No grey water system

[mrc06405j]

Hi,

I am about to buy a 4 wheel Camper. I see that it has no grey water system.

- Is this standard for truck campers?

- Dosn't this cause a problem in a parking lot or other facility when you are leaving a puddle of water next to your rig?

- How do you handle grey water?

 

[LookyLou]

We us a Zebra 5 gallon gray water bag: http://www.rvautoparts.com/Zebra-Gray-Water-Waste-Tank-Portable-5-gal-7701_p_5611.html?gclid=CPvl9obtzsgCFQQTwwodQrYO-Q

Others use a hose and 5 gallon bucket and some have installed a 4" PVC pipe system that attaches inside the the truck bed.

 

[Stalking Light]

I use the covered bucket too, works well for me.

The nice thing about this setup is it is collapsible and when traveling I just stow it and the hose in my Trasharoo.

 

[Hobart78]

I use a 5-gallon plastic water container I purchased at Dick's sporting goods then adapted to attach a washing machine hose from there to the camper outside sink drain where I have a brass 90 degree connector. I like the washing machine hose because it doesn't bend so readily as garden hose can. The container has a vent which needs to be open during use.

 

[BobM]

I built my own and made this instructional slide show https://youtu.be/5eP9GYXACCM

Sent from my SCH-I535 using Wander The West mobile app

P.S., I put the particulars in the comment section of the video

 

[Smokecreek1]

A rubber hose and an old plastic bleach bottle works for me !

Smoke

 

[iowahiker]

I cut the hose under the sink long enough to fit in my rectangular blue 2 1/2 gallon Reliance water tank which I dump as directed (park or NF campground) before leaving each day.

 

[ski3pin]

The simpler pop up campers do not have on board grey water tanks. Many use a hose and some type of catch basin. Some, in remote places, just run the hose onto the ground. My set up is this -

a four gallon reliance water container.

I bought an extra lid to modify and bought a pvc plug to fit the pipe thread for the no longer used faucet in one lid and a pvc fitting with pipe thread and a female hose thread for when the container is attached to the drain hose.

The new lid ready for the drain hose.

remember to loosen the vent plug when attached to the hose for draining.

In areas where animals are a concern, we detach the hose (the lid stays on the drain hose), the container is sealed with the plugged lid and vent plug, and placed in the bear box or another secure location. In bear country campgrounds usually you are directed to empty grey water into the outhouse vault or another location so emptied grey water does not become an attractant.

I have since added a 90° pvc elbow to the top of the drain hose to eliminate a hose knick where it attaches to the camper.

 

[longhorn1]

I use a 7 gallon Reliance with special fittings for the cap, and run a hose to the outlet where I have a brass "L" fitting. We dump the water at the dump station, sink, or where ever we are allowed. Works fine for us.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Wander The West mobile app

 

[BobM]

I also have one of those collapsible 5 gallon water bottles that I leave behind one of my turnbuckle doors in the very rare case my ABS wheel well tank fills up. The reason I like the homemade ABS on board tank is I can use my sink anytime I want without having to set up the water bottle. When on the road, I just stop and open the valve to drain, no lugging required. It is by far the best mod I made to my FWC.

Another tip is when dry camping, if there is a wash station near your site, do your dishes there. That way you save water and your back:>)

 

[RC Pilot Jim]

The covered bucket that Stalking Light mentions is available from FWheel in their go any-where pkg.

And the brass 90* elbow is good to stop the line from kinking over time. Get it at Walmart or Camping World.

 

[XJINTX]

THOUGHTS??? I have done Bob's PVC mod for grey water but I still carry collapsible 5 gal just in case

I am wondering the etiquette on using "Grey Water" for dousing the fire? We cook and wash most stuff outside... sometimes use hot water from shower. The inside grey water is usually just rinsing cups and such.

Is it proper to use the grey water for being sure fire is really out and doused?

 

[carld]

I ran a dishwasher drain hose along the side of the truck bed and out the front of the bed where my Tundra has removable plugs in the bed. Then under the front of the rear drivers side fender there was room to permanently mount a plastic 2 gallon water container, like you buy water in from Walmart. The water container has plastic pull valve at the bottom, which I keep closed when camping and then when I hit the road I open it and let it drain. I've had this arrangement for about 6 months. The only problem was the drain didn't work well until I added a drain vent. Now everything works like a hose. I used a bungie cord to mount the container, no modifications to the truck, its solid, and hardly noticeable.

 

[Vic Harder]

"when I hit the road I open it and let it drain."

Is that a best practice? I know I've been behind RV's doing that, and wow, is it annoying with the top down on a convertible!

 

[carld]

I know it does sound a little discussing, but when I camp I conserve water and drain maybe 2 qt a day for mostly things like brushing my teeth. When it drains it takes probably 50 to 100 yds and I'm careful about it. It sure is a lot better then draining it at the campsite or having no gray water capture at all.

 

[Stalking Light]

When I tent camped I always poured my dishwater in the fire before I left camp (unless I'm in a campground where the rules say otherwise) and still do the same now that I have my FWC.

 

[carld]

A lot of the time I'm in dispersed dry camp sites or Forest/BLM campsites. I might have a fire at night and if there no fire ring before I try to make it look the same when I leave. In the morning I fix coffee and breakfast in the camper with no fire.

So I'm going to be on the road for the next 2 months, mostly solo, except for 10 days in Alaska with my wife. We have reserved sites, at Denali NP or at commercial parks and 3 nights at hotels. The rest of 40 or 50 days I've got ideas about where to stay, but then in June especially on the way back through Washington and Oregon, I might not be able to find a spot. Has anyone had any experience in "commando camping", where you may just park somewhere maybe even in a residential neighborhood and sleep in the camper with the top down?

 

[cdbrow1]

I find that I don't really need a grey water system. I have a small portable tank in the truck, but I generally catch the water in a dirty dish and dump it at the next dump station, regular bathroom or when I get home. Generally I camp by myself so not a lot of water is used. I wash my hands from the petcock at the back of the camper most of the time.

 

[stanbiker]

Other than Anchorage, it's easy to camp in Alaska. I would avoid the commercial campgrounds, as they are almost always parking lots.

 

[Sedro F. Woolley]

This looked great to me, so I bought a 7-gallon container and an extra cap to modify as described. When I went to Homer's Depot to get the PVC fittings, I found that 3/4" hose thread is just a tad bit bigger than the thread on the Reliance lid, so a 3/4" cap fitting will barely start in the lid. Ski3pin, did you run into that too, and did you just go ahead and crank those fittings in? I'm a little worried about busting the reliance lids. Wondering if maybe Reliance changed the lids since you did yours.

Thanks,
John

The simpler pop up campers do not have on board grey water tanks. Many use a hose and some type of catch basin. Some, in remote places, just run the hose onto the ground. My set up is this -

a four gallon reliance water container.

I bought an extra lid to modify and bought a pvc plug to fit the pipe thread for the no longer used faucet in one lid and a pvc fitting with pipe thread and a female hose thread for when the container is attached to the drain hose.

The new lid ready for the drain hose.

remember to loosen the vent plug when attached to the hose for draining.

In areas where animals are a concern, we detach the hose (the lid stays on the drain hose), the container is sealed with the plugged lid and vent plug, and placed in the bear box or another secure location. In bear country campgrounds usually you are directed to empty grey water into the outhouse vault or another location so emptied grey water does not become an attractant.

I have since added a 90° pvc elbow to the top of the drain hose to eliminate a hose knick where it attaches to the camper.