Have you ever thought that the cost of the "blue totes" is just TOO expensive? We have and are insistent on NOT buying one! I can't see paying in excess of $100 (almost $200) for a plastic bucket on wheels! Who ever thought up these Blue Totes, I thought, must be crazy! However, after the other night's escapade, in a attempt to dump our Black Tank, I think whoever invented the Blue Tote is a GENUIS!!!
Since I'm a cheapskate, I decided that I could "remake" the Blue Tote for a lot LESS money...thereby keeping that cash in my bank account. I figured I could "recreate" the Blue Tote in a simple and easy way with parts from a Big Box store.
Since we noticed that we are NEAR the FULL mark on our Black Tank, I did some basic figuring and "believed" (this is a KEY word here), BELIEVED that I could make a cheap copycat Black/Grey Tote!
The idea I had was to take a cheap ($2.78 at Lowes) 5 gallon bucket with a lid ($1.28) and use these as my Blue Tote! I thought that if I could release a FEW gallons into the buckets I could make a few trips to the Dump Station and with two 5 gallon buckets that would be approximate 4 trips (40 gallon black tank)! Since a gallon of water weighs about 8 lbs, that equates to about 80 lbs per trip and I didn't need to "carry" those all the way to the dump station since I had made a two wheel cart for my SUP (Standup Paddleboard) to take it to the water vs carry it.
I put the 2 5 gallon buckets on the 2 wheel cart and strapped them on with a bungy cord...seemed secure enough for me, so now it was time to dump the waste into the buckets.
Now, I know what you are thinking because Bettina was thinking it too...this is just CRAZINESS! But I HAD to give this a GO or I would be thinking about it for days or weeks! Success (or failure) was only a little ways away...so here's go!
I had Bettina come out to hold the 2 wheel cart upright as I emptied the Black Water Tank (slowly I might add). However, I wasn't expecting the OVERPOWERING smell that hit my nose as I opened the tank!!!! WHEW....that was some potent black water (and all we do is #1 in our Black Tank...so I can't imagine what the odor would have been with some #2 business included too)!
After I filled the two buckets, I added a little "upchuck" of my own since I could not hold back the natural reflex to the awful smell! Then it was off to the dump station under the cover of darkness (you see I didn't need any of those OLD MEN watching me and critiquing me as I did my business--pun intended--with the black tank).
The trip to the dump station was non-eventful, but as I "unloaded" the buckets, one of them spilled and went EVERYWHERE! With 3 Old Guys watching me from the bathhouse, I knew I was in for some scrutiny...but I just went about my business--pun intended--and washed it all down the drain, washed out the buckets and then headed back to the RV! Since it didn't work as "planned", I wasn't going to make a trip #2!
On the way back to the RV with empty buckets, my 2 wheel cart began to fall apart! I didn't engineer this cart to carry 80 lbs, so the volme of waste had taken it's toll on my cart!. I finally DRAGGED the cart and buckets back to the RV to clean up and dispose of the unwanted/unneeded items!
I cleaned out the 5 gallon buckets, but if they still have a little smell I'll let them set overnight with some soapy water and bleach to see if I can get the smell out. If not, I will be taking them to the dumpster...for $2.78, I think I can afford the loss!
SOOOOOO...Mister Blue Tote Inventor!!! You are one smart cookie and I'm glad you invented these items. While I still don't like the high cost, I think the design is one awesome engineering accomplishments.
BTW: I won't be buying a Blue Tote and I WON'T be trying my own invention either! From now on, I'll be pulling in the slide and driving the RV to the Dump Station to let out the tanks! It's much more sanitary and CLEAN! Less Mess is BEST!
BTW2: we didn't take any pictures since this was a covert operation under the cover of darkness...just in case I had a MAJOR accident with the Black Water on the way to the dump station. I didn't need any incriminating evidence lingering around if I had created a toxic mess!
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