DYI portable tote tanks - grey water

[LarryandLiz]

The biggest water management problem we’ve had while boon docking has been watching the grey water level fill too soon. (Black water tank hasn’t been an issue since we use CG facilities.) Commercial tote tanks look good but seem a bit expensive (and many are quite large) for lowering the grey water tank level. This morning I spent time reading ETI Forum threads and discovered at least three DYI ways that my fellow Escapers seem to use.

1. A pail - placed beneath the outflow and slowly open the grey lever? I’m trying imagine how that works. This has the attraction of being a quick and cheap remedy. However, it seems to have the potential of being sloppy+dirty. Then I’m imagining myself walking around with a 1/2 filled pail of dirty, dishwater/shower water looking for somewhere to dump it - instead of doing the pro-social practice of toting it to a CG drain.

2. Back in June 26, 2014 “Ron In BC” posted his DYI system on this thread http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f3...ng-2654-7.html Post #66 This method looks good and very easy. My question is how does he hook it up to the Outflow? (I think Ron isn’t in BC right now but is bound for the Baja). I've managed to post a picture of Ron's system.

3. Blue Tote Project - Donna’s system (see http://www.escapeforum.org/forums/f7...te-3414-2.html - post number 15) looks like an excellent way to extend our boon docking experience. I think I might be able manage this DYI project.


To recap: does the pail technique really work and is socially acceptable ? How does Ron’s system get the water out?

I’m glad I can search all the threads on this site and ask questions on this Forum. Perhaps this thread will help other Forum members.

Thanks for any advise.

Larry

[cpaharley2008]

There is a sewer attachment that converts your output to a water hose connection which then broadens your choices of containers. Robot Check

[kstock11]

I picked up a smaller blue tank for disposal. I believe it is 6 gallons. (48 lbs) Emptying once per day seems to work. It hooks up directly to the discharge pipe. Works well and allows you to keep from moving too much at a time.

[Jim Bennett]

I had considered doing something along this line with our 19 for our grey water too, as for us it fills up quicker than the black, just so long as there is an outhouse around.

I may not have as much issue with a larger grey tank on the 5.0TA, we will see.

I have used a bucket, and thrown the water into the bushes a few times, but this was either on our land or random camping in the forestry. I would not do this in a campground.

What I had planned to do, and may still yet (we'll see if it is even needed), is to use an adapter like Jim listed with a short length of garden hose, and dump the great into a collapsible water container. This way when empty, it would be much easier to stow than a rigid container.

[Iowa Dave]

We have the valtera rig with the hose connection setup like Jim posted. I have a small bucket that the attached hose drains to. It's easy to throttle the valve on and off when the bucket approaches full. I then transfer the small bucket to a larger one about 4.5 gallons. It has a gasketed twist on lid. Once full I can carry it to the proper dump spot and empty it. With the lid I don't have to worry about it slopping out. At Salt Fork state park in Ohio, they had grey water dump structures throughout the campground on the loop we stayed on. Very convenient. Otherwise usually use the pit toilet unless instructed otherwise. At my favorite Iowa state forest camp, good fresh water is about a three mile drive. I've camped there for 50 years and go on a combo water, firewood and deer viewing run late in the afternoon about every day. It's trrrrrradition now.
Dave

[padlin]

While traveling out west the only fresh water source was at the visitor center water bottle fill. Filling a 7 gallon jug from it and filing the fresh each night we found we use 6 gallons a day. If we were to keep at it, we could get away with a 6 gallon gray tote which is manageable for a short term.

[Bobo]

Does the bathroom sink drain into the gray water or black water tank?

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

I had considered doing something along this line with our 19 for our grey water too, as for us it fills up quicker than the black, just so long as there is an outhouse around.

As I recall from previous discussions, an outhouse may not be suitable for dumping grey water - depending on the location and details of the facility - since they are not intended to take a large volume of liquid. It may be fine... just check.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Bobo

Does the bathroom sink drain into the gray water or black water tank?

It certainly should be the gray waste tank, along with the shower drain (and kitchen sink). A black tank gets waste only from the toilet.

In an Escape, the black tank is on top of the floor (the toilet sits directly on top of the tank) so it would be hard to arrange for a sink on the other side of the bathroom to drain into it, anyway.

[Iowa Dave]

I've seen pit toilets signed both ways, please dump grey and don't dump grey. In the early days of dog parks in our area,'several agencies found out the hard way that some water in their septic tank style doggie bag dump station would have been preferable to the monolith result after a couple of years.
Dave

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

I had considered doing something along this line with our 19 for our grey water too, as for us it fills up quicker than the black, just so long as there is an outhouse around.

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

As I recall from previous discussions, an outhouse may not be suitable for dumping grey water - depending on the location and details of the facility - since they are not intended to take a large volume of liquid. It may be fine... just check.

Ummmmm..... the outhouse is used in order to keep the black tank levels down in the trailer, not for dumping grey water. If no outhouse around, then the black tank fills faster too.

[cpaharley2008]

I often used an Airstream bucket for my grey water.........

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

Ummmmm..... the outhouse is used in order to keep the black tank levels down in the trailer, not for dumping grey water. If no outhouse around, then the black tank fills faster too.

Ah, that makes sense - thanks for the clarification. It just sounded like the outhouse was the grey dumping location, which it can be.

Balancing fresh, grey, and black tank capacities is usually a challenge. There's often more than needed of one when another one runs out.

[LarryandLiz]

Thanks for all the responses. I'll be trying my own DIY project using the special output cap, hose and collapsible water container. Good ideas which will extend our boondocking trips.

This is a very helpful forum!

Larry

[LarryandLiz]

Here is a link showing a ready made grey water collapsible tank.
GO-RV.com - RV On-line Catalog


For anyone who's isn't interested in DIY

[kstock11]

Although the "non-collapsible tanks add bulk, they really don't add weight and are well designed. As long as the capacity is not high, you won't be tempted to move more weight than is comfortable. I believe that it is" a guy thing" to always fill to the top. Just because my water container holds 6 gallons, doesn't mean that I have to lift and pour 6 gallons.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by LarryandLiz

Here is a link showing a ready made grey water collapsible tank.
GO-RV.com - RV On-line Catalog


For anyone who's isn't interested in DIY

Those buggers stole my idea...
...in 1972,when I was in grade 9.

[LarryandLiz]

DIY portable grey water tote.

when we boon-dock watching the grey water tank slowly fill has been an annoyance since we didn't want to be dragging the trailer to a dump-station. the problem is now solved.

I've posted pictures ... (sorry I was holding my iPhone the wrong way)

Before starting this thread I had no idea that VELTERA sewer caps existed. But thanks to Jim (CPAHARLEY) I learned about them and picked one up at our local RV Dealer.

I bought the collapsable water container at Canada Tire - thanks to Jim Bennett for this idea. I don't want to fill up the truck bed with another container.

Then off to RONA and with the help of their helpful plumbing department guy outfitted the collapsable water container with some tubing and bought a hose ending (I think I'll switch out the ending I bought for a plastic ending which won't ruin the thread of the Veltera cap.

I tested the system at home and it seems to work !!! Thanks to both of the Jims for their helpful advice. I'm looking forward to the camping season.

[cpaharley2008]

I first used that set up but instead put the hose into a bucket that had rusted through, the bucket was always empty for some reason and it is often referred to as an "Airstream" bucket.

[Greggo]

Hey, that's pretty cool. It can double duty refilling the fresh water tanks.

Separate topic: any suggestion on how to make camping coffee tastes better?