Portable Dump Tank

Jwiles58 · 05-01-2018, 07:31 AM

I looking for directions on the purchase of a Portable Dump Tank. Is Thetford the way to go? Size? Pneumatic tires?

Inquiring minds want to know your thoughts. Thanks

jeff57 · 05-01-2018, 08:10 AM

The Thetford SmartTote2 LX (with 4 wheels) is the way to go. I have the earlier version (original SmartTote, 4 wheels fronts ones are just closer together) and really like it.
Hope this helps!

Jwiles58 · 05-01-2018, 10:27 AM

Thanks Jeff! Does yours have the pneumatic tires or hard rubber? How do you like whichever you have?

NorskeBob · 05-01-2018, 10:52 AM

I use a Thetford (40510) Smart Portable Waste Tote Tank with 4 Wheels - 18 Gallon Capacity. Pull it behind my truck to empty it. It will fit between the fifth wheel hitch and the tailgate.

MarcS · 05-01-2018, 12:02 PM

I have the Smarttote 2 27 gallon with 2 hard wheels. Seems to do the trick when I need it.

travelin texans · 05-01-2018, 02:08 PM

Speaking from experience, if using one of these totes make up a short sewer hose, about 2' worked well for me, plus add the twist on valve to your rv sewer outlet, this makes it quicker to shut off the flow, 3" dumping into an 18 gallon tote gets there very quickly.

jeff57 · 05-02-2018, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jwiles58

Thanks Jeff! Does yours have the pneumatic tires or hard rubber? How do you like whichever you have?

Hi John!
Mine has the hard rubber tires, pneumatic would really be nice! I also have the 18 gallon version (shown in NorskeBob's response) and have only used it for grey water, but I really like it. Because of the front wheel configuration, it seems like it may tip if you are pulling it over bumpy terrain. If I have to move it more than 100 feet, I will hook it up to my hitch and slowly pull it to the dump station. The new version has the front wheels further apart, improving stability. The new version also has some better features than mine does, but isn't that true with everything?
Hope this helps!

whitmw · 05-02-2018, 07:48 AM

I have a 2 wheeled 25 gallon version and want to go to a larger 4 wheeled version. The 2 wheel version is ok but have to lift one end up to move to and hook on tow bar. That can be a little heavy especially if you are a little ways a way from the truck. I would match one to the size of your gray tank with 4 wheels.

sonic2 · 05-03-2018, 04:49 AM

https://www.barkermfg.com/4-wheel.html

I have the older Thetford Tote and like it. I believe the new Thetford Totes are not constructed as good and the reviews are not good.

If I was buying today, I would buy the Barker Tote. Read the information on the Barker site. I believe it's better constructed; easier to use and tow.

limit4 · 05-06-2018, 04:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by travelin texans

Speaking from experience, if using one of these totes make up a short sewer hose, about 2' worked well for me, plus add the twist on valve to your rv sewer outlet, this makes it quicker to shut off the flow, 3" dumping into an 18 gallon tote gets there very quickly.

Danny, what are you referring to when you say add a twist on valve? Thanks

madmaxmutt · 05-06-2018, 06:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sonic2

https://www.barkermfg.com/4-wheel.html

I have the older Thetford Tote and like it. I believe the new Thetford Totes are not constructed as good and the reviews are not good.

If I was buying today, I would buy the Barker Tote. Read the information on the Barker site. I believe it's better constructed; easier to use and tow.

That Barker is as nice as wagon for this purpose could be!

I was wondering it anyone has mod'd an older Smartote like NorskeBob's with pneumatic tires? If so, what tires did you use and where did you get them? I am looking at this as a cheaper solution.

Jwiles58 · 05-07-2018, 11:34 AM

Thanks everyone for your input. I decided on the Barker tote. It arrived today and has the pneumatic wheels. I'll let you know how it does after our next outing. Again, THANKS for all the input.

MattE303 · 05-10-2018, 03:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by limit4

Danny, what are you referring to when you say add a twist on valve? Thanks

I believe he means this:

https://www.amazon.com/Valterra-T58-...shut+off+valve

travelin texans · 05-10-2018, 08:08 PM

That's exactly what I was referring to, along with this hose to connect from that valve to the tote.
https://www.campingworld.com/dominat...0aAi3uEALw_wcB

sconner · 05-15-2018, 07:22 AM

I also have a 40gal barker tote. Works fantastic, with no leaks. Just make sure you have the right gender hoses to hook it up. I remember the first time I had to use it I had to go to Walmart for a dump hose part. I can’t remember what it was now though!

Edit: I think I just remembered what it was. Normal dump hoses have the hooks on one side, and the hubs on the other. Well the camper has nubs and the barker tote has nubs. That means you needed a hose with hooks on both sides. I didn't and had to make a run to get one.

Here is the wagon. Note the top inlet has nubs.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Here is a version of the hose I use. Notice it also has nubs on the "exit" side of the hose.
https://www.amazon.com/Valterra-D04-...r+rv+dump+hose

BadmanRick · 05-15-2018, 09:06 AM

I have the Barker Blue Tote tank 32 gallons with the phenumatic tires and ball Bering wheels. The reason I have a 32 gallon tank is my trailer has 30 gallon black and gray tanks. I use the Camco Rino tank hose with 90 degree tank coupling. The Camco 90 degree end fitting connected with a thetford male to female adapter on each end for clean dumping.
I have watched many campers with the thetford tank which were always broken. The tires fell off. The fittings and hoses are fragile.
The Barker tote tank is more durable as far as I am concerned. Parts are standard and east to replace if need be.

itat · 05-15-2018, 09:28 AM

We have the Barker 32 gal tote with pneumatic tires. The pneumatic tires are much better if you have to pull the tote very far to the dump station.

https://www.rvupgradestore.com/Tote-...-p/88-1147.htm

The floating level gauge never worked for me but other than that, the Barker is great.

We will only use ours for the grey tank, never the black tank. You can either use a standard size sewer hose or buy a couple end caps with a garden hose fitting to slow down the flow and use a valve to be able to shut it off quickly.

Buy a tote sized either as big as your grey tank or close to it and dump into the tote when your tank is 1/2 to 3/4 full.

**JRTJH** · 05-15-2018, 09:51 AM

I don't understand the recommendations to limit emptying a gray tank "always empty when you're 1/3 to 1/2 full" if you have a smaller blue tank. Almost all "current model" blue tanks have a bobber gauge or another device that gives the user some idea about how full the blue tank is getting. It's really easy to connect the blue tank, pull the dump valve on the trailer, empty until the bobber says the blue tank is full, close the trailer valve, go empty the blue tank, come back and repeat the process until the trailer's gray tanks are empty.

There's no reason why anyone should be "afraid to buy a small blue tank" for fear of having a "large trailer gray tank". Essentially, anyone with any amount of manual dexterity can empty a 100 gallon gray tank into a 18 gallon blue tank. It just takes enough attention to what you're doing to know when the blue tank is approaching full.

There's no earthly reason why anyone "MUST" buy a blue tank that's larger than their gray tank capacity. It's about convenience, storage space for the blue tank, ability to move large quantities of water (owner's physical capacity) and how someone wants to use the process to their advantage, not how big your tank is (or you'll make a mess).

Now, if you're going to use your blue tank to empty the black tank on the trailer (a process I strongly suggest not be one) then closing the black tank valve while the contents are flowing is not something that should be done. It's very easy to "catch solids" with the valve blade and push them into the valve seal. That would cause the valve to potentially leak since it can't close completely. That doesn't happen with gray water valves.

travelin texans · 05-15-2018, 10:04 AM

Say you've got a 40 gal tote with a 50 gal grey tank, there's 3-4' of piping under the trailer after the valve, you've connected to your tote with a 15' hose, there's 10 gals left after you've closed the valve, this equals a mess. May just be grey water but sometimes it smells worse than the black.
That's why I recommended the twist on valve & the 2' hose to connect to the tote, 1+/- gal after you've closed the valve equals minimal mess.

itat · 05-15-2018, 12:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JRTJH

I don't understand the recommendations to limit emptying a gray tank "always empty when you're 1/3 to 1/2 full" if you have a smaller blue tank. Almost all "current model" blue tanks have a bobber gauge or another device that gives the user some idea about how full the blue tank is getting. It's really easy to connect the blue tank, pull the dump valve on the trailer, empty until the bobber says the blue tank is full, close the trailer valve, go empty the blue tank, come back and repeat the process until the trailer's gray tanks are empty.

There's no reason why anyone should be "afraid to buy a small blue tank" for fear of having a "large trailer gray tank". Essentially, anyone with any amount of manual dexterity can empty a 100 gallon gray tank into a 18 gallon blue tank. It just takes enough attention to what you're doing to know when the blue tank is approaching full.

There's no earthly reason why anyone "MUST" buy a blue tank that's larger than their gray tank capacity. It's about convenience, storage space for the blue tank, ability to move large quantities of water (owner's physical capacity) and how someone wants to use the process to their advantage, not how big your tank is (or you'll make a mess).

Now, if you're going to use your blue tank to empty the black tank on the trailer (a process I strongly suggest not be one) then closing the black tank valve while the contents are flowing is not something that should be done. It's very easy to "catch solids" with the valve blade and push them into the valve seal. That would cause the valve to potentially leak since it can't close completely. That doesn't happen with gray water valves.

I can't get my bobber gauge to work. Maybe its just me but I find it useless. My grey tank is about 38 gallons and my tote is 32 gallons. Knowing that, I just dump the grey tank when its about 2/3 full. If that means an extra dump, I'll live with it. When there's just the 2 of us and we're camping without a sewer hookup, we can go about 4-5 days before the 38 gallon grey tank is full. To conserve grey tank volume, we dump dish washing water into the toilet. Since I can't get the bobber to work, I really don't want to have to guess how much volume is left in the tote and have to judge when I need to close the valve.

I didn't want a tank larger than the 32 gallons because the 32 gallon tote is already a very large unit to have to carry in the bed on my truck. So it was a compromise I can live with.

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