Not a glamorous topic. I have a Selway Riverbank Toilet and have always used SCAT machines. I may be using it on a Lodore trip in October and I see Split Mountain only has an RV dump station. The toilet came with an RV hose, but since I have never used it or seen it done I am hoping to avoid the type of shitstorm disaster I am prone to. My wife doesn't even let me go near a SCAT machine for embarrassing reasons I won't go in to. Anyone want to walk me through the process?
Using RV dump stations: Anyone want to walk me through it?
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I have a Selway toilet as well. I've used a SCAT machine plenty of times, but I actually prefer to use the RV dump/hose setup now. To me the nice thing is that the entire bucket doesn't get covered in nasty shitty water using the RV setup. I went to Home Depot and got a brass hose coupler. The Selway should come with one, but the one I got at Home Depot is nicer to thread onto the lid and hose. Hook the water hose up to the bucket using the coupler and the RV hose to the bucket, then fill er up and give the bucket a swish every now and then to bust stuff loose and send it down the hose. I normally take the lid off and detach the hose and use it to get any cling ons loose and send em down the blue hose. When you are done just make sure you don't forget the plastic lid cap and the threaded cap for the RV hose. I've almost left mine at the dump station in the haste of trying to get the job done and get on the road. Also it's wise to hose out the RV hose to keep things semi clean in there. There is also a very nice free dump station in Sandy, UT if you happen to be staying in SLC on your way back home.
The dump station at Split Mountain boat ramp disgusting. It's basically a hole in the ground and you just dump your nastiness. The are hoses to help clean things out. If there was a RV dump in the park we would use it. A lot of RV parks have a station but will charge you. In Colorado a lot of rest areas have free dump stations.
Using an RV station should be painless, especially if you have help. My groover is a rocket box retrofitted with RV fitting on the lid. This is how I do it. Wear latex or rubber gloves. Make sure you're garden and clean out hoses are long enough - 6-8 feet. Attach both hoses to the tank. Attach he garden hose to the nearby hose bib, The big hose goes into the hole in the ground. Turn on the garden hose, slowly and not full blast. Make sure you don't over fill or you will have a mess. Swirl the stuff around a bit, open the gate, and bombs away! Repeat several times. Take a peek. If it's mostly clean use a brush and the hose to finish the job. It makes things easier if you put some water in the groover as you put it away at the last camp.
I did a late Oct. Ladore trip. It was great. Have fun!
Using an RV station should be painless, especially if you have help. My groover is a rocket box retrofitted with RV fitting on the lid. This is how I do it. Wear latex or rubber gloves. Make sure you're garden and clean out hoses are long enough - 6-8 feet. Attach both hoses to the tank. Attach he garden hose to the nearby hose bib, The big hose goes into the hole in the ground. Turn on the garden hose, slowly and not full blast. Make sure you don't over fill or you will have a mess. Swirl the stuff around a bit, open the gate, and bombs away! Repeat several times. Take a peek. If it's mostly clean use a brush and the hose to finish the job. It makes things easier if you put some water in the groover as you put it away at the last camp.
I did a late Oct. Ladore trip. It was great. Have fun!
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^^ yup. Split Mountain groover dump is a pit, covered by a grate, with a garden hose and sprayer. Usually stinks, but there's a vault toilet close if you need to hurl, or just hurl into the grate!
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I have a River Bank system as well. IMHO I think it is the most comfortable and user friendly system out there. As we all know, what goes in must come out. As riverwild said, Scat machines are disgusting and I prefer to use RV dump sites. The Riverbank system can be easily and rather oder freely cleaned. A few things should be touched on first, while wearing rubber gloves of course! Pre-trip: Spray the interior of the container with PAM cooking spray. It keeps shit from sticking to the sides of the container. Pre-launch: Make sure EVERYBODY understands that only TP and poop go in the bucket. NO "flushable wipes", NO feminine hygiene products, NO male hygiene products, NO nothing that isn't poop or TP. As to TP, make sure everybody understands that you don't need to "cover your tracks" or build a "landing pad". Use only the amount of TP you need to accomplish the job at hand. This is very important when it comes to cleanout time. Pre first use: I usually squirt a bottle or two of RV toilet treatment into the empty bucket. Then "let "er rip". During the trip: I usually sprinkle some RV treatment, or the odor eliminator of your choice, in the container when I'm packing it up after last call. Last day: pour some water in the container and cap it off for the trip to the take out. This helps agitate the contents and break things down for easier removal at the dump site. At the dump site: Remove the inner bucket from the outer protective case. Tip the bucket back at about a 45 degree angle from the cleanout opening and slowly, SLOWLY, twist the cleanout opening cap open then connect the cleanout hose. The most dangerous part of pulling the pin on this grenade is now done. Hose should be in the dump hole, connect the water hose to the top fitting in the lid, turn on water flow, let fill a bit then start sloshing around. As the more solid contents are flushed out into the dump, start picking up the bucket, and with hose connection down, empty and slosh. On a side note, make sure all the connections are secure before starting this dumping procedure, Iv'e heard some stories about explosions and that ain't good...
And just a comment about Split Mountain take out and RV cleanout, I have been down Lodore and the Yampa many times over the years and while the rangers are hit and miss(mostly very good)the groover dump has always been reasonably clean and a good place to offload the load.
I hope every one has a GROOVY day!
Mark
And just a comment about Split Mountain take out and RV cleanout, I have been down Lodore and the Yampa many times over the years and while the rangers are hit and miss(mostly very good)the groover dump has always been reasonably clean and a good place to offload the load.
I hope every one has a GROOVY day!
Mark
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Have you ever taken it to a porta potti company? That’s what I do. It costs around $30 here in Boise at the A Company down by the airport. It usually averages out to $3-$4 per person when we split up our group’s expenses. I just try to take my green inner tank down sometime the week after I get home from a trip. They clean it out and add more blue stuff. Ready to go for the next trip. Last week they had it cleaned and loaded back in my pickup by the time the lady in the office ran my credit card. (I had to open it and check because I was sure they couldn’t have cleaned it out that quickly. )
I can’t even imagine using the blue accordion hose that came with my Riverbank. I have flashbacks of getting sprayed with shitwater while helping to flush out the toilet tank on a houseboat in Lake Powell back when I was in college. No words to describe getting that sprayed on your face and all over your hands.
I never used a SCAT either. Just smelled it when I stopped in for gas at the Chevron in Riggins.
I can’t even imagine using the blue accordion hose that came with my Riverbank. I have flashbacks of getting sprayed with shitwater while helping to flush out the toilet tank on a houseboat in Lake Powell back when I was in college. No words to describe getting that sprayed on your face and all over your hands.
I never used a SCAT either. Just smelled it when I stopped in for gas at the Chevron in Riggins.
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Amen to that.
I have a eco-safe groover. Not the best, but I got it for $300 with 3 extra used tanks for a GC trip.
This is what I use to flush at RV dump sites
http://powertecproducts.com/70219-heavy-duty-3-inch-x-10-foot-pvc-flexible-dust-collection-hose-clear-color/ Used this for 12 years still going strong.
I attached the fitting from the cheap flex hose drain supplied when I purchased the eco tank
https://www.lowes.com/pd/Yardsmith-Yardsmith-Metal-Quick-Connector-Set/50328307
Attaches to tank (big) lid garden hose adapter supplied by eco-safe and coiled garden hose
https://www.homedepot.com/p/Melnor-1-2-in-Dia-x-50-ft-Coil-Water-Hose-983-202/202051573
Fast and easy clean out.
The biggest danger when dumping a groover in a rv clean-out happens when the drain hose gets plugged up with solids while the water hose is turned on, pressurizing the whole system and potentially bursting the hose or the lid and spraying poop water everywhere. It is best to have a buddy standing by at the water spigot ready to turn the water off immediately. Also, try to dump out the solids out slowly, not all at once, which will be more likely to clog.
Always keep your mouth closed while dumping a groover.
Always keep your mouth closed while dumping a groover.
Have someone standing at the water spigot ready to turn off the water immediately. ALWAYS. I learned that mistake once, with my mouth open. My shoes are still discolored. The clear fitting sounds like a good idea.
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The last setup I used had a quick disconnect connected to a water spraygun. Its a great way to control the flow rate and as soon as you take your hand off the water shuts off.
I'm intrigued but scared about using the sewer pipe cleanouts in my front yard. We had them put in when we had to replace some old clay pipe that had seperated. I have visions of poo flung all over the yard.
I guess I've never seen that and have definitely cleaned out groovers before. I think my favorite spot has been Split Mountain in Dinosaur...just a big hoeny hole and about 4 different hoses to use coming off a manifold. Connect one to the tank, have another running to flush the chunks down the honey hole. No accordion hose needed... just aim the little cleanout hole into the honey hole and let her rip.
I'm intrigued but scared about using the sewer pipe cleanouts in my front yard. We had them put in when we had to replace some old clay pipe that had seperated. I have visions of poo flung all over the yard.
I guess I've never seen that and have definitely cleaned out groovers before. I think my favorite spot has been Split Mountain in Dinosaur...just a big hoeny hole and about 4 different hoses to use coming off a manifold. Connect one to the tank, have another running to flush the chunks down the honey hole. No accordion hose needed... just aim the little cleanout hole into the honey hole and let her rip.
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The Split Mountain facility is actually really good, Dave. On my last trip in July, we were wrapping up our very simple process, when the group behind us approached carrying the "typical" groover - a white rocket box, commenting on our "fancy" set-up as overkill. As we snapped the last of our latex gloves off and started walking away, they dumped their groover over the hole, and wouldn't you know - CLOG.
"How are we supposed to get all of that into the hole" I heard as we walked away laughing.....
Dave, have a great trip and be prepared for the launch. Give me a call and I'll share our trip experiences with you.
Derek
"How are we supposed to get all of that into the hole" I heard as we walked away laughing.....
Dave, have a great trip and be prepared for the launch. Give me a call and I'll share our trip experiences with you.
Derek
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Hose Legnth
So, this summer, seems like all scats were out of service or broken across the region and after trying to find a free RV dump, the one I found, I found the water connection was 10+ yards from the dump hole. So my suggestion, have a longer hose, you never know.
So, this summer, seems like all scats were out of service or broken across the region and after trying to find a free RV dump, the one I found, I found the water connection was 10+ yards from the dump hole. So my suggestion, have a longer hose, you never know.
Plus one on longer hose.
It has been mentioned, but the RV dump station at the Colorado Welcome center in Fruita is nice, convenient, and free. Its also on the way back to the Front Range from most desert trips.
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