I've been using a Barker 32 gallon Blue Tote for the last 22 years (same one). It stays in the back of the pick-up truck, kind of it's permanent storage area. (we have a second pick-up truck for tooling around at home). I also carry a wide arsenal of sewer hoses and connections to accommodate almost any situation. I have one hose dedicated for discharging the Blue Tote.
It goes without saying, that tote has probably traveled a couple thousand miles between campsite and the dump station. I also use it at home, as we use the camper 100% of the time when home, and my septic tank opening is, really, too far away from where I park the camper to run a line.
It's part of my standard camping equipment. We camp mostly at state parks and most state parks do not have full hook-ups. The tote gives us all kinds of options.
Mine has 4 wheels and I agree .... if attempting to pick the thing up when it's full ... yes, it's heavy. But on wheels, it's not a problem. I'd never have one that had only 2 wheels and you've got to lift it to move it.
The only problem with a 32 gallon is to be careful NOT to overfill it and, as stated above, have sewer discharge in the hose between the trailer and the tote. After doing this for over 20 years, I know, pretty much, right on the gallon how much water is in the tanks and I can dump without overfilling the tote.
One thing that also helps, I NEVER connect to city water and leave the city water spigot turned on. I always fill my fresh water tank and then disconnect the garden hose. I fill my fresh water tank first (whenever I dump my holding tanks.) Why? because I have water meter on my fresh water inlet. When the fresh water holding tank is full water will spew out the overflow. I know exactly how much water we've used now.
My fresh water tank is 45 gallons are so. I strive to fill the fresh water tank when we've used about 30 gallons. Sometimes I get pretty close, sometimes not. So, if the fill up is greater, I make sure I always dump the black tank first. Even if the fill up was 45 gallons, the holding tanks are all only 35. Divide that 45 gallons between 3 holding tanks, and none of them by themself will overfill the tote.
There have been times the black tank came really, really close. When that happens, I just have to make 2 runs to the dump station.
Of course, when we are camping for a 2 day week-end, there is no need to use the tote. When parked for a couple weeks, it's important to dump at least every other day. Disrupting our campsite to tow the trailer to the dump station every 2 days is simply unthinkable! The tote is a life saver.
Also, I have a 35 gallon fresh water tank I purchased from Tractor Supply Company several years ago and a transfer pump. Many state parks also do not have water on each site. The fresh water tank, like the tote, has made it possible to select campsites anywhere in the campground that is long enough to fit us.
Also, I've been using the 35 gallon fresh water tank since May 2016. It also is permanently stored in the fifth wheel front bay area. That is it's permanent storage are too. When I need water, I simply pull it out, set it in the bed of the pick-up truck, go fetch, come back, and pump it in.
This also physically shows me how much water we are actually using, and I can anticipate how much water is in the black and grey tanks before actually dumping.
I've been doing it this way for a long time and wouldn't do it any other way.
I use this D-clip to secure the tote to the truck. Once the tote handle flipped on the hitch ball and I went one direction and the tote when the other. After that, I made sure I had the handle secured in such a way it would not flip off again. My father-in-law showed me one of these. I picked it up (20 years ago) from Tractor Supply Company and been using it this way ever since:
Water "in", water "out" .... that's what it's all about!
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