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07-02-2020, 12:39 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2020
Posts: 369
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Using a porta-potty service to empty waste tank
I wanted to share our plans and see if I can get some feedback on them.
We are looking to buy a Park trailer to keep at our rural property that has no services. Currently, we have a porta-potty on the property that we get serviced every few months. I have spoken to the service we use and they have confirmed they can empty the trailer's waste tank when they come up to service the porta-potty.
Since being able to do this is essential to our plans I wanted to see if others are using a similar service to empty their waste tanks and any special considerations we need to be aware of. Thank you!
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07-02-2020, 01:04 PM
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#2
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Pickin', Campin', Mason
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: South Western PA
Posts: 19,142
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We've had our waste tanks emptied many times by a porta-pot service while at music festivals or race tracks.
They will connect directly to your sewer port, you (or them) will open the blade valves and they will pump it into their truck. Done!
You likely won't be able to use your black tank flush (if equipped) because the evacuation process into the truck takes about two minutes and they are off to the next customer.
__________________
2022 Cedar Creek 345IK 5th Wheel•Solar & Inverter•2024 Ford F-Series SCREW•7.3L•4x4•Factory Puck•B&W Companion•TST Tire Monitor w/Repeater•Sinemate 3500w Gen.
F&AM Lodge 358 Somerset, PA - JAFFA Shrine - Altoona, PA
Days Camped ☼ '19=118 ☼ '20=116 ☼ '21=123 ☼ '22=134 ☼ '23=118☼ '24=90
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07-02-2020, 01:05 PM
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#3
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Brake is on left
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: USA
Posts: 1,095
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Used one a few times at Daytona International Speedway. There is a company that comes in every weekday. Pretty painless. You pay the guy and he does it all with their own hose. They do it all the time so I would ask your company if they have all the connectors or if you need to make sure you have what is needed.
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07-02-2020, 01:11 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2020
Posts: 369
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Thank you so much for the clarification. Our plans are contingent on being able to do this so it helps greatly.
Can I ask, is there a rule of thumb for the amount of waste for a set number or people for so many days? Like for us, it's my wife, daughter and me. We will only go up to our property maybe every other weekend. The Park trailers we are considering have black water tanks ranging from 30 - 52 gals.
Also, do people place a lot of emphasis on the tanks sizes when deciding on a trailer or do you just accept whatever comes in the model you like?
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07-02-2020, 01:16 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Southern NM
Posts: 9,559
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Yep, any company that services portapots can easily service your waste tanks. We have had them connect directly to our outlet, or open the outlet into a bucket that they then use their hose to suck out of faster than it can come out of the RV.
__________________
Scott and Liz - Southern NM
2012 Wildcat Sterling 32RL - w/level up (best option ever)
2007 Chevy 2500HD Duramax
Reese Fifth Airborne Sidewinder
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07-02-2020, 01:33 PM
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#6
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Brake is on left
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: USA
Posts: 1,095
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SacRV
Thank you so much for the clarification. Our plans are contingent on being able to do this so it helps greatly.
Can I ask, is there a rule of thumb for the amount of waste for a set number or people for so many days? Like for us, it's my wife, daughter and me. We will only go up to our property maybe every other weekend. The Park trailers we are considering have black water tanks ranging from 30 - 52 gals.
Also, do people place a lot of emphasis on the tanks sizes when deciding on a trailer or do you just accept whatever comes in the model you like?
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We just accepted what we got, knowing we would likely have to make concessions. Both of our tanks are 42 gallon. A larger gray would have been nice but....oh well. Two adults took us 5 days till the black tank registered full. Even then there was nothing visible through the commode. It could have been a "false full" due to TP on the sensor or whatever. The sensor isnt at the tippy top anyway.
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07-02-2020, 01:35 PM
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#7
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Pickin', Campin', Mason
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: South Western PA
Posts: 19,142
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SacRV
Thank you so much for the clarification. Our plans are contingent on being able to do this so it helps greatly.
Can I ask, is there a rule of thumb for the amount of waste for a set number or people for so many days? Like for us, it's my wife, daughter and me. We will only go up to our property maybe every other weekend. The Park trailers we are considering have black water tanks ranging from 30 - 52 gals.
Also, do people place a lot of emphasis on the tanks sizes when deciding on a trailer or do you just accept whatever comes in the model you like?
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Tank sizes don't matter a hoot if the people using them do not know how to conserve water.
A 50 gallon grey tank can be filled in one shower if the person is used to letting the water run the entire time and then take a 30 minute shower.
The black tank may be slower to fill but again if you flush and then hold the toilet valve open for several minutes trying to flush the bowl clean of any smear, it will fill pretty fast. Don't get me wrong... I'm not saying to not use enough water when flushing... you need to do that for sure... but many don't pre-fill the bowl with enough water to start with and then try to 'rinse" everything down the down afterwards by holding the flush valve open forever.
For me and the DW we typically fill the 40 gallon black tank in 8-9 days and the 40 gallon grey in 5-6. Our 40 gallon galley takes about 2 weeks to fill as we wipe dishes with a paper towel into the garbage first and then simply wash. No excessive pre-rinsing necessary.
__________________
2022 Cedar Creek 345IK 5th Wheel•Solar & Inverter•2024 Ford F-Series SCREW•7.3L•4x4•Factory Puck•B&W Companion•TST Tire Monitor w/Repeater•Sinemate 3500w Gen.
F&AM Lodge 358 Somerset, PA - JAFFA Shrine - Altoona, PA
Days Camped ☼ '19=118 ☼ '20=116 ☼ '21=123 ☼ '22=134 ☼ '23=118☼ '24=90
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07-02-2020, 01:39 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 4,864
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I have a 30 gallon black tank and my wife and I will barely hit 1/3 over a 3 day weekend. With 3 people I would look at about 5 gallons per day to start with as an estimate. Therefore, I would start with monthly service to be conservative, if they don't have "on demand" service.
The second question would be will they service the trailer when you are not there?
Finally, another option would be to have a "stool bus" available as an emergency option:
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07-02-2020, 01:43 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2020
Posts: 369
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NavyLCDR
I have a 30 gallon black tank and my wife and I will barely hit 1/3 over a 3 day weekend. With 3 people I would look at about 5 gallons per day to start with as an estimate. Therefore, I would start with monthly service to be conservative, if they don't have "on demand" service.
The second question would be will they service the trailer when you are not there?
Finally, another option would be to have a "stool bus" available as an emergency option:
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So that's interesting..a stool bus, I've never seen that before. Do they make bigger ones that would hold more waste so the service dates could be stretched farther apart? I assume a waste service could empty that too?
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07-02-2020, 01:45 PM
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#10
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PhD, Common Sense
Join Date: Feb 2017
Location: Fairborn, OH
Posts: 1,384
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Any individual dump should not be a problem.
However, have you considered the long term issues? Every once in a while, you might want to drive your camper somewhere where you can treat your black tank like you just camped, dumping and flushing.
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07-02-2020, 01:49 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2020
Posts: 4,864
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SacRV
So that's interesting..a stool bus, I've never seen that before. Do they make bigger ones that would hold more waste so the service dates could be stretched farther apart? I assume a waste service could empty that too?
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I see a 38 gallon available on etrailer.com, but it's pricy. Actually, another option would be to replace the toilet with a composting toilet.
You would have to ask the pumping company about doing the portable tank.
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07-02-2020, 01:50 PM
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#12
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: North Carolina
Posts: 93
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I have had port a potty companies supply a large flat tank in a few occasions at job sites I kept a camper on
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07-02-2020, 01:54 PM
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#13
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Southern NM
Posts: 9,559
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Another option is having a holding tank installed on your property. We have done that at several farms for an RV that a security guard lives in part time. We dig a hole, bury a tank (no leach field as it's not a septic tank), and have it pumped out every so often. I think most of ours are 250 and 500 gallons.
Of course, laws about underground storage tanks vary by state and even county, so be sure and check yours.
__________________
Scott and Liz - Southern NM
2012 Wildcat Sterling 32RL - w/level up (best option ever)
2007 Chevy 2500HD Duramax
Reese Fifth Airborne Sidewinder
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07-02-2020, 02:25 PM
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#14
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Member
Join Date: Jan 2016
Posts: 91
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We do it weekly at a couple music festivals we are involved with. They charge us $35 and it only takes a few minutes. The hose is not a "direct" connection as a true direct connection can implode your holding tank. They have an RV hose that slips inside the PVC pipe they use to pump our outhouses. I've heard that some places do a true direct connection but they have to go inside and put something in the toilet to make absolutely sure that the valve stays open. I've also heard that can stink up the inside of your trailer. The indirect connection method we use does stink up the area around us a bit and that kind of sucks as there are several hundred other campers around us. However, they used to use a dump bucket method that was MUCH worse. The waste would openly flow into a small bucket or baby pool and they'd use the PVC pipe to suck it up from there. We banned that method!
__________________
2020.5 Cedar Creek Hathaway 34IK
2023 GMC SierraHD Denali Ultimate 4WD DURAMAX
Bosco the Golden Doodle
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07-02-2020, 02:28 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: 8300 Feet - Rocky Mountains
Posts: 2,471
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This seems like a great idea.
A thought on black tank flush.
Obviously you must tote freshwater. If your vehicle can handle this, consider a fairly large freshwater hauling tank with a "pressure" (not just transfer) pump.
55 gallons of water, the tank, a sheet of plywood to mount the tank and pump combo (to make them easy to load and unload and make the tank to pump connection permanent), and the pump will weigh about 520 pounds or so.
I presume you have a source for 120 volt power...perhaps a generator.
Tank Illustration: https://www.plastic-mart.com/product...norwesco-41873
Pump Illustration: https://www.waterpumpsdirect.com/pum...ler-pumps.html
This pump will make and/or boost water pressure so that you have something to use to rinse your black tank during the dump.
There are many pumps like this one, so shop around for the "just right" model that suits your needs. You need about 50 PSI to do a decent job.
As soon as the porta-potty dump is connected and the dump valve on your rig is open, hit the switch on your new black tank flush system. You'll only add a couple of gallons of water to the dump, so the porta-potty operator won't much care.
If you don't have a black tank flush connection on your rig, use a garden hose from the pump to a wand. https://www.walmart.com/ip/Camco-RV-...RoChocQAvD_BwE
Turn off your freshtank water pump, open the flush valve, and as soon as the porta-potty operator pulls the black tank dump valve, go to town with the wand.
You can't afford to not do this step, because solids will build up in the tank. This is especially true with a stationary RV. Most campers are moved to a dump station prior to dumping, and this motion tends to jostle and emulsify the waste in the black tank. Your tank is motionless, so you don't have the benefit of this agitation prior to dumping.
Meanwhile, your handy dandy water transport and transfer system will be able to fill your fresh tank with ease. Given your plans, and given the likely size of the park RV fresh tank, you'd do well to buy the largest portable water tank your vehicle can handle. Here in the Rocky Mountains, water wells are hit and miss, and MANY of my neighbors haul water in containers as large as 250 gallons (about a ton of water...well within the limits of a 2500 or 3500 pickup). Water weighs 8.3 pounds per gallon.
Use a "dirty" garden hose for black tank flush, and use a "clean" potable water hose to fill your fresh tank.
Also: If you fill the fresh tank through a diverter connection from the city water connection (instead of a gravity feed freshtank fill), be sure to add a pressure regulator on your clean potable water hose. Many of these pressure pumps can put out 55 to 60 PSI, and there's no point taking chances.
For cleanliness, a little Clorox Cleanup or similar can sanitize all the hose-end fittings, the pump output, and so on. https://homesupply.com/products/clor...gn=sag_organic
I use this EVERY time I fillup...on all fittings and adapters that get handled.
Your plan will work just fine! Good luck.
__________________
Jim & Renee
2020 Jayco Jay Feather X-213
previously 2014 Forest River/Rockwood HW 277
2006 Ram 1500 4WD Crew with Firestone Airbags
Every weekend boondocking in the National Forests or at Lake Vallecito.
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07-02-2020, 02:35 PM
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#16
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Pickin', Campin', Mason
Join Date: Aug 2015
Location: South Western PA
Posts: 19,142
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Quote:
Originally Posted by NMWildcat
Another option is having a holding tank installed on your property. We have done that at several farms for an RV that a security guard lives in part time. We dig a hole, bury a tank (no leach field as it's not a septic tank), and have it pumped out every so often. I think most of ours are 250 and 500 gallons.
Of course, laws about underground storage tanks vary by state and even county, so be sure and check yours.
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X2
We did this at a lake property for two R/Vs to use for a couple years.
Ours was a 1000 gallon tank and it would last a couple of months of summer weekends before pumping.
Our local laws said it either had to be permitted for connection to an approved leech system or removed after 24 months.
__________________
2022 Cedar Creek 345IK 5th Wheel•Solar & Inverter•2024 Ford F-Series SCREW•7.3L•4x4•Factory Puck•B&W Companion•TST Tire Monitor w/Repeater•Sinemate 3500w Gen.
F&AM Lodge 358 Somerset, PA - JAFFA Shrine - Altoona, PA
Days Camped ☼ '19=118 ☼ '20=116 ☼ '21=123 ☼ '22=134 ☼ '23=118☼ '24=90
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07-02-2020, 02:40 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2013
Location: crete,il /texas
Posts: 498
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I agree with Tx folk on imploding tanks if the operator doesn’t cut down the suction or the vent aren’t clear it could B trouble *♂️ The places I’ve had it have dumped into a container and suctioned from there . Enjoy and B safe !
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07-02-2020, 02:50 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Reno, NV
Posts: 1,713
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I didnt know park models had holding tanks, I learned something new.
__________________
2018 Ram 2500 Tradesman, CTD/CC/SB/4X4/Equalizer WDH
2019 Forest River Surveyor Legend 19BHLE
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07-02-2020, 03:17 PM
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#19
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Just as confused as you
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: south central Wisconsin
Posts: 5,108
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Big Bill
I agree with Tx folk on imploding tanks �� if the operator doesn’t cut down the suction or the vent aren’t clear it could B trouble ��*♂️ The places I’ve had it have dumped into a container and suctioned from there . Enjoy �� and B safe !
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I was thinking the same about directly pumping from the dump valve. At our campground if you don't have an in ground septic available at your site they will not connect to your dump valve because of the chance of collapsing your holding tanks. The vacuum truck sucks it out so fast the vents to your tanks cannot keep up. They rent you a 125 gallon tank for a one time fee of $100, it sits under your rv and you connect with a piece of 3" pvc and elbows. The campground worker comes around very Wednesday and pumps it out with a honey truck, the same as a country septic service. The septic tank has a 4" vent on it, compared to the 1.5 inch vent to your holding tanks, that gets opened when he pumps it out. You are allowed one pump out per week during the season and they are included in your seasonal fees.
__________________
Richard & Jill
2014 Flagstaff 832IKBS Classic Super Lite
2018 Silverado 1500 Crew Cab Z71 4WD All Star Edition
Camping since 1989, Seasonal since 2000.
Car Shredder Op/Tech, Scrap Metal Recycling - retired
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07-02-2020, 03:21 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Jun 2012
Location: Southern NM
Posts: 9,559
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Quote:
Originally Posted by upflying
I didnt know park models had holding tanks, I learned something new.
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Most don't, some do.
__________________
Scott and Liz - Southern NM
2012 Wildcat Sterling 32RL - w/level up (best option ever)
2007 Chevy 2500HD Duramax
Reese Fifth Airborne Sidewinder
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