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Old 05-16-2020, 02:25 PM   #1
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21 ga vs 28 ga Rhino waste tank?

Has anyone bought a 21 gallon portable tank and wished they bought a 28 gallon tank, or vice versa? I'm planning to buy a Rhino tank and am leaning toward 21 gallons because a 28 gallon tank could be pretty heavy to haul up a slope to the truck. But I don't want to regret my decision later. The larger tank is, of course, a little more costly, but that's not a significant part of my decision process.

We generally don't stay long-term (like weeks) in one place and usually are in a campground with a dump station near the exit. But we plan to take longer trips within the next few years and those will include some unimproved sites such as NFS or BLM land. As there usually is no dump station near a remote boondock site, I don't know that size is relevant for a portable tank, in that case. I couldn't haul it far down a road, anyway, and couldn't get it into the bed of the truck. I also don't think the infrequency of my need would justify a macerator/bladder arrangement.

The black and gray waste tanks on our Mini-Lite are both 30 gallon. Maybe the 28 gallon tote tank, being pretty close to the capacity of the waste tanks, would be a better match?

Anyway, I'm sharing my thought process so readers can share advice and experience. I appreciate your time.
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Old 05-16-2020, 02:48 PM   #2
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I don't fill my on board tank. Only about 3/4 full so a smaller portable tank is easier to use. When I do use the portable, I dump every morning to be safe.
I think mine is in between the sizes you are looking at. Bought it 8 years ago.
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Old 05-16-2020, 02:53 PM   #3
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I don't fill my on board tank. Only about 3/4 full so a smaller portable tank is easier to use. When I do use the portable, I dump every morning to be safe.
I think mine is in between the sizes you are looking at. Bought it 8 years ago.
What do you do with the black tank?
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Old 05-16-2020, 03:20 PM   #4
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Black tank will last a week plus, so I hit that on the way out or move for that. I would rather not put black in the portable.
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Old 05-16-2020, 03:21 PM   #5
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What do you do with the black tank?
Use the CG bathroom!
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Old 05-17-2020, 01:10 PM   #6
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28 gal Rhino Tote

We just picked up a 28 gallon Rhino and have used it once. I love it as it has the gate valve instead of me having to stand it up. We have a 2012 FR T12DDST and bought it new. We had used an eight gallon Hydroller for the last 8 years and it has done well by us. Going to the 28 gallon doesn't mean I have to fill it up all the way before dumping it but I can come close. One thing I did find however is a FB video that talked about the wheels on the tote. The gentleman talked about his first haul to dump the tank and how one of the wheel retaining caps came off of and he totaled the tank by dragging it 10 feet after the wheel fell off. He contacted Amazon and they sent him a new tank without a problem. The first thing he did on receipt of the new tank was to a modification of the axle/wheel by drilling a hole to use a cotter pin instead of the cap. We did the mod right out of the box and use a R clip instead of a cotter pin. We look forward to our tote and the thinking behind the larger unit is the possibility of mounting it under our camper so we are more "self contained", if that is possible.

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Old 05-17-2020, 02:12 PM   #7
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What do you do with the black tank?
In our 20 years of RVing, we have NEVER needed to use our tote tank for black water.
We have gone a couple weeks with our previous 25 gallon black tank before needing to dump. Our current TT has a even bigger black tank.
Unless you've got a small black tank, an army using the toilet or staying in one place for over two weeks, I don't see any reason to use a tote tank for black water.
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Old 05-17-2020, 03:05 PM   #8
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Originally Posted by chriscowles View Post
Has anyone bought a 21 gallon portable tank and wished they bought a 28 gallon tank, or vice versa? I'm planning to buy a Rhino tank and am leaning toward 21 gallons because a 28 gallon tank could be pretty heavy to haul up a slope to the truck. But I don't want to regret my decision later. The larger tank is, of course, a little more costly, but that's not a significant part of my decision process.

We generally don't stay long-term (like weeks) in one place and usually are in a campground with a dump station near the exit. But we plan to take longer trips within the next few years and those will include some unimproved sites such as NFS or BLM land. As there usually is no dump station near a remote boondock site, I don't know that size is relevant for a portable tank, in that case. I couldn't haul it far down a road, anyway, and couldn't get it into the bed of the truck. I also don't think the infrequency of my need would justify a macerator/bladder arrangement.

The black and gray waste tanks on our Mini-Lite are both 30 gallon. Maybe the 28 gallon tote tank, being pretty close to the capacity of the waste tanks, would be a better match?

Anyway, I'm sharing my thought process so readers can share advice and experience. I appreciate your time.
chriscowles; I didn't go the Rhino route because I liked the Thetford Smart Tote 2 better. I bought the 35 gallon tote tank 2 wheeled version and I use my trailer dolly to move it around the campground to my truck. I am not a fan of the plastic wheels and wheel hubs on all of the tanks I've researched, so this was the best option for me and I promptly replaced the 6" wheels and axles to some cheap Harbor Freight wheels and a 5/8" axle. I can fully empty my 33 gallon holding tanks and easily tote to the dump station for emptying (I normally pull it with the trailer dolly behind my bicycle.) I would not tow one with the tow vehicle because of those plastic wheels they will break under the near 300 lbs weight of a full tank. With the Thetford, you just move the fill hose to dump and when the tank is empty enough you lift it to drain and then rinse it out. Sure beats making multiple trips to the dump station. Swampy
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Old 05-17-2020, 03:32 PM   #9
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chriscowles; I didn't go the Rhino route because I liked the Thetford Smart Tote 2 better. I bought the 35 gallon tote tank 2 wheeled version and I use my trailer dolly to move it around the campground to my truck. I am not a fan of the plastic wheels and wheel hubs on all of the tanks I've researched, so this was the best option for me and I promptly replaced the 6" wheels and axles to some cheap Harbor Freight wheels and a 5/8" axle. I can fully empty my 33 gallon holding tanks and easily tote to the dump station for emptying (I normally pull it with the trailer dolly behind my bicycle.) I would not tow one with the tow vehicle because of those plastic wheels they will break under the near 300 lbs weight of a full tank. With the Thetford, you just move the fill hose to dump and when the tank is empty enough you lift it to drain and then rinse it out. Sure beats making multiple trips to the dump station. Swampy

If towing causes the wheels to break then one is going too fast. The wheels will hold up just fine at "walking speed".

that said, I just put my 28 gallon tank in the bed of my P/U, just inside the tailgate, and then pump the contents of my tanks to it with a flojet macerator pump. Dumping when I get to the dump station is as easy as at a site hookup. No lifting, worrying about tote being too high due to contour of site, no lifting, tugging, tipping, and such.

With my TT when away from hookups I try to dump when my black tank is about the half way point. This way it ALL fits in my tank, I have room for a bucket flush when boondocking. I also have room for enough gray water to flush the discharge hose of my pump so when I disconnect to take the first load to the dump nothing really nasty can spill. Second trip takes the rest of the gray tank to the dump and I then bring back fresh water in it's own containers.
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Old 05-17-2020, 08:50 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by chriscowles View Post
Has anyone bought a 21 gallon portable tank and wished they bought a 28 gallon tank, or vice versa? I'm planning to buy a Rhino tank and am leaning toward 21 gallons because a 28 gallon tank could be pretty heavy to haul up a slope to the truck. But I don't want to regret my decision later. The larger tank is, of course, a little more costly, but that's not a significant part of my decision process.

We generally don't stay long-term (like weeks) in one place and usually are in a campground with a dump station near the exit. But we plan to take longer trips within the next few years and those will include some unimproved sites such as NFS or BLM land. As there usually is no dump station near a remote boondock site, I don't know that size is relevant for a portable tank, in that case. I couldn't haul it far down a road, anyway, and couldn't get it into the bed of the truck. I also don't think the infrequency of my need would justify a macerator/bladder arrangement.

The black and gray waste tanks on our Mini-Lite are both 30 gallon. Maybe the 28 gallon tote tank, being pretty close to the capacity of the waste tanks, would be a better match?

Anyway, I'm sharing my thought process so readers can share advice and experience. I appreciate your time.


Nobody says you have to fill it up all the way. Go with the bigger one.

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Old 05-20-2020, 06:54 AM   #11
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Go with the bigger one, it has the release valve on the side. The smaller one does not.
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Old 05-20-2020, 05:17 PM   #12
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I'll get the 28 gallon and, as mzbrandi observed, I don't have to fill it up if it would be too hard to get it up a slope to my truck. Most of the time, that would not be the case.

Thanks for your insights.
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Old 05-20-2020, 06:43 PM   #13
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I’ve been considering the same thing. I don’t think we’ll use the tank much for anything other than dumping when we get home. One of the things we bought the trailer for is we could make our OWN rest stops wherever. Then, we can dump at home whatever we “accumulated” on the drive so I don’t have to make an extra trip to the dump before parking the trailer at the lot.

BUT, if we ever do need it, I would like it to be big enough to be useful. Our tanks are 33 gallons each. I think 28 gallons would be good enough but I’m not sure if it’s worth it over a 21 or even 15 gallon unit for what I intend for it.

Is the side gate worth it? 15 gallons I can lift, but not 28. But 15 is half my tanks which requires 2x the trips. Decisions, decisions.

Good thread!
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Old 05-20-2020, 07:06 PM   #14
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FWIW, a friend of mine was in need of emptying their black tank and borrowed his father in-laws portable tank. He found the first problem, that it was too tall to fit under his trailer. He dug it out, and lined it up. Once the hose was connected, he double checked everything, and opened the valve. He found the portable tank filled "A LOT" quicker than expected. To the point the hose connecting it was full too. He almost threw up several times emptying that mess. When he got back to the site, his father in-law showed up and after hearing the story, he said "Well I've got a bigger portable tank!". My friend said "You can keep it, I have no desire to ever do that again!!". He calls the honey wagon every time now! I'm on the same frame of mind as him!
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Old 05-20-2020, 11:41 PM   #15
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FWIW, a friend of mine was in need of emptying their black tank and borrowed his father in-laws portable tank. He found the first problem, that it was too tall to fit under his trailer. He dug it out, and lined it up. Once the hose was connected, he double checked everything, and opened the valve. He found the portable tank filled "A LOT" quicker than expected. To the point the hose connecting it was full too. He almost threw up several times emptying that mess. When he got back to the site, his father in-law showed up and after hearing the story, he said "Well I've got a bigger portable tank!". My friend said "You can keep it, I have no desire to ever do that again!!". He calls the honey wagon every time now! I'm on the same frame of mind as him!
I'm unclear why your friend felt the need to fit the tank under the trailer? It sounds like poor understanding of the general process. If you're armed with a little bit of knowledge, it's not hard to do it with minimal risk of disaster or nausea.

It sounds like your friend experienced the classic Robin Williams sewer scene:

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Old 05-23-2020, 09:10 AM   #16
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I'm unclear why your friend felt the need to fit the tank under the trailer? It sounds like poor understanding of the general process. If you're armed with a little bit of knowledge, it's not hard to do it with minimal risk of disaster or nausea.
lol. No doubt. I wasn't there, I just laughed as he told me the story. I still can't picture myself trying to lift 100# of crap into the box of the truck. I'd look like a bomb tech wearing a nuke suit and would have to burn my clothes when I was done. I did see one couple that carried their portable tank to the local dump station in their mini van. That ought to smell great in the summer heat!
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