Posted 2013-05-22 7:17 PM (#152220) Subject: Living Quarter camping question
Member
Posts: 8
Location: Kernersville, NC
OK guys. I camp, but I have never camped in a full LQ trailer. We are looking at moving up to a full LQ and I have a silly question. One reason I want a LQ trailer is to go to locations that have dry camping. At the end of the weekend and there is no dump station, what do you do with the ... "you know"?
Posted 2013-05-22 9:35 PM (#152222 - in reply to #152220) Subject: RE: Living Quarter camping question
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 376 Location: Missouri
You dump it silly, what else would you do with it, LOL
I couldn't resist.
There are more dump stations than most people imagine. You just have to find them. Many truck stops, rest areas, travel trailer dealers, and many, many more have them. If all else fails, make one at home.
Posted 2013-05-23 9:24 PM (#152234 - in reply to #152222) Subject: RE: Living Quarter camping question
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 326 Location: central IL
Good question and great answer! I am thinking about trading off my trailer for one with holding tanks, too. Right now I have a shower and sink that flow into a main drain that I can hook to sewer at camps. If there's no sewer, I have to be sure it's ok to allow my gray wash water drain directly onto the ground. It's never been a problem over the years, but I'd just like a bigger LQ. A couch would be nice.
Posted 2013-05-24 7:55 AM (#152239 - in reply to #152220) Subject: RE: Living Quarter camping question
Expert
Posts: 2453 Location: Northern Utah
Being that I live in Utah, ( 74% of the state is public lands) I never camp in a camp ground with any kind of hook ups. Most of my camps are primitive. Just pull off the road and park under some trees.
I can't speak for your area of the country. But I see lots of RV Dumps sites as I am out and about. Most RV dealers offer it as a service to their customers. Just a drive thru bay somewhere on their parking lot where you can pull, dump your tanks, wash out the hose and drive off. The RV dealer near me had his set up for 24 hour a day access and it's free.
A lot of truck stops also offer a similar service. As well as paid for Campground.
On numerous homes that I have built, the owners have asked me to install a connection to their sewer so they can hook up and dump after returning home from a weekend away. It's not a difficult project to build.
My advice to you, above and beyond what to do with the waste. Is to consider this.
I don't frequent Rodeos or Fairgrounds. My camping is usually at a Forest trail head or out in the desert. This usually means that I travel some Forest Service or BLM gravel roads to reach my destination. I had several problems with scraping and damaging my holding tanks that are located under the trailer. After fighting that mess several times, I paid the money to have my trailer "Blocked" where they raise the trailer 3" higher than it's original height. A little bigger step for my horses getting in and out. But no more cracked holding tanks.
If the trailer is long enough ( most LQ are) and you will be leaving the pavement for camping, seriously consider it.
Posted 2013-05-24 7:27 PM (#152244 - in reply to #152220) Subject: RE: Living Quarter camping question
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 434 Location: Brooksville, Fl
There are websites such as rvdump.com and sanidump.com which you can use to locate dump stations. We just came across them on our last trip. I have no idea why it took me so long to figure that there would be websites dedicated to dumping your poo... :)
Posted 2013-05-27 4:49 PM (#152274 - in reply to #152220) Subject: RE: Living Quarter camping question
Veteran
Posts: 197 Location: AZ
Another option to blocking your axles is to have skid plates/boxes installed around your tanks..saves on ripped out piping and tanks. Many I know have done BOTH the blocking and the skid plates/boxes.
This summer I am trenching a cleanout pipe for our LQ...we are tired of driving in to clean it...last time, some 'noob' spent 35 minutes cleaning his toyhauler...it'll take a me a few hours to jackhammer the desert dirt and install the pipes, but it will beat waiting behind noobs at the crapper dump.
Posted 2013-05-27 6:49 PM (#152276 - in reply to #152220) Subject: RE: Living Quarter camping question
Veteran
Posts: 178 Location: Richmond, Ky
Am I missing something here, what is the stuff you flush down the crapper when your finished doing "your thing", what's the difference between your black water tanks and your water that was flushed. Someone enlighten me on this subject???
Posted 2013-05-28 2:56 PM (#152295 - in reply to #152220) Subject: RE: Living Quarter camping question
Veteran
Posts: 129 Location: Northwest Ohio
Black water tank is the toilet waste. Gray tank is simply soapy water from sinks and shower. You can also purchase blue totes and empty your tanks from the trailer into the totes. Take the totes somewhere that has a dump. Yes, it's an extra step but it gets the job done. We live 15 miles out of town. The closest "dump" we've found to our house is at the regular RV dealer but of course, it's not convenient to get our 39-foot rig in and out of there so we use the totes. But yes, there are websites that list locations. I've used rvdumps.com Although, most of that info is entered by users like Wikipedia and you can't guaranty accuracy. I know of a couple where the rest stop was renovated and the dump wasn't re-opened.
Posted 2013-05-30 2:50 PM (#152346 - in reply to #152220) Subject: RE: Living Quarter camping question
Regular
Posts: 96 Location: Grapeland, Texas
I knew a couple that traveled to a lot of appaloosa rides. He got tired of dragging tanks off and special ordered a trailer with the tanks completely enclosed in a sub floor. The tanks were on the regular floor and the living quarters were built above them. It made the trailer taller and more of a step into the trailer but I guess it worked.
Posted 2013-06-01 9:48 AM (#152380 - in reply to #152239) Subject: RE: Living Quarter camping question
Member
Posts: 7
Location: Pedricktown, NJ
I would have never thought about having a cap put on a septic system for this. Thank you for the idea as I was reading this poster's issue. This will be something to remember when we do build. That is awesome. I'm guessing it can go both ways, such as when they need to empty the septic, if needed? This makes that chore a heck of lot better than digging up the cover like we have to now, even though it's only had to be done once in the past 18 years. But for Hubby, and myself as the yard was torn up for longer than it should have been, what a pain in the, well you can guess! Although, when you have a man who works a service job, you start to become more understanding over time.
Living Quarter camping question
I would have never thought about having a cap put on a septic system for this. Thank you for the idea as I was reading this poster's issue. This will be something to remember when we do build. That is awesome. I'm guessing it can go both ways, such as when they need to empty the septic, if needed? This makes that chore a heck of lot better than digging up the cover like we have to now, even though it's only had to be done once in the past 18 years. But for Hubby, and myself as the yard was torn up for longer than it should have been, what a pain in the, well you can guess! Although, when you have a man who works a service job, you start to become more understanding over time.