Gray Water Tank Inlet Connection

[hotbottom]

My camp is renting one of those large IBC gray water tanks from USS:

We'll have a total of 2 pumps around the camp that we'll use to pump gray water from different places into the gray water tank. My question is: how should we connect the pumps to the port on the top of the gray water tank?

The tank port on the top comes with a big lid which I can remove and then I can just try to fix the pump hoses into the hole with some tape. I'm wondering if there's a better solution using a fitting. I'm just not sure which one and USS is not being helpful. My basic plumbing understanding tells me that if I were to use a fitting I would also need some sort of vent to let air out. I found the following https://www.amazon.com/Nanyaciv-Liquid- ... =8-21&th=1 which looks very promising but I'm not sure if it will work.

Any help is appreciated!

[Molotov]

If you are thinking about McGyvering a connection to pump into the bottom connection, you would need some serious pressure as the event goes on and the gray water level rises, creating a lot of head pressure to overcome.

How about creating a gooseneck connection out of some PVC pipe that connects to a hose and utilizes the top opening? You would have to secure the gooseneck pipe some how so it doesn't fall into the tank if some nimrod disconnects their hose and wanders off.

[Token]

Hard to be 100% sure without at least a brand for the tote.

For a 275 gallon, 163mm is more or less standard but it is not guaranteed. There are some manufacturers that use 6” vs 6.5”

The one you listed is 6.5” and would work for the European manufacturers like Schutz, Greif, Mouser …

[Token]

Oh, and if you do plumb it with that Amazon gizmo - please use a check-valve for each pump to prevent accidental backflow, just in case.

[ygmir]

why make it complicated? just put the discharge hose in the big top opening when you use it, and cap it when you take it out? no air lock, no internal tank pressure.
Understand, in hydraulics, the amount of water in the tank does not matter, just the height. So pumping into the bottom is no more pressure than pumping up and over the side. As such, you could go in the bottom, but there is the risk of some sort of leak/backflow and the entire contents draining, instead of potentially just what's in the hose. You can also empty the hose into the tank if you want, by raising it as you go along, to drain.

[Token]

Yg is wise.

Air gap is nice

[hotbottom]

Thanks everyone!

Just to clarify: I'm not trying to connect the pump to the bottom connection but to the top one.

I want to leave the hoses connected at all times since the pumps will turn on automatically when needed

[hotbottom]

I just got an idea based on Molotov's suggestion.

I could use the following PVC fitting:



Then, use a 2ft PVC section attached on the bottom and just "insert" the whole thing through the top opening of the tank. The PVC output width will be smaller than the opening so that it allows air to come out. The hoses and fittings will keep the whole thing in place.

Something like this:

[Token]

Sheesh, you’re overthinking this.

It’s a 6” bung. Vast! Cavernous!

And the IBC tote has a metal frame.

48” x 40” if memory serves.

Take a scrap piece of 4’ 2x4 or similar. Drill a couple holes at each end near the 40” mark centered. Zip tie it to the metal frame dead-center balls-on accurate.

Run your hoses along the lumber and tie them so the discharge ends are in the bung hole but not too deep so you can have an AIR-GAP.

Otherwise, spend the $50 and get the lid with the vent and fittings to make it look slick.

[HarryN]

https://www.ntotank.com/275gallon-nto-w ... t=products

Just as an example, this is a pretty typical IBC tote. It has a 6 inch threaded pipe connection on top (according to the description)

You definitely will want a way for air to vent out while black or grey water is pumped into it.

[hotbottom]

Sheesh, you’re overthinking this.

It’s a 6” bung. Vast! Cavernous!

And the IBC tote has a metal frame.

48” x 40” if memory serves.

Take a scrap piece of 4’ 2x4 or similar. Drill a couple holes at each end near the 40” mark centered. Zip tie it to the metal frame dead-center balls-on accurate.

Run your hoses along the lumber and tie them so the discharge ends are in the bung hole but not too deep so you can have an AIR-GAP.

Otherwise, spend the $50 and get the lid with the vent and fittings to make it look slick.

I know. I was too deep into the plumbing section at Home Depot. This sounds great!