Community Forums

RodnReel · 08-03-2021, 10:31 AM

The wife and I are in the process of selling our home and move into a RV full time. Boondocking will be a big part of our camping experience.

We use a bidet at home and because of this 95% of the time toilet paper is used to dry your backside. Rather than flush it down clean wet TP can be put in a garbage can which seems to me a huge benefit for black tanks. I've searched this forum as well as others and found plenty of info about installing/using them plus comments about using a bidet may increase your fresh water usage.

My question is to those who have installed them and are boondocking.

1. Has your fresh water usage gone up, down or stayed the same per day.

2. Has your black tank filled up quicker, slower or stayed the same per day.

UTTransplant · 08-04-2021, 11:28 AM

I have had a bidet in the motorhome for about 9 months. Yes, my black tank fills slightly quicker, but my gray tank is still the driver for dumping. We drycamp/boondock for a week at a time, and we have not needed to make any changes resulting from the bidet. We use small washcloths to dry, so very little TP goes in the tank these days.

RodnReel · 08-04-2021, 03:49 PM

Thanks for the info Transplant: I see your tanks are Fr 90gal Bl 50 gal and Gr 70gal.

We are interested in a Renegade Super C with Fr 150 gal Bl 75 gal and Gr 75 gal so it appears we should be able to boondock for at least a week.

DavidEM · 08-05-2021, 08:06 AM

Water usage is totally dependent on individual practices and is highly variable.

When we cruised on a boat full time and stayed in anchorages not marinas, the marine equivalent of boondocking we used 5-7 gallons a day including two showers. It did take some significant conservation steps such as catching the first gallon of shower water until it got warm. We would then use that water for dish washing.

Today in a small Class A we have 45 gallons of fresh water and we can go 4 nights, so we use about 10 gallons a day with no draconian conservation practices.

I would think a bidet would have a minor effect on water use.

David

Gammel · 08-09-2021, 11:18 PM

Who knew RVs had bidets?

twogypsies · 08-11-2021, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gammel

Who knew RVs had bidets?

I would imagine very few do!!

RodnReel · 08-11-2021, 07:39 AM

We installed ours in our home a few years back after visiting friends in New Orleans who had them. Our home is on an individual sewer plant and just like an RV had to use certain types of toilet paper. Now we can use whatever brand we want because it goes in the trash can.

We've had many friends visit us, use it and then install them on their home toilets.

It only takes 15-20 minutes and it is easy to do.

Whenever we stay in a motel on the way back home we always talk about missing our bidet.

twogypsies · 08-11-2021, 12:56 PM

Why I stated that probably 'very few RVers use one'.... especially boondockers..... is because you've only received one reply of someone using one in a RV. I'm sure there are more than one but not many.

CRV2 · 08-11-2021, 01:01 PM

I have not used a bidet in my life (even when I had that opportunity), perhaps they are the best but I don't know firsthand. One question I have though is in regards to having limited water capacity in an RV while boondocking, approximately how much water for each average use is needed? ~CA

TXiceman · 08-11-2021, 02:56 PM

For boondocking, have you considered Baby-wipes rather than a bidet? Might be a more practical approach.

Ken

Xmcdog · 08-11-2021, 03:11 PM

Baby wipes in a black tank? What could possibly go wrong?

Sorry. No

UTTransplant · 08-12-2021, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by craigav

I have not used a bidet in my life (even when I had that opportunity), perhaps they are the best but I don't know firsthand. One question I have though is in regards to having limited water capacity in an RV while boondocking, approximately how much water for each average use is needed? ~CA

For us, an adult couple, we use 5% more of our black tank per week so that is 2.5-3 gallons extra a week. As I said, my gray tank fills up well before the black even with the bidet. And I do know a number of people with bidets in their MHs, mostly people who traveled overseas and got used to them there.

ByeTheWay · 08-14-2021, 12:11 PM

Many do their business in the woods and burn their t-paper. Works for me too. Saves a lot of water!!!!!!

Podivin · 08-14-2021, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RodnReel

The wife and I are in the process of selling our home and move into a RV full time. Boondocking will be a big part of our camping experience.

We use a bidet at home and because of this 95% of the time toilet paper is used to dry your backside. Rather than flush it down clean wet TP can be put in a garbage can which seems to me a huge benefit for black tanks. I've searched this forum as well as others and found plenty of info about installing/using them plus comments about using a bidet may increase your fresh water usage.

My question is to those who have installed them and are boondocking.

1. Has your fresh water usage gone up, down or stayed the same per day.

2. Has your black tank filled up quicker, slower or stayed the same per day.

You already use a bidet, so you can figure out the answer to these questions yourself based on your usage. You KNOW that fresh water use has to go up and the black tank has to fill quicker - that's the only way it could work since you're using water you previously haven't used and it's going in to the black tank. So I'm assuming that your 'real' question is "How much has fresh water use gone up?" Knowing that answer to that will tell you the answer to the other question. So when you use your bidet at home count how many seconds you're using water. Then figure out a way to catch that much water when you're not sitting there (I'm thinking that's going to involve a funnel to a hose to a measuring cup). Now you know how much water you use each use. From there it's simple math based on how many uses per day = how many gallons of water. That's how much extra fresh water you're going to use, and it's exactly how much faster your black tank is going to fill. Personally I'd be surprised if adds up to two gallons out of a full fresh water tank.
I installed bidets at home and after using them installed the same one in the RV, but I've never measure water usage to know the answer to the questions.