cross-posted from: https://piefed.ca/c/cars/p/506854/gmc-made-a-motorhome-that-pumped-sewage-through-its-exhaust-on-purpose
The 1973 GMC Motorhome was—and still is—a sight on the road today. This groundbreaking RV was just as interesting as its sleek body, with a V8 powering the front wheels and a spectacularly 1970s interior. And because it was the early ’70s, we had a different notion of what was okay to spray into the atmosphere as you drive. Like sewage, which an obscure option allowed this GMC to do.
One of the options available for the GMC Motorhome was a system called Thermasan, which promised to improve on one of the worst parts of RV ownership: Black water. That’s a euphemism for the raw sewage, which accumulates in an onboard tank and has to be disposed of at dumping stations. It’s as gross as it sounds, and it’s why someone at RV accessory manufacturer Thetford Corporation thought there had to be a better way. And so, the Thermasan was born.
The premise of the Thermasan “waste destruction system” was simple: Dump black water through the hot exhaust to sanitize and dispose of it. According to a maintenance manual for the 1973 model, this was done using a wiper motor-powered pump connecting the black water tank to the exhaust, where it was plumbed in just upstream of the muffler. A screen prevented solid waste from entering and clogging the system, which would’ve been hellacious to fix. Amusingly, Thetford called the exit an “ejection orifice.” The jokes write themselves.
These are funny because gm was in an interesting position where they could make something nearly from the ground up while other companies had to modify an existing vehicle, typically a rwd truck chassis.
In doing so they could design the perfect platform that maximizes space by removing the driveshaft and wheel wells. To this day it’s still an advanced design.
I see these occasional and am glad that people are keeping them running. Most RVs get abandoned on their own property and succumb to the elements…
Yeah, I’m an Airstream guy, but these are really interesting motorhomes!
man the 70s were wild
It looks like the EM-50 Urban Assult Vehicle from “Stripes”. Would love to have a refurbished one. You know, without the poop exhaust.
Based on a 1976 GMC 26’ Palm Beach motorhome, it was heavily armored (including roll-away shutters to protect the windows and other sensitive areas from weapons fire) and armed with machine-guns, a cannon, flamethrowers, a multiple rocket launcher, and assorted infantry weapons.
The actual vehicle is beautiful, exhaust design whoopsie aside.
The shitters full!
No man is an island, and a society where everyone only does right by themselves is no society at all.
Looks around
Uh….
The core system is still in use, but they skipped the exhaust part.
How about a giant diamond tipped drill that can extend below the vehicle. Bore a hole then dump the poop tank and refill with the dug-up material. Poop 'n scoot.
Totally would work until it wouldn’t (like when it hits a water main, or someone does it on a road).
I love it! Like a litterbox for humans.
I remember reading about these types of systems back in the day. They also existed in Europe. They would send the hard waste through something like a chipper first and then very slowly inject the result into the hot exhaust, where it would be burned up and go out one drop at a time. But these never got a lot of popularity IMO. I guess, the system was just too complicated, too many moving parts, too bothersome to upkeep.
But then, if you travel far off the beaten track, through the Sahara or similar, it may be viable.
If you’re way out in bumfuck no-where, it would have been less problematic to dig a pit and burry it where no one will find it.
Or even, just dumping it on the ground as you leave.
Not that that’s particularly good for the environment; but the reason people hate going to proper facilities to dump is because that typically costs money, not because it’s terribly onerous.
Another option would be to just have the shit can go straight onto the ground (like trains used to and frequently still do.)
Yeah, a mixer like on boats to make everything homogeneous - and then still use the wiper pump to clean your windows, and those of everyone driving behind you.
Not sure, what the American thing was doing, but the European system would dispose of the poop very slowly, likely a litre per 100 km or so, droplet by droplet, and well burnt as long as the engine/exhaust is hot enough. I don’t think that that would do much to the environment, compared to the trains where the crapper was basically a hole in the floor. In those days, we didn’t have dump stations everywhere. Now, it would surely be unnecessary.
I was just making a joke to link the septic tank to windshield washer pump directly to really mark your presence on the road and on other vehicles.
Link doesn’t work from Lemmy voyager.
Piefed link doesn’t but the article link does.
