New Idea for Water Tank

[northwad]

Hello Everyone-

I have searched the forum and either am too stupid or blind but I can't find this idea I have.

A little background first- I just bought a 2002 Coleman Bayside with a watertank complete with pump. My DW, 2 children and I plan to only stay in campgrounds with hook ups. I have already removed the 3 way Dometic Fridge and replaced it with a "dorm" style. We do not plan to "dry camp" with this PU.

So, today I hooked up the water lines and tested everything. The problem is that the sink just drains to the ground and not into a "grey water" tank. Am I missing something here? Is there a "grey water" tank in each site?? I think not, and do not want to buy a seperate tank when I have a PERFECTLY GOOD tank just sitting underneath my PU now! I am referrring to the "holding tanks" for water to be used when "dry camping," which as we already decided I am NOT going to be doing.

So, here is my question- Has anyone ever tried to modify the "holding tanks" to be the new "grey water" tank? How hard is it and is it even feasable? I'm thinking I could reroute the drain hose from the sink into the tank, fill it up with grey water while camping and then attach a drain to it that can be opened when we break camp....WHAT DO YOU THINK???

Thanks-
Dave

[Old Goat]

Modifying the water tank into a holding tank will definitely lower the the trailer's value if and when you sell it. Also, how do you plan to empty the tank? Best give this some thought before modificatioins. I always used a 10 gal tote tank with wheels for grey water and no problems or inconvience.

It I had a water tank that I was'nt using, I would fill it with a good wine or Chivis Regal scotch.........

OG

[CajunCamper]

The one thing I've learned in my many years of camping is that you need to be prepared for any situation. As the Boy Scouts say "Always be preparred".

You may never every plan to pop up anywhere that doesn't have access to hook ups, but then there may be a time when you don't have a choice. Let me give examples.

We headed out for a camping trip with another family a couple of years ago both of us towing pop ups. Our destination was a National Forest campground called Crystal Springs about two hours from home. Beautiful campground with sites on a first come first served policy. We've been there a half dozen times and have never had a problem pulling into a campsite with hook ups as a matter of fact there have always been open sites the whole time we've been there. Well we pull in and to our surprise and the surprise of others pulling in, all of the sites with hook ups were taken as well as most of the other sites. Come to find out there was a bluegrass festival in a town nearby that we were not aware of.  Our choices were leave and go back home, drive to another campground an hour away that may be full as well, or pick a site without hook ups. We picked a site without hook ups and had a wonderful weekend.

Once in Arkansas we were camping in a site with hook ups. On the second day a storm blew through south of us knocking down trees and power to a large portion of the county. We never got power back. Still had a great time.

Sean Connery said in an interview once that he would never play James Bond again. A few years later he played James Bond in a  movie named "Never Say Never Again"

CajunCamper

[6Quigs]

If you are only staying in campgrounds with hook ups, then why the need for a grey water tank :confused:
Why not run the hose from the sink drain directly to the sewer hook up at the campsite.

[AustinBoston]

If you are only staying in campgrounds with hook ups, then why the need for a grey water tank :confused:
Why not run the hose from the sink drain directly to the sewer hook up at the campsite.

Only about a third of the "hookups" sites I've stayed at actually had a sewer connection.  Those were really big-rig sites.  What you are thinking of is "full hookups," which always includes at least water, electric, and sewer.

Austin

[wavery]

I use a 5gal (grey) paint bucket as my "Grey water" tank. Most of us have some sort of portable tank that we use for grey water.

Your main challenge may be emptying the tank. The nice part about having a 5gal bucket is that I can simply take it to the restroom and dump it in the toilet when I go or you could take it to the dump station when it is convenient. If you have a permanently mounted holding tank, you may have to wait in line to dump it when leaving the CG. I have seen some of these motor-homes sit there for 30 minutes cleaning out their holding tanks while a line of campers wait. That's not my idea of a good time.

[endless horizons]

I agree to always be ready. We have a portable grey water tank with wheels. When we are staying at full hook up with sewer at each site than we don't take it. When we need it we just put in and we are prepared.

And yes, you never know if you have to sell it or just want to sell it.  The changes you make to it could really make it difficult.


Take care
Maggie

[fallsrider]

I suspect you would have a hard time selling your PUP if you make the water storage tank your gray water tank. You would have to ethically tell all the potential buyers of your mod, and that would probably kill any deal. I know if I bought a PUP and found out after the purchase your mod had been made, I would be T.O.'d big time.

Standing a 5  to 7 gal. water jug on the ground and draining your sink into it is just too easy. And as others have already said, you can empty it at any time you want rather than when all the big rigs are dumping. Late afternoon or early evening is a great time, as no one else will be dumping then. I just toss our 6-gal. jug from WalMart in the back of my van and drive over and dump it. And if you go through a lot of water, there are totes on wheels that hold a lot more. You just hook them over your ball on your hitch and tow them to the dump site.

[Eric Sass]

We always stay camp where there are at least partial hook ups. I have not considered altering my water storage tank. There may be a time that I want to visit a State or National CG. They rarely have any hook up. When my boys get a little older, we will venture out without DW. She "Needs" electric & water.

[northwad]

Ahhhhhhhhhh-

Thank God for all of you!!!!  I guess I did not think it all the way thru...I will buy a 5 or 7 gallon bucket- THANK YOU!!!

dave

[harleywolf]

We have an

[6Quigs]

Northwad,
A lot of us use a 7 Gallon container we bought at Wallmart.
They are called Aquatainers, and are colored blue.
7 gallons is just about all I can lift, though if I saw it getting half full, it was time to empty it.
Your Bayside does not have the inside shower, only the kitchen sing, so you will not be generating as much grey water as someone with a Colemen Niagara or Westlake that have the inside shower, so the 7 gallon one should be enough.
I used to have 3 Aquatainers, one for the kitchen sing and two for the shower, as the shower one would fill up fast.
You drain from the kitchen sink is on the awning side, so you do not want to have an open bucket of grey water under the awning so tthe Aquatinere does come with a cap, which you will have to modify for the garden hose, or if you do what I did and use 1 1/4" PVC piping, so it drained better.
I still have some pictures here

Grey Water Tanks

[pricerj]

Ahhhhhhhhhh-

Thank God for all of you!!!!  I guess I did not think it all the way thru...I will buy a 5 or 7 gallon bucket- THANK YOU!!!

dave

I bought two of the blue 7 gallon water jugs at Wal Mart. One is marked Grey Water & the other fresh. When we do end up in dry campsite, we fill the tank with 7 gallons of fresh & obviously dump into the 7 gallons of grey.  This prevents the overflow that I sometimes get in a hookup  site.