Why not forget holding tanks and just use portable tanks?

Most pop ups don't have holding tanks. We had one for 9 years, and used a 5 gallon aqua-tainer to catch our gray water. Never had an issue in state parks. I think you might have some issues in some of the private campgrounds. I've seen many of those that don't allow converted trailers or buses, it has to be a factory built RV.

the bear II wrote:
That would work for most boondocking areas but most RV, National and state parks require RVs to meet RVIA standards which include holding tanks. You'll see park rules state "Must be fully self contained"

Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA)

Those blue portable tanks can be a hand full to dump depending on where you have to dump them. The smell can be deadly.

Holding tanks with a sealed sewer hose setup is the best way to go. Little or no smell or mess.

That's simply opinion. I have never seen in the published rules for any State or Federal Campground I am familiar with, which is more than a few, anything that references RVIA standards or the RVIA at all. The RVIA is a voluntary organization, there are RV manufacturers that do not even belong to RVIA. Are tent campers required to be self contained also.

OP, I have used and dumped a tote tank often. It's not the nightmare folks claim on these boards. Get a 4 wheel tote with a side mounted dump valve. You would not need separate totes for black and gray to do what you describe, you'll be dumping it down the same hole. No one is going to give you any flack or toss you from a campground for having a tote tank connected 24/7.

For all the reasons stated above, it would be a huge inconvenience. You'd stop taking showers and/or various other toiletries, you'd likely be seeking out public restrooms, dish washing would be restricted...

I wouldn't want to live like that.

Only issue I can see is when stopping for the night somewhere without hookups you would need to deploy the portable tanks then load them up again. Maybe have a small "day" tank that can handle a couple days, then when parked for longer, use the portable tanks. Maybe combine the 2 different waste sources into 1 valve?
Another option is to use a porta-potty toilet.

nicpaige wrote:
I have an all aluminum trailer that I am turning into a toy hauler. The floor framing is 12" on center and I beam construction. This only leaves 8-9" width to fit the tanks in between the rails. For any kind of volume the tank would have to be quite tall. I do not want my storage tanks 7" from the road for obvious reasons. So......
Is it just craziness to think about running the drains to the waste valves and straight into those portable tanks you can roll to the dump station? I realize I would need one for grey and one for the black tank.
What am I missing in this process? Or is it feasible and been done before?

Thanks,
Rick

Never heard of it before. Filling and dragging tote tanks to wherever the dump station is (and they can sometimes be far from your site) is a big PITA. And the larger the tote tank is, the more of a PITA to use. We have a smaller 18 gallon one that both DW and I can lift into the truck if needed. Not that they ever work well, or at all, but you obviously won't have sensors in a tote tank to tell how full the tank is.

I assume you've looked into what's available in standard RV holding tank dimensions like here for example? Narrowest is 11" wide but only up to 25 gallons. They have a 7.75" wide 32 gallon one but is 21.5" tall. :E Would it be possible to relocate the joists to gain more width? Possibly double up the joists on either side, providing the sub-floor is thick enough?

I would say 32 gallons is about as small as you want to go for holding tanks, for a black tank anyway so you're not running to the dump station every 2 or 3 days.

A macerator pump *might* be an option but would still need a holding tank for the pump to pump out of. Could maybe get away with a small holding tank that way?? Then pump into a tank in the back of your truck?? Maybe you could be the honey wagon service in a CG that way and make a few bucks! :)

Interesting comment above about RVIA requirement!

That would work for most boondocking areas but most RV, National and state parks require RVs to meet RVIA standards which include holding tanks. You'll see park rules state "Must be fully self contained"

Recreation Vehicle Industry Association (RVIA)

Those blue portable tanks can be a hand full to dump depending on where you have to dump them. The smell can be deadly.

Holding tanks with a sealed sewer hose setup is the best way to go. Little or no smell or mess.