RV Toilet and Black Tank Question

[todohert]

We have an older Wildwood in great condition. The problem is my husband always worries about the black tank getting full and having to pack up the trailer, empty it and then go back to the site and reset up.

Has anyone ever replaced their RV toilet with one that has the removable cartridge under it so you can just take that to the disposal without having to move the trailer?

[JimM2109S]

Have you considered a "portable tote tank"? You dump the RV tank into the portable tote tank and take the portable to the dump station. You do not have to move the RV.

[Reverse_snowbird]

Originally Posted by todohert

Has anyone ever replaced their RV toilet with one that has the removable cartridge under it so you can just take that to the disposal without having to move the trailer?

Not us. The capacity of the black water tank is much more than what I think is the 'portable toilet' you're thinking of.

What JimM2109S suggested is the most practical way to empty that tank and not have to move the rig.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by todohert

We have an older Wildwood in great condition. The problem is my husband always worries about the black tank getting full and having to pack up the trailer, empty it and then go back to the site and reset up.



Has anyone ever replaced their RV toilet with one that has the removable cartridge under it so you can just take that to the disposal without having to move the trailer?

Tell your husband that the GRAY tank will fillup way before the black tank will.
So you never camp with full hookups? We dry camp/boondock a lot over the past 30 years and only once had to dump our black tank into our blue tote tank.

[RickV]

As others have said a tote is the way to go. Also the grey's will fill up much faster then the black will, I usually have to dump my two grey tanks three times before I have to mess with the black one. Along with the tote I use a macerator pump. I carry my tote right behind my 5th wheel hitch in the back of the truck and I strap it to the hitch to keep it from moving during travel. I pump the grey and the black (if necessary) into the tote drive to the dump station and empty it. Easy Peasy.

[LivingToCamp]

How many people are staying in your TT ?
DW and I can camp 8 days without having to use the blue tote, But DW uses the TT toilet more then I do. I'll water trees or use the campground bathroom (if its clean).
Be mindful of the water (and toilet paper) that goes into the black tank. Most toilets only need a quick flush to empty the toilet bowl contents into the black tank.

[NMWildcat]

How big is your black tank? Ours is around 50 gallons and will last the two of us at least 3 weeks if we are careful. We boondock in the backwoods far from any vault toilet, so dumping anything will be quite a journey.
I have never understood anybody wanting a cassette or composting toilet in an RV when they have a choice. You still have to dump something very frequently, and dumping cassettes is not always as easy or pleasant as they make it sound.
Take the other posters advice and get a tote tank for peace of mind then actually see how long it takes to fill your black tank. Your husband might be surprised

[CedarCreekWoody]

If you are referring to the two part portable toilets they can get very smelly. I've had one on a boat .

[Aussieguy]

Originally Posted by LivingToCamp

I'll water trees

Hmmm... do you happen to own a night potty and camp at a site with gravel pad?


If yes......... ignore the other thread found elsewhere here
and I did NOT put that note on your door!

[LivingToCamp]

Originally Posted by Aussieguy

Hmmm... do you happen to own a night potty and camp at a site with gravel pad?


If yes......... ignore the other thread found elsewhere here
and I did NOT put that note on your door!

Lol...No and no.
I read the other thread...it's not that much ...I'd be happy to get a cup full out if I could.
I never use the same tree twice and not near the camping pad and not where anyone can see me.

[Capacitor]

I have one of the totes and used it once. My black tank is larger than the tote. How do you tell when to close the gate valve and what do you do with stuff in the tube?

[Old Duke]

You can get the "Barker 4-Wheeler Tote Along" which will hold up to 42 gal.


There are many models of tanks out there, all you need do is size your largest holding tank to the size of tote you will need to empty that tank.



https://www.rvpartscountry.com/Barke...42-Gallon.html


Camco Phino Portable Waste Holding Tanks go up to 36 gal, not sure but there may be a larger one.



https://www.campingworld.com/camco-r...gle%20Products

Happy camping......

[NMWildcat]

Originally Posted by Capacitor

I have one of the totes and used it once. My black tank is larger than the tote. How do you tell when to close the gate valve and what do you do with stuff in the tube?

The totes my friends use all have some sort of level indicator on them. And I believe all of them have totes smaller than their black tanks. They use a very short sewer hose (came with the tote?) when dumping, so they just watch the level indicator and close the valve appropriately. Some do use an external valve on the cap end of the sewer pipe. Some have a bobber type level indicator and some have a clearish 'window' on the side of the tote. Then they just make a few trips to the dump station.

[Jodiwer]

We are boon dockers and often camp for months in the same remote location. So black tank was a big issue. We used to have to close up the trailer, drive to a dump and then return to our camp every 2-3 weeks. It took 4-5 hours to do this. We tried the tote but found it very difficult to get into the back of our truck when full. And we still had to drive to a dump to empty it. And it was messy.

We finally decided to get a composting toilet. We spent a lot of time researching the how's and whys. Finally bought one we found on Etsy called The Road Commode. We couldn't be happier. We use biodegradable bags for the solid waste and drop in a dumpster when we're near one. (It's composting waste - better than dirty diapers or dog waste bags and other stuff in dumpsters.) We pour the urine in different places in the woods. The plants love it. We have talked about diverting the urine into the grey water tank and connecting the unused black tank and grey tank to each other. We just haven't got around to it yet. Maybe when we get home for the winter.

[Joe M.]

A composting toilet might solve your problem. It will also save on water.

[Quail]

This what I did to figure out when to use the tote tank. At the end of day 1 dump your black tank into the tote. Next after 2 days dump into your tote. You will get a very good Idea how many flushes fit in your tote. 36 gallon tote full will be very very heavy. The tote works for me. I dump every 2 days and have room to spare.

[Jodiwer]

I'm curious how all you who use totes transport them? We found it very difficult.

[Iwritecode]

Originally Posted by Jodiwer

I'm curious how all you who use totes transport them? We found it very difficult.

I use my golf cart. But I'm on a seasonal site.

The tote I use is very easy to hook up to any regular tow ball on a car/truck. And the rubber tires make it pretty quiet while towing.

https://www.amazon.com/Barker-30844-.../dp/B000OR18BE

[poihths]

On my rig it would be possible to just stick a rod of some non-absorbent, washable kind down the toilet drain, which drops straight down into the black tank, and get a measurement. A black tank dipstick. With a little ingenuity, you could figure out level what full is. Just keep some alcohol wipes handy to clean it with. It occurs to me as I write that an aluminum yardstick would do the job really well.

[RickV]

Originally Posted by Jodiwer

I'm curious how all you who use totes transport them? We found it very difficult.

I have found that what I described in post 5 works great for me. No lifting or anything just pump and dump. I use the Macerator when we are home too, I pump it directly into my septic tank clean out. Here's the pump https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1