How much water do you use per day?

yhbae · 02-06-2013, 03:42 AM

Lets say that you are a couple, wanting to take a short shower once a day. How fast are we expected to use up that 20g water from the freshwater tank?

If you are staying at the same spot for a month or more, do you frequently have to tow the trailer to the dump station to dump/re-fill? We are assuming there's no water hook-up of course.

Jim Bennett · 02-06-2013, 09:34 AM

For starters, when camping away from services, it is rare for us to shower more than every 5 days or more, rather opting for a nice sponge bath. You get just as clean, and use only a couple liters of water tops, plus you can still bath with a friend.

When out for more than 3 nights, we do tend to bring along another big container of water, plus we always bring a gallon or two of filtered water for coffee and drinking.

We use the toilet minimally, mostly during the night, and wash most of our dishes outside pouring the water on the local vegetation. This greatly reduces the amount in the holding tanks. We still usually have to dump after a week or so.

Vermilye · 02-06-2013, 09:37 AM

I suspect that you will find it difficult to use less than a gallon per shower, in fact, more is likely unless you get good at Navy showers. So, with the two of you and the other water usage, I'd bet that your limit before needing a refill is around 4-5 days.

As to refilling, you can either move the trailer or get a water carrier. I have a 5 gallon container that I can use to move water to the trailer. When choosing a container, remember that water weighs 8 pounds per gallon & you have to hold it (unless you get a pump) up to fill the trailer - too big it will be tough to use...

Another useful device for refilling your tank is a "Water Thief". This is a device that lets you connect a hose to a threadless faucet.

Bruce Wray · 02-06-2013, 12:43 PM

Rather than tow the trailer to the dump station in the campground, I've sometimes used my portable wastewater tank, like this one - Tote-N-Stor 15 Gallon Portable Waste Tank - Coast Distribution System (the 25607 - Holding Tanks - Camping World Take care when filling to not over fill!

Since it has wheels, I hook it to the hitch and tow it to the dump.

gbaglo · 02-06-2013, 01:14 PM

Where do you store it between trips to the dump?

Bruce Wray · 02-06-2013, 02:00 PM

This is why I love my Tacoma with shell. It goes in back while traveling, and easily scoots under the trailer when in camp. I have an 11 gal., and empty it's very light. It goes on maybe one trip out of four, when I think I may use it. Very nice to have when needed, especially for excess gray water.

yhbae · 02-06-2013, 02:14 PM

Thank you for all the responses, they were all very helpful!

We are used to tent camping and the longest we did so far was 2 weeks. In those visits, we seem to take shower once every two days. Part of the reason is because we enjoy hiking so we end up sweating a lot. Another reason is because we have to use insect repellents which I'm sure isn't great to keep on the skin for a long time.

We could use the public facility but the lineup is sometimes long, which of course, we have been putting up since we don't have a choice.

dave macrae · 02-06-2013, 03:04 PM

I have found that we don't often have a problem with the showers @ the campgrounds. We mostly use the National parks and they seem to be pretty good for the most part. It is certainly nice to have a shower on board for when needed but we don't use it that much. With out showering in the trailer it is posible to go quite a while with water or dumping issues.

Eugene We · 02-06-2013, 04:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bruce Wray

This is why I love my Tacoma with shell. It goes in back while traveling, and easily scoots under the trailer when in camp. I have an 11 gal., and empty it's very light. It goes on maybe one trip out of four, when I think I may use it. Very nice to have when needed, especially for excess gray water.

I would be concerned about 14 gal of black tank contents trying to get into an 11 gal portable tank.

Do you need to be "quick" on the valve? I have also wondered how you keep your slinky clean when you use a portable tank. Having extra black tank capacity would be good but there's lots of potential for "bad things" to happen using a portable one.

gbaglo · 02-06-2013, 04:42 PM

I was just trying to imagine towing it the half hour of gravel road from Kane Lakes and then 110 kph highway to Merritt, or lifting 15 X 8 lbs. Hadn't thought about the stinky.
I guess it would be OK at an Oregon State camp ground, with 1/4 mile of pavement to the dump site at the entrance to the park.
Bruce?

Eugene We · 02-06-2013, 04:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by yhbae

Lets say that you are a couple, wanting to take a short shower once a day. How fast are we expected to use up that 20g water from the freshwater tank?

If you are staying at the same spot for a month or more, do you frequently have to tow the trailer to the dump station to dump/re-fill? We are assuming there's no water hook-up of course.

My wife and I spent 8 days doing some kayaking at a remote site last summer. We were in/at the trailer for 5 days and 6 nights. For drinking water we use the commercial 5 gal jugs with a hand pump on the top. The water in our fresh water tank was used for dishes, toilet flushes and we each got in 2 showers. I added 5 gal of water to our trip to top up our supply, so you can figure somewhere between 20 and 25 gallons. Because the campsite had spots to dump dishwater the grey tank really only had misc washing and 4 showers drained into it so there was still capacity. The toilet was only used at night and after 6 nights the black tank (14 gal version) was pretty much full.

Bruce Wray · 02-06-2013, 07:05 PM

I only use my portable tank for in-campground dump sites, usually no more than a few hundred yards from my campsite. I've never used it for black water. It's not too hard to keep track of the fill rate if you position it right and look in the hose hole, and keep your other hand on the gate valve.

Plan B, at least for me: I've occasionally used the exterior shower (with a swimsuit on!) to keep the gray tank from filling too fast. Same result as if you're tent camping and using a solar shower outside.

Bruce

gbaglo · 02-06-2013, 07:12 PM

Got ya. I don't recall ever having to dump because the grey water was full. Wash dishes outside if possible. Brief shower ( mostly the hair ) outside, standing on an all-weather mat from the RAV4.
As for the black tank, I now keep an empty four liter RV antifreeze container in the bathroom for liquid ( I don't insist the Old Bag use it ). That I can dump at the campground outhouse in the morning.

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