Something I've noticed at non-sewer cgs

[reneegavin]

Our travel trailer and holding tanks are quite small. Therefore, when we go to a state park that only has a dump station, our options are...1)only use the bathroom in the camper at night and let the shower water drip onto the ground, or 2)use the bladder that we bought and tow it up to the dump station. We only stay for the weekend at the local state park, so we've never used the bladder, but I've NEVER seen ANYONE use one. I know there are some giant campers that camp for a week or 2 at a time. The camp hosts are there for much longer than that. I'm not looking for advice on this....just wondering if I'm missing something!

[Quahog]

Often times the Camp Host spots have a sewer connection when the other spots don't. And many rigs have tanks in excess of 60 gals so you could go several days with prudent use of the shower/sinks. I've also seen lots of folks who use the park's rest rooms for showers so I presume they're saving their tanks capacity for other uses.

[Tex1961]

I first thought the same thing but after buying our 'blue tote' and taking it to the dump station during the morning or daytime, I realized that several other RV'ers were doing the same thing.. You may not have noticed if you are only going to the dump station when heading out Sunday afternoon when everyone else is heading home...

As far as your comment on letting your gray water dump on the ground, there is an entire thread here somewhere dedicated just to that (so I don't want to start that up again)

[sebring96hbg]

I have used my smart tote on trips lasting more than a weekend at campgrounds without full hookups. At places where extended stays are not unusual, I tend to notice totes on standby or in use. It has paid for itself in terms of convenience.

[Bassdogs]

Most use CG facilities when appropriate. Without much effort you can easily make it thru a long weekend stay. We use to do it when we just had a pop-up. Adding a full bathroom w/ shower does not mandate you use them over CG facilities. Our 2014 White Hawk has a full sized shower but we have only used it once. We recently returned from a 7+ week trip south with stays from 5 days to 4 weeks. We made it thru the 5 day stay without having to use the tote but used it every 5-7 days at our other stays. A little awkward to use the tote at first but you quickly learn the routine and how to avoid issues.

A tote is a necessary and useful accessory for longer stays. You don't need one for weekends at a state park so we leave it at home.

[Tex1961]

We carry two things with us.. Our American Express card and our blue tote... Just like the commercial... "Don't leave home without it"

Some say you don't need it for a weekend stay... I say phooey on that... I bought an RV so that I WOULDN'T have to use the campground bathrooms.... When it's really cold we all like nice long hot showers.... But that's just us... Your mileage may differ...

[RSerendipity]

I noticed most people tend to take them early in the day to the Dump Station. Depending on the road surface you can hear those plastic tires, especially on the Gravel. Plan on going to Harbor Freight soon to replace mine with a rubber tire.

They do make the stay more enjoyable w/o having to be in constant concern with tank capacity.

[DocBrown]

Our previous hybrid only had a 6 gal black tank, and it was a wet bath, so showering was not fun.

So after the first season, we showered in the public facilities. And the toilet was only for "#1" during the night. It worked out perfectly. For longer trips, like a week, I had a tote that I never hesitated to use.

In our current hybrid we can easily go a 4 night trip without using a tote. For week long trips we take the tote.

I regularly see folks dumping their totes.

[John1928]

Some of the folks may not be utilizing their trailers in the same fashion you are.

Over 14 years, 3 trailers, something north of 30,000 miles, and 550ish days camping while growing up I don't recall using the shower in the trailer once. Even the toilet was pretty much just for night-time and emergency use once kids were past the toilet training age.

That's not the approach I'd take personally but it was the norm my parents set for whatever reason back then. Not much need to dump mid-week following that regime, but not many folks (I imagine) would buy a trailer and then not use half the functionality, so... Whatever works for each individual I guess.

[Jim-n-Ash]

We routinely camp for five days at Forest Service 'grounds, where there's not even a dump station; sometimes, the rangers don't get by to replenish the toilet paper, either. We use the outhouses during the day and for "heavy business," and only use our PUP's toilet at night (or if it's really cold/raining hard). We do sometimes light a stick or two of incense in the outhouse - and we have been known to take bright nail polish to write PLEASE CLOSE THE LID on the toilet. (Amazing how much difference it makes, and how many people don't bother.)

[DocBrown]

Originally Posted by John1928

I don't recall using the shower in the trailer once. Even the toilet was pretty much just for night-time and emergency use once kids were past the toilet training age.

We have friends with a short class "A". They've had several class "C"s over the years as well. The toilet and shower is not used because she say's it's "yucky" to dump the tanks. Not a good reason IMO, but it's not my rig.

[Scoutr2]

My trailer has a 40 gal black and 40 gal gray tank. The two of us can take quick showers, do dishes, and use the toilet all weekend at SPs. I usually do my business in the CG outhouse during the day but use the onboard toilet at night. Girlfriend uses onboard almost exclusivily. We both take quick showers - get wet, lather up, then enjoy a little longer (but low pressure) rinsing.

We mostly use paper plates, which cuts down on a little dish washing. (They can be burned on the fire.) Last time we went weekend camping (2 nights and 2 days), we had 2/3 capacity left in the black tank and 1/3 left in the gray.

As a side note - since my trailer has an 80 gal fresh tank, I made sure the black and gray tanks were full before we went to the dump station. They empty and flush out "stuff" better that way. And after the first dump, I use the black tank flushing feature to rinse the black tank - and at the same time, girlfriend empties the entire hot water supply into the kitchen sink. The scalding hot rinse helps get rid of most of the grease buildup. (And BTW - if you have the black tank flush, make sure you keep the black tank valve open when rinsing, lest you over-pressurize that system - according to my dealer tech during the PDI.)

[Jace817]

We use our tote for grey water only. I got a cheap harbor freight pump so that I can put the tote in the back of the truck and don't have to drag it at 2-3 mph all the way to the dump station. Makes it much quicker and easier. With three people taking showers and dishes, our grey will go about 1.5 days or maybe 2. I don't know how long the black tank will go. Never had it get close to full but our longest trip has only been 5 days.

[UPCamper]

We only camp in Michigan's State Parks (electric only on site with common dump fill) and State Forest CGs (rustic). While at the state parks, we use the CG bathrooms for showers and daytime toilet needs. We use in trailer at night. We own a blue tote, I know many people use them, but we have never filled our tanks.

When rustic, we use outhouses during the day and trailer at night. We also take most of our showers outside using the outside shower or just jump in the lake for a while. We often rustic camp for a week or two at a time and never had a problem. Occasionally we will take showers inside (very rare) or go to a nearby state park to shower.

I should note as well, we do all dishes outside in some old aluminum tubs we bought at a flea market. We use CG water stations to fill a large kettle and heat over the fire.

[Bassdogs]

Bought a TT for the convienance of living area, kitchen, and bedroom. The bathroom provides for necessary functions when its not particularly comfortable to use CG facilities. Night time use primarily and CG facilities during the day and for those "LONG SHOWERS". The grey tanks fill up fast so you'd be dumping daily if you plan on long hot showers and multi trips with the tote would be in order.

To each their own, as we all don't use our campers the same. All I am saying is that with just a little strategy, trips to the dump station can be reduced and in most short trips limited to the exit from the CG.

[scottraycraft]

most of our camping is electric only...everywhere we go has nice bathrooms and showers...I told the wife once the tanks are full your done so use accordingly
1)my wife and I can shower at the cg...my daughter can get a shower in the tt (she is 6)...don't let water run, spray her, turn water off, soap her, rinse her...once every other day is enough
2) WE use cg bathrooms during the day...unless its an emergency...at night of course we use the tt, although I have been known to walk to the cg potty at 2am lol
3) don't let water run continuously in sink...turn on, rinse, turn off...

again...once that grey tank is full your done...I don't want to bring our tote, and I want a full grey tank at dump station to flush out hose after emptying black...

some people leave their grey tank "cracked" so it trickles out...it is only soap water...but I don't do that...

Also...if we are going for a week or more, I want full hook up...sewer and pressurized water...filling the fresh tank is a pita (pain in the arse)

[snowbird47]

DW and I never shower in our Greyhawk (35 gal grey and black) but we use the toilet anytime. We have filled up the grey water tank after 5 nights, but never come close on the black water, so I try to dump as much grey water from dishwashing (use dish pans in the sink to wash) into the toilet as possible. If not we have the Thetford 18 gal tote on hand.

[Quahog]

We shower in our rig unless we have the grandkids with us. Then it's off to the restrooms. If you're careful, you can easily stretch it to 3-4 days (or more) depending on the size of your tank. When you wash dishes, use a dishpan and dump the leftover down the toilet. Get an Oxygenics shower head and an inline shut-off valve. Don't stand at the sink with the faucet running if you're not actively using it. Just use common sense and you'll see it can last longer than you think. We too had a blue boy that we used on occasion but I finally sold it because it just wasn't needed.

[SailandPaddle]

Thanks for the idea to use a dishpan to deposit the sink water in the toilet. Does anybody think that the grease from washing dishes would have any negative effect on the black tank? Doesn't seem like it to me, but the DW mentioned this concern. Thanks