dumping at camp grounds

[DBabylon]

I just bought a travel trailer today. I have never camped a day in my life. But I was reading some posts and people stated they dumped their tanks every 2 days when camping. Does this mean hitching your trailer to your vehicle and driving to the dump station and the returning to your spot and setting up again?

Also, where are dump stations that are not connected to camp grounds? And, along that same line of question, what is the road etiquette for dumping at camp grounds? Do you have to have stayed there? or can you just use their facilities?

Thanks for your help.

[Tvov]

DavidandDayle wrote:
We were told to put as little solid material in the black tank as possible. We use the camp facilities if we can, and have a waste bin for paper. We almost never dry camp or use primitive camp sites.
Last trip, we seemed to dump about every 3-4 days; when one of the tanks showed a red light.

I've always thought that getting rid of toilet paper separately is for "leave no trace" deep woods camping - where you might be burying your black tank waste. But that doesn't really make sense... toilet paper like single ply Scotts and similar break down so quickly I don't think there is an environmental issue with it. I don't see toilet paper "filling" your black tank unless you really use a lot of it.

It is another way to do things, and it if works for you, then it works!

[Adam_H]

Putting dirty toilet paper in a waste basket is NAAAAAASTY!! Put it down the toilet, you paid for it so you might as well use it...

[austinjenna]

We were told to put as little solid material in the black tank as possible. We use the camp facilities if we can, and have a waste bin for paper. We almost never dry camp or use primitive camp sites.

Sorry but that's one of the reasons I bought a camper is for my own bathroom. There are only 3 things that go in the black tank, Pee, Poo, toilet paper. I never use the camp facilities.

[DavidandDayle]

We were told to put as little solid material in the black tank as possible. We use the camp facilities if we can, and have a waste bin for paper. We almost never dry camp or use primitive camp sites.
Last trip, we seemed to dump about every 3-4 days; when one of the tanks showed a red light.

[Bucky_Badger]

IF you camp at a site with sewer connections Do not leave your black tank valve open or you will end up with the dreaded poop pyramid. Leave closed until at least 2/3rds full

[2oldman]

DBabylon wrote:
Does this mean hitching your trailer to your vehicle and driving to the dump station and the returning to your spot and setting up again?

Some do, but since that would take me about 2 hours, I find it much easier to haul it in a tote.

[Dr_Holiday]

1st Welcome to the wonderful world of Camping and Dealing with your waist.

My wife and I do a lot of state park camping and try to stay in sites that provide only electric. Upon arriving and checking in we head to a dump station, empty our gray and black tanks fully. Then fill up with fresh water and put about 5 gal of water back into our black tank.

My wife and I enjoy long hot showers so we usually go to the bath house for showers. Doing this will allow us to camp 4 or 5 days with out filling our tanks. Longer if we use paper plates..

On our way out of the camp ground we drain our fresh water tank down to about 10 gal (less weight) and completely empty our gray and black tanks, then put that 4 to 5 gal of fresh water back into our black tank.

As we approach our house there is a flying J that has a very nice dump station. We pull in top off the fuel in the truck and they will give us a code to use the dump station. We completely empty gray and black tanks, and flush the black tank out for at least 5 min (if no one is waiting). Once thats done our camper is ready for storage.

[dhuse]

I'm finding that there are Honey Wagons available at more and more campgrounds. Normally private contractors with permission from the management to come in and empty your tanks, charging $10-20 per site. If I'm staying a while at a cg with no sewer, I find this well worth the money.

[3boxerss]

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/28980603/gotomsg/28986340.cfm#28986340 Really?/ I live about 60 miles from Columbus and Our fairgrounds has them and There are 5 Fairgrounds within 30 miles from me and they all have dumpstations. I just figured they all did.. my bad..

[myredracer]

In terms of the black tank:

Besides using plenty of water with each flush, add about 3-5 gallons before you use the tank after each dump. Trying to make the tank last longer by using less water will only make it last shorter as you will create the dreaded "pyramid of poo" under the toilet. Some tanks last longer and are easier to dump than others due to their shape, dimensions and outlet location. After a while you will get to know generally how long your particular tank can last.

Tanks sensors are notoriously wrong and if they're are reading right, then something is really wrong. 🙂 If you can look down the toilet and see the tank bottom, then you'll be able to see how full you are by just a visual inspection. Doing a good flush each time you dump can extend the time the tank will last but usually a thorough flushing only needs to be done when you're packing up to head out on the road. Also, leaving a little water in the tank can help to prevent "stuff" from drying out.

You can often look up a CG on the internet and see what they say about a dump station. Also, a CG review website may give you some ideas about what they have. Be bought an 18 gallon tote tank a few years ago and have only had to use it twice. If you are travelling around to unfamiliar CGs, a tote tank is a good idea just in case... We were at one CG and used their dump station only to have it back up all over the ground. The maintenance guy said "it happens sometimes". Nice. :M We headed off with partially full tanks and emptied them at the next CG. There's always sanidumps.com.

[austinjenna]

Check your local fairgrounds. Not sure if it would be different in your state but here in Ohio most of our fairgrounds have dumpbstations you can use anytime. We like to use ours as usually there is noone else there and we can take our time and noone is waiting in line for us to finish.

I live about 2 miles from our fairgrounds and there is no dump station.

[3boxerss]

Check your local fairgrounds. Not sure if it would be different in your state but here in Ohio most of our fairgrounds have dumpbstations you can use anytime. We like to use ours as usually there is noone else there and we can take our time and noone is waiting in line for us to finish..

[wa8yxm]

How often you need to dump depends on several things
Shower (RV or Park) if you use your own you need to dump more often
Toilet: Sea-Land type (Gravity) or Macerator (more "Thirsty")
Dishes.. Paper or plastic or china, the latter two need washing.

Size of tank, Mine are 36 Gallons times 3 tanks (one just for the shower and bathroom sink)

When Wife was alive we usually dumped 2x a week She used a maceration toilet, Me the Sea-Land. (Bath and a half model) We use park showers.

However we once went 8 days.. On the road, very "Conserving" of water (Wife also used Sea-Land, it uses far less water)

Now living alone.. I dump normally once a week, save last week was too Q@#W$REQ@#W$R Hot out so I went 2 weeks. Dumped about an hour ago

I now use the shower but am on a full hookup so the drain hose for it is water trapped and the valve left open.

[lema23]

DBabylon,
I tried to PM you but your settings would not let me, please PM me about your RV. Thanks