Emptying RV Tanks When No Hookups Are Available

There are a lot of rustic private campgrounds, and state parks, that only have water and electric connections at the campsite. This isn't an issue for most RVs if only for a couple of days. But if you're taking showers, the grey water tank can quickly fill up. Many of us who've camped in these situations know about "Navy Showers". Turn on the shower, get wet, water off, soap up, water on, rinse off. This can greatly increase the number of days between emptying tanks. Of course, you could always use the campground's facilities, but they're never as nice as your own bathroom and shower.

Some choose to drive the RV to the dump station within the campground. This is time consuming. Bringing in the slides, raising the leveling jacks, stowing the awning, yada yada. Doable, but an aggravation. An easier option is to bring along a tote tank, designed to transport RV waste to the dumpstation. These are available in different sizes. When I had a 25' travel trailer, I chose the 22 gallon model. Keep in mind water weighs 8.3 lbs per gallon. Fully loaded, even this smaller tank weighs 183 lbs. You will have to move the tank by hand to get it from near the dump valve at the RV, to your vehicle that will transport it to the dump station. Also keep in mind, you'll need to store the tote somewhere while traveling. I have a truck that we tow, so I simply put it in the bed of the truck. A hard tonneau cover keeps it from flying out on the highway.

Update: We now have a 31' Class C, with a 37 gallon gray water tank. I would have to make two trips with the smaller blue tote. And now that we're both retired, we are traveling a lot more. It was time to upsize the tote to match the new RV. We bought a 36 gallon Camco Rhino tank. I can empty the gray tank in a single trip. It has some upgraded features that are worthwhile. More on that below.

My Original Tote

The tote has the same fitting as the RV dump fitting. But you will need a female to female hose. Since the waste tank on the RV is larger than the tote, I purchased a float that attaches to the tank, and indicates when the tote is getting full.

I purchased the optional tank transport hook.

These wheels were made for low speed transport. I did add some dry lubricant to them to prevent wear issues. The full tote is far too heavy to be lifted into the back of a vehicle.

This is the most important detail. Make SURE you bring a hose and elbow to connect the tank to the dump station fitting. Unhook the tank from the transport vehicle, and lay the tank flat on the ground. No spillage is permitted. Once the hose is connected, remove the vent cap, and tilt the tank vertical, using the transport hook. This will initiate the flow. It only takes a few seconds, and the job is done.

My New Camco 36 Gallon Tote

This tote is over 300 lbs. filled. I bought the optional front wheel kit. No heavy lifting. I have a kit that has most of the common bits.	The original hanging hook gets removed and replaced. The kit did include an allen wrench, but I opted to use power tools. The allen head screws require a 3/16" bit.
The impact driver made short work of removing the original hook.	There's a hole in the tow handle to allow access to the front two screws.
A better view of installing the front screws.	I have another kit with accessories for the impact driver.
Using a 7/16" socket, I attached the new storage hook.	The instructions say to remove the tow handle when hanging the tote. The included pin is a bit difficult to remove/install. I bought a different style on Amazon.
Very easy to use, and very secure.	Camco did some updates from the previous models I've seen online. Rather than using plastic washers, they installed a new end cap, that doesn't require them.
New handle installed. Note that the storage hook is now on the opposite side. There's also a dump valve on the side, so no need to lift it to dump.	A view of the new front wheel assembly.
This thing is a beast. Much heavier than the old tote, but also better built. The wheels are more substantial, and will be easier to transport. There's also a side gate valve, so the tote can be drained without the need to lift it.	On the underside of the tote, there's a hook made to hang it on the ladder. The tote also has a couple of notches on the side to keep mounting straps in place. I had to lift it to a higher rung to make sure it didn't obscure the RV's tail light.
I have a 2023 Jeep Gladiator, with a folding hard tonneau cover. To my surprise, the tote fits.	It's just the right width, and height, for the cover to close fully. So even if you have a small truck, you have options on how to transport a tote.

Recommended Products

BARKER 11104 Tote-Along Tank - 22 Gallon https://amzn.to/49Qw7dd

Tote-N-Stor 25644 Towing Bracket https://amzn.to/3VcIrzX

BARKER Tote-Along Bobber Gauge Full Tank Indicator https://amzn.to/4a6cXj9

Camco Rhino Heavy Duty 36 Gallon Waste RV Tote Tank https://amzn.to/3wV51Ty

Camco Rhino Steerable Wheel Kit for 28 and 36-Gallon Rhino Tote Tanks https://amzn.to/3IxyfdU

The Hillman Group 58531 Square Loop Wire Lock Pin, 3/8 x 2-1/2-Inch https://amzn.to/3IyWusd

24pcs Flexible Drill Bit Extension Set https://amzn.to/3wFD9Tl

SWANLAKE 232PCS Ultimate Screwdriver Bit Set https://amzn.to/49LAeHw

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