Portable waste tank question
I'm considering getting a portable waste tank tote to bring on extended camping trips. I'm looking at the Barker 30 gallon and the Thetford 35 gallon. Both are 2 wheel models and are close to the sam...
Forum Discussion
I have a 25 and 42 gallon barker. I bought the 42 gallon first for $100 and then a couple years later the 25 gallon for $25. Both came with the hard plastic wheels. I called Barker to order the rubber wheels and they sent them for free. I bought them from Craigslist. You can't beat that customer service.
Now my use - I take showers every day, boon-docking or not. With our family, we fill the regular 35 gallon grey tank nearly everyday, depending on how many showers get taken. The 42 gallon gets taken for long trips.
My thought was I would use the 25 gallon more often and have more room in the back of my truck and it would be easier to move it around, but I haven't even used it once. It's just been sitting in my garage for over a year.
I can empty the trailer tank after showers on the second day camping and then take a shower the third day (just me) and fill the rest of the 42 gallon, then dump the tote tank either that day or then next. So I get three or four days before I really need to dump anything with the 42 gallon tote.
The 27 gallon would need to be dumped everyday for us.
Ok, now with all that said, go with the 4 wheel version of whatever you buy. Water is generally 8 pounds per gallon. So, that 15 = 120lbs, 25 = 200, 30 = 240, 35 = 280 and 42 = 336lbs. All of which you won't want to drag in mud, soft dirt or lift more than a few times. If your using it for black water, that will be even heavier. I have had a few times when I had to pull it in the sand at the beach for 6 feet. It is heavy when full. The only real problem I have had is the 42 gallon is a little to high to connect the trailer (another thing I thought the 25 gallon would solve) so I use a 18" section of hose and just let it dump into the tank from one of those adapters. It's slower but works for me.
If you have the choice, buy something with pneumatic tires. It will last longer and everyone won't turn their head when you pull it past them going to the dump station.
If you are going to get something to put in the bed of your truck, you might as well order a macerator pump with it.
Now my use - I take showers every day, boon-docking or not. With our family, we fill the regular 35 gallon grey tank nearly everyday, depending on how many showers get taken. The 42 gallon gets taken for long trips.
My thought was I would use the 25 gallon more often and have more room in the back of my truck and it would be easier to move it around, but I haven't even used it once. It's just been sitting in my garage for over a year.
I can empty the trailer tank after showers on the second day camping and then take a shower the third day (just me) and fill the rest of the 42 gallon, then dump the tote tank either that day or then next. So I get three or four days before I really need to dump anything with the 42 gallon tote.
The 27 gallon would need to be dumped everyday for us.
Ok, now with all that said, go with the 4 wheel version of whatever you buy. Water is generally 8 pounds per gallon. So, that 15 = 120lbs, 25 = 200, 30 = 240, 35 = 280 and 42 = 336lbs. All of which you won't want to drag in mud, soft dirt or lift more than a few times. If your using it for black water, that will be even heavier. I have had a few times when I had to pull it in the sand at the beach for 6 feet. It is heavy when full. The only real problem I have had is the 42 gallon is a little to high to connect the trailer (another thing I thought the 25 gallon would solve) so I use a 18" section of hose and just let it dump into the tank from one of those adapters. It's slower but works for me.
If you have the choice, buy something with pneumatic tires. It will last longer and everyone won't turn their head when you pull it past them going to the dump station.
If you are going to get something to put in the bed of your truck, you might as well order a macerator pump with it.
