Rhino portable tank

[MarsbarsCT]

NJKris: I hear you and I was perplexed when I read this in the instructions, but I assume this is to negate the need to lift up a very heavy 28 gallons once your RV tank empties in the Rhino. I guess I will try it both ways on my maiden voyage. This is what the instructions say under "Holding Tank Hookup" (1) Put the tow handle in place on the tank handle. Place tow bracket loop over ball hitch (or pull by hand with the tow handle). (2) Remove 3" storage cap from tote tank sewer hose connection. (3) Remove vent cap (paraphrased / shortened here. (4) Connect the double bayonet clear elbow adapter to the lug fitting end of the sewer hose, and then to the sewer hose connection of the tote tank. (5) Connect the other end of the hose to the RV waster water connection. (6) Open the RV gate valve.

I'm only going to do grey water empties, so even if I leave the tank handle on my hitch and I'm not right on top of the dump hole when I empty it, the flexible hose should allow for the emptying of most of the water. Once it's almost empty, I can take the Rhino off my hitch and finish emptying any residual water left in the tank.

Either way, if I have to do the emptying twice (from camper to Rhino), and/or from Rhino to dump station. I will be OK with that.

Thanks for the reminder about the venting cap!


NJKris

Marsbars, I'm not sure what you are saying. You can't empty this thing while it is hitched, the discharge valve is on the middle bottom of the cart. Once I dump RV tank into it, I put the metal tow bar in place, and lift/roll it to truck hitch, which I try to get as close as possible. The tow bar actually gives you better leverage when you go to pick the handle end up. My RV waste tanks are only 30g, I've never had them so full that they overflow the 28g cart. Don't forget to undo the garden hose style cap to relieve pressure when you dump from RV! Same with when you dump at dump station.

[CNYCamper]

Originally Posted by NJKris

... the discharge valve is on the middle bottom of the cart.

Kris, I bought this same 28G Rhino after camping season ended so haven't had a chance to use it. The Rhino replaced my Thetford which was showing its age.
The Rhino appears very sturdy.
The only thing I can't figure is why they put the side discharge valve on the right side of the tote when the dump station port is on the left side.
I guess not that big a deal. Just need to spin the Rhino around after unhitching. Still seems odd that people sat around designing this thing and no one questioned what side the valve should be on.

[NJKris]

Theoretically those instructions are good, but don't forget when the tote tank it tilted, as it will be on the hitch of a tow vehicle, especially a higher vehicle like my pickup, the fluid level in the tote will only rise as high as the fluid levels in the RV waste tanks. It will also make it impossible to drain the waste hose after you dump for same reason. Therefore you will not get a full evacuation of your RV waste tank. As it is, sometimes it is tricky having inlet of waste tank below RV waste discharge. I find myself 'milking' the stinky slinky sometimes, to keep flow going.



I generally only need it to empty grey tank, but I've used it at home to empty black and dump in my septic tank, during trips where flushing black tank at campsite was not possible due to lines at dump station, or water shut off at campground due to freezing conditions. This tote has a flush valve port you can attach hose to, works pretty well, especially when you don't fill it too much, you can pick handle up to swish water back and forth to clean it out better.

[NJKris]

Originally Posted by CNYCamper

Kris, I bought this same 28G Rhino after camping season ended so haven't had a chance to use it. The Rhino replaced my Thetford which was showing its age.
The Rhino appears very sturdy.
The only thing I can't figure is why they put the side discharge valve on the right side of the tote when the dump station port is on the left side.
I guess not that big a deal. Just need to spin the Rhino around after unhitching. Still seems odd that people sat around designing this thing and no one questioned what side the valve should be on.

One would think! Can you imagine if the same engineer made RV's? There would be no consistency where they put the waste tank discharge.

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by CNYCamper

Kris, I bought this same 28G Rhino after camping season ended so haven't had a chance to use it. The Rhino replaced my Thetford which was showing its age.
The Rhino appears very sturdy.
The only thing I can't figure is why they put the side discharge valve on the right side of the tote when the dump station port is on the left side.
I guess not that big a deal. Just need to spin the Rhino around after unhitching. Still seems odd that people sat around designing this thing and no one questioned what side the valve should be on.

Ask Santa for a macerator pump. With one of those, and are using truck to go to dump station, you'll never lift or tow a full tote again.

I put my Rhino in the truck empty, pump tank(s) into it and at dump station use hose to dump. Only lift empty tote, period. I can also drive miles if necessary to dump.
Also doesn't matter which side the valve is on.

[NJKris]

I think I asked before Mike, but didn't get an answer. The big woosh required to get most of the solids out of the black tank, I can't imagine that happening with the lower volume discharge through a garden hose attached to pump. Your opinion on that please. Is this more of a stop-gap until you can do a proper flushout?

[TitanMike]

Originally Posted by NJKris

I think I asked before Mike, but didn't get an answer. The big woosh required to get most of the solids out of the black tank, I can't imagine that happening with the lower volume discharge through a garden hose attached to pump. Your opinion on that please. Is this more of a stop-gap until you can do a proper flushout?

I don't worry much about leaving small amounts of solids behind. Eventually they get flushed out when i get back on the road and dump where i have water to flush with.

I suppose if I worried about that when boondocking i could run the macerator hose back into the toilet while dumping the gray tank. Then pump out black tank again.

I can say that when I shine a light down the toilet after dumping I don't see anything left to worry about. Remember, when boondocking by the next morning that tank you fussed over to get so clean won't be so clean[emoji57]

[mjones12]

Kris: If i'm understanding correctly, the small front wheels on the newer models do not touch the ground while hitched? So one still has to lift it onto the hitch for transport and off again for dumping (because the tank is not level enough for dumping while on the hitch).

I assume the front wheels DO make it easier to maneuver on the ground while off-hitch at campsite and dump station.

Thanks

[NJKris]

mjones12, unless they made a sudden change, the 28g model has no front wheels, just 2 large rear wheels you can tow the cart on. I'm assuming smaller models are same. The super large 36g I don't know about. The 28g is a monster, I can't even imagine how big the 36g model is. BTW, I store the 28g hanging from the built in hook from a rafter in my shed. If I had a dollar for every time I smashed my head on it, especially when wearing a ball cap. It is pretty heavy too.

[Iwritecode]

Originally Posted by NJKris

mjones12, unless they made a sudden change, the 28g model has no front wheels, just 2 large rear wheels you can tow the cart on. I'm assuming smaller models are same. The super large 36g I don't know about. The 28g is a monster, I can't even imagine how big the 36g model is. BTW, I store the 28g hanging from the built in hook from a rafter in my shed. If I had a dollar for every time I smashed my head on it, especially when wearing a ball cap. It is pretty heavy too.

I think they did make a change. I linked to this one in post #7.

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Gallon-...a-924311169994

Honestly, I don't see any reason all 4 wheels wouldn't be on the ground when towing it.

[dedobias]

NO - the front wheels are on the ground when hitched - the tow handle is hinged and the wheels swivel. There is also a wheel kit for other models at the same link INLCUDING THE 28 Gallon..

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...pd_gw_unk&th=1

LOOK at all the photos on the right of this link. I have one sitting in my garage. If you click on the wheel kit, it tells you which models it will fit. Only one side note, most of the smaller ones do NOT have the side drain valve, only the 28 and 36 gallon.

[NJKris]

IWriteCode, was just looking at the link. Wow, a lot of new options that were not available when I got mine! Can even buy the front wheel set separately, but that's almost a hundred bucks. I can do without.

[dedobias]

A lot of dump stations have driveway on both sides. the dump valve location really doesn't matter. The top connection is for filling. You might have to spin it around using the tow bar if the dump station ends up on the wrong side. Not a big deal. SIde note, the level indicator you can buy elsewhere doesn't work according to other reviews I've read. With the clear 90 on the top you can see the level with a flashlight. JUst go slow and your slinky is bowed down, leave room for it's contents. You can also pull the vent cap and look in that hole with a flashlight.

WHeel kit is $85 on AMazon

[mjones12]

So if I added front wheel kit to my 28-gal, I could fill it and roll it to my truck on all fours? Then tow it to the dump and empty it while still on the hitch?

The pic here is why my current setup is killing me. I assume the tow bar is quite a bit longer with 4 wheels.

Mine is too heavy for an old timer to lift onto the hitch and then lift it back off for dumping. Can't dump with tank sitting at that angle, obviously.

[Iwritecode]

It'd look more like this:

[mjones12]

Originally Posted by Iwritecode

It'd look more like this:

Excellent. Thank you. Looks like that would solve my problems. Thank you for taking the time to respond.

[Iwritecode]

I have a different brand tank but it has basically the same type of arm on it that hooks up to a hitch ball. Only difference is that I'm on a seasonal site and hook it up to my golf cart.

It's a 40 gal tank and the only time I really have to lift it is when I put it away in my shed. And that's mostly just standing it upright and wheeling it in.

[mjones12]

Sounds perfect for me. I will definitely look into the available conversion kit.

[dedobias]

Go to the Amazon link I posted above and look at the pictures on the right by clicking them. Yours ahs the side dump valve so you don't have to stand it vertical to drain it. The kit is on the same link just by clicking the box that says conversion kit.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...pd_gw_unk&th=1

[5picker]

Originally Posted by mjones12

So if I added front wheel kit to my 28-gal, I could fill it and roll it to my truck on all fours? Then tow it to the dump and empty it while still on the hitch?

The pic here is why my current setup is killing me. I assume the tow bar is quite a bit longer with 4 wheels.

Mine is too heavy for an old timer to lift onto the hitch and then lift it back off for dumping. Can't dump with tank sitting at that angle, obviously.Attachment 248218

Not sure why you can't dump the tank (at least mostly) with it sitting at that angle? Once it drains down to the level of where the drain port is on the side, I can't imagine it would be more than 1/4 full and should be pretty easy to lift off the hitch at that point and finish draining.

If you are not able to lift at all, (on or off) then the 4 wheeled version should work better for you.

Also... is there any way that hitch/handle could go the other direction when inserted onto the tank? Seems the tank would ride more level and you wouldn't need to lift as high.