DIY Septic Tank & Drain Field for RV, Cabin or Shop - Off-Grid Cheap Inexpensive Easy IBC Tote Leach 

Great comment! That is what is done. The black tank valve is pulled only when it is full. This important point is also why it doesn't stink all the time, it isn't flowing all the time except when the valve is pulled. Thanks for pointing that out since I missed that important point in the video about the valve staying closed except when it is time to empty the black tank.

Thank you. It works really well and all supplies are readily available. Check the details for links to the parts I used. No I don't make anything off the links to the products, it is simply provided for information purposes only. Modify everything to fit your needs

Appreciate that!

Nice work.

One other point I should mention because I used this same system for a huge mobile home we installed on our Alabama land however, we piped our laundry to the backside of our 80 ft. 4 bedroom MH and would have overspill when my wife drained her huge garden tub. This was a temp solution while we waited for a proper concrete septic tank :-)

Will they pump it if it's a self made one like that?

@@GothicMaid They do mine but even if they will not we are talking about a 55 gal. drum so self service would not be difficult. However mine is done in conjunction with a normal residential setup on the compound and like all home services the decision ultimately is dependent on the driver so if he/she has easy access with only 55 gals. to pump they'll just do it for a good customer response, a 20 dollar bill or full service cost on an easy service call. I must mention that if you only have your toilet dumping into the septic and you don't abuse it, you're good for a very long time. I've pumped mine only once in 6 years and was told it didn't even need it. If you want to attach your other fixtures to the same system simply dump them into a separate 55 gal setup they are only water and soap suds draining they'll be fine as well and will not affect the normal fecal process in the separate tank...

Have fun!

Nice!

Glad you liked it!

I have the pipe in a well drained area on a slight slope so it would never be in standing water or wet soil. Haven't had any issues. Certainly a good thing to consider for those that might be in a wet area. For me no issues.

Originally septic tanks had just one chamber. Guess you could say this works on old school principles.

I did lay some metal angle iron on top of the tank prior to covering the tank to support the weight of the dirt just in case.

The connection to the RV is a quick disconnect, so not glued in. You can see the link to the fitting on Amazon in my description.

NO... and heres why (stolen from above): "That will only work if you fill the holding tank on you RV and then pull your dump valve and let it flow into the septic tank. If you try and leave your dump valve open and just let it flow through the drain valve the paper will build up in the RV holding tank." Actually I guess if you tapped into the RV plumbing before the holding tank you could do a direct connect.

It sounds like a good idea to leave water in it to prevent collapsing. Keep in mind the placement of the discharging sanitary tee in the side will determine the level of water that is maintained in the tank. My tank had the metal cage around it so I didn't worry about it too much. I did place extra metal supports on top of the tank just to give it a little extra support from the weight of the dirt.

Camper is in use by just one occupant. The top of the tank has a screw off lid. Through normal breakdown of the waste through microbes, probably won't have to pump it out for about 5 years or more. If it does become necessary a septic pumping company could do it readily.

You can do the corrugated drain field right off the tank. In my particular case it wasn't possible to do this.

It doesn't have a bladder. The microbes within the tank eat the waste. Water goes out to the leach field.

Microbes within the tank will breakdown the waste. Water escapes out the outlet line to the drain/leach field. If you do have to pump out the tank in 3 - 5 years, this tank has a screw off lid on the top. A septic tank pumping company would simply come out and with a vacuum pump remove the contents/solids that didn't breakdown or build up over time. These solids that don't break down are stored usually at the bottom of the tank. The top of the tank contains the microbial layer (often referred to as the scum layer) where most of the the waste is broken down.

@@metalcarports Thank you so much for the information. Have a nice evening. 🙂

Venting is required for proper flow in plumbing pipes. That is the reason for the venting in this case. It doesn't stink.

I also think my own farts don’t stink…. Most of the time. Usually. Wait until the neighbor takes a dump. 😂

@@metalcarports if the plumbing in the RV is vented wouldn't that vent the tank as well?

@@jbull7126 Venting is a critical part of all plumbing drain lines. As waste travels down drain pipes it has to displace the air in front of it and behind it. Proper venting is critical.

It stinks theres no doubt ...unless its pumped and cleaned out often....its common sense ...have seen 4 people in a gated community do this and they all had odor.