Filling and Dumping while on a trip

rockhillmanor wrote:
All CG's have dumps. You don't have to stay there to use the dump stations.

Many are for free and some have a small fee if you are not camping there.

Same goes for propane. You can always get propane at all CG's even if you are not staying there. No added fee just pay the going rate for propane.

I have not used a dump station or bought propane at Flying J or any where's else in over 6 years. I find a local CG along my route and dump and fill up with propane. THE slickest thing I learned RV'ing. :C

May be the case in your area, but totally incorrect in my neck of the woods. My parks do not sell propane and neither do any of the nearby parks. It is not very profitable and a real labor pain to provide. For propane in our areas, the local propane suppliers provide service during their business hours.
As for dump stations, we removed them. Our sites are full hookup, so there is no need for a dump station. We do not allow people who are not registered guests to use any of the facilities and that includes dumping waste and filling water tanks. It has nothing to do with the costs incurred, it has to do with traffic flow (no dumpers, less traffic bothering our guests) and the fact that like other posters have said, a small percentage of dumpers are pigs. Once you have had the privilege of cleaning up a dump station after someone decided to not use a hose and just pull the valve and then drive off, you too would think they were more trouble than they are worth.

MagillaGorilla wrote:
Ive seen people crack their gray water dump valve and then they let it drip out while the drive on down the road. I am a motorcycle rider so I would never do that...........after being on the bad side of it!!

My mother let a friend "camp" in her yard in Florida last year and the guy was nice enough to dump both tanks in her yard before he left. He was a friend of theirs and when they called him on it, he said it wasn't him. Who else could it have been? There was poop and toilet paper all over the ground!! Then he said it must have dumped on its own, that perhaps the valve opened. Ive been camping for 40 years and have never seen a black water valve open on its own.

It is people like this that cause dump stations to close and more and more this is happening plus many campgrounds are not letting people use their dump station unless staying the night. The me me me people create problems for all. Dumping a tank like this will get you a huge fine in many states.

Pogoil.

Ive seen people crack their gray water dump valve and then they let it drip out while the drive on down the road. I am a motorcycle rider so I would never do that...........after being on the bad side of it!!

My mother let a friend "camp" in her yard in Florida last year and the guy was nice enough to dump both tanks in her yard before he left. He was a friend of theirs and when they called him on it, he said it wasn't him. Who else could it have been? There was poop and toilet paper all over the ground!! Then he said it must have dumped on its own, that perhaps the valve opened. Ive been camping for 40 years and have never seen a black water valve open on its own.

Not all Camping Worlds have dumps. The one on I-94 just west of Detroit does not and I have run into others. They say they can managed if you come in for work and have a black tank with contents, but that is it. And no, not all campgrounds have dump. We ran into a ONP Space Only that did not. (15$us for nothing other than a paved flat spot? We didn't stay.)

Matt

Our experience on long trips (4 or 5 days or more) is to leave home with topped off batteries, water, and empty black and gray tanks (our propane tank usually last two or more years since the refrigerator is the only LP appliance we have). If we cannot make it to our destination without the need to dump or fill, we will find a state park (that has full hookups)on the way and spend the night (peacefully quiet and with good security). Usually the cost at state parks is around $15.00/day. Not bad for what you get. While at the park we will dump (and rinse), recharge batteries overnight, fill the water tank with trusted water (we are very particular about what water we put in our tank..... we learned this the hard way). We are retired and do not get in a hurray on any of our trips. Over the years (50 or so) we have learned and live by the expression "It's not the destination, it's the journey".

As far as I know all Camping Worlds have a dump and water that is free. Many RV dealers do as well.

I usually do that at campgrounds and RV parks. There is no rule that says you have to stay at a Walmart every night.

I often find municipal or county RV parks with power, water, and dump stations for under $10 a night, often as low as $5, sometimes free (e.g Chanute, KS). Overnight fee for me (Senior Pass) for RV sites at CoE campgrounds is typically $8-10.

You can sometimes dump at gas stations, rest stops, and most major truck stops (truckers have the same need). Sometimes it is free, sometimes low fee, not always as low as a camping fee. Finding a water fill is harder than finding a dump, because most free dump stations do not offer a potable water supply; anything close to dump opening has to be suspect because of possible abuse.

To be more specific I was wondering where you dump/fill when traveling on the interstate. Sounds like Flying J and Pilot might be good places.

All CG's have dumps. You don't have to stay there to use the dump stations.

Many are for free and some have a small fee if you are not camping there.

Same goes for propane. You can always get propane at all CG's even if you are not staying there. No added fee just pay the going rate for propane.

I have not used a dump station or bought propane at Flying J or any where's else in over 6 years. I find a local CG along my route and dump and fill up with propane. THE slickest thing I learned RV'ing. :C

My trips are weekenders, so I like filling up at home. I know what that water tastes like and where it's been!

On the road it becomes an adventure . . . or hassle, to fill fresh water. Finding the right facility, having that lane open, waiting in line, checking tank level, etc.

How CLEAN is that dump station? I stopped at an interstate rest area and it was filthy. I didn't want to touch anything or even step near the well. I kept going (and I have very low standards).

I'll "pre-load" my black tank, maybe 1/4, to keep things sloshing around. If I actually fill that tank I have bigger problems. Most trips I'll use event site porta-johns so I don't need dump when I get home.

If I do have to dump there's an RV shop that will let me dump for free but they always have to move some MH's around to get to it. It's a hassle, so I use a nearby state park. For a $5 day use fee you have access to the parks amenities, including the dump station.

But if I was doing long trips I'd definitely use the Pilot / Flyin J (or other) truck stops. Use a smart phone to locate and verify facilities - not all of them have dump stations.

Best,
- bob