Portable waste tanks

[Frank55]

I see the 4 wheel waste totes and the 2 wheel totes are a lot cheaper. Are the totes worth it and is the 2 wheel tote an option to save a litte money?

[SoundGuy]

Lantley wrote:
The 42 gallon tote works great and is easy enough to handle. I can carry it on my rear ladder. AS far as looks beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The tank is a tool for dumping it's not a work of art.:S

On that you're absolutely correct, a tote tank hanging off the rear of any trailer is about as tacky as it gets. :W

[Lantley]

fireman41 wrote:

Lantley wrote:

SoundGuy wrote:
For me, a wheeled tote tank proved to be the biggest waste of $$$ mistake I've ever made since we began RVing years ago. 😞 Costly, heavy when full, still heavy when empty, awkward to clean thoroughly so it doesn't stink, takes up too much room in the truck for transport, looks ugly hanging off the back of the trailer, is awkward to store out of the way at home, and always threatened to pop off the hitch ball as I towed it over bumpy campground roads. :M It only took a few trips before I realized the error of my ways and sold it to another unsuspecting RV owner who also thought this would be his answer to waste water management woes. With the proceeds I bought a FloJet Waste Macerator so I can service my tanks here at home but anytime I may find the need to off load black water while camping I can pump it with the macerator into a few inexpensive 7 gal Aquatainers labeled for GW/BW use that sit in the back of my truck, for a later trip to the dump station. Grey water I usually don't even bother with the macerator but simply gravity feed it into those same GW Aquatainers. K.I.S.S. - no tote. 🙂

Funny my experience has been the total opposite. I sold my old 4 wheel 32 gallon tote on Craigslist and purchased a 42 gallon tote with pneumatic wheels.The 42 gallon tote works great and is easy enough to handle
I can carry it on my rear ladder. AS far as looks beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The tank is a tool for dumping it's not a work of art.:S
I also have a flojet macerator that I seldom use because it takes too long. The flojet work as designed but dumping through a 1" hose takes a lot longer than the 3" stinky slinky

Being that if has pneumatic tires, is it any Quieter when you pull it through the camp ground.

Yes the air filled tires make a huge difference. They make a lot less noise

[fireman41]

Lantley wrote:

SoundGuy wrote:
For me, a wheeled tote tank proved to be the biggest waste of $$$ mistake I've ever made since we began RVing years ago. 😞 Costly, heavy when full, still heavy when empty, awkward to clean thoroughly so it doesn't stink, takes up too much room in the truck for transport, looks ugly hanging off the back of the trailer, is awkward to store out of the way at home, and always threatened to pop off the hitch ball as I towed it over bumpy campground roads. :M It only took a few trips before I realized the error of my ways and sold it to another unsuspecting RV owner who also thought this would be his answer to waste water management woes. With the proceeds I bought a FloJet Waste Macerator so I can service my tanks here at home but anytime I may find the need to off load black water while camping I can pump it with the macerator into a few inexpensive 7 gal Aquatainers labeled for GW/BW use that sit in the back of my truck, for a later trip to the dump station. Grey water I usually don't even bother with the macerator but simply gravity feed it into those same GW Aquatainers. K.I.S.S. - no tote. 🙂

Funny my experience has been the total opposite. I sold my old 4 wheel 32 gallon tote on Craigslist and purchased a 42 gallon tote with pneumatic wheels.The 42 gallon tote works great and is easy enough to handle
I can carry it on my rear ladder. AS far as looks beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The tank is a tool for dumping it's not a work of art.:S
I also have a flojet macerator that I seldom use because it takes too long. The flojet work as designed but dumping through a 1" hose takes a lot longer than the 3" stinky slinky

Being that if has pneumatic tires, is it any Quieter when you pull it through the camp ground.

[irishtom29]

Used a large tote for a month at a campground in Duluth, real pain in the ###. We decided we'd rather stay at campground with sewers from now on or, if no sewers, we'd rather move the coach to dump or stay only a short time. With that decision made we dumped the tote.

[time2roll]

We can get by a week on existing tanks.
I would rather break camp and move the trailer before having a tote again.

[mbopp]

My "tote" is a 30-gallon drum ($10) mounted & strapped in the truck bed. It's filled with a macerator pump & emptied via an 1-1/2" sump pump hose & gate valve.

[Ron3rd]

2oldman wrote:

Ron3rd wrote:
I've found my Barker 32 gallon tote to be invaluable over the years with a wife and 2 daughters taking showers with no hook-ups. It's a minor hassel to me but well worth the effort to be able to dump the grey tank..

It beats waiting in line at the dump station!

X2 and I usually dump at home with my Sewer Solution setup and near by clean out. Never wait for the dump station anymore. Will pull into it if it's empty sometimes

[shadows4]

I started with I believe it was a 10 gal tote. Got to old to be lifting it in and out of the truck. Sold it and bought a 22 gal two wheeled tote. Added the bigger tires from Harbor Freight and I am good to go. We only use it if we are staying without full hookup for 4 or more days. And only for the grey water. We can go 12+ days on the black tank. Works for me.

[Lantley]

SoundGuy wrote:

DutchmenSport wrote:
Can you lift it. Putting a 7 gallon jug in the back is my truck bed is NOT an option.

Using a waste macerator there's no need to lift anything into the truck as the empty containers can be sitting there ready to be filled. If I cared I could put together a drain hose to fit my Aquatainers but I don't have any issues lowering a full 'Tainer from the truck tailgate to the ground to empty it at the dump station.

Over spilling "poo" on the ground at the campsite is absolutely NO fun!

Agree, BUT using a macerator there's no chance of spillage if you pay attention. I've wired my own macerator so I can control it from where the waste gates (and the macerator) are located OR from the front of the trailer where I can monitor the tanks sitting in the back of the truck as they fill. No issues with spillage at all. 🙂

I don't think there is any right or wrong, better or worse they're just different methods to complete the same task.
In the end our equipment is different, our physical ability and tolerance is also different.
It's always good to have options. Choose the approach the works for you.
If you are a potable tote guy get a tote large enough to hold the entire contents of your RV waste tanks otherwise you risk overfilling and spills. You will require multiple trips to the dump station.
On the other hand if you are unable to physically manhandle a large 32 or 42 gallon tote get a smaller 2 wheeled version or consider the macerator.

[2oldman]

Maceration is the way to go.

[SoundGuy]

DutchmenSport wrote:
Can you lift it. Putting a 7 gallon jug in the back is my truck bed is NOT an option.

Using a waste macerator there's no need to lift anything into the truck as the empty containers can be sitting there ready to be filled. If I cared I could put together a drain hose to fit my Aquatainers but I don't have any issues lowering a full 'Tainer from the truck tailgate to the ground to empty it at the dump station.

Over spilling "poo" on the ground at the campsite is absolutely NO fun!

Agree, BUT using a macerator there's no chance of spillage if you pay attention. I've wired my own macerator so I can control it from where the waste gates (and the macerator) are located OR from the front of the trailer where I can monitor the tanks sitting in the back of the truck as they fill. No issues with spillage at all. 🙂

[2oldman]

Ron3rd wrote:
I've found my Barker 32 gallon tote to be invaluable over the years with a wife and 2 daughters taking showers with no hook-ups. It's a minor hassel to me but well worth the effort to be able to dump the grey tank..

It beats waiting in line at the dump station!

[Ron3rd]

Lantley wrote:

SoundGuy wrote:
For me, a wheeled tote tank proved to be the biggest waste of $$$ mistake I've ever made since we began RVing years ago. 😞 Costly, heavy when full, still heavy when empty, awkward to clean thoroughly so it doesn't stink, takes up too much room in the truck for transport, looks ugly hanging off the back of the trailer, is awkward to store out of the way at home, and always threatened to pop off the hitch ball as I towed it over bumpy campground roads. :M It only took a few trips before I realized the error of my ways and sold it to another unsuspecting RV owner who also thought this would be his answer to waste water management woes. With the proceeds I bought a FloJet Waste Macerator so I can service my tanks here at home but anytime I may find the need to off load black water while camping I can pump it with the macerator into a few inexpensive 7 gal Aquatainers labeled for GW/BW use that sit in the back of my truck, for a later trip to the dump station. Grey water I usually don't even bother with the macerator but simply gravity feed it into those same GW Aquatainers. K.I.S.S. - no tote. 🙂

Funny my experience has been the total opposite. I sold my old 4 wheel 32 gallon tote on Craigslist and purchased a 42 gallon tote with pneumatic wheels.The 42 gallon tote works great and is easy enough to handle
I can carry it on my rear ladder. AS far as looks beauty is in the eye of the beholder. The tank is a tool for dumping it's not a work of art.:S
I also have a flojet macerator that I seldom use because it takes too long. The flojet work as designed but dumping through a 1" hose takes a lot longer than the 3" stinky slinky

X3, but to each their own. I've found my Barker 32 gallon tote to be invaluable over the years with a wife and 2 daughters taking showers with no hook-ups. It's a minor hassel to me but well worth the effort to be able to dump the grey tank.
I don't use it for the black tank as it never fills up.

I get it, some people hate 'em, but I find them very useful.

BTW, some rinse theirs out; I don't. I guess it will stink of you take the cap off and stick your nose in it but I don't do that.

Biggest downside I can see is they take up a lot of room.

[2oldman]

Dick_B wrote:
..I would never put black waste in a tote. It would be impossible to clean it adequately and where would you store it where it wouldn't smell up the surroundings.

Gray water and a bit of dump station water clean it just fine. Rinse off the outside, put the caps back on, and no stink.