Plumbing help on portable building/shed

[Chew]

Hey folks. We are replacing a flooded camper with a 12x20 or 12x22 portable building. We are going to finish it out ourselves with a separate bathroom on one end and then a few beds at the other. Insulation, basic wiring (outlets/lights), etc. The main thing I'm worried about is plumbing. I hate plumbing but don't' want to spend the money to hire someone. I have some friends that have offered to help but I hate to bother people on something that I need to learn. Here's the things I want to do:

Install a shower and sink and tie in the drain lines to the outside and bury a field line for the gray water (shouldn't be too bad).

I'm concerned about how to do the shower drain and toilet flange/pipe through the building floor (how much space do I need to work with underneath?) Should I have the building set on blocks to create more space or should I try to guesstimate where the shower and toilet will be and get my lines set first (doesn't sound fun or easy).

We have a small septic tank that we hooked our camper to. We will be using it again for the toilet. Do I need to vent the toilet? The drain pipe will be about 6' long from the toilet to the tank connection (if that matters).

Thinking about using Pex plumbing for the water supply. Any tips on that?

Also gonna have to figure out a hot water system (traditional small water heater or an on demand).

Any advice, pics of your set-up, or any other info would be appreciated.

Thanks.

[dhillis]

Not real sure, but don't forget a vent.

[tex4k]

Or a clean- out plug, trust me it sucks trying to get a drain snake from the tank back into the incoming line and I wasn't even the guy doing it, I watched!

[Chew]

Good info. Forgot about the cleanout plug.

[Tx_Wader]

Install a shower and sink and tie in the drain lines to the outside and bury a field line for the gray water (shouldn't be too bad).

No need to bury the gray water line but if you do you should vent it.

I'm concerned about how to do the shower drain and toilet flange/pipe through the building floor (how much space do I need to work with underneath?) Should I have the building set on blocks to create more space or should I try to guesstimate where the shower and toilet will be and get my lines set first (doesn't sound fun or easy).

It will be easier to do if the building is on blocks.

We have a small septic tank that we hooked our camper to. We will be using it again for the toilet. Do I need to vent the toilet? The drain pipe will be about 6' long from the toilet to the tank connection (if that matters).

Yes vent the toilet absolutely.

Thinking about using Pex plumbing for the water supply. Any tips on that?

Pex is great! When we built our cabin I went with Pex and have had my entire home done with it now. You'll have to buy the tool for crimping the connections though and it's not cheap. Unless you can borrow one from someone, which I couldn't.

Also gonna have to figure out a hot water system (traditional small water heater or an on demand).

We put in one of these for our hot water and it's worked flawlessly since 2012.

Rheem RTE 9 Electric Tankless Water Heater, 3 GPM

[mmoses]

Good part if pex freezes it isn't going to bust!

[Chew]

Thanks for taking the time to answer. I appreciate it. Few questions in red below.

Install a shower and sink and tie in the drain lines to the outside and bury a field line for the gray water (shouldn't be too bad).

No need to bury the gray water line but if you do you should vent it. I just wanted to bury it so I don't have to look at it. But wondering where/how to vent it (inside the cabin? Outside? If outside, how do you keep bugs and crap from getting in vent pipe?

I'm concerned about how to do the shower drain and toilet flange/pipe through the building floor (how much space do I need to work with underneath?) Should I have the building set on blocks to create more space or should I try to guesstimate where the shower and toilet will be and get my lines set first (doesn't sound fun or easy).

It will be easier to do if the building is on blocks. Do they make hole saws big enough to cut nice holes for the shower/sink drain and the toilet? Or should I just draw the circle and then do it manually.

We have a small septic tank that we hooked our camper to. We will be using it again for the toilet. Do I need to vent the toilet? The drain pipe will be about 6' long from the toilet to the tank connection (if that matters).

Yes vent the toilet absolutely. Kind of the same question as for the shower drain vent. I really don't want to go through the roof of the building. So you think a vent right outside the building maybe strapped to the wall? How tall should it be? Some kind of cover to keep crap out of it?

Thinking about using Pex plumbing for the water supply. Any tips on that?

Pex is great! When we built our cabin I went with Pex and have had my entire home done with it now. You'll have to buy the tool for crimping the connections though and it's not cheap. Unless you can borrow one from someone, which I couldn't.

Also gonna have to figure out a hot water system (traditional small water heater or an on demand).

We put in one of these for our hot water and it's worked flawlessly since 2012.

Rheem RTE 9 Electric Tankless Water Heater, 3 GPM Do you remember what kind of breaker/amperage you needed to run that? I'm quite aways from the main power pole but have a secondary one for my RV area that has up to a 50 amp service in it (I think).

[Tx_Wader]

You Put a T in the line so you can run the vent line up the wall of the building, about 3 feet above the roof. There are one way caps that you can put on the top of the vent that allow gas to escape but nothing else to get in. Do this for the shower and the toilet. You can get T's that have an inch and a half hole to run the vent line up.

Just use a jigsaw to cut the hole for the toilet and for the shower.

It's 220 and we used 8 gauge wire and a 50 amp breaker.

Directions come with it though in case I don't remember just right, it's been 4 years since we put it in.

[Chew]

Great. Thanks.

[huntmaster]

. This is how I did mine


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[CastAndBlast]

For our camp in Liberty, we ran all of the plumbing after the building was on blocks. We vented out the side just under the roof and covered the pipe in mesh to keep critters out. I can't remember what all we vented, but I believe it was everything. We also put a T with a valve on the outside to drain the cabin easy before freezes.

[Abcdj]

I'll take you a picture when I get home. Just did one at my new down size fixer upper. We had to put in a lift pump for the plumbing it was below the septic tank level.

[Tx_Wader]

I can take pictures for you Chew on how we did the cabin but I won't be back there until next weekend.

[Chew]

Thanks guys. I appreciate it.

[TXhunter77]

Bobby I can help you or show you what needs to be done...plus I probably have everything you need at the shop.

You have my number

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