Just getting into RV'ing and awaiting our travel trailer. I notice that many (maybe most?) campground sites have electric and water hook-ups, but not a sewer line. With relatively small gray and black water holding tanks, how do you handle sewer dumping? I guess if we primarily use the toilets and showers in the campgrounds this wouldn't be a big issue, but if we use the shower and toilet in the trailer, does this mean daily or every other day pulling the trailer out and taking it to wherever you can dump the liquids? As I said, I am new to all of this and keep thinking about things that I know nothing about.
With water and electric hook-up, how do you handle sewer needs?
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Wigpro
Well-known member
I have been faced with this situation a number of times and by using the park facilities for shower etc. I can minimize my tank emptying....but I am only one person so I can really cut down. I can easily go a month or more on the black tank and typically a few weeks on the grey....
I have at times - hooked a small garden hose to my dump cap and led it into the bushes and emptied my gray tank, but only because I was certain it was only dishwater....and clean.
You will learn to use a minimal amount of water and therefore minimal amount in the tanks.
Good Luck,
Jim
I have at times - hooked a small garden hose to my dump cap and led it into the bushes and emptied my gray tank, but only because I was certain it was only dishwater....and clean.
You will learn to use a minimal amount of water and therefore minimal amount in the tanks.
Good Luck,
Jim
I cannot speak for all, only for myself, but I have only encountered one park that did not have a sewer setup
in 11 years of camping. I would hazard the statement that campgrounds with water and elec. but without sewer hookup would be the exception not the rule. IMHO. That and a $1.50 gets you a cup of coffee.
in 11 years of camping. I would hazard the statement that campgrounds with water and elec. but without sewer hookup would be the exception not the rule. IMHO. That and a $1.50 gets you a cup of coffee.
Lou Schneider
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First find out how long your tanks will actually last. Next time you're in a full hookup site, just close the drain valves and see how long it takes for the tanks to fill up While you're at it, fill your fresh water tank and use it to see how long your fresh water supply will last.
This gives you an idea of how long you can go without filling or dumping. Usually the grey tank will fill first, and even a relatively small black tank should last several days before filling up.
Then it's just a matter of figuring out whether you can stretch the time by water conservation or if you want to get a tote tank and walk your excess grey water over to the campground's dump station. You can do the same thing with your black water but I'd rather move the trailer to the dump station to empty the black tank.
This gives you an idea of how long you can go without filling or dumping. Usually the grey tank will fill first, and even a relatively small black tank should last several days before filling up.
Then it's just a matter of figuring out whether you can stretch the time by water conservation or if you want to get a tote tank and walk your excess grey water over to the campground's dump station. You can do the same thing with your black water but I'd rather move the trailer to the dump station to empty the black tank.
brujomar
Well-known member
Generally, commercial/private rv parks have a sewer connection at your site. Hook up to that with your sewer hose and let gray water flow, hold black tank until it is say, 3/4 full..then dump black, flush hose with gray water and repeat as long as necessary. Those that don't have sewer at your site, will usually have a dump station somewhere on premises. Which means you either have to move rig to the dump station or use what some refer to as a 'blue boy'... portable waste tank--usually on wheels that you lug by hand or pull with your vehicle. We carry an 18 gallon blue boy...small enough to store and not so dang heavy if you have to drag it. Dump into that until full, empty and repeat.
Some campsites/campgrounds (particularly Federal/State) have none of the above and you have to manage water usage and when you have to dump, go find a dump station. There are smart phone apps for that and/or on-line lists of pay or free dump stations.
If we 'boondock', (which we used to do a lot of, but not so much anymore) we could get 5-6 days easy out of gray tank before dump and a couple weeks for black with no problem. Our (2) gray tanks held about 40 gal each and black I believe is around 50.
We rarely use public toilets/showers. Our fresh water tank is 60 gallons, so we run out of water before our grays are full.
Your mileage may vary
Some campsites/campgrounds (particularly Federal/State) have none of the above and you have to manage water usage and when you have to dump, go find a dump station. There are smart phone apps for that and/or on-line lists of pay or free dump stations.
If we 'boondock', (which we used to do a lot of, but not so much anymore) we could get 5-6 days easy out of gray tank before dump and a couple weeks for black with no problem. Our (2) gray tanks held about 40 gal each and black I believe is around 50.
We rarely use public toilets/showers. Our fresh water tank is 60 gallons, so we run out of water before our grays are full.
Your mileage may vary
When we are at a campground without sewer, and there have been a few over the years, and are staying for more than a few days, I fill the fresh water tank and then disconnect the hose and use just the water from the tank. Generally you'll have more holding tank capacity than fresh water, so as long as you have fresh water in the tank, you're fine. Once the fresh water runs out, it's time to find the dump station. Refill the fresh water tank and repeat.
Rene T
Site Team
Wigpro said:
That statement is not a good one to pass on to new RV'ers. In most states as far as I know, it's illegal to dump gray water on the ground. Yes I know it won't hurt anything but it's still illegal.
ArdraF
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Rene is correct and you really do not want to break the Federal Clean Water Act laws, nor the state's, or whatever. Letting gray water out in most public campgrounds can result in fines.
We can boondock for about a week by monitoring water usage. You don't need to flush the toilet every time it's used (during California droughts children are taught "If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down." We also use paper plates to lessen dish washing. We shower every other day instead of every day. We don't let the water run when we brush our teeth. We wash dishes in one sink and rinse in clean water in the other sink. I use a lot plain paper towels to wipe food off dishes and utensils so food doesn't dry on them until they can be washed. In other words, there are many ways to practice water conservation so you don't have to worry about dumping all the time. Practice makes perfect. Oh, I should add we don't use the campground bathrooms. No need!
ArdraF
We can boondock for about a week by monitoring water usage. You don't need to flush the toilet every time it's used (during California droughts children are taught "If it's yellow, let it mellow. If it's brown, flush it down." We also use paper plates to lessen dish washing. We shower every other day instead of every day. We don't let the water run when we brush our teeth. We wash dishes in one sink and rinse in clean water in the other sink. I use a lot plain paper towels to wipe food off dishes and utensils so food doesn't dry on them until they can be washed. In other words, there are many ways to practice water conservation so you don't have to worry about dumping all the time. Practice makes perfect. Oh, I should add we don't use the campground bathrooms. No need!
ArdraF
Mopar1973Man
Well-known member
Typically if it only water and electric hook up. I fill my water tank and just plug in the electric. Now when my water tank runs out its time to dump anyways the holding tanks are full. I don't like to leave the hose hooked up because then you can get loaded rather fast if your not careful. Being I do lots of boondocking I know mt holding tank will hold all the water tank without much issues.
To keep this in perspective the OP is talking about a T@B M@x S with an 11 gallon fresh water tank, 19 gallon gray, and just 6 gallon black.
So to me that would mean using the campground bathrooms whenever possible and reserving the black tank for nighttime use, or dumping quite frequently. Of course that trailer would be rather easy to hook up and dump.
That said, with water hookup and being very conservative on the kitchen side, my DW and I would be able to manage two showers each with room to spare. Probably would mean dumping every two or three days.
I'm not sure how long a 6 gallon black tank would last but perhaps that too could go two days or even three.
But this is connected to water. Boondocking would need to carry a few 5 gallon water jugs.
Mike
So to me that would mean using the campground bathrooms whenever possible and reserving the black tank for nighttime use, or dumping quite frequently. Of course that trailer would be rather easy to hook up and dump.
That said, with water hookup and being very conservative on the kitchen side, my DW and I would be able to manage two showers each with room to spare. Probably would mean dumping every two or three days.
I'm not sure how long a 6 gallon black tank would last but perhaps that too could go two days or even three.
But this is connected to water. Boondocking would need to carry a few 5 gallon water jugs.
Mike
Molaker
Well-known member
My experience is that very few public parks have full service. Water and electric is common, however.BLAKDUKE said:
That said, if the OP is pulling with a pickup or some way to carry it, a waste tote might be useful. In fact, I'm somewhat surprised no one has mentioned one.
Rene T
Site Team
Molaker said:
Lou Schneider did earlier today.
Molaker
Well-known member
Overlooked it. Sorry, Lou. :-[Rene T said:Lou Schneider did earlier today.
Lou Schneider
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No problem.
I'll be pulling my T@b with my Subaru Outback, so I might have to choose between carrying extra fresh water or something to empty the gray water in. The roof top box should help with storage needs. My wife, who is excited to start traveling with a trailer (mainly to avoid having to eat in restaurants three meals a day and having to sleep in a questionable motel bed every night) is very leery of using campground restroom facilities and showers (I guess I understand the shower thing) so I might have to really try and find campgrounds that have a sewer hook-up in addition to water and electricity. Maybe if worst comes to worst I would just have to drive the trailer to the campground dump site daily. Water conservation will become a new skill for us to learn, although back in the day when we tent camped we certainly learned to manage with minimal water use (but that was about 40 years ago). I truly appreciate the comments made to my multiple threads and the advice given to me as someone brand new to RV'ing.
John From Detroit
Well-known member
For extra water they have bladders you can use to re-fill the on-board fresh tank (or jerry cans) the bladers hold up to 90 gallons or there about. You can get smaller ones too down to around 25) Empty they may well fit in a 5 gallon space.
For waste you have two choics..On is the waste tote..the other (Wife and I used this) Short term parking and hit the dump station on the way out the gate.
For waste you have two choics..On is the waste tote..the other (Wife and I used this) Short term parking and hit the dump station on the way out the gate.
My baby does not roll unless I know I have a full hookup site. When I call, I ask and if they do not have full hookups we book elsewhere. We get about a day from the grey tank, 2 showers and dishes 2 times just about fills us up, if I forgot to open up the tank, that third shower is not fun. The black tank is fine for a three day weekend and sometimes we can get 4 days. The night before we dump I close the grey so I have some rinse water. Many people will use the bath houses if there is no sewer.
