I was just about to order the 30 gal. Barker blue tote ($119) and then started wondering if I should fork over the extra dough for one of the 4 wheel models. They actually have a 42 gallon model now!
I think they must have made the 4 wheelers cause people don't like lifting the 2 wheel models at the dump station.
Can you that have the 2 wheel totes let me know if it's heavy or burdensome at all? Would you rather have a 4 wheeler?
Thanks
Dray, I have both a 15 and 22 gallon two wheel totes and I don't have a problem lifting them to drain at the dump station. What I sometimes stuggle with is lifting up the tank so the tow handle fits over the hitch ball (http://he-ruide.smugmug.com/gallery/3774139_yGeE2#217348124_5Jggf) .
Hope this helps.
Ruide
Thanks. I just ordered a 22 gal Barker blue tote. I found a lot of information on the subject after doing a search.
Where did you order your tote from? We need to get one in the next couple of weeks.
Quote from: Jim K in PAWhere did you order your tote from? We need to get one in the next couple of weeks.
Came back from a trip to the Arkansas River to find my new 22 gal tote waiting for me. Bought it from JC Whitney for $99 plus free shipping. I did have to pay the two dollars extra weight portion of the shipping but still the best deal on the web that I've found. Took about four days to get here.
Quote from: DrayThanks. I just ordered a 22 gal Barker blue tote. I found a lot of information on the subject after doing a search.
Dray, you are welcome. Happy camping.
Ruide
I got mine from the RV Parts Center online. Mine also cost about $100 but I paid the shipping which cost a grip. I hope it arrives before my next trip. I'm so tired of messing with those 5 gallon collapsable containers that came with the PU. We have 2 adults 2 kids when camping and they don't like to conserve water.
Thanks Dray/Shep. I'll order mine this week. I never would have thought of JC Whitney!
Begin Hijack
I've got a 15 gallon "Tot-N-Stor" brand 2 wheel tote for sale if anyone's interested. $90 shipped, pay via Paypal. Or, I'll trade ya for one of the flatter 10gal ones. This one is too tall to fit under our old school pup.
End Hijack
Our Barker 22 Gal tote arrived last week. Got is from J.C. Whitney for $99+$2.99 for handling, no shipping, no tax. Great deal. I also ordered the bobber level indicator, and probably should not have. I plan to hook up the sink drain to the hose connection on the tank, and that is where the bobber is supposed to mount. So, I'll probably return it unless someone wants it for the price I paid ($12 I think).
Just thought I would close my loop on this.
Jim, You have another option. You can get a 3 inch cover that has a male hose connection. That will allow you to use both the garden hose as well as the gauge.
Ruide
Quote from: He RuideJim, You have another option. You can get a 3 inch cover that has a male hose connection. That will allow you to use both the garden hose as well as the gauge.
Ruide
Aha! Thanks Ruide! I was not aware of that. If we are dry camping, the indicator is redundant, since the capacity of the on-board tank is the same as the Barker, so if I run out of water, then I know I have to empty the tank. But if we are hooked up to water, obviously I can overfill the tank if I don't pay attention. Since the Barker is opaque, you can't look at it to see how much is in it.
I'll search for one of those bayonet covers with a hose connection.
Will I need some other adapters for the large waste line when I go to dump the unit? I have never done that before.
Jim, You are welcome. Yes I recomend having the connection and hoses (http://he-ruide.smugmug.com/gallery/3479555_Pbmwa#196014345_H7jy8) for dumping. This also shows how I store my hose (http://he-ruide.smugmug.com/gallery/3479555_Pbmwa#196019375_kiUpy). The other good news is with another adapter (http://he-ruide.smugmug.com/gallery/3479437_B4ZGv#195832883_kW536) it can be used to dump the black water cassette tank if you have one.
Hope this helps.
Ruide
I "stole" this system. The poster has the exact same unit as I do, so he is an invaluable source for mods :)
http://www.title-3.com/Drain.htm
Thanks for the links and suggestions guys. I'll stop and pick up an elbow and adapter this weekend. I can make that storage pipe easily with some leftover piping I have at home.
We are heading to VA next week for a 4 day trip. Can't wait!
Jim, You are welcome.
Two little tricks that are not obvious. If you get the same bayonet end as I did you have to file down a couple ridges that are on it and it will slip right in the tube. Also you only need one threaded end cap as the treads on the 90 degree elbow are the same as the PVC pipe thread.
Take care.
Ruide
Just wanted to post a follow-up on this thread. We used our new Barker 22 gal tote for the first time this past weekend. We stayed at the Montebello, VA campground - very nice place. On our way down there I stopped at an RV supply house and picked up the bayonet cap with the hose connection, as well as a 3" to 3" hose connection, and a foam adapter. The shop did not have a 90 degree adapter I liked, so that is why I got the foam adapter. It turned out that I did not really need an adapter at all. The dump station had a hinged cover on a 4"+ diameter pipe, with no threads at all. The foam adapter fit, but the hole was wide and deep enough to just drop the hose with the 3":3" connector in and dump the tote.
The tote worked great. I actually used the short hose connection from the camper drain to the tote, and had the indicator in the bayonet connection. I think I will reverse them next time, as the bayonet connection raised the float so that it just started to move at the point the tank became full. I towed it to the dump station with the included hitch bracket with no problems, and it drained in seconds. The 22 gal unit fits perfectly under the dinette table when stowed.
Thanks for all the suggestions on this simple but necessary little piece of camping gear.
I just used my 22 gal blue tote for a 3 day 2 night trip. I have to say that I wish I had got it sooner. What a cool thing. What it does for me is allow me to have more free time to have fun. I found that with the smaller 5 gallon collapsables I was spending a lot of time taking care of water. (We're not water conservationists) Now I am free to do other things.
It's funny that when I tow the blue tote to the dump station everyone I pass takes a look with great curiosity to see what I have behind me. The noise the blue tote makes is similar to a kids tricycle or something. They probably think there's a kid tailgating me.
Jim and Dray, I'm glad that things worked well for you. I've had the same experience when towing the tote to the dump station. At first I kept thinking that the tote was leaking but that turned out not to be the case and it was the slow speed and noise that attracted folks.
Take care.
Ruide