Longer term boondocking and dumping

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

I measured how much a gallon of water takes up one of my kitchen and bathroom sink bowels as well as the toilet to try to understand how much water can be potentially use.

Running the shower until the hot water gets through to be comfortable wastes about a gallon on my 25fb and takes about 30 seconds to pump a gallon.

A sponge bath can be taken for less than a gallon of water (all but washing your hair, which obviously isn't a problem for me) using water heated on the stove in a teakettle and poured into a stoppered bathroom sink. No wastage. Rinse with a damp sponge, soap up, rinse again with a wetter sponge to take the soap off.

Also, waterless hand sanitizer can be used to further reduce your water usage. Just because it's called "hand" sanitizer doesn't mean you can only use it on your hands. Use it anywhere except around your eyes.

[Wayne&Sam]

Originally Posted by KJRitchie

Running the shower until the hot water gets through to be comfortable wastes about a gallon on my 25fb and takes about 30 seconds to pump a gallon.

I collect that cold water in a pan and use for dishes or flushing.

Using an Oxygenics shower head I can shower using less than a gallon. Camp Soap (like Dr. Bronner's) rinses much easier than regular soap and saves a bunch 'o water.

I think the new porcelain toilets use much more water to flush than the old kind I had in my '07.

[Geo John]

I am in the process of getting an International 28 and also setting it up for extended boon docking. I am throwing this out there and am interested in comments. I have looked at compost toilets (Airhead and Nature's Head) including the amusing video on You Tube from Gone with the Wynns called The Big and Dirty Questions about Composting Toilets. If used correctly, they appear to work well and are also popular on boats for extended cruising. They separate liquid from solid. The solids are mixed with peat or coconut husks and turned into topsoil which can be bagged every few weeks and dumped into the trash. No objectionable smell at all - just the lovely aroma of rich topsoil - seriously. The liquid is separated and goes into its own tank which I think holds two to three gallons and must be emptied into a toilet or dump station. Done this way, the black water tank is available to join with the gray water tank increasing capacity significantly. I would welcome comments especially from anyone with actual experience.

Thanks,
John

[Wayne&Sam]

There have been some threads about composting toilets. Try searching for them- searching isn't very easy on this site, but worth a try.

[KJRitchie]

Originally Posted by Wayne&Sam

I collect that cold water in a pan and use for dishes or flushing.

Using an Oxygenics shower head I can shower using less than a gallon. Camp Soap (like Dr. Bronner's) rinses much easier than regular soap and saves a bunch 'o water.

I think the new porcelain toilets use much more water to flush than the old kind I had in my '07.

I wish Oxygenics shower head came in oil bronzed finish. I have a bronzed Moen set up with the temperature controlled valve so that is probably why I'm having to run the water for 30 seconds to get to correct temperature. I guess I could swap all that out for a normal Hot or Cold chrome or nickel finish valve and hose assembly.

I have a plastic Thetford. When I filled the bowl with 1 gallon of water it came close to the top of the bowl, much more than I would ever use.

Kelvin

[mandolindave]

My friends say, " You must have just bought that….it still has the wheels " Mine still has the wheels because I have never towed it. I only used it because the pumping truck can't hook right up to my camper, so it hasn't really had to move very far

[TG Twinkie]

Again. Put the empty tank in the truck. Then fill it with a macerator pump. Take the slinky with you to the dump station.
If you use a 12 gallon tote and have a larger holding tank. How do you not spill from the slinky when you disconnect. Some will say, " just crack the dump valve". I say "that defeats the purpose of the valve". Since you want good flow to remove the solids.


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[Piggy Bank]

KJRitchie,

If it really bugs you, there is a craft product called Rub and Buff. It is wax and paint, basically. You rub it on with your finger and buff off with an old rag. It is at craft stores or online. You could use this to rub oil rubbed bronze onto other metal finishes and see if you prefer that look.