Northstar campers

[Gary3]

I always said if someone made a large nonslide camper I might be interested. I see a 12fter on Northstars site that looked pretty good until it showed a 4.5 gal cassette toilet that I know nothing about. What is a cassette toilet why not a blackwater tank there is a good size gray tank already there.

[mountainkowboy]

Yup, my S&S tag states 3,050 wet and it's all of 4,000+lbs ready to camp.

[Electrojake]

thedavidzoo wrote:
We have the 2017 STC. When I was very curious about what we were loading, I whipped out my "highly accurate" bathroom scale and summed up the weights. Go ahead, laugh.

FIXED:
Standard+AC+awning 3354 (given)
Heki 20
dually brackets 22
bunk 80
foot rest + extra cushion 10
maggie rack 30
camera + gen tray 20
TOTAL DRY 3536

FLUIDS:
44 gal H2O 380
propane 40
TOTAL TC FLUIDS 431.2

So, TOTAL WET (minus batteries, we have lithium and solar panels added for 309lbs) ~ 3970

ADD your RIGGING:
front bed bumper board 9.4
bedmat 40
Torklift+stableloads 105
pass-through boot 4.8
Timbrens 10
TOTAL RIGGING 169.2

So,
4136
+ batts and other electrical stuff
+ ca. 500lbs personal stuff for 4 people for 2 months
is total wet weight as we have it spec'd. We only took it to the scales once but didn't have a good baseline at the time. Don't know how close we are to manufacturer's weight.

Nice post up there ^^^

As info the VIN sticker on my 2017-built Northstar Arrow-U says it weighs 2910# with all standard equipment & 40 Gal of water & 40Lb of propane & a fridge (obviously).

However, the last time I put the camper on a CAT Scale it weighed 3800 pounds.

So my point is...
As I was told many times before, if you take the factory weight and add 500 to 1000 pounds you will come pretty close to 'actual' camper weight.
Yeah it's pretty vague but it worked for me. 🙂

[jaycocreek]

Hmm, ok then. Thought you were talking about dumping your cassette in the woods, the 4.5 gal cassette. What changed? We WERE talking about camper toilets right? Not latrines? Not WAG bags?

I never did mention my two porta potti's and there size,I did mention that the new Thretford electric porta potti is as close to a cassette as you can get and that one has a 5'5 gallon tank.Mine are much smaller making for smaller holes to dig if need be and I did say need be..

As far as where I have been for you to avoid,I would worry more about south of Boise where the National guard (all local branches) took there 2-week bivouacs and built there outhouse latrines..(laughing)

Born and raised in Idaho and much prefer to camp/hunt and fish right here..We have some of the best if you know where to go..

Good luck to the op and his decision on this Northstar TC.The regular toilet with a black tank is an option on the 12 foot unit you referred to.The cassette size is very small in my opinion at 2.5 gallons if I remember right.I would want an extra tank to use as a tote or have another tote available for dumping at your will.

[jaycocreek]

I guess this is over alot of peoples heads that do not remember that at one time all the forest service out houses were just a hole in the ground here in Idaho..When it was almost full they covered it and dug another hole.

There are millions of back packers/hunters/fishermen and people who just pack back in miles away from a road and have to do there duty where ever..The big hunting guide camps build latrines or do like the forest service used to.

The purpose of a cassette or porta potti is the ability to dump almost anywhere such as a forest service outhouse or even a toilet and yes,that 1" deep hole I just dug.(laughing).

Granted,cassettes and porta potti's are not for everyone but it does surprise me the lack of understanding how they are used.

Most all of the older campers did not have toilets and black tanks/gas/electric figs or plumbing,just a line from the sink to the outside to catch in a bucket ..Some of the larger had rooms for a porta potti to use indoors then dump when and where you desire.

There are a cazillion ways to break the waste down in the toilet including the new stuff for RV's they use in septic tanks..It isn't as gross as some make it out!..

It is just the same as people with RV's with blank tanks that transfer there waste into the totes on wheels and wheel it down the the dump except with the smaller cassette it is much easier..Yes,I also have a 35 gallon tote on wheels for my RV's with a black tank to transfer the waste to a proper place.

Many many RVer's use the totes on wheels as many use the cassette toilet the same way, but with more options to dump...

[whazoo]

🙂

[jimh406]

jaycocreek wrote:
A 12 foot non-slide camper weighing under 4500 pounds is quite an accomplishment.

Joke, right? 😄

As far as digging your hole goes, there isn't a free lunch for your excrement. Just one question how deep should it be? No, I don't know the answer for 5 gallons because I use a dump station when I empty.

I own 130 acres, and I can't think of a place I want to regularly dump other than my occasional home dump station that goes into my septic system. Maybe you wouldn't mind digging a hole in your yard.

[jaycocreek]

I have no clue where you got your numbers as in I dump 5 gallons of poop with only an inch of dirt on top...I guess your new to backcountry living!

How do you think these hunting camps take care of there number 2's..Pack it out?..Not in a million years..They bury it or dig latrines..What about all the back packers,how do they do it?..Well this is just one of many suggestions for doing your duty in the backcountry..

If you're camping in a group and/or in the same place for a few days, you may want to dig a latrine. Follow the same steps as digging the single-serve hole above, just make it six-feet long. Instruct your friends to start pooping at one end, filling the trench in with dirt as they go.

None of my currant porta potties holds 5 gallons of anything and putting just an inch of dirt on top..(laughing)..My dog would fall into it then jump in the truck or the camper...How about 1.5 inches of dirt..

I just watched a video on the Northstar 12 footer..Pretty impressive especially the generator setup for a honda(slides right out) and the windows and attachments..Storage up the ying yang and with the "option" for a standard toilet with a black tank for those with know idea how a cassette really works.

A 12 foot non-slide camper weighing under 4500 pounds is quite an accomplishment.

[whazoo]

🙂

[thedavidzoo]

We have the 2017 STC. When I was very curious about what we were loading, I whipped out my "highly accurate" bathroom scale and summed up the weights. Go ahead, laugh.

FIXED:
Standard+AC+awning 3354 (given)
Heki 20
dually brackets 22
bunk 80
foot rest + extra cushion 10
maggie rack 30
camera + gen tray 20
TOTAL DRY 3536

FLUIDS:
44 gal H2O 380
propane 40
TOTAL TC FLUIDS 431.2

So, TOTAL WET (minus batteries, we have lithium and solar panels added for 309lbs) ~ 3970

ADD your RIGGING:
front bed bumper board 9.4
bedmat 40
Torklift+stableloads 105
pass-through boot 4.8
Timbrens 10
TOTAL RIGGING 169.2

So,
4136
+ batts and other electrical stuff
+ ca. 500lbs personal stuff for 4 people for 2 months
is total wet weight as we have it spec'd. We only took it to the scales once but didn't have a good baseline at the time. Don't know how close we are to manufacturer's weight.

[mountainkowboy]

WOW that 12 STC would work on Red!!! It's the same weight as my 1990 S&S.

[ardvark]

I think that's terrific. So why doesn't Northstar do it at their Iowa factory? That's a good thing and maybe even would be a selling point. I don't get it!

[d3500ram]

When I weighed mine on the CATS, I took the stated weight on the camper placard (which was for the base model without options) and then added the stated weights OF the options as listed on the brochure literature and came within about 25 of the rolling weight.

[ardvark]

Any Northstar owners verified website weights with actual CAT scale ticker? Just asking, but always left wondering if it is that straight forward why can't the factory do it. They build the camper, don't they know what they put in it?

[jaycocreek]

Gary3 wrote:
I always said if someone made a large nonslide camper I might be interested. I see a 12fter on Northstars site that looked pretty good until it showed a 4.5 gal cassette toilet that I know nothing about. What is a cassette toilet why not a blackwater tank there is a good size gray tank already there.

I don't know if you have seen the Nothstar TC buyers guide but it list real weights I believe to be pretty accurate to real life..For a 12ft side entrance truck camper to be under 4500 pounds is quite a feet.

*Northstar 12STC: dry weight, 3,176 pounds + 41 gallons fresh, 341.9 pounds + 4 gallon full hot water heater, 33.4 pounds + 2x 20-pound full propane tanks, 40 pounds + 2x battery, 130 pounds + stuff, 500 pounds = 4,221.3 pounds