it works for you
You are F'ng awesome! This is totally cool and necessary. We all know everything is changing in this world we live in and so many other changes to come. I love it and how your creative mind works. Great job!
Plus, no electricity required people
I love your videos. What was the compelling reason to evaporate vs dump it? Like doesn’t it absorb into the ground from the mat anyhow? Plus reading about it being ok if not food particles. Perhaps just strain with the socks or some filter to catch the debris you can’t dump n discard the socks.
I love this idea and will do it as soon as I can. I have subscribed and I linked that thing that goes on the end of the sewer outlet to my shopping cart and I have the socks and everything but the dryer already. I plan to begin living in my RV while emptying my house next month, and I will use this method to get rid of my gray water. FUN! Thanks!
LKBuie yay!!! Good luck and let me know how it goes
Hi Robin
I have learned a lot from you and am so glad you are out there doing weird experiments like this so I don't have to. I really enjoy your light-hearted videos.
Thanks🤓
That's so awesome and simple! I'm going to try this for Burning Man this year! Thank you so much for posting :)
Robin you are the best for info on RV'n. Just want to say " TY" 4 all you do 4 us
God bless & stay safe
This is so darn creative and earth friendly! I have seen Burning Man videos do something similar using evaporation to deal with water they have showered in. I will be referring to this video of yours for sure, once I’m full timing 🙌🏻😀
Fascinating and very clever! Thank you, Robin, for sharing your process. I've also found this thread to be quite informative. Here's a dumb question from a newbie (me): What's so horrible about the dumping station? Particularly when it comes to grey water? I understand why the black water would not be much fun and the desire to compost for that reason. I'm not there yet -- I don't have my RV yet (although I found her today! YAY!) -- but now I know where to look once I start doing all this myself. Thanks again everybody!
Love this idea for gray water evaporation! Thanks so much.
Very interesting and a great educational video. You are quite creative and this is another one of your functional tips! Thank you for your research and demonstration of evaporating the grey tank water in an environmentally safe manner. Lin H.
great idea in certain circumstances. You just gave me a great idea to incorporate into your solution. Cheers !
Great Idea, Robin! I viewed this video back when you first uploaded it in 2018, although never thanked you for the Tip - so, Thank You!
Just found your channel - loving it! You have great information and a really good on camera personality.
While I'm not full-timing (yet!), I love this idea. The only thing I think will be a problem down the road is that solids will sit and likely congeal in the bottom of the tank over time. Using a dump station minimizes this as the large volume of liquid moving will pull most of these solids out. The trickling will leave much of them behind. So I think that every once in a while you'll need to go through a cleaning process and use a dump station.
I you use biodegradable soap, you water can go on the ground. I'm sitting here looking at the trees behind you, thinking they'd probably like a drink, lol.
I find it funny when someone talks about getting rid of grey water and also then uses an outdoor shower. Think about the thousands of people that use the outdoor shower every day at the beach and it just runs on the ground.
This is BRILLIANT! Pat yourself on the back!
Thats very clever think ill have to use your idea. I saw gone with the wynns show how people did it at burning man. Yours is a lot less bulky, i love it
Shelley Nunn thanks! Yes, I love that video (and meant to recommend it-drat!) But I needed something portable 😎
Shelley Nunn Do you have a link?
G. Cosper www.gonewiththewynns.com/eliminating-graywater-burning-man
I am really impressed with your enginuity. We must be related! Thanks for the tip.
Very informative. Well done video as well. Thank you for sharing. Think I'll try this.
Hi Robin ~ I Love these videos and ideas. I was thinking that Dr. Bronners with water could be sprayed around the sock to erase any odors and help keep it even cleaner.
I think you’re great! Really good ideas and thanks very much for sharing with everyone! (weather they seem to appreciate it or not) lol. I’m active duty Navy for 12yrs, but I have a 4yr old and I am going to go ahead and leave, give up early retirement package in order to raise & home school her (spend real time with her) while traveling in an RV. I will get out in June next year and I’m so excited and also nervous :) your positive energy is so encouraging ❤️ God bless you!
You ARE Creativity RV ... just Brilliant! 😃
I'd think periodically you'd WANT to dump your grey tank to get little bits of food, hair, whatever gets into the grey tank from your sink or shower. I'd be afraid of that crud filling up in the tank or gumming up the works.
Matthew Johnson I agree
Each time you use the sink it's going to flush what's left. I would think
I love this idea thanks for the information I will try this the next time we go out.
Love ur setup. I might add a usb charging battery fan from walmart and also one time a month fill ur grey tank w clean water and force flush the normal dumping way to get rid of "leftovers". Very well done. Ty.
ABSOLUTELY the best idea i have seen in a long time :D
Forest Lake thanks!
My concern would be smell and insects. Might want to use a splash of citronella in the layer of mats...
Had a seasonal site and we created a french drain dug with rocks and gravel and a large barrel underground. Was extremely careful to scrape foodscraps well and use the drain catches in sinks and shower...
Enjoy your vids very much. Cannot wait to get back on the road in our 33 ft Class A soon...Hope to see you sometime! Ty for your research...Deb
Tip...save your store bags for trash. We do this in the RV and home by purchasing office waste baskets...saves money and recycles!
This is sooooooo smart! I know the grey water can really smell - do the socks and dish drying mat retain any smell as or does drying them outside eliminate all that?
Really enjoying your videos!
I wondered about that, too.
You’re such a smart lady .
I like that - Be Free !!
I am not an RVer but I have spend 20 years as a certified Master Gardner specializing in water harvesting and reclamation in the state of Texas. I appreciate your attempts to "safely" dispose of gray water but this is all so unnecessary and frankly silly. All over the world and the USA gray water is totally safe and legal to be diverted into lawns and ornamental gardens. By "gray water" we mean water used for showering, hand washing, laundry water and dish water. Ideally all soaps should be biodegradable. The BML laws are there to prevent corporations and companies from dumping large amounts 1000's of gallons of gray water onto Gov land creating washouts, and pools. Hikers and campers are allowed to discard their gray water 100' away from a water source. while on trails throughout the national and state park systems.
Before releasing gray water it should be strained with a fine mesh strainer to remove food particles, after that it is best to release water slowly to allow the soil to absorb it. This is not only safe but beneficial to the environment as a whole. As long as the water does not leave traces upon evaporation or large soggy wet spots it is perfectly ok to release as much as the soil can absorb this will greatly enhance the biodiversity in the soil. I also understand that if you have 100's of campers all in one spot this needs to be taken into consideration, and common sense should be used. But while you are camping in campsites with a few people over the course of the season and especially dry environments it is perfectly safe.
that's what I was thinking also? Why do all of this? I've seen lots of vids where people just dump their grey water out on the ground.
You are absolutely correct and everything that you said. Years ago I was a Texas certified nurserymen back in the day. I did not take the Master Test I was out of the business. There is very fine strainers that you can put in your sink and bathtub the catch the larger particles. That is where most of the odor occurs. Is very beneficial for plants and they will transpire very very close to 100% pure water. What goes up an evaporation is 99.9% clear water vapor. Where her system would be beneficial as when you have neighbors close by they may be offended by a odor and that is legitimate but you don't want to have to explain to somebody gray water is safer than stream water for soaking into the ground. In reality you can put it through a solar still AKA water dehydrator and drink it. What is this water called that is a purest water on Earth yep distilled water. This is a way of dealing with grey water creating freshwater at the same time
G.A.Buba You seem very knowledgeable on this! Can you answer one question... can urine be grey water? I have a composting toilet that separates the urine in a jug. I want to plumb that into my grey tank as I have no black tank. Seems fine in my head as it will be diluted by all the other grey water. Thoughts?
All this talk of dumping waste and gray water reminded me of that DNC bus dumping everything in a storm drain... ruclips.net/video/vtC9XGwMLDQ/видео.html
I read most of the article that was referenced in the first post. Seems like gray is ok on blm except for a couple of supplemental spots that have special regs. like the long term place in az. So some spots hare special regs. Rangers have discretion to site violators or not... that probably has to do with the honey truck collecting all the water and just dumping 3000 gals in one spot.
@@iant720over 30 year contractor. In a home septic system solids settle in the septic tanks to decompose while the liquids (grey water and urine) pass freely into the lateral lines where they seep into the soil and/or dump into a cesspool.So yes urine is technically grey water.It is most likely more sterile and acidic than grey water but dilution is the key.
I love you already! I'm just a girl who loves to research and find smarted ways to do things as well. I have a composting toilet but haven't been able to have anyone install it into my class B sprinter RV. Bought coconut core as well. I'm in love 😍🙋🙌🚐
Try stacking the rock baskets for more evaporation action or rig up a splitter to go into more than one basket.
I love your videos. I'm trying to figure out how to get on the road soon. You are inspiring!
I appreciate your ingenuity, usfull technique while on an extended stay!
I dont disagree that disguarding GW at a hose length works fine BUT when that combo of weather & geographic location turns unfavourable; GW attracts mosquitos etc and occasionally lets off that stagnated dish pan odor!
With a little streamlining, your design will not only take less effort but be much more user & eco friendly.
Definitely got me thinking, can't wait to see future updates!!! Thank you!
GREAT IDEA... Awesome Job Robin!😃👍
Awesome idea
Wow! Super cool!! Great job!!
It's a eco friendly way to dispose of gray water not a bad idea Robin 👍
I love mad scientist ... keep it up girl ... it's going to catch on .... brilliant idea.
Very ingenius, i am in love with your brain.
If you rinse foods or allow any particulate to go down the sink and shower drains, that will eventually foul your system but you simply throw away the socks and mat more often. Of course you can occasionally back flush and maintain your grey tank when near a dump station. With our RV which is 36' long we use the hose adaptor to a garden type "Soaker" hose that has thousands of tiny pores to allow dispersion. I then position the soaker hose down the center of our RV under/between the axles and it normally keeps up quite well with the grey water we generate and we do not get a wet spot. This works better over sand soil or lush grassy areas. and it is great for the grass! One issue is our washing machine. I smply place a 5 gallon bucket under the large grey valve opening when we do a load. It just about perfectly fills the bucket. Sometimes if hotdry pavement is available I walk down the center of the pavement and slowly pour the grey wash water out and it will evaporate quickly.
Just thinking if you take Orbit Arizona Mist Hose Attachment and rv 12 volt water pump a drip line fitter and two short garden hoses one clear and 25 foot tank wash hose
1: use the the drain cap with the hose end
2: one short garden hose to the drip line fitter
3: short clear hose from fitter to the 12 volt pump
4: hook up 25 hose (side note NOT you fresher water hose) your tank washing hose to the Orbit arizona Mister
5: plug in your water pump
6. use a black trash bag on the ground under mister
I think about one hour 30 gallon be gone.
Can you try a soaker garden hose inside the pair of sock? hook the soaker hose on the the sewer cap and make the other end of the hose block off this will help with water flow. (may be ) try it? second run that soaker hose in a black tub and let sun do it work. For BLM she is add water into air and add to the water cycle
I think your system work well in a hot dry or wind place. P.S. well done
KUDOS to you Robin. Love your research mania.
Love this post and it has me thinking of a way of incorporating it into my van build. I was just wondering how well this works in the winter when there is little to no sun.
I'm not sure, I started it last spring. This winter I'm testing other methods in AZ. Maybe I'll do an update. Please let me know if you figure anything out on your side too :-)
Im going to figure this out on a little bit of a bigger scale and out of a 5 gallon bucket. I am planning on visit Black Rock City for Burning man in 2020 and found your page while doing research. Love the information, enjoy your travels.
Soap stone holds heat really well.👍👍👍
Thanks! You are awesome, and glad you’re doing well.
1.) Love you're hair during this video; 2.) Love your top. I have one that looks almost the same with Itasca State Park on it. My favorite lightweight sweatshirt ever. And I LOVE, LOVE Kauai. That is where I first kayaked ever!; 3. Are you still doing this method and if so, and modifications since this video? I'm buying all my gear this winter to start full timing in 2021.
I like her hair cut too! ✂️
Great video, Creativity RV! Never thought of doing this, but really makes sense.
This is a really clever idea. Oils and soaps get trapped in the sock and the mat but the water evaporates. Genius.
Great idea, have you think adding a 12v or 110v heating element to help evaporate faster? I was thinking something like a warmer pad.
We always use a dish pan in our kitchen sink while we're in our travel trailer. But I'm wondering what happens to those small bits of food and the hair from the bathtub and bathroom sink when you empty the gray tank like this? Do they come out with the gray water into the socks, or do they stay in the tank? I wondering if you emptied the tank all the way if those bits would get stuck on the bottom of the tank? I am guessing you probably flush out the gray tank occasionally when you do stay at a campground, but just wondering if all the gunk comes out into the socks too.
Starla Ross I strain out the little boys the best that I can and still see a few pieces come out in the sock. I absolutely flush the tank out periodically though and disinfect it.
Cool! It will save stops at the very least!
Black rock usually have a lot of iron so hold heat quite long (that’s why they are used of Hot Stone Massage. There are Basalt stones
Hella-smart, damn. Best RV idea I've seen this year and easy to manipulate to one's own needs.
Just thinking out loud. My husband is backpacker. When he’s out with a group, he uses a gravity feed water filter. I wonder if something like this would work with rv gray water. This way you could reuse the water.
Unfolding the drying-cloth would increase it's surface area, which should increase evaporation.
It's like a reverse solar still. Pretty cool!
what a genius idea! very impressive robin!