Portable holding tanks questions

[kcalvin57]

We have an "09 FR Wildwood LE 29BHBS with grey capacity at 66 gal and black capacity at 35 gal. My question is how necessary is having a portable holding tank and which do you prefer the Barker 4 wheeler tote along or Thetford smart tote and which size should I be looking at? We want to be ready when camping season gets here!

[bamasurveyor]

How often do you camp without sewer hookups? How many days and how many people?
We decided to get one last year when we were at a COE camp ground for 4 days there were no sewer hookups. We were only about 30 miles from a Camping World so we made a drive over. Both of our waste tanks are 30 gallons and I didn't want to buy one that was smaller than my tanks(Overflow is not fun). Camping world only has the Thetford Tote. While Barker seems to be better liked I've had no problems with my 35 gallon tote. and it was on sale for $189.

[cat1956]

Our grey and black tanks are both 30 gallons. The grey fills up fast.The black will last us 4 days and then some.But it's just my wife and I.I guess also it would depend on how much you have to go.

[mtnguy]

Originally Posted by kcalvin57

We have an "09 FR Wildwood LE 29BHBS with grey capacity at 66 gal and black capacity at 35 gal. My question is how necessary is having a portable holding tank and which do you prefer the Barker 4 wheeler tote along or Thetford smart tote and which size should I be looking at? We want to be ready when camping season gets here!

If you will be camping for a couple of days in a campground without an onsite sewer hookup, but the campground does have a remote dump station, then a tote can be benefiticial.

We use a 15 gal. Tote-N-Stor which has worked great the few times that we have used it. But I don't believe the brand is as important as the size. If you have room to haul around 1 of those huge totes, then that size may be OK. But remember that waste water has about the same weight as fresh water....somewhere around 8.3 lbs. per gallon. So if you fill a 30 gal. tote up beside your camper, and then have to pull it over uneven ground to your truck so you can hook it up to the hitch, you are pulling ~250 lbs......way over what I am comfortable with. Now if you can dump into the tote while it is already hooked to your TV, then that is different. Also beware, that the towable totes are only made for slow speeds over paved roads, so if you have a little distance to go or if you have to travel on a dirt road to get to the dump station, then that could be a problem.

We have the smaller tote because it takes up less area in the truck bed, and also much easier to handle when full.....we just have to make more trips. The advantages of a larger tote if you justify the room, is that you can still just fill it 1/2 and the weight should still be manageable, or fill it most of the way if you are in a position to handle the weight.

[kcalvin57]

Thanks all of you that responded. You have given me things to think about. Also, when the weather breaks and I can hook up and get some pictures, I'll post them to my profile as many of you have done. Any more thoughts, please send them my way.

[campnqueen]

Originally Posted by mtnguy

If you will be camping for a couple of days in a campground without an onsite sewer hookup, but the campground does have a remote dump station, then a tote can be benefiticial.

We use a 15 gal. Tote-N-Stor which has worked great the few times that we have used it. But I don't believe the brand is as important as the size. If you have room to haul around 1 of those huge totes, then that size may be OK. But remember that waste water has about the same weight as fresh water....somewhere around 8.3 lbs. per gallon. So if you fill a 30 gal. tote up beside your camper, and then have to pull it over uneven ground to your truck so you can hook it up to the hitch, you are pulling ~250 lbs......way over what I am comfortable with. Now if you can dump into the tote while it is already hooked to your TV, then that is different. Also beware, that the towable totes are only made for slow speeds over paved roads, so if you have a little distance to go or if you have to travel on a dirt road to get to the dump station, then that could be a problem.

We have the smaller tote because it takes up less area in the truck bed, and also much easier to handle when full.....we just have to make more trips. The advantages of a larger tote if you justify the room, is that you can still just fill it 1/2 and the weight should still be manageable, or fill it most of the way if you are in a position to handle the weight.

Hello Mtn Guy,
Isn't that tote heavy to life onto a truck bed?

I am a 5'4" female...and have to use my brain and not my muscles!

I have a 30 gallon gray and black tanks. Do you hook the tote to your hitch? I see you stated it needs to be used on even ground...no pot holes , no gravel?

I have heard that some of the tote fall apart after a few uses. What brand is your tote?

I am thinking about getting a waste tote. But the verdict is still out.

[mtnguy]

Originally Posted by campnqueen

Hello Mtn Guy,
Isn't that tote heavy to life onto a truck bed?

I am a 5'4" female...and have to use my brain and not my muscles!

I have a 30 gallon gray and black tanks. Do you hook the tote to your hitch? I see you stated it needs to be used on even ground...no pot holes , no gravel?

I have heard that some of the tote fall apart after a few uses. What brand is your tote?

I am thinking about getting a waste tote. But the verdict is still out.

If I have to lift it, I wouldn't fill it ....water weighs 8.3 lbs per gallon, so just 5 gallons is going to weigh over 40 lbs. If I can tow it, that would be the easy way.

I am not sure of the brand. I will check on that.

I carry my tote when dry camping, but have seldom used it. I did need to use it to dump my gray tank 1 time............the owners of the property let the gray water from their cabin run to the ground, so I dumped my gray tank into the tote, rolled it to the woods, and let it rip. Of course I would never do that where prohibited, or never dump my black tank that way.

[herk7769]

I just hook the handle to the truck ball hitch and drive it to the dump site. I can lift it empty back to its place parked on my rear bumper.
Oh, and the bikes live on the front of the truck now when traveling.

[JohnandPandra]

Because of the numerous Corp Of Engineer campgrounds close to here with many lakeside sites(just W/E), I decided to get a tote because of the 30 gallon grey tank filling so quickly if we had company visit besides my wife & me, also holiday weekends. When researching pros & cons of each brand, I decided on a Barker brand due to numerous complaints of Thetfords falling apart. Then I researched which size others' liked best & why(on other forums). It led me to get the Barker 42 Super Tote. Then after getting that tote, I made the mods that was suggested by using pnuematic rear tires to roll over grass and gravel better. I also replaced the front hard plastic wheels(loud & noisy) with hard rubber wheels that can handle the weight from Graingers. It pulls easily when loaded & I just put in the back of the truck for storage. I see others having to take their trailers to go dump, then re-set up. What a pain!

[herk7769]

Originally Posted by JohnandPandra

Then after getting that tote, I made the mods that was suggested by using pnuematic rear tires to roll over grass and gravel better. I also replaced the front hard plastic wheels(loud & noisy) with hard rubber wheels that can handle the weight from Graingers.

Do you have the granger part numbers? I would love to see photos of your mod as well.