Traveling with black/grey water

[ditsjets7]

Hi all, okanither rookie question here. Is it that imperative that i dumpngrey/ Black water tanks in my 31 Foot class C before I travel? I am noon docking in my uncles driveway, we are leaving for VA Thursday morning.....300 plus miles. The tanks aren?t full but they are probably around half or so. Should I go out of my way to stop at an RV Park/Campground to Dump? Or just proceed to my next stipnwhere I will have a full hookup? Thanks in advance everyone.

Mike

 

[Rene T]

Don't dump. Just let it slosh around breaking up solids. The added weight will not affect your gas mileage.

 

[martin2340]

I totally agree with Rene, no need to dump if you are fairly certain you do not have full tanks and even then it wouldn't be a problem. That 1/2 tank sloshing around will be a good thing.

 

[_Rusty_]

I was recently concerned about my tire loads ect. so when I took MH out this last time h2o was full and other tanks were 1/2 ~ 3/4.  Went out to the Certified Scales and weighed up at 970 lbs over GVW.  This was pretty much the weight of the 90 gal. freshwater.  Given this data I decided not to risk the weight issue and will keep the tanks no more than 1/2 full.  I don't have a dump station available within 15 miles so I hope to use the campground or Pilot station on the route but not going out of my way to dump.

 

[HappyWanderer]

As a general rule, it's a good idea to travel with your waste tanks empty and with fresh water on board. That way, you'll be prepared if the unexpected happens.

Going from point A to point B when you definitely have facilities available, not so important. Occasionally, when going to someplace that I know has full hookups, I'll dump then put clean water into the waste tanks, then dump again upon arrival, letting the water slosh around in the tanks en route.

 

[maddog348]

quote prior post.  ".......so when I took MH out this last time h2o was full and other tanks were 1/2 ~ 3/4........"    Why begin travel with WASTE tanks 3/4 FULL?? OR why bring that much waste home ??

JM2?  ~~  YMMV

 

[_Rusty_]

quote prior post.  ".......so when I took MH out this last time h2o was full and other tanks were 1/2 ~ 3/4........"    Why begin travel with WASTE tanks 3/4 FULL?? OR why bring that much waste home ??

JM2?  ~~  YMMV

Like I said, no facility nearby home. So I dump at CG and come home with a bit of water in bk tank (along with cleaner stuff) then put some fresh in at home for intermittent use, but will end up with something in the tank before hitting the road again.

First time out fully loaded, I also wanted to know exactly where I was at in weight.  Now I can guess-timate.

 

[Back2PA]

Why begin travel with WASTE tanks 3/4 FULL?? OR why bring that much waste home ??

Cause sometimes you finish the previous trip at a dry camping location with no facilities. It happens

 

[maddog348]

Rusty ~~  Thanks for the update. I miss read as was the usual load leaving out on a trip.  Yes usually get home with a little water +-5ga for emergency & 'sloshing'. Lucily we have a Hwy 'Rest stop' +-50miles from home that is our last stop.  Can 'hold' it from there.

TakeCare ~ travelSafe ~ HaveFun

 

[John From Detroit]

Depends. if you plan to get broadsided in the middle of the black tank it will be one mell of a hess as they say.. But I don't plan on doing that.

During the summer I do a 2 week here 2 week there and dump every two weeks. Based on where I'm sitting I dump THERE. So I dumped THERE this morning. pulled in here this after noon. in 2 weeks leave her and pull in there, Hook up and DUMP. 

WInters it is one week two weeks dump at the 2 week park only.

When wife was alive we dumped 2x/week but I'm more water conservative than she was.

 

[Lou Schneider]

One thing to note is a half filled tank develops the most sloshing force, about the worst combination of the weight of the water in the tank and the available room for it to move.

A full tank won't slosh because there's no room for the water to shift around.  An empty tank obviously won't slosh either.

If you're travelling with water in your grey tank, make sure the tub/shower drain is securely stopped or you may wind up cleaning used grey water residue out of it.  I'd also make sure all the other drains are closed, too.

 

[KandT]

Hi all, okanither rookie question here. Is it that imperative that i dumpngrey/ Black water tanks in my 31 Foot class C before I travel? I am noon docking in my uncles driveway, we are leaving for VA Thursday morning.....300 plus miles. The tanks aren?t full but they are probably around half or so. Should I go out of my way to stop at an RV Park/Campground to Dump? Or just proceed to my next stipnwhere I will have a full hookup? Thanks in advance everyone.

Mike

Do you know how much CCC capacity you have and how much the half tanks weigh?  IF you still haven't figured out these numbers you will be doing yourself a favor doing that.  Not sure a see a benefit in leaving the grey slosh.  The black always did fine with just a few gallons for me.  I wasn't trying to break the Berlin Wall free.  Just a little poopy stuck to the side.

 

[blw2]

yeah, that comment about weights points to one big issue here...31 ft class c

Loaded, mine is probably overloaded on the drive axle, especially if all three of my tanks are full...it was right on the limit...actually just a nudge over, the last time I weighed it.  I don't remember what the tank status was at that time...they were partial.  I always try to weigh with full gas tank though...

that said, I've traveled home after weekend trips without dumping..so partially full, half full maybe.  I'd be more pressed to dump before travel if things were nearly to the rim...if for no other reason than to ensure things are useable for the drive home

 

[HappyWanderer]

What are the odds of all three tanks being full? Most times traveling with full waste tanks means you've been boondocking, so the total contents of the waste tanks shouldn't be much greater than the capacity of the fresh water tank.