Frequently Asked Questions

The diaphragm pump is mounted to the trailer. You take the 50 foot 2″ hose to the RV outlet; hook up with the adapter; let the pump do the work. The pump has an up and down stroke. The up stroke takes the liquid in and the down stroke pushes it into the tank. With 40-60 gallons per minute the tank will be empty in no time.

You take the pump to the RV waste gate and hook up with the adapter. The pump grinds the waste into 1/8″ particles and pumps it through a 1″ hose to the HONEY WAGON.

The diaphragm pumps will move anything that will pass through the 2-inch hoses. The macerator will not handle hard items such as plastic, peach pits, cigarette filters, tampons, etc.

Vacuum is faster for first 1/2 tank, but once the tank gets low, it is hard to hold the vacuum. There is also a chance of collapsing the holding tank with the vacuum. The vacuum pump is also much noisier and expels more odors. There is little time difference between the two in the total time used to completely empty the tank.

• 300M has 1/3 HP electric
• 300E & 500E have 1 1/2 HP electric
• 300G & 500G
  • 3 1/2 HP Briggs & Stratton Gas Engine
  • 5 1/2 HP Honda Gas Engine

The units are crated and shipped on their wheels by motor freight, delivered by our driver, or are available for customer pick-up.

Most parts are kept in stock and available for shipment the same or next day. A quick phone call will get the parts ordered.

• The tank and trailer have a two year limited warranty.
• The diaphragm pump has a two year warranty, except for wearable parts.
• The hoses and adapters have a 60 day warranty.

It normally takes 1-2 weeks for in stock wagons. In the slow season, it may not be as long. Special order wagons take 6-8 weeks.

We have no dealers. Units are sold factory direct from our location in South Central Pennsylvania (halfway between Harrisburg and Gettysburg).

When shipping to Canada, we work with a broker who makes the border clearance a seamless process.  Their fee is $150 which we include in the freight when giving a freight quote.  We need to collect 5% GST on the price of the honey wagon and the broker pays that for you in the clearance process.    All prices are in US dollars.  We can receive payment with a bank check in US funds or a wire transfer in US funds.

1. Change the gearbox fluid with 20-22 oz. of 80W90 gear oil on a yearly basis.
2. Engine oil should be changed regularly.
3. Inspect plunger arm bearing, flappers, and diaphragm yearly for wear.
4. Grease plunger bearing with every 8 hours of use.

Make sure the 50-foot hose is drained completely. There are two options for winterizing the pump:

1. Remove cap on priming chamber and put antifreeze slowly into chamber. Run pump until you see antifreeze going into the tank.
2. Run 2 gallons of RV antifreeze through suction hose until you see it in the tank.

If you are mechanically inclined and have the facilities, we sell complete pump kits to install on a trailer and tank. We also sell tanks separately.

Some owners pump on specific days of the week. Others have their seasonals hang a request tag. Daily campers could also sign up at the office to be pumped at a specific time.

Most Phelps Honey Wagon owners charge anywhere from $5-25 per pump.

It is gravity drained, allowing for quick, clean, and easy use.

The plastic tanks are translucent. Therefore, the level of the tank can easily be monitored while using the wagon.