Capacities

4st-rvr · 06-24-2011, 10:36 PM

Question? How many days could you camp with grey and black water holding tanks at 23 gallons each?

Fire Instructor · 06-24-2011, 10:50 PM

Almost a week on the black. Day and a half on the grey.... To extend grey, we typically wash and rinse dishes into a dishpan, then dump the dishpan into the toilet.

**bikendan** · 06-24-2011, 11:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4st-rvr

Question? How many days could you camp with grey and black water holding tanks at 23 gallons each?

that's tough to answer, since it's really varies from camper to camper.
too many variables, like how many are using the RV, how much do you use the CG's bathrooms, how good are you at conserving water usage, do you plan to use the shower, do you wash dishes in the RV's sink and so on.

for the two of us, we can go for weeks on the 25 gallon black tank and about 5 days on the 25 gallon gray tank.
but we are former popup owners and know how to conserve water usage.

ilovecamping · 06-24-2011, 11:43 PM

I agree that it depends on how conservative you are or want to be. We probably could make it for 2 or 3 days with the black and 2 with the grey. We use our camper to the max of its capabilities and enjoy the amenities. That's just us. I have not used the cg baths since we got our pup with a shower/potty.

brownie289 · 06-25-2011, 05:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fire Instructor

Almost a week on the black. Day and a half on the grey.... To extend grey, we typically wash and rinse dishes into a dishpan, then dump the dishpan into the toilet.

I thought I was the only one to do that !!!! I think the dawn dish soap is good for the black tank also...

Glenn5995 · 06-25-2011, 01:36 PM

Like others have said, there are many variables, such as number of persons and how conservative you are. We have a 30 gallon black tank and with a family of four (2 adults and 2 children) it is currently our limiting factor for our length of stay. We can make it last at least 7 days. Have made it last 9.

4st-rvr · 06-29-2011, 08:01 AM

Thanks all for the feedback. Very helpful

kjoh75 · 06-29-2011, 09:28 AM

The majority of the waste water I produce goes into the grey tank. It is surprizing how fast the grey tank fills up. I have seen camper who have a hose attached to the dump opening to run grey water into the surrounding high grass and trees. I assume this is ok since I have found covers at Walmart and other places that have a garden hose attachment built right into the cover. This most certainly would take the worry out of overflowing the tank.

Glenn5995 · 06-29-2011, 10:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kjoh75

The majority of the waste water I produce goes into the grey tank. It is surprizing how fast the grey tank fills up.

One thing I have done to extend the use of our grey tanks and my fresh water is to have a pitcher available for whenever warm water is needed, whether for the shower, bath sink or kitchen sink. We run the water into the pitcher until it becomes warm for use. I then pour the initial water from the pitcher back into the fresh water tank. It is amazing how much this extended both my fresh water and grey tank capacity. A lot of fresh water was being used to fill our grey tanks just waiting for the water to get warm.

MtnGuy · 06-29-2011, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glenn5995

One thing I have done to extend the use of our grey tanks and my fresh water is to have a pitcher available for whenever warm water is needed, whether for the shower, bath sink or kitchen sink. We run the water into the pitcher until it becomes warm for use. I then pour the initial water from the pitcher back into the fresh water tank. It is amazing how much this extended both my fresh water and grey tank capacity. A lot of fresh water was being used to fill our grey tanks just waiting for the water to get warm.

I sometimes do sorta the same think when dry camping, except I use the catch water to flush the toilet. Same results.....that water is not going down the grey water drains, and the water is being used in place of the water from the fresh water tank to flush the toilet.

Personally, I would not want to drink the water from the hot water tank....that is what happens if you put it in the fresh water tank.

**Terier** · 06-29-2011, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glenn5995

One thing I have done to extend the use of our grey tanks and my fresh water is to have a pitcher available for whenever warm water is needed, whether for the shower, bath sink or kitchen sink. We run the water into the pitcher until it becomes warm for use. I then pour the initial water from the pitcher back into the fresh water tank. It is amazing how much this extended both my fresh water and grey tank capacity. A lot of fresh water was being used to fill our grey tanks just waiting for the water to get warm.

LOL- when I first started reading your reply I got the impression that you were filling the pitcher to use to shower with. Then it dawn on me that you were catching the runniing water while it was below temp and saving it.

That's a good idea for several reasons.

Glenn5995 · 06-29-2011, 02:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mtnguy

...Personally, I would not want to drink the water from the hot water tank....that is what happens if you put it in the fresh water tank.

We don't drink water from the fresh water tank. We bring bottled water for drinking and just use the fresh water tank for washing dishes, hygiene and flushing the toilet. Besides relieving any water quality concerns, it extends our water capacity.

MtnGuy · 06-29-2011, 02:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Glenn5995

We don't drink water from the fresh water tank. We bring bottled water for drinking and just use the fresh water tank for washing dishes, hygiene and flushing the toilet. Besides relieving any water quality concerns, it extends our water capacity.

Ah, that explains it.

buckisland1950 · 06-29-2011, 04:17 PM

Many campgrounds frown on you running a hose and dumping your gray water on the ground. This past weekend the wife dumped all her dishwater into the black tank and it was amazing how much this saved as our gray tank is normally almost full after just a few days. We have never filled the black tank but we usually are limited to 3 or 4 days camping.

tentcamper1 · 06-30-2011, 09:37 AM

we fill up our tank before we leave (I use soft water) I also fill 1 gallon water jugs from the house for drinking and coffee (not soft water!) and we take bottled water to drink when hiking etc. we have 40 gallons of fresh and can do dishes and take about 6-7 showers before I need to add more water. I will spend about an hour dumping the grey with my blue tote and adding to the fresh water from my extra water tank. its a 36 gallon tank, I have a 12v plug off the battery, hook it up and pump the water into the trailers fresh water tank. we can go a +/- a week on the black tank.

RubenZ · 07-01-2011, 03:38 PM

Our TT has a 52 gallon fresh water tank, and 42 gallon Black and Grey and I was so paranoid on our 2 night stay that I told my wife to take a fast shower. I feel bad now as some of you have smaller tanks and go for days and days LOL. Maybe I can relax a bit more.

MrT · 07-01-2011, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ilovecamping

I agree that it depends on how conservative you are or want to be. We probably could make it for 2 or 3 days with the black and 2 with the grey. We use our camper to the max of its capabilities and enjoy the amenities. That's just us. I have not used the cg baths since we got our pup with a shower/potty.

Amen to that. We tend to seek full-service campgrounds 'cuz that's our gig. We use the facilities to the fullest, and deal with the necessity of dumping the tanks.

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