2 questions

[janisg]

I have read on different blogs to leave your GREY WATER valve open while camping--is this true?

Also, how healthy are retirees when they live this lifestyle? I do have problems with arthritus--not real severe but my feet do hurt in the morning but after taking some motrim and moving around it gets somewhat better. I do worry about this and any health problems that could come up. But I often think I would be healthier if I did do some traveling in a TT. Any comments on this? (I do rely on a cane, especially outside, would this stop me from camping? Driving is no problem.)

[Glenn Baglo]

I think it depends on your trailer and how it is set up.
On my Escape I leave both black and grey tanks closed until they are almost full. Then I dump the black, close its trap, then do a rinse of the slinky by dumping the grey.

If you allow the liquids in the black tank to drain continuously, the solids will build up instead of dissolving and they will form a concrete pyramid in your tank.

[Cathi]

Saw a case where someone said he did not use the black tank while camping in winter but his neighbor did. Neighbor called a plumber when it all went bad. Plumber suggested dynamite. Somehow they managed without.

Janisg, there are people who stay in the same spot in their very large units. They use a lot of water and many leave the valves open. Small trailers should have valves closed. Not a good idea to keep them open.

[Borrego Dave]

Originally Posted by janisg

I have read on different blogs to leave your GREY WATER valve open while camping--is this true?
Also, how healthy are retirees when they live this lifestyle? I do have problems with arthritus--not real severe but my feet do hurt in the morning but after taking some motrim and moving around it gets somewhat better. I do worry about this and any health problems that could come up. But I often think I would be healthier if I did do some traveling in a TT. Any comments on this? (I do rely on a cane, especially outside, would this stop me from camping? Driving is no problem.)

No to the grey valve. The black tank valve is closed as you need the liquid contents for a good drainage flow to empty it. If you are hooked up to sewer that still applies but the grey can be left open. Although you would want to close the grey to let it fill up when the black is getting close to full so you could use it to rinse the hose as Glenn mentioned.
Everyone's health is different.....my golden years are rearing up . I have had to use a cane also for disc problems, injections helped but the more active I am the better it is....to a certain degree. Never going to be 30 again, dang, even 60 . So to answer your traveling question, go for it.

[Night Sailor]

I've been living and traveling in my RV since Dec 19th of last year and staying in it longer than that while parked at home.

I wanted to extend my dry camping and avoid campgrounds completely this time. I'd already flushed, rinsed and flushed my black tank, and completely gave up using the toilet. That solved dumping the black water tank.

Then I decided to dump my gray water tank on the ground at home. There was a bit of an odor and I was a bit worried about that so I rinsed this tank several times also. After that I left the valve open.

My RV is a truck camper and mounted on my Silverado I typically back into parking spaces. This allows me to project out of a space no more than a typical car and puts the overhang either over a sidewalk or curb for an extra step up. I can usually find and put a grassy spot right under my dump nozzle.

I do not allow any food or grease into my gray water system. I use lots of paper towels and lots of small trash bags to dispose of anything that could stink up my gray water.

Using this method I've taken a few showers which puts a bit of soap on the ground--not much different from washing a car, and most usage is far smaller amounts.

If a little water collects on the tank, driving around empties it out.

I use rest stops, restaurants, and friends and public toilets to poop and keep a one gallon orange juice container for a pee bottle. I can pour out the pee bottle anywhere and it's quicker to pour it out than to pee. Walking the dogs in the morning give me plenty of opportunities to dump that in small batches in restrooms or in bushes.

I have two fuel tanks on my Silverado. Flying J/Pilot offers free showers if you buy more than 50 gals of fuel. Or you can buy a shower for $12. I buy only 50 gallons at a time and while it costs a bit more to buy from them it's still a deal compared to buying a shower. I'll guess it works out to about $5-$6 in extra fuel costs and I can skip a day if I choose to buy cheaper fuel. Larger fuel tanks allows me to pick and choose cheaper fuel sources, with a bit of planning.

I have an accurate formula for predicting fuel consumption by vehicle speed and wind speed, plus terrain. Driving at 55 mph I get over 15 mpg. I drop one mpg per additional 5 mph. I estimate head winds to fudge the speed. And I use a turbo boost gauge to maximize my fuel economy.

My only other problem is filling up on water. I've used friends homes to fill up and can stretch my water as needed. If I don't have enough water for bathing I use apple cider vinegar to freshen up. I suppose if I wanted to linger in one area without any friends nearby I would have to collect water some other way. I have thought about how to fill water jugs and transfer this to my water system. My plan is to add another water tank in my generator compartment and plumb my water pump winterize hose to that tank with a few control valves. I use compressed air to purge my tank in cold weather. So I don't need that link stuff.

My solar panels have handled all my power needs. While staying with my best friend in California, I parked close to his house in a mostly shaded area. Here is where an abundance of solar panels paid off. I was able to keep my batteries topped off or nearly topped off every day.

This has worked fantastic for me. I've been dry camping for two months without any dumping and it keeps my load a bit lighter, although I am sometimes traveling with full water. At present I'm nearly out of water and plan to fill up later today or tomorrow. Full water tanks will take me cross country, and I can drop weight fast by taking a shower on board.



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