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Old 04-06-2015, 05:46 AM   #1
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Camping without a sewer hookup

Hi,

I just purchased an X254. I believe the grey and black tanks are 31 gallons each. If I get a site at a campground without a sewer hookup, approximately how long would it take 2 adults and a 1 year old to fill those tanks. Basically could I go a long weekend? This is my first camper so I have no idea. We're looking at some sites with just water and electric but the campground let's you dump for free on the way out so as long as I can go a long weekend, it won't be an issue.

Thanks,
Todd
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Old 04-06-2015, 05:48 AM   #2
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Yes, you should easily be able to do a long weekend. I have gone up to 5-8 days. But would try to take showers etc. at the campground facilities.
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Old 04-06-2015, 05:54 AM   #3
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Originally Posted by BigT View Post
Hi,

I just purchased an X254. I believe the grey and black tanks are 31 gallons each. If I get a site at a campground without a sewer hookup, approximately how long would it take 2 adults and a 1 year old to fill those tanks. Basically could I go a long weekend? This is my first camper so I have no idea. We're looking at some sites with just water and electric but the campground let's you dump for free on the way out so as long as I can go a long weekend, it won't be an issue.

Thanks,
Todd
Black tank should be ok for a weekend. Gray fills faster if you take a lot of long showers. Try not to do what some do and minimize water when you flush. There needs to be some water in the BT or you may have trouble dumping or with clogs.
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Old 04-06-2015, 06:11 AM   #4
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My wife has twice (not in the past two years) overfilled the gray tank on weekend trips, without showering. So watch out as the Kitchen sink can also cause overflows.

This was on an older, small HiLo, I no longer remember its capacities.
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Old 04-06-2015, 06:25 AM   #5
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And then there are waste totes ~ and if your keep your eye on them, they have pretty good sales; there are other threads here about sizing, using, hauling, storing, and cleaning them.

Generally we are fine boondocking on 3-day weekends, especially when using campground showers and not washing dishes after EVERY meal. We just spent almost a week at a marina campground where they have all hookups except sewer, but they DO have both an RV waste station and a roving honey-wagon to accommodate all the FT boaters. Our (2 adults) experience? Gray tanks fill faster so we use the tote about every 3 days (or less frequent if using the campground showers), then before we leave we dump black/gray at the station. Easy-peasy!
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Old 04-06-2015, 06:38 AM   #6
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When available, use the CG facilities. Before you go on your trip, take a 30 gal plastic trash can and place your garden hose in it out on your deck. Turn on the water to a steady flow [not full blast] similar to a running faucet. Now sit with an adult beverage or cool drink and watch how quickly it fills. It will give you a good visual how fast you can fill your tank by leaving the faucets running while brushing teeth, washing dishes, or what ever. Showers are a real killer to a holding tank. You can easily extend the life of a holding tank thru a long weekend or even longer if you are pay attention.
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Old 04-06-2015, 06:41 AM   #7
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As others have said, you should be fine on the black tank for a long weekend but watch the grey tank. Limit your grey water by using hand sanatizer and watching your sink usage . You can really conserve grey tank capacity by taking "Navy" showers (get wet, shut the water off, lather up then rinse off).
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Old 04-06-2015, 06:50 AM   #8
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I bought a shower head with the on off switch for about $20 or less, it greatly helps to conserve water on showers. We don't do alot of cooking and use paper plates so we don't wash dishes. My camper only has 15 gallon grey and black tanks so your already twice as good as me.
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Old 04-06-2015, 06:51 AM   #9
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Using paper plates, bowls and glasses and only having to wash silverware and pots/pans can save a lot of water, too.
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Old 04-06-2015, 06:55 AM   #10
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Most campgrounds will come and pump your tanks out for about 10 bucks
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Old 04-06-2015, 07:20 AM   #11
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If need be, you can also pull the camper and dump during the weekend if you need to. Best thing is to get out there and use it, as you will learn the approximate capacity of your tanks as you go. You will also probably find that the black tank sensors don't work very reliably after the first use. Do you have a dump station at your home?
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Old 04-06-2015, 07:22 AM   #12
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ALot of us don't use the black tanks when not connected to sewer at the camp spot. It is usually just as easy to go the CG restroom. The walk will do you some good. Of course those things do come up in the middle of the night... Be glad it is there to use when you need to.

I have seen some campers will use a tote sitting in the back of their truck bed an pump the black tank using one of those 12VDC macerator pumps. Then they tie off the hose high and drive to the dump site and gravity feed the tote empty. Just be sure the tote is same size as the black tank to prevent overfill...

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Old 04-06-2015, 07:27 AM   #13
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another tip

My wife will often wash dishes in a small tub that fits in the sink, then dump it in the toilet. Saves space in grey tank AND helps flush the black tank.
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Old 04-06-2015, 08:30 AM   #14
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Using paper plates, bowls and glasses and only having to wash silverware and pots/pans can save a lot of water, too.
Yep! And you can burn the leftover paper plates in your campfire, cutting back on the amount of stuff in the dumpster/landfill.

The gray tank will definitely be your concern. I had a 40 gallon gray tank on the Outback, so getting used to 30 gallons will make me monitor it more closely. We usually use the shower facilities at the campground, but you would be surprised how much water can be used when washing dishes, hands, and brushing teeth if you aren't always thinking about it.

As far as the black tank, we use the campground facilities during the day (unless the pit toilets are too funky) and the trailer toilet at night.
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Old 04-06-2015, 08:42 AM   #15
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Most of our camping trips are long weekends, Friday to Sunday, at state parks without sewer hookups. Our Jayco White Hawk 21FBS has 30.5 gallon tanks. Black makes it easily for the weekend. Almost always use the campground bathhouse for showers, just because we like long, hot showers and not military ones. We just try to be conscience of our gray water use and have never had a problem.
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Old 04-06-2015, 08:49 AM   #16
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Just consider a portable tank to haul your grey water. Pick up a used one on craigslist.

http://www.campingworld.com/search/i...434&Ne=1000128
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Old 04-06-2015, 08:55 AM   #17
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My wife will often wash dishes in a small tub that fits in the sink, then dump it in the toilet. Saves space in grey tank AND helps flush the black tank.
X2 and I find it helps to keep the black tank fresh.
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Old 04-06-2015, 09:08 AM   #18
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A note when you dump black water tank; be sure it is 2/3 to 3/4 full when you empty it. It will assure the tank totally empties with no klingons.

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Old 04-06-2015, 12:29 PM   #19
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My wife will often wash dishes in a small tub that fits in the sink, then dump it in the toilet. Saves space in grey tank AND helps flush the black tank.
+1

This is what we did last time we were out without hookups. We use the shower in our rig too, but I've trained DW how to take "Navy" showers. We stayed out 2 nights, we both took showers each night, we cooked almost all our meals in the trailer and washed dishes, and washed our hands frequently. By the end of the weekend, our gray was 2/3 full and black was almost full (because of dish water; I had her stop dumping it in the BT late on the 2nd day. When we dumped it, I had plenty of liquid for a good flush).

It's not hard to manage your water usage and manage your waste tanks with a little planning and some careful consideration. 3 nights is certainly doable especially if you use the CG facilities as much as possible. DW doesn't like to do it, but now that she knows we can, she's more open to sites without sewer.

She will never use the CG facilities for showers, and honestly, I probably wouldn't either. I can take a "backpacking" shower if I need to using one cup of water and a bandana. It takes a while, but it's effective. Or if push comes to shove, I'll break out the biodegradable Camp Suds (yes, I still take them with us) and take a bathing suit shower off the back of the trailer using the outside shower.
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Old 04-06-2015, 12:45 PM   #20
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We have a 9 Black and a 15 Gray and can do 2 nights (family of 3). Any longer than that and we are pushing it. For us black fills first as we are quite conservative with dish washing and showers.
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