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Old 02-07-2018, 11:18 AM   #1
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Blue tote for emptying black tank

So my better half and I are considering getting a Blue Tote for some of our extended stays for black/gray tanks. I'm hoping I can use the wisdom of the crowd from folks here who have used them. We have two 40 gallon Gray Tanks, and a 40 gallon black tank. What size do you recommend purchasing? Our goal is as simple as not having to break down, hitch up, dump, and then re-setup.

We don't mind dumping a few times with a tote, but I have heard it is recommended to get at least a big of a tote as your black tank as you don't want to have to stop the flow mid transfer as TP, and other things can get caught at the valve.

Can I use gray water in blue tote? Are there state campgrounds that frown on the use of totes?

Any recommendations, or considerations you guys could give would be great!
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Old 02-07-2018, 04:13 PM   #2
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I have 2 recommendations, #1 get the extra twist on valve & put on the sewer connection of you're rv so it's quick & easy to close, #2 make as short of sewer hose as possible to connect to the twist on valve to the tote, this 1 spot where less s##t is best.
As far as size, a 40 gallon tote full will be very heavy & VEEERY expensive, not to mention you have to haul it somewhere when not in use. I had one I think was 15-18 gallons with a wheels & a tongue you could tow it to the dump & was as big as I'd want to deal with. Yes you can haul gray water & unless you are VERY conservative you WILL be hauling gray water daily, it fills much faster than the black.
Personally, I gave my tote away, I'd use campground facilities as much as possible only adding to black tank at night. Showers & potty usage would be at the campground restrooms & save your money for something a lot more fun.
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Old 02-08-2018, 01:52 PM   #3
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Last spring when we were out in WA. there was a family next to us in a MH..
He was a traveling rent a nurse. Only there for a few months. They had 6 or 7 kids with them. The kids had a ball emptying the tanks, dragging the tote down to the dump station, emptying it and back for another round. I've never used a tote, but it can't be to difficult. Those kids did it just fine, and I never seen a mess on either end. We only had water and electric hookups there. There was toilets and showers tho.
We got quite a kick out of watching them. They made it a fun chore. A couple of the little ones would lay on the tank and ride it back.
As I remember, it looked to be about 20 gal.
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Old 02-09-2018, 06:59 AM   #4
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On the 5'er, our grey tank ALWAYS filled up before black tank so we did the 'southern engineer' version of using an extra twist on valve that we would close and then open both grey and black tanks valves so they would flow together, giving us longer use...

but you having 3 tanks, they might not all flow into one exit pipe like our two did.
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Old 02-09-2018, 07:16 AM   #5
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I have a 35 gallon grey tote made by Thetford. With small (27 gallons each) black and grey tanks I quickly learned that it was a necessity. I wouldn't want anything larger than this, but I can still man-handle it on foot to the dump station if it is close by. If not, hitching it to the hitch ball is easy.
You'll also have to consider the size of the tank and how you will transport it. My 35 gallon unit takes up a large chunk of my truck bed.
As for grey water or black, I have only used it for grey water, but it doesn't matter what "color" you put in it.
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