Any Boondocking advice?

[Screwby]

Originally Posted by bono

Just curious - what are the cons of dumping soapy water, including grey tank water on the grass? I actually heard that this may have positive effect on the grass. I understand that dumping kitchen water with some food residues may not be the best solution, but shower water...? Just asking, pls don't shoot.

When boondocking some parks ask you to do it so it waters the trees and grass. Just depends on where you are camping. Grey water can be very very stinky so you don't want a puddle of it just outside trailer. Make sure you are using biodegradable soap and I see no problem putting water back where it belongs instead of a septic dump. YMMV

[Jhnbggs]

All of this from the others is great information. BUT, it's always best to check with the forest services if they even allow grey water dumping. I know in AZ it's actually against the law and a heavy fine or jail term as well. There's a way around that too my making a grey water dump filter from a 5 gallon bucket. It filters the water somewhat and the rangers normally don't bother you.

[edatlanta]

What about tent campers and outside showers that are used in many campgrounds. Tell me tent campers collect dish water and take to the dump and where does the water go from one of these enclosed outdoor showers? I have even seen a double outdoor shower in use at a Florida State Park with no comments from the rangers.

But if that same water goes through a gray tank "Don't You Dare Do That".

[bansai]

Never heard anyone say that the law has to make sense It is what it is...

When we had our popup, our grey water ended up in the bushes. (shhhhh)

[sennister]

It doesn't take much and to mess it up for others. I am sure people saw it being done and assumed it was a black tank and complained. Also if dumping large quantities of water it could cause erosion issues. Since often people can't make the right judgement call they just flat out ban it. It is easier to blanket deny the practice than get into arguments with people saying they did it last time and it was fine.

Sent from my Nexus 6P using Tapatalk

[DanNJanice]

Originally Posted by bono

Just curious - what are the cons of dumping soapy water, including grey tank water on the grass? I actually heard that this may have positive effect on the grass. I understand that dumping kitchen water with some food residues may not be the best solution, but shower water...? Just asking, pls don't shoot.

I don't think soapy water is particularly good for the environment. So dumping it in an area where it may get into streams is not ideal. Also, gray water containing food chucks my attached unwanted (think large four legged) animals.
Of course, like most things, it all depends on population density. If you are camping by yourself miles from the next camper, and you dump a little gray water or take an outdoor shower, no big deal. If the area gets lots of camping traffic and everyone decided to dump their gray water, then it is not so good.

[Screwby]

Originally Posted by DanNJanice

I don't think soapy water is particularly good for the environment. So dumping it in an area where it may get into streams is not ideal. Also, gray water containing food chucks my attached unwanted (think large four legged) animals.
Of course, like most things, it all depends on population density. If you are camping by yourself miles from the next camper, and you dump a little gray water or take an outdoor shower, no big deal. If the area gets lots of camping traffic and everyone decided to dump their gray water, then it is not so good.

Agreed 100%. Boondocking out by yourself is what I was referring to. Can you imagine if everyone at a campground started dumping grey everywhere.
What a mess and smell that would be.

[bansai]

I think our popup had a fresh water capacity of less than 20 gallons, the only thing we used that water for was washing our hands, with bio-degradable soap. If someone is hucking chunks of rotting meat and food debris out in the forest in populated camping areas, they have serious problems. Kind of a no brainer... A little common sense goes a long way. Our popup didn't even have a holding tank for the grey water, it literally just poured out on the ground unless we had a bucket under it, which we did. Where to empty said bucket was actually a real issue at times.

I've been known to pee on a tree or two in recent memory as well

[Screwby]

Originally Posted by bansai

I think our popup had a fresh water capacity of less than 20 gallons, the only thing we used that water for was washing our hands, with bio-degradable soap. If someone is hucking chunks of rotting meat and food debris out in the forest in populated camping areas, they have serious problems. Kind of a no brainer... A little common sense goes a long way. Our popup didn't even have a holding tank for the grey water, it literally just poured out on the ground unless we had a bucket under it, which we did. Where to empty said bucket was actually a real issue at times.

I've been known to pee on a tree or two in recent memory as well

Our pop up was the same way lol, gross fun. It was the same when tent camping with grey water. When we washed dishes, and washed hands/faces and brushed teeth it's the same as RV grey water. We had no where to put it or store it so it goes into the bushes or trees. Biodegradable soap and common sense go a long long way. When some idiot pulls the handle and floods the neighbors site with 39 gallons of RV grey water there lies the problem.

[vboyd]

We use 2 - 6 Volt batteries in our set up and what we've found when boon docking is that we can go about 5-7 days carefully metering power. Necessities for us were furnace, hot water tank (only on during the day for about 2 hours), lights, satellite radio (17 hours a day). After 5-7 days our battery was down to about 55%.

Sorry to say. If I were you, I'd forget about the TV, besides, you're camping, leave the TV at home!! :-). I'd also find a good percolator coffee pot.

[bdreinv]

If you let them dump gray in the forest, then people would start dumping black in the Forest.Stink up the whole place, dump stations work fine for us!

[JPBeck]

Get a water transfer system, transfer pump, and container for water. 55 gallon barrels are most common. I recently got a Aquatank2 that I'm impressed with.

Solar is a good thing to have, I have 320 watts, a 750 watt inverter, and a pretty good controller. In all I have about $1500 into it with batteries.

I'd say a inverter generator is essential for boondocking for any length of time too.

With boondocking you need bring everything, tables, chairs, BBQs, some places we boondocking at don't allow open flames so you might consider a gas grill instead of a charcoal one. A Lantern for outside, etc. there's a lot more but it's going to depend on your preferences.

Hope that helps.