Community Forums

roadcamping · 01-18-2019, 06:54 PM

We just started our full time journey and before leaving we decided that we would find full hookups for a while and not buy a portable waste tank. Well, despite looking for a full hookup, we ended up without a sewer hook up at our second location

Do you find having a portable waste tank worth it (for full timers)?

Cleaning dishes fills up the small grey tank fast but, we can mitigate that with wash bins. I think we can delay filling up the tanks for at least a week. However, we would like to use our washer instead of spending time at the laundromat which fills up the tanks fast. We are just not sure if it worth carrying a portable waste tank around with us.

KCFDCapt · 01-18-2019, 07:47 PM

When we boon dock, we always have the blue boy handy. You have to have a way of transporting it both empty and full. Consider the possibilities before committing to taking one along. Where will you dump it? How will you transport it? Do you want it on the ladder in back?

vsheetz · 01-18-2019, 07:52 PM

We have a 42 gallon Barker tank and use it on occation. Fill it using a macerator pump so can leave it in the road when filling. Tow to the dump station with our jeep. Carry it strapped to the rear ladder on the motorhome.

Bob_C · 01-18-2019, 08:08 PM

Have a 18 gal one....carry in bed of truck.....doesn't take long for 8 lbs per gal to add up

sam-3 · 01-18-2019, 08:21 PM

We have a travel trailer. We always shower at the camp shower house. Their are three adults and we use the toilet as needed. After 5 to 6 day we empty the tanks and hitch up to our truck and head for the dump station. Don't want to break camp just to dump. We also use dishpans and water many trees. Helps with our dry summers. Our truck has a cap so storage isn't a problem. You can empty some grey water in a bucket and put out your campfire. Given the way you will be using the washing machine I would thing a dump tank is a must. You will save $ by not having to always have a full hook up site.

twogypsies · 01-18-2019, 08:38 PM

It would be a lot easier to use the laundromat than using the Blue Boy for washing machine water.

You can do dishes by using only a couple inches of water in a pan. Wipe them off good with a used paper towel or napkin. We then dumped the dish pan into the black tank which fills a lot slower than the gray.

Take 'Navy' showers and never let the water run during the whole shower. Same goes for hand washing and teeth brushing. No need to let the water run.

ernest917 · 01-18-2019, 08:38 PM

We full time and have never used one.... I personally don’t want to travel with that ugly thing strapped to my rear ladder- call me crazy I guess....

1 - we use paper plates, glasses, etc.... so very little water goes into the gray tank...

2 - quick showers (wet down; water off.... lather up.... water on and quick rinse.....). Again - very little water into gray tank...

3 - both above methods also conserve fresh water from out freshwater tank so we are able to boondock for extended times (sometimes for a couple of weeks..... in addition - most CG’s have sinks to wash dishes if you insist....

4 - we ONLY use our washer if we have FHU’s..... lengthy stays at CG’s require that we hit a laundromat, which is no big deal to us (I usually take cloths and wash them and return to coach where wife folds and puts them away....). I take a good book and enjoy some “quite” time....

TenMillie · 01-19-2019, 05:34 AM

We full time also. We have the 42 gallon one but can store it in one of our bays. It does take up the entire bay though. We are at a state park now with no sewer and it had been very handy because we don't like using the camp showers or bathrooms. Use many of the ideas above and we empty about every 3-4 days. We do not use our washer when no sewer hookup. I think it just depends if you can carry one easily with your set up. If yes, then it's worth it.

Trapper2022 · 01-19-2019, 08:07 AM

Three years fulltiming and do not miss the blue tank. Had one with old rig never really found it useful. Not that hard to work around tank capacities. The black tank is your issue and I can and do go 10 days between fill up. By then time to move. Anyway. To me hard to store and keep sanitized. Seen a few mishaps over the years and not interested in getting into cleaning up those messes.

Just my 2 cents.

Enjoy your travels

Busskipper · 01-19-2019, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by roadcamping

We just started our full time journey and before leaving we decided that we would find full hookups for a while and not buy a portable waste tank. Well, despite looking for a full hookup, we ended up without a sewer hook up at our second location

Do you find having a portable waste tank worth it (for full timers)?

Cleaning dishes fills up the small grey tank fast but, we can mitigate that with wash bins. I think we can delay filling up the tanks for at least a week. However, we would like to use our washer instead of spending time at the laundromat which fills up the tanks fast. We are just not sure if it worth carrying a portable waste tank around with us.

We are all Different - Brother has this one and it is nice to have when needed - https://www.amazon.com/Barker-30844-...1617011&sr=8-6 - if you get one get the largest possible - JMHO

We have never full timed but do often Boondock - we have just found other ways to conserve - or have just made the Run to Dump - Have never used the CG shower but have used the Washer.

Brother also constructed a holder on the Back of his 5th wheel so it is easy and always there, just puts it in a Trash Bag so it is not covered with road Grime when needed.

So IMHO Do what Works for YOU.

Best of Luck,

Note: we also carry over a hundred feet of hose to fill with

For the dishes we had a Fisher and Paykel installed - uses much less water than Hand washing (DW needed sparkling clean Wine Glasses

mythplaced · 01-19-2019, 09:56 AM

We bought one but never used it. We are conservative water users and have huge tanks.

Actually gave it away when we sold our alpine (never used).

grindstone01 · 01-19-2019, 05:55 PM

We have full timed for the last 6 years and do not carry/own a honey wagon. I do carry a empty cat litter pail/w lid and have used that on occasion to bail out the tanks, but not very often. If the CG doesn't have FHU's, there would have to be a pretty good reason to stay more than a week which is what our tanks will hold.

roadcamping · 01-20-2019, 01:51 PM

Thanks for the replies. Our plan is to just be conservative with water.

chindog · 01-20-2019, 06:11 PM

I wouldn't travel without mine. I've got a 42 gallon blue boy, and keep it in one of the pass through cargo bays. We are fulltimers and spend a lot of time in COE parks with no sewer hookups at the sites. We usually stay for the full 14 day limit, and don't want to scrimp on showers, or use the bath houses. So, every 4 or 5 days, I pull the tank to the dump station behind the toad, and I don't have to pack up the coach and pull in the slides and jacks. It makes life much easier for us.