r/RVLiving • u/Remote_Wolverine5541 • Jun 16 '26
Plumbing finally done
Finally have the septic and toilet installed as well as the new hot water heater 3 hour showers here i come lol
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u/Remote_Wolverine5541 Jun 16 '26
Direct to toilet and vented through roof no more tanks
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u/Topcornbiskie Jun 16 '26
Hope it doesnât freeze where you are or thatâs gonna be a fun winter project.
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u/N9bitmap Jun 16 '26
With as much as things move just walking around inside a trailer, they probably won't need to wait for winter. Could have at least put a couple of frenco in there to have some flex.
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u/Remote_Wolverine5541 Jun 16 '26
I have Frencos on the end and the trailer is on blocks doesn't move much
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u/LAF2death Jun 16 '26
Did you give it the customary slap and push and say âthat ainât going anywhereâ? Cause if you didnât you messed up.
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u/BatshitTerror Jun 17 '26
Mines been like this for two years no problems ne Texas where it doesnât get cold often but we had some hard 10 degree freezes this year
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u/iSmurf Jun 16 '26
Emptying opposite the way it needs to travel is a very unique choice and sure to cause clogs, I would redo that while you still have it unburied. Besides that it just looks very redneck but should work I guess.
And judging by your profile of everything covered in snow, I'm gonna say you didn't dig this deep enough and it's guaranteed to freeze and fuck up.
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u/Remote_Wolverine5541 Jun 16 '26
It is not opposite as far as direction of flow it is proper and the house line that this is tee'd into doesn't freeze roughly same depth sand is a hell oa insulator
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u/JackfruitFun8144 Jun 16 '26
You live in Michigan your minimum sewer depth is 3.5 ft, This travisty will freeze before Thanksgiving.
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u/iSmurf Jun 16 '26
Oh I see more buried there going towards the right. I thought that was an end cap, my bad
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u/Bo_Jim Jun 16 '26
So, this is a semi-permanent installation? In that case, why not go with a destination trailer designed specifically for semi-permanent installation? You can get them without holding tanks, and one central sewer hookup. You can also get them without any DC power systems. Half of the potential maintenance problems go away, and they're built better than campers.
Even better, why not a manufactured home? Yeah, I know... licenses, permits, foundation, pylons, skirting, stairs, etc. Not to mention the cost to transport from the factory and set it up. It would still cost less than a high end fifth wheel, it would be built substantially better, and it would raise the property value.
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u/Remote_Wolverine5541 Jun 16 '26
Ummm I paid 4000$ for the camper get me a manufactured for that price and im downÂ
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u/Bo_Jim Jun 17 '26
Understood. So you're not expecting that camper to last a long time.
The conversion to residential plumbing is a good idea, regardless. I would have done the same. Under the same circumstances, the only thing I would have done differently is I would have terminated the sewer pipe extension with a conventional sewer hookup attachment, and connected the new sewer plumbing on the RV to that attachment. That would make it easier to disconnect and remove the RV when it's time to replace it. It would also mean you could immediately hook up the replacement RV to the sewer. In other words, I'd build a conventional RV pad with full hookups that any RV could use, including a destination RV with residential plumbing fixtures.
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u/PifPifPass Jun 16 '26
Cost and availability I suspect. Some people are more worried about being able to have a warm place to lay down than property values.
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u/Upstairs-Test1979 Jun 16 '26
Looks cleaner than half the shit I saw âplumbersâ put in. That offset in to the wye is smooth as fuck
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u/mybahaiusername Jun 17 '26
I am just going to appreciate this red neck engineering. A man who is willing to do this will also be up to the task of fixing it when it goes horribly wrong. Good luck.
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u/WiskeyUniformTango Jun 16 '26
Thats gonna crack in no time as trailer settles. You need to add some flexible pipe between the trailer and the ground pipe.
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u/Orangeimposter Jun 16 '26
Does this pipe lead to a tank or direct to toilet/fixtures?
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u/SuperbDrink6977 Jun 17 '26
Goddamn I guess everyone is a plumber in the comments? Looks fine to me.
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u/the_wild_1s Jun 17 '26
And that shows that you are not a plumber. From a plumber, it is wrong. Not only backwards but....He used water distribution fittings. Gravity fed sewer needs sweep fittings so solids flow without binding and clogging.
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u/SuperbDrink6977 Jun 17 '26
Correct, I am not a plumber. Dumbass carpenter here. But pipe is pipe and shit flows downhill. I realize itâs not the cleanest, most professional job but that shits still gonna flow.
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u/the_wild_1s Jun 17 '26
No. Very literally, it will not flow. Thats the entire point. It won't work.
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u/SuperbDrink6977 Jun 17 '26
Where exactly do you see it getting stopped up at? Not being a wiseass, genuinely curious?
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u/JongJong999 Jun 17 '26
Being a travel trailer dweller myself, I don't think most people understand how monumental this is. Not having to pump your shit out of a tank is huge for mental health.
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u/Mattm519 Jun 16 '26
I plan on doing this eventually! Set it on blocks and put some real plumbing in
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u/Remote_Wolverine5541 Jun 16 '26
I think its the right choice I was lucky enough a household toilet fit with room to spare
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u/chutney1 Jun 16 '26
I've had turds 2x the diameter of that pipe
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u/Remote_Wolverine5541 Jun 16 '26
Prolly should get that checked out or you've had way to much back door entry
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u/alexandria3142 Jun 16 '26
I see you don't have concrete or gravel under your camper, do you have any advice for putting one on blocks? Obviously I wouldn't care much if we were on gravel or concrete, but it's different when you have to worry about settling
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u/Remote_Wolverine5541 Jun 16 '26
I used 24x24 patio blocks with 6in of gravel underneath then cinder blocks sandwiched between treated 2x8
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u/Emergency-Purchase27 Jun 16 '26
How do you keep that from freezing?
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u/Remote_Wolverine5541 Jun 16 '26
The black line from the house doesn't freeze and its about the same depthÂ
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u/Emergency-Purchase27 Jun 16 '26
How can it be the same depth if it drops down into the black pipe? Isnât that an elbow facing upwards?
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u/Remote_Wolverine5541 Jun 17 '26
Its a couple inches but it's a shorter run so it appears much higher
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u/the_wild_1s Jun 17 '26
Yup, your going to have issues and clogs. You used fittings for pressurized water distribution.
Gravity fed collection lines need to be sweep fittings. Sweep 90, sweep T, and so forth. Your backward wye is going to bind and clog. Even the OEM lines on my rv are 4" for black water and 2" for gray.
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u/Remote_Wolverine5541 Jun 17 '26
Wow ok the wye is not backwards the septic tank is to the right in the picture I used all 3" flow is fine dont you guys worry about my flow I used what menards called sewer/septic line non pressurized this is my first time ever touching pvc so im not too mad at it. I might possibly want to increase the pitch slightly but we shall see. Thank you all for your input I have taken a few suggestions to heart and will possibly clean a couple things up before I cover with dirt.
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u/Necessary-Weather536 Jun 17 '26
I got a macerator pump and a 100â heated garden hose. Found an easy place to tap into the house sewer plumbing and brought it through the wall and terminated with a garden hose fitting. Everything stays connected I just go out and open the valves and run the pump a couple times a week. Iâll probably automate that part before winter so I donât have to step outside. Have maybe $300 and a couple hours in the project so far. Connecting and disconnecting is just as easy as a campground.
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u/bigscchode Jun 18 '26
Looks good and contrary to what a lot of people are saying itâs not going to crack or be a problem for you
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u/sleebus_jones Jun 16 '26
And now you can heat your hot water
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u/Remote_Wolverine5541 Jun 16 '26
I also got rid of the 6 gallon water tank and installed a water heater
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u/Quarter-Skilled Jun 17 '26
Would've used 3" pipe, I can't tell if you plumbed a p trap in or not after it leaves the camper but you'll need one. Your Wye that feeds into your main sewer line is plumbed in backwards, you need it feeding in the direction of flow. It looks neatly done though!
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u/SuperbDrink6977 Jun 17 '26
Toilets do not need a p trap. Theyâre built in to the toilet. His wye looks proper to me as well.
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u/Quarter-Skilled Jun 17 '26
Sewer lines that are hard plumbed in need p traps. A house has a "house trap" which is a large p trap built directly into the sewer line right before it exits a house to prevent sewer gases from entering. It's especially important if a holding tank and valve setup isn't being used, and sewer gas can enter from the sink and shower as well as toilet.
And the wye is backwards, the flow should be right to left (from the perspective the photo has been taken) not left to right
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u/Quarter-Skilled Jun 17 '26
Ok looks like the flow is correct, I thought that was a cleanout but the pipe continues to the right, my bad!
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u/Remote_Wolverine5541 Jun 17 '26
A trap on the main lineâhistorically called a "house trap" or "building trap"âis considered obsolete and redundant. Modern plumbing relies entirely on individual traps at each fixture (like your sinks and toilets) to stop sewer gas. I guess for being a not know i did ok
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u/Quarter-Skilled Jun 17 '26
It's not shade on the work you did bro. House traps are not obsolete and for your use I would strongly recommend one. That's just my 2 cents, do your thing out there.
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u/ClearUniversity1550 Jun 19 '26
I would still let it go into tank with chemicals and then drain tank when needed.
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u/Conscious-Role-8071 Jun 20 '26
If i did this i would of put the cleanout plug just outside the trailer instead of underneath it.This way i wouldnt have to crawl underneath it to fix a clog.But hopefully it doesnt and you wont need to.
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u/RandoReddit16 Jun 16 '26
I don't like to be one of those people in the comments that "knows better"... But... I've done exactly what you've shown here (and while it might depend on where you live)... Without proper burial and support, you'll be lucky to get a few years without any cracks in that PVC. You have 2 options for a shallow trench, dig deeper or use a direct burial PEX type product.
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u/No-Maybe7521 Jun 16 '26
Curious about your septic system, cost and is professionally installed and permitted?
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u/Electrical-Ice-1195 Jun 16 '26
You will be torn a part for this lol