Grey Water System

Since we typically only do coffee and brush our teeth in the sink, or maybe wash hands or rinse a cup out, we only generate about a quart of grey water a day, but having to collect it inside the camper or in a bucket outside then dump it can be an annoyance. Our simple grey water system holds about 2 gallons in the turnbuckle area so no action is needed outside until we drain it. Some people use a 3 to 5 inch capped PVC pipe that goes above the wheel well, but our simple "dry bag" system conforms to the odd shape next to the wheel well and works fine. We also can divert directly, when appropriate, or divert to a half-gallon jug inside the battery compartment when winter camping. We don't dump in any location frequently used for camping (even regularly used dispersed sites) because toothpaste, soap, coffee, etc., may have odors that can attract animals and the next user may not appreciate it. We typically just find a turn-out somewhere down the road and discharge 1 or 2 quarts at a time.

What didn't work so well

A hard jug in the battery box

This was our first idea. It was a 2.5 gallon Reliance jug that fit in the battery compartment. However, with the hard-piped pvc valve, it really didn't fit too well. It also took up way too much interior space where we often store items where they are easy to grab standing outside the door.

Collapsible Bucket in Turnbuckle Area

We immediately evolved to a collapsible bag in the oddly shaped turnbuckle area which worked fine for our first season. It started to leak around the bulkhead fitting and it seemed like a more flexible but durable bag might work better.

Vinyl Dry Sack

We finally ended up with a clear vinyl dry sack that has lasted two years now and still looks good. It has a drain tube at the bottom, a 3/4 inch inlet port in the middle and a 3/8inch air vent line to prevent collapsing the bag when draining or blowing it up when filling.

There are cords attached to the rolled top , which we hook on the underside of the camper overhang for holding the bag up. The inlet has a quick release clamp so it is very easy to remove the bag for winter. We do this because a small amount of water doesn't drain and we don't want that to continually freeze and thaw.

This bag is a 20 liter clear "Sea to Summit" dry sack we got at Army-Navy for $29. We got clear so we could see the level but I think we will go with a more rugged polyurethane dry sack next time for a little more ruggedness. After all, you can check how full it is by touching the bag. Besides, we typically empty it after every camp or two and have never gotten close to capacity. Also, the air vent tube is secured to the overhang, with its opening outside the truck bed rail so the bag will just overflow outside the truck if it overflows.

Bulkhead fittings

These are the bulkhead fittings we used on the bag. The larger ones come with their own rubber seal. We used an o-ring on the smaller air vent fitting to get a good seal. I got all this stuff on Amazon and you can find them by searching the titles. Maybe I'll add links later.

Tubing and Pinch Valve

We used flexible and durable silcone tubing for snaking from the sink to the bag (1" OD) and for the bag drain that goes out to the end of the bed (3/8" OD). The little pinch valve is small, light and effective, and I have extras in case it breaks.

Turnbuckle area without bag

This is where the bag sits. It is an odd shape that makes a flexible bag a good idea. The turn buckle anchor can be seen in the upper left corner. I put a rubber (bicycle innertube) sleeve over the hook to keep it from abrading the bag. It is easy to reach around the bag to jiggle the turnbuckle and check it for tightness.

Plumbing under sink

We used a garden hose "Y" with valves below the sink drain in the battery compartment so we can directly discharge or divert to the bag. In the winter, we attach a short tube on the "to bag" side which ends inside a 2-quart jug for 1 to 2 day collection capacity. It is emptied by hand. Or we directly discharge if appropriate. We could always directly discharge to a bucket or jug if needed. Lots of flexibility!

Air vent daylights outside bed

The air vent daylights just past the bed side rails so if the bag does ever fill up, it will just cause a dribble down the outside of the truck. It won't back up into the sink because the sink drain is higher than this point. It is a little dark but you can also see the cord that holds the bag up.

Final Grey Water Container

Here is the grey water bag in action. It has a quick release clamp so it is easy to remove in winter. The bag can get a little dusty because the turnbuckle area is open to road dust, but that doesn't affect anything.

Grey Water System Video

Here is the Grey water video on our Sagebrushers YouTube channel.

Components used in this mod

Here are links to the components I used, except common hardware store things like hose clamps, screws, etc. I am an Amazon Affiliate and earn a small commission on Amazon links but it does not change your price.

20 liter dry bag: https://amzn.to/3CYaHgO

Brass bulkhead fitting ½” female to ¾” male: https://amzn.to/3eo2OqH

¾” PVC bulkhead fitting: https://amzn.to/3wWHezY

¼” bulkhead union compression fitting: https://amzn.to/3ALQDLW

Silicone tubing ¾” ID: https://amzn.to/3QhnqOH

Tubing Pinch Clamps: https://amzn.to/3KPQewC

Silicone Tubing ¼” ID: https://amzn.to/3TUr6ZN

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