Boondocking question

[Foldbak]

DW and I are going to the coast for our longest no hookup stay. We'll be there for 9 nights. Two adults, how many days is safe? There is a dump on site and I'll have a dump tote.



49 gallon black tank
44 gray
44 galley

[Gonefishing]

I would dump after 4 days

[Carl n Susan]

We boondock a lot in the winter in AZ. We can go two weeks before dumping. This means Navy showers, disposable dishes as much as possible. and minimizing black tank usage by using off site facilities as much as possible.

You will need to refill the fresh water supply at some point as the the holding tanks can hold more water than the 40 gal. fresh tank contains.

[Foldbak]

Originally Posted by Carl n Susan

We boondock a lot in the winter in AZ. We can go two weeks before dumping. This means Navy showers, disposable dishes as much as possible. and minimizing black tank usage by using off site facilities as much as possible.

You will need to refill the fresh water supply at some point as the the holding tanks can hold more water than the 40 gal. fresh tank contains.

Thanks, Carl. That's what we planned. I just with the dam tank monitors worked. It's a little unnerving not knowing how full the black tanks is.

[Daryles]

Boondocking mode:
If you don't want to carry water all the way there, fill up your freshwater tank at your last overnight stop the morning you leave. Or at a local gas station you can fit through (use google maps satellite view to see if can fit). Call ahead to be sure they allow filling up.
After filling, driving down the road, when you turn corners look in your mirror for water sloshing out your freshwater tank vent. Some have reported loosing 1/3 of their freshwater going down the road, especially on interstate clover leaf (centrifugal force). Maybe put a plug in your freshwater tank vent. Dont forget to remove it when you get there or you will collapse your freshwater tank.
For boondocking, we put Rubbermade (6 quart small sink) and Sterlyte (16 quart large sink) tubs in our kitchen sinks. Wash in one, rinse in the other. Wash water becomes flush water. Rinse water becomes Wash water.
Or use paper cups and plates and use them for fire starters. Be aware of regional fire hazard areas.
Don't run the water when brushing teeth. Fill a cup of water and only use that, one per person.
Navy showers: wet down, turn off water. Soap up. Rinse off.
Marine shower. Wet a wash cloth. Wash, rinse. Or go swimming ��.
Use the facilities as much as possible.
Last summer we went 2 weeks without dumping while dry camping. I did use the water bladder to refill us.

Water bladder
We bought an EZ pack 25 gallon water bladder. Water is heavy. This one is 200lbs when full. Depending on your rig you can gravity fill or get a water pump (like in your rig, good for a spare) or use your Winterizing mode (depends on your rig) to transfer the water. We like this one because you can replace the internal bladder when you need to.
EZPACK Water Storage Bladder - Water Container with Spigot - BPA Free Replaceable Bag - Water Tank for Camping Gear Essentials, Road Trip Essentials, Hurricane Supplies for Home https://a.co/d/63FUmap

[AZ Traveler]

You will have no issue with black tank for 9 days. You will most likely need to get rid of some gray. How you get rid of gray will depend on the rules where you are camping.

In many places a couple of 5 gallon bucket loads is all you will need to get rid of a little gray water. Have never needed a dump tote.

[Creeker]

We dry camp as often or more than with hookups. We go 10 days with relative ease. Can stretch it further but not as comfortable. As stated, our gray tanks always fill much sooner than black.

My number 1 advice - Beware of dishwashing. It adds up much quicker than realized.
Paper plates and plastic utensils are trip savers when dry camping/boondocking.

[DutchmenSport]

Foldbak,

I know you have been camping for some time and you are very familiar with your camper. By now, you should have an idea how often you (plural) need to dump the tank. But, here's the catch.

If you have had full hook-ups, you are probably not aware of how much "stuff" actually goes into your tanks. So, what you need to do is monitor how much is going into the tanks (or any one tank), so when you dump, you do not overfill the portable sewer tote.

Nothing is more aggravating than overflowing the sewer tote and having a mess on the ground and also a mess all over your tote.

I would suggest, if you've never really monitored your water usage vs how much is in each tank, then initially you go no longer than 2 days before your first dump. If the tote still has capacity, then dump the next tank, and it still has capacity, dump the next tank (If you have 3 tanks).

Now, the next time, go 3 days. Again, dump only one tank (the black tank) and determine how much it fills the tote. Again, you don't want it to overfill the tote. If it does, you know you cannot go 3 days. If it does not, you know you are safe for 3 days.

If still safe, now dump one of the grey tanks. Again, if it does not over spill, then double check the amount inside the tank, and then make a deterrmination if you can the third without overfilling.

By doing this, you will eventually learn just how long you can go between dumps. Then you need to determine if you want to get them on a cycle so they fill up at different times and you end up dumping only 1 of the tanks at a time, rotating them on different days.

It really depends upon your usage and how large your sewer tote is. You'll need to experiment a bit and figure it out.

For us, we have 3 tanks, 2 grey and one black. We very seldom have full hook-ups, usually just electricity. So, I depend on my Blue Tote for dumping my tanks. I have learned we can go 2 days, and I can comfortably dump all 3 tanks without overfilling my 39 gallon Barker Blue tote. If I go 3 days, I usually overspill. So, if going 3 days, I'll dump them one at a time, and if necessary, make 3 trips to the dump station.

Now, I also back flush my bathroom grey tank into my black tank. So, I really need water in the grey tank to do so. Doing this, I never have to have a full black tank to dump. The backflush cleans things out, much better than just a single dump with an absolutely full black tank. And that is another reason why I dump ever 2 days, because I backflush.

When backflushing, half of the grey tank will back flush into the black tank. Close off the grey tank and now dump the black. Again, watch the level in your sewer tote. If all is good, then back flush a second time. Now it will only be half of the original half. Each back flush becomes half of what was in the grey tank. And each dump the water in the tote raises slower and slower, until you reach the top. When that happens, you have a cleaned out black tank, and the grey tank is now almost empty.

Of course, in order to back flush, you need that 3rd valve on the end of your discharge port where the black and grey tanks come together. But doing so will really clean out the black tank without have to wait until its 100% full and holds a lot more contents than your tote does.

Experiment with 2 days first, then 3, and so on, until you get a feel for your usage, how much will hold in the tote, and do so without making any spills.

You'll get there. You CAN do it!

[Foldbak]

Thanks for the detailed explanation Dutch. This might be rocket science. You have way too much time on your hands lol.
The longest trip we've taken is 4 nights and never had a problem. Obviously we can't rely on the monitors. Has anyone had success cleaning the sensors? I'm trying to explain to DW why she can't use the sensors on her 100K RV. She's not hearing me... We have the same size and amount of tanks. Galley water will be the first to dump. Gray will be the last. My main concern is the black. I think if we use Carl's suggestion "use the facility bathroom" as much as possible we should be ok? This is going to be a learning experience. Now that I'm retired the trips get longer so I need to get this down.

[Daryles]

Mopeka propane tank sensors are great.
They now make holding tank sensors.
One of our members installed them. I don't recall reading his results. I'm planning on doing the same, maybe this summer.

[rames14]

Tony, we installed the SeaLevel gages on our last two Montana’s. They measure in percentage. We get two weeks on black and grey tanks. Usually, we can stretch fresh water to 10 days. We carry a Harbor Freight pump and a 45 gallon bladder.

[Foldbak]

I forgot about the Mopeka sensors. The only reason I didn't move in that direction is I have to open the belly and the batteries in the sensors only last about 6 months.

[AZ Traveler]

Tony,

The only useful sensor is on the fresh water tank.

When the greys are full they will harmlessly overfill into the shower or sink. When the black starts to fill, it will burp when the toilet is flushed.

It is best to wait until the tanks are nearly full to dump - they will evacuate with more force cleaning them out better than if there was very little in the tank.

[Daryles]

If I remember correctly he used marine boat Hatch covers over the Mopeka sensors.

smartmarine Boat Hatch Black 4" 6" 8" Round Non Slip Inspection Hatch w/Detachable Cover for Marine Boat Yacht https://a.co/d/dnFgSoh

I saw a video on YouTube where a guy installed them on a Class C. He cut three holes before he found the correct location to place one. One hole he cut was over the tank heater.
The forward drop down under the bathroom and Black tank is easy to take down/up. Start at thr back and work your way forward until you have enough down to work under the tanks. Of course you have to place it away from the tank heater.
Then push up the coroplast and mark where you want to install the Hatch.
To put the coroplast back up I supported it on leveling blocks and a long 2x4 to get the screws started. Use 1" #12 self drilling bolts through the nail holes you pulled out.

[Foldbak]

I appreciate ya all's input. I have the time so I may try to tackle it. Dropping the belly make me nervous

[rames14]

Tony, they do not recommend the Mopeka except for fresh water (unless they just came out with a new model. The SeaLevel gages are circuit boards that attach to the side of the tank. You can use the existing tank wiring or run new telephone wire (we have done both). We do use the Mopeka Pro to connect to the Cerbo GX. There is also a version of SeaLevel that works with the Cerbo.

[scattershot]

We went a week one time without dumping. We were very frugal with water use, used disposable washcloths as much as possible for bathing, and generally paid attention to what we were doing. Use public restrooms, whether you think you need to or not, and enjoy your trip.

[Route66Rambler]

Originally Posted by Foldbak

Thanks, Carl. That's what we planned. I just with the dam tank monitors worked. It's a little unnerving not knowing how full the black tanks is.

Just get a water flow meter and attach to your fresh hose when you fill your tank. You will know exactly how much water you have to start.

Use the bath house as much as possible. That is where most of your water is used. We can go a week without dumping tanks when using a bath house.

[DutchmenSport]

Originally Posted by Route66Rambler

...

Use the bath house as much as possible. That is where most of your water is used. ...

Because I have used my Barker Blue Tote so much, I can honestly say the heaviest water usage in our camper is the kitchen sink as I've tracked the amount of water this way, multiple times. Now, when washing dishes outside there is no water going into the gray tank, agree... the tank can go for days. But the actual water usage is still highest for our kitchen sink.

Next is the bathroom grey tank. Why? Well, mostly because we have a washing machine. It takes approximately 8 gallons of water to run one wash cycle. We have always done "Navy Showers" and our water usage "there" is always minimal. It's the washing machine that fills the grey tank in the bathroom.

With that said, that's actually a good thing. When back-flushing the grey tank into the black, all that laundry soap water is back-flushing out the black tank. This helps keep the black tank clean and odor free.

Again, I back flush every single time I dump my black tank. I never miss.

Advantages: Tank is always clean , no smells, no poop pyramids. Conserves water / recycles the grey water for another purpose and don't have to refill the black tank to flush it out with even more fresh water. It is a great way to clean your black tank, especially if boon docking with limited fresh water.

Disadvantages: You need to attach a 3rd valve (Flush King) or something similar to the discharge pipe. It takes a few extra minutes of time to accomplish the back flush. You have to be aware of how much water remains in your grey tank each time you back flush, so there is enough at the end to do a final rinse of your sewer hose. Remember to close off the grey water tank valve before releasing the black tank. This way, no black tank "stuff" will back-feed into the grey tank.

[Creeker]

Originally Posted by DutchmenSport

Because I have used my Barker Blue Tote so much, I can honestly say the heaviest water usage in our camper is the kitchen sink as I've tracked the amount of water this way, multiple times. Now, when washing dishes outside there is no water going into the gray tank, agree... the tank can go for days. But the actual water usage is still highest for our kitchen sink.

Same for us. We are seasoned dry campers/boondockers. About twenty five years worth in various 5ers, TT's and a Truck camper. Beware of the kitchen sink usage!