How To Transport A Portable RV Waste Tank

Being able to go to the bathroom whenever you want is a blessing in disguise. But, with such a blessing comes responsibility. Meaning, you'll have to be in charge of dumping the black tank when it's beginning to get full. When you're not near a dumping spot, you'll have to use a portable waste tank to hold the contents until you reach the nearest one. If you're wondering how to transport a portable RV waste tank, let's find out! 

The area where you hold the portable waste tank will depend on what waste you dumped into it. Is it keeping excess waste from the grey tank? Then, you can get away with storing it inside the RV. If you're carrying black water content in the waste tank, you'll probably want to keep it away from you. In that case, you can store it:

  1. Under the trailer
  2. In the bed of a pickup
  3. In the back with a bumper attachment
  4. Attached to the rear ladder

Of course, everyone's situation will be different from others. There are still more ideas that you might want to hear. If you haven't purchased an RV waste tank yet, you might want to know what some brands have to offer. We'll cover the details of how to use a blue boy tank and a rhino waste tank! So, if you'd like to learn this and more, keep reading ahead.

A portable RV sewage tank with hose, How To Transport A Portable RV Waste Tank

Transporting a Portable RV Waste Tank

Before we consider where you should store the waste tank, we have to examine the weight. Again, all waste tanks are not the same. Some will hold a high capacity of liquid. As you might already know, one gallon of fluid will weigh roughly around 8.34 pounds. And, if the waste tank can hold 12 gallons, you're working with 100 pounds of weight. 

As you might have guessed by now, you might want to avoid storing it in hard-to-reach areas if they're too heavy. So, let's throw some ideas your way regarding storage spots. One factor you want to keep in mind is ventilation. Depending on the contents that you put in the tank, it might get a bit smelly. 

Under the Trailer

If the portable tank is not too heavy, you might want to consider placing it under the trailer. Some users have had success with this storage location. All the portable tank would need is a support system. 

In The Bed of a Pickup

If you have a tow-behind trailer, the bed of the pickup truck should be one of the go-to spots. Some portable waste tanks have a handle that will allow you to carry it and place it onboard. 

In The Back with a Bumper Attachment

Another where you can transport the waste tank is in the back. Though, you will need a bumper attachment if you still want to use the ladder. Some portable tanks will come with their own. But, if yours doesn't have one, you can always look online for a waste tank bumper attachment. 

Click here to see this bumper attachment on Amazon.

Of course, these are not the only attachments you can use. Here's a YouTube video of how one RV owner transports his tote tank:

The person uses a cargo carrier to transport it. 

Attached to the Rear Ladder

In the same video above, you can see that some tote tanks will come with attachments to help you make space. Thetford tote tanks will come with a ladder mount. If you don't need access to the ladder all the time, it could be a good spot to transport the tank. 

What Is a Blue Boy Tank?

When you're looking for ways to stop visiting nearby dump stations frequently, you might run into a product that goes by many names. You will hear terms like a portable waste tank, tote tank, and a couple more. But, one that might spike your curiosity is the term - blue boy tank. What is it?

It's like any other portable waste tank. Blue boy tanks perform the same job. As some suggest, the reason they're called blue boy tanks is that you'll see them made of blue plastic. Hence the name - blue boy. 

Click here to see this Blue Boy tank on Amazon.

How Do You Tow the Rhino Waste Tank?

As we've mentioned, some portable waste tanks will come with attachments to help transport them easily. So, if you own a Rhino waste tank, you'll probably find a ton of attachments that come along with it. Rhino waste tanks will only have a large orange handle that will allow you to move them easily. If you've upgraded from a blue boy to a Rhino product, it might be difficult seeing how you would be able to tow it. 

Luckily, one of the attachments that come with the Rhino waste tank is a steel tow adapter. This attachment will allow you to have added leverage when pulling the tote tank. Additionally, you can attach it to the hitch ball mount of your vehicle.

If you'd like a visual representation of the attachment, here's a video from Rhino showcasing how it works:

 

How Big of a Portable RV Waste Tank Do I Need?

From what we can see from other people's experiences, the size of the portable waste tank depends on your preference. Some would suggest getting a size that allows you to dump your entire holding tank capacity. In their example, if you have a holding tank with a 25-gallon capacity, you should get a 25-gallon or higher waste tank. 

Other users would go against this suggestion stating that they prefer not to give themselves a headache while transporting it. The reason is that the higher the holding capacity a portable waste tank has, the more space you will need to transport it. So, if you're struggling to find an area to hold the tank, you might want to go with one that has a lower holding capacity. If you're worried about overflows, you will want one that can handle more than your RV's holding tank. 

How Do You Dump a Portable RV Waste Tank?

Dumping your waste from your RV to the station is a simple process. But, when you include a portable waste tank, how do we go about emptying the waste we put in there? The way to dump it might depend on the brand of portable waste tank you have. So, you'd have to go with the manufacturer's instructions. 

However, we'll go over a simple guide to dump the waste in your portable tank. You'll need two attachments - a double pinned adapter and a 90-degree elbow. To start:

  1. Attach the double pinned adapter with the 90-degree elbow.
  2. Release the portable tanks sewer hose. Take the cap off and keep the hose in an upright position.
  3. Attach the adapters to the hose. 
  4. Next, attach the dump hose to the sewer connection.
  5. Release the vent. 
  6. Finally, release the holding mechanism for the dump hose. The hose should go from an upright position to a horizontal one. At this point, you should hear the waste flow into the sewer. 
  7. To finish, retrace your steps and place each component back into place.

Here's a YouTube video showcasing how to dump from a portable waste tank: 

 

How Do You Clean a Portable Waste Tank?

Cleaning the portable waste tank is as easy as filling and dumping it. All you'll need to do is fill it with water and empty it in the sewer drain connection. You'll have to repeat the process until you get the results you want. If some odor remains, some suggest partially filling the tank with RV tank treatment and water.

Leave the treatment and water in the tank for a couple of hours before emptying it. This way, you can target any leftover particles. 

How Does a Thetford Toilet Cassette Work?

While saving yourself from constant trips to a dump station might sound nice, what if you can skip having to fill waste into a portable tank? That's the idea behind a Thetford toilet cassette. Instead of doing your business and having it gather in the black tank, you'll have a portable waste tank permanently affixed to your RV.

It has a holding capacity of five gallons. So, you'll likely have to dump it every 3-5 days. But, it comes at the convenience of having the portable waste tank already built-in. A toilet cassette will have a sensor to tell you when it's getting full. From there, you will have to go through some mechanisms to reveal the holding tank.

You're going to get the experience of filling up and dumping the portable waste tank immediately rather than waiting for a high-capacity black tank to fill up.

Final Takeaway

Looking for ways to decrease the visits to the dump station is not as hard as it sounds. Still, there is some work to do on your end. While portable waste tanks can come in handy, you will need space to transport them. Hopefully, you've gained some idea of where you can keep your next portable waste tank!

Before you go, do you have other portable waste tank concerns? Do you want to make your own portable grey water tank? If you'd like to learn more, check out our post here

Do you know the size of your RV's grey water tank? If you don't, we can give you a general idea! You can learn more by checking out our post here. Safe travels!

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