We have an Earthbound 29' Travel Trailer that we for the most part have been very happy with. We are in the process of a few minor upgrades and fixes as it was 6 years old when we acquired it. The last time we went camping, we nearly maxed out the grey water holding tank over a 3 day period. Granted, we were hooked up to city water so we weren't especially conserving water use. But we wonder what we would do if we were camping in the same place for a week or more. I know some people carry portable grey water tanks to dump without have to move the TT but that is just something else to find a place to store. So I am exploring alternatives.Does anyone here use a composting toilet in their RV? I hear it is a good option for a small house, cabin, etc. especially off grid. I have read a few reviews or comments of those who use them in an RV. Also used in boating. It would certainly help with the grey water storage issue as the black water tank could be converted to a second grey water storage tank.Other ideas? I am just brainstorming now, not sure if I will do anything. Just exploring some options.

You seem to be mixing up gray and black water disposal. There is a way to handle this if you are not near a dump. Use less water. When I boondock in dry areas, I get by with 3 gallons of water a day. About half of that is for drinking and cooking. The rest goes to a shower. When my wife is also traveling we are still barely twice that amount. So maybe 5 gallons a day goes into gray water. I don't have a black water tank. I have a cassette toilet. It needs to be emptied every few days but I can use a dump, outhouse or even a regular toilet.People who need a lot of water also need to have hookups and frequent access to water and a dump.

The grey will always fill up faster then the blackRunning water while doing dishes, big no noTwice a day showers? If your not on full hook up, then you need to practice water conservationYour first RV is always a learning experienceI have no desire for a composting toilet , Sooner or later it has to be emptied, just like a cassette toiletWhen I got my first camper van about 35 years agoMy young son thought having that portable toilet was the greatest thing,No more late night trips to the CG bathroomBut of course he was not the one who had to carry the tank , to the toilet and empty it every few days

Learn to use your fresh water tank and manage your water usage.When running on our fresh water we run out of that before either our black or gray thanks come close to full 70 fresh 70g/50b with care that can last a week for the two of us. Hand sanitizer cuts down on hand washing, saving dishwater to flush toilet.We have done that a couple times though we seldom spend more than three days without W/S hookups. Three days camping we never even worry about filling tanks or running out of water if we dump and fillup going into a park.

These posts have composting in them.Most places I go I can dump gray on the ground. Admitting that on here can cause a person a lot of grief. And, water conservation is a good idea, but just don't go overboard on that when using your black tank.

What goes down the toilet does not have any effect on what goes into the grey tank.. The toilet has it's own tank (black) and all the sinks and the shower has it's own tank (grey).What you have to do is reduce your water consumption that goes down the drain, even when hooked to city water, but no sewer hookup.People "camp" the way they want to, so there is no "correct" way to do it.. Just do what works for you and enjoy.If using a lot of water is your way, great... You just have to deal with the capacity of your holding tanks.. I have a 30 gallon fresh water tank. I have a 30 gallon black tank. I have a 30 gallon grey tank.I only use water from my fresh water tank.. That's just the way I camp and it works for me... But, I never fill up a holding tank! Again, that's just the way I camp... If that's not the way you camp, I don't see anything wrong with that either.. :)Good luck!Mitch

Toilet Alternatives | Good Sam Community

JimK-NY
Explorer II
Jun 11, 2017
You seem to be mixing up gray and black water disposal.

There is a way to handle this if you are not near a dump. Use less water. When I boondock in dry areas, I get by with 3 gallons of water a day. About half of that is for drinking and cooking. The rest goes to a shower. When my wife is also traveling we are still barely twice that amount. So maybe 5 gallons a day goes into gray water. I don't have a black water tank. I have a cassette toilet. It needs to be emptied every few days but I can use a dump, outhouse or even a regular toilet.

People who need a lot of water also need to have hookups and frequent access to water and a dump.
MrWizard
Moderator
Jun 11, 2017
The grey will always fill up faster then the black

Running water while doing dishes, big no no
Twice a day showers?
If your not on full hook up, then you need to practice water conservation

Your first RV is always a learning experience

I have no desire for a composting toilet , Sooner or later it has to be emptied, just like a cassette toilet

When I got my first camper van about 35 years ago
My young son thought having that portable toilet was the greatest thing,
No more late night trips to the CG bathroom

But of course he was not the one who had to carry the tank , to the toilet and empty it every few days
stickdog
Explorer
Jun 11, 2017
Learn to use your fresh water tank and manage your water usage.

When running on our fresh water we run out of that before either our black or gray thanks come close to full 70 fresh 70g/50b with care that can last a week for the two of us. Hand sanitizer cuts down on hand washing, saving dishwater to flush toilet.

We have done that a couple times though we seldom spend more than three days without W/S hookups. Three days camping we never even worry about filling tanks or running out of water if we dump and fillup going into a park.
2oldman
Explorer II
Jun 11, 2017
These posts have composting in them.

Most places I go I can dump gray on the ground. Admitting that on here can cause a person a lot of grief. And, water conservation is a good idea, but just don't go overboard on that when using your black tank.
MitchF150
Explorer III
Jun 11, 2017
What goes down the toilet does not have any effect on what goes into the grey tank.. The toilet has it's own tank (black) and all the sinks and the shower has it's own tank (grey).

What you have to do is reduce your water consumption that goes down the drain, even when hooked to city water, but no sewer hookup.

People "camp" the way they want to, so there is no "correct" way to do it.. Just do what works for you and enjoy.

If using a lot of water is your way, great... You just have to deal with the capacity of your holding tanks..

I have a 30 gallon fresh water tank. I have a 30 gallon black tank. I have a 30 gallon grey tank.

I only use water from my fresh water tank.. That's just the way I camp and it works for me... But, I never fill up a holding tank! Again, that's just the way I camp... If that's not the way you camp, I don't see anything wrong with that either.. :)

Good luck!

Mitch
jplante4
Explorer II
Jun 11, 2017
You can cross connect the black and grey tanks if the black tank is lower (usually the case) and gain a day or 2 of space in the grey. There's a way to do it with a third dump valve or you can just hold the hose up higher than the tanks and open the black then grey. I have a clear connector so I can see when the swirling stops, then I close the black and grey and let a very small amount of grey water drain out of the hose if it's allowed.

Doing dishes in a pan and dumping the pan into the toilet is another method.
NMDriver
Explorer
Jun 11, 2017
If your goal is to use composting instead of the black tank and convert the black tank into a grey tank, then you can leave the black and grey valves both open. If the valves are situated on the same drain pipe with a down stream valve. Otherwise you may have to do some plumbing and/or pumping if the two tanks are not on the same main drain pipe.

However, a Blue Boy or similar container is not that big and if you are only taking grey then you can use a collapsible container. If you can lift a 5 gallon jug (50lbs) you can drain the grey through the garden hose cap on the main drain cap. Or if you do not want to lift the jug, you can use a pump to pump the water up to the back of your vehicle and drive it to the dump.
suprz
Explorer
Jun 11, 2017
I would rather use a dump station every few days than empty a " human litter box". :E
JimK-NY
Explorer II
Jun 11, 2017
2oldman wrote:
............

Most places I go I can dump gray on the ground. Admitting that on here can cause a person a lot of grief. .......

I have never been anywhere I can remember that permitted dumping gray water at the campsite. Often there are options. At many campgrounds there are waste water disposal sites for the tent campers. I have a 5 gallon bucket and a couple of loads makes a big difference.
352
Explorer
Jun 11, 2017
Back up to a tree.

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