Toilet Alternatives

[GT928]

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.

[Bobbo]

[lanerd]

SoundGuy wrote:

lanerd wrote:
OP, your plan sounds reasonable and doable. A little plumbing work to connect the two tanks and I'm not sure what would be involved in replacing the toilet with a composting toilet, but that certainly would take care of your problem. I say go for it.

Easy for you to say, you're not paying for it. :R I'll say it again - makes no sense to me to ante up for a costly composting toilet just for the purpose of repurposing the black tank as a second grey tank when the simple solution is to just off load grey water by gravity as needed.

I'm not saying I would do it, but the OP figured this was the best option for him and his current situation. It doesn't matter what your reasoning is....only what is best for the OP. He specifically stated that he was not connected to a sewer system and the option of "off loading grey water by gravity as needed" does not apply to him unless he has to break camp every three days or so, when he could double the size of his gray water holding system by swapping out the toilet and using the black tank as a gray tank.

[SoundGuy]

lanerd wrote:
OP, your plan sounds reasonable and doable. A little plumbing work to connect the two tanks and I'm not sure what would be involved in replacing the toilet with a composting toilet, but that certainly would take care of your problem. I say go for it.

Easy for you to say, you're not paying for it. :R I'll say it again - makes no sense to me to ante up for a costly composting toilet just for the purpose of repurposing the black tank as a second grey tank when the simple solution is to just off load grey water by gravity as needed.

[DReisinger]

While camping at Vogel State Park in Blairsville,Ga. I put the cap on the dump pipe with the hose fitting, there were grey water dump stations around the park, with about 100' of garden hose was able to dump grey tanks. Gravity is a great thing. Have tried using the blue tank at Long Key State Park in Fl. That sucker is heavy when full of water.

[lanerd]

Jim wrote:
You seem to be mixing up gray and black water disposal.

Mitch wrote:
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).

You guys are not understanding GT926's post. Need to read it again. he's thinking about converting his regular rv toilet to a composting toilet so that he can convert his black tank (that would no longer be needed with the composting toilet) to another gray tank. He never mentioned anything about his rv toilet going to his gray tank.

OP, your plan sounds reasonable and doable. A little plumbing work to connect the two tanks and I'm not sure what would be involved in replacing the toilet with a composting toilet, but that certainly would take care of your problem. I say go for it.

Ron

[SoundGuy]

GT928 wrote:
Other ideas? I am just brainstorming now, not sure if I will do anything. Just exploring some options.

JMO but it seems to me you're making this issue of disposing of grey water a lot more difficult than it needs to be. I sure wouldn't invest in a costly composting toilet just to free up the black tank for use as a second grey tank - better to just get rid of your grey water as the tank nears full. I gravity drain ours as needed into a couple of 7 gal Aquatainers sitting at the back of the truck and take them at my leisure to the dump station for disposal. K.I.S.S.

[GT928]

valhalla360 wrote:

suprz wrote:
I would rather use a dump station every few days than empty a " human litter box". :E

We used one on the boat for several years. Much different from a litter box.

...
One of the big advantages is the simplicity. There is simply nothing to break. Compared to a marine system that requires regular maintenance and that maintenance may occur when you are in 4-6 footers rolling around while kneeling over the toilet

Thanks for the reply. I am just considering options now and wanted first hand knowledge from anyone who had used a composting toilet. For the short term we are fine with what we have now. We know that with a little conservation, we can go a week or more without grey water worries. In the future, we may locate it in one place for long periods of time. If so, the composting toilet sounds like a reasonable alternative.

[valhalla360]

suprz wrote:
I would rather use a dump station every few days than empty a " human litter box". :E

We used one on the boat for several years. Much different from a litter box.

That said, the benefits on a boat are different from use in an RV and we wouldn't consider one in an RV.

The solids tank was good for 3-6 weeks depending on use (more people or use of bath house would change the results).

The liquid tank needs to be emptied every 2-3 days but is much easier to empty. Any toilet will do as there is simply a heavy plastic 2.5gal jug that it goes into.

One of the big advantages is the simplicity. There is simply nothing to break. Compared to a marine system that requires regular maintenance and that maintenance may occur when you are in 4-6 footers rolling around while kneeling over the toilet...

The other thing is lack of smell. Marine toilets are notorious for odor. It pretty much completely eliminates it.

RV systems are much simpler and less prone to failures (despite some of the threads). Odor is not typically an issue.

Realistically, I don't think you will get significantly longer time away from water/dump stations. It sounds like your issue is heavy use of sink & shower water. Plumbing the black and gray tanks together is certainly an option but a blueboy (portable drain tank) is the simplest and most common.

[352]

OR HERE Works great. Just pull over and Getrdone. Directions say not for use while in motion. Hope this helps

[352]

Back up to a tree.

[JimK-NY]

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.

[suprz]

I would rather use a dump station every few days than empty a " human litter box". :E

[NMDriver]

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.

[jplante4]

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.