Our maiden voyage was only a water and electric hookup, we had to use the private restrooms at the campground and I only had to dump the gray water once with a tote that I brought along for just in case. I did not have to dump the black water until we left. I felt silly walking a regular tote around to dump the water out into another camp’s sewer connection.
I made a promise to my wife that we are only going to camp at sites that have sewer, electric and water. But I just booked for Knobel’s Amusement Park’s Campsite and they only have electric hookups, you have to go to water fill stations and use their dump stations. I called Lake Glory and they were already booked for the weekend we are going up for, plus I would just rather be at the park and just walk to it.
With that in mind, I want to purchase a blue tote or a portable waste tank. Both my black and gray tanks both hold 35 galloons each, so I was opting to purchase at least a 30-gallon model.
Any recommendations or suggestions on different models, two wheels or four, etc…
Thanks in advance,
Dan
Dan, Tammy, Cory, Leah and Adam
2003 Chevy Silverado Extended Cab Truck
2006 19 HTT Keystone Zeppelin
Equal-i-zer Hitch
Prodigy Brake Control by Tekonsha
I use our tank for both. Before leaving I empty the black water tank then follow with the gray water tank. If there is not enough water in the gray tank I run a faucet to fill to at least 1/2 before dumping. I have been using this method for over ten years and believe it or not there has not been one instance that I, or my wife, has been ill or had to have treatment from a medical source in that amount of time. I do flush the portable tank for a few minutes on the final trip to the dump station.
You are NOT going to fill a 35 gallon black tank in a weekend or maybe a week! Grey is another matter so look at how your going to transport the gray water to the dump station. I use an 11 gallon tote that I can still pick up and roll to the sink basins in the laundry rooms of most camp grounds.
I'm guessing then that since you'll only be doing the sewer, electric, water thing that you'll never be camping at State parks? Too bad.
As others have said it will take at least a week to fill your 30 gallon black tank. Get a 32 gallon 4 wheel Barker blue tote for your gray tank 32 gallon Blue Tote
Get a Barker vs. a Thetford. I have read poor reviews on the Thetford model that CW sells
Keep in mind 32 gallons of water will be very heavy. You will need your TV to tow tote to the dumpstation
For starters there is no reason to dump your black tank after a weekend of camping unless you've come close to filling it. It's nice to do if convenient, but it's not an article of faith to dump it. With proper treatment the tank can go a couple of weeks until your next full service site, or you can dump it when you enter the next campground when no one is waiting in line.
A shot of Odorlos(tm) in the tank is all you need. Read the instructions, more is not better. If you've poisoned the tank with blue stuff the tank will stink; if you let it work naturally it'll just breakdown sitting there. Odorlos lets it break down naturally. If you've already poisoned the tank clean it out well. The stink comes when the tank goes septic from lack of oxygen. Odorlos supplies oxygen and prevents the generation of stinky gas.
We have a 16 gallon 4-wheel Barker tank. 4-wheel tank is quantums better than our former 2-wheel model. 16 gallons is all that fit in my Explorer. I'd go with the 32 gallon if I could carry it. We (meaning I) dump the grey tank every morning after breakfast dishes and showers and back haul fresh water. Not a big chore. Certainly not as convenient as full service, but we have too many great state parks with electric-only sites within a few hours drive to ignore.
-- Chuck
'06 Roo 23SS behind '07 Expedition out of Cleveland Our Photo pages
I am interested in purchasing the Barker 16 gallon 4 wheeler. I do not have a toad so when/if I get this tote, I will have to roll it to the dump station.
I'm hoping that the four wheels will allow the experience to match the days of my youth with my radio flyer wagon. Or is this wishful thinking and the tote will be too cumbersome for manual transport?
AliceM wrote: I am interested in purchasing the Barker 16 gallon 4 wheeler. I do not have a toad so when/if I get this tote, I will have to roll it to the dump station.
I'm hoping that the four wheels will allow the experience to match the days of my youth with my radio flyer wagon. Or is this wishful thinking and the tote will be too cumbersome for manual transport?
Alice
that will be about 150 lbs or so filled up. are you sure you want to wrestle with that?
bumpy
We purchased two horizontal leg tanks, which ride in the back of the Pickup. Since we do our majority of camping in campgrounds with only electrical services, one of the tanks is for fresh water, the other for grey. Although we also have a macerator pump, we have never yet have to use it for the black stuff. We usually stay for three weeks in September in Algonquin Park. When the camper's FW tank is nearly empty, I drive to the camp spigot and fill the FW tank on the truck (a few minutes work and no heavy lifting). Since the FW tank on the truck is higher than the FW inlet on the camper, a just hook up a hose at the campsite and let gravity do the work. It has worked fine for us.
Before purchasing the horizontal leg tanks (which, by the way, are far cheaper than a large tote) I had bought a 30 gallon barrel (plastic, closed) which had previously been used for shipping edible material. This worked just fine for the grey water. But the horizontal leg tanks are a neater solution.
Peter
Jayco Jay Feather 21J
2007 Ford F150, 5.4L, Reese Dual Cam WDH, Prodigy Brake Control
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With proper treatment the tank can go a couple of weeks until your next full service site, or you can dump it when you enter the next campground when no one is waiting in line.
Or is this wishful thinking and the tote will be too cumbersome for manual transport?
