Portable Waste Tanks

[Cactus Canyon]

We’ve been spending more time at state parks lately, and often have grandchildren with us. These parks are often great, but don’t typically have sewer connections at the camp sites, and our waste tanks fill up fast.
I’ve seen folks wIth travel trailers and fifth wheels that have portable waste tanks that they usually strap to their roof ladders. It seems like a better option than unhooking everything and driving to a dump station, only to have to drive back to the site and reconnect everything.
Well, we don’t have a ladder, and I’m wondering if other Dynamax owners use these tanks, and how they transport them while on the road.
Thanks for your input.

[milkman55]

This is the one I use and I carry it in the back of our toad. Really not a good place to haul in the RV. If you have a hitch on your toad, you can pull it to the dump station with the ball attachment bar.

https://smile.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B07...b_b_asin_title

[NevadaMiniLite]

If you decide to order one, be careful as some of these things are HUGE. I ordered a 28 gallon and returned it because it was so large. I ended up with a 15 gallon and figured I could do 2 trips to the dump station if necessary. Have not used it yet but taking a trip to Glacier in a couple of weeks and have 5 days booked in the Park with no hookups so I expect I will christen it then. That said, our TT is on the small side - 22' and it''s only my wife and myself.

[Openroadorer99]

I went all out the first time, 7 years ago, and got a blue boy, that has rubber tires with inertubes on axels, and the rims each have a grease urk to grease them. I cant remember what brand, but i am sure they are still sold.
Not the cheapest, but in said 7 years, nothing needs replacing, and it spends it life outside. I do coat the rubber tires with just spraying on some 303 sun protectent when i remember, so dont know if that has helped, with the tires.
I went kinda big, at over 40 gallons, they make different sizes.
With the rubber tires and being greased, makes it roll nice and very quiet.

[Dan_Frisbie]

I have a 40 gal. I carry it int he box trailer with the motorcycles. At camp, I just lug it too to the dump station.

[Bricklayer123]

I just bought this mount for my 36 gallon rhino.
I don’t have a ladder either.
https://www.ebay.ca/itm/194881000517...mis&media=COPY

[Iwritecode]

Originally Posted by Openroadorer99

I went all out the first time, 7 years ago, and got a blue boy, that has rubber tires with inertubes on axels, and the rims each have a grease urk to grease them. I cant remember what brand, but i am sure they are still sold.
Not the cheapest, but in said 7 years, nothing needs replacing, and it spends it life outside. I do coat the rubber tires with just spraying on some 303 sun protectent when i remember, so dont know if that has helped, with the tires.
I went kinda big, at over 40 gallons, they make different sizes.
With the rubber tires and being greased, makes it roll nice and very quiet.

It's a Barker. I've got the same one. Love it.

[cboss]

Make sure you get pneumatic (air) tires. I've seen the plastic ones fail (not pretty).

[fella10]

Originally Posted by Iwritecode

It's a Barker. I've got the same one. Love it.

Yeah, the 42gal Barker is a winner, they sell a 32gal, but with both tanks 30 gals, I figured the 2 gal cushion could easily be lost if the blue boy isn't sitting exactly level when dumping into it, ... it is a big one but I wanted one large enough that I could hookup open valve and not have to worry about, or have to monitor it to prevent overfill and dealing with the mess that would cause, ... the 42gal works great for us, I did replace the two small front pneumatic wheels with solid ones, those small pneumatic tires are notorious for loosing air and constantly needing to be refilled, ... I carry it in the truck camper shell, removing the tongue and both axles and all tires to make it fit, ... we don't carry it when we know we won't need it, ... that's my take on the portable tanks, the Barker brand is a winner, ...

[FOURWHL]

I carry the 42 gal baker tank. Mounted some hangers between the frame rails in the rear of the coach and it's traveled that way for 60k miles or so. Very handy to have in the situation you've described.

I've since ditched the wheels and just haul it in the back of the jeep when I use it. The macerator makes it easy to get the "stuff" up into the jeep and then dumping it out is gravity fed. Not for the faint of heart though.

[itat]

Originally Posted by cboss

Make sure you get pneumatic (air) tires. I've seen the plastic ones fail (not pretty).

I totally agree that pneumatic tires are the way to go. I have a 32 gallon Barker with pneumatic tires. If you have to pull by hand or tow it any distance you’ll appreciate the air-filled tires. Yes, the bigger ones do get very heavy when filled. I’ve pulled mine by hand about a quarter mile on flat ground because of the layout of that particular campground but towing is much easier.

Today, if you can get or adapt pneumatic tires on the Camco Rhino tote I’d go that way.

[BLT4SPD]

We carry a 24gal. Camco in one of the lower storage bays of our Isata 5. It JUUUUUUUST fits and I have to take everything else out of the bay to get it in or out. When we are dry camping (or no sewer camping), I'll take it out when needed and just leave it out from that point forward until we leave. I just roll it under the coach. It's been a life saver multiple times.

[tomkatb]

Remember that your waste is about 8# per gallon.

A 40 gallon blue boy is HEAVY!

We own the 40 gallon blue boy. Only used once. We are fortunate to be able to go a week on our tankage. Gray tanks are usually the issue. We can combine our two even with the black.

We save dishwater to pour down the black tank.

[RickV]

Originally Posted by fella10

Yeah, the 42gal Barker is a winner, they sell a 32gal, but with both tanks 30 gals, I figured the 2 gal cushion could easily be lost if the blue boy isn't sitting exactly level when dumping into it, ... it is a big one but I wanted one large enough that I could hookup open valve and not have to worry about, or have to monitor it to prevent overfill and dealing with the mess that would cause, ... the 42gal works great for us, I did replace the two small front pneumatic wheels with solid ones, those small pneumatic tires are notorious for loosing air and constantly needing to be refilled, ... I carry it in the truck camper shell, removing the tongue and both axles and all tires to make it fit, ... we don't carry it when we know we won't need it, ... that's my take on the portable tanks, the Barker brand is a winner, ...

I have the same one and carry it between my 5ver hitch and the tailgate, it fits almost perfectly and I have it strapped to the hitch so it doesn't move. We rarely stay anywhere that doesn't have FHU and if we do it is not long enough to fill the black tank so, I usually just have to dump the two grey tanks. The Macerator Pump is one of my best additions.

[Traveling Circus]

Originally Posted by NevadaMiniLite

If you decide to order one, be careful as some of these things are HUGE. I ordered a 28 gallon and returned it because it was so large. I ended up with a 15 gallon and figured I could do 2 trips to the dump station if necessary. Have not used it yet but taking a trip to Glacier in a couple of weeks and have 5 days booked in the Park with no hookups so I expect I will christen it then. That said, our TT is on the small side - 22' and it''s only my wife and myself.

I also have a large 35 gallon portable tote. Big mistake. After having used it a couple of times, it wasn't working for me. We are mostly weekend warriors, and often camp with FHU for our extended trips. I purchased a 5 gallon waste tote. It's perfect. Most of the time I just need one more day. Dumping 5 or 10 gallons is much easier with the 5 gallon tote.

[GravelRider]

I don't have a Dynamax, so I can't comment on storage in your camper. However, we do have the largest Rhino tank (36 gallon). It's really been a lifesaver at state parks without hookups. Our black tank only holds 28 gallons, so there is no worry of overflowing, and our grey water is 38 gallons, so unless it's completely full, the chance of overflow is pretty low.

However, this thing is HEAVY when full - over 300 lbs. On a nice flat gravel site, it's no problem at all, but there have been times when we've got uneven ground, roots, big dips, etc., where wrangling this thing out to my tow hitch has been a nightmare. And keep in mind I'm fairly young (39) and in very good shape, going to the gym regularly, in the military, etc. I know that I won't be able to do this forever. I don't know that I would buy a smaller one, but I would at least consider not filling it as full, especially when on uneven ground, when first starting to use it.

By the way, Camco's customer service is excellent. I discovered a defect in our tank; there was a small split near the filler opening that caused a small amount of leakage. I discovered this almost a year after purchasing, as we had not used it much in that first year. I called and told them about it, sent in pics, and within days I had a new one delivered to my door. My old one I was able to repair with some epoxy, and gave it to a friend. And I asked Camco if I was able to do this, and they told me they didn't care what I did to the old one that was defective. I didn't love that it had a defect, but any company can put out a defect from time to time. Not all companies have great CS though.

[IowaRVer]

Not getting one… but I’ve often wondered when dumping into a portable tank from the RV… what happens if you have more in your tanks than space in the portable when you fill it? …and your sewer hose is therefore full.

Sounds like a problem? How do you avoid that?

[GravelRider]

Originally Posted by IowaRVer

Not getting one… but I’ve often wondered when dumping into a portable tank from the RV… what happens if you have more in your tanks than space in the portable when you fill it? …and your sewer hose is therefore full.

Sounds like a problem? How do you avoid that?

When you empty your tanks into the portable tank, you have to loosen and/or remove a breather cap on the top (doesn't smell great doing this. lol). I remove it and keep an eye on the level with a flash light. That would be a very messy mistake to overfill it...

I also have a clear connecting elbow from the stinky slinky to the portable tank that I can also see through.

[fella10]

Originally Posted by IowaRVer

Not getting one… but I’ve often wondered when dumping into a portable tank from the RV… what happens if you have more in your tanks than space in the portable when you fill it? …and your sewer hose is therefore full.

Sounds like a problem? How do you avoid that?

Yep you do have a problem if YOU LET that happen, ... that's why with 30gal tanks, I got the 42gal portable waste tank (see post #9), ...

[Aussieguy]

Originally Posted by GravelRider

That would be a very messy mistake to overfill it...

Betting you only make that mistake once!
If you spill some stuff at your location
rinse / dillute the affected area with a lot of fresh water

Bleach is safe for plants etc... mix a cap full with some fresh water and slosh it over your spill

Having a 5 gallon spare bucket handy... is useful for those OOPS

Usually it's the gray water tank that needs emptying more times than black
So until you get good at filling the drag along...
Pull the trailer to the dump station if emptying the black.