|
| Author |
Message |
optimistic
Member
|
# Posted: 2 May 2020 09:42pm
Reply
Hey everyone,
I haven't posted here in a long time. My wife and I had two kids haha so we had to put the cabin on hold as it wasn't ready for kids yet (no running water...).
We really want to restart the work.
We realized that the best way to do so is to buy a travel trailer, park it on our land long term, and then use it while we go up to work on the cabin so 3-4 to max 7 days stays at the trailer at a time.
I do not have a septic nor do I have grid power - I do own my beloved Honda generator! Even making it in the land is no easy task as I do not have a proper road. I can probably get the trailer in one time with the help of some friends but then that is it - which is fine as I think the strategy should be to just park it in there for the long run until cabin is up and running in a couple of summers if I am lucky.
I have never owned a travel trailer nor have I used one. I will buy a used one of course...
I am hoping to get some ideas and feedback and advice from the nice people in this forum about this first stage of getting a travel trailer there for the long run and what I should now or think about.
My biggest issue is black water... I will build an outhouse for myself and my kids but the wife refuses to use it. Maybe I will be lucky and she will agree to use it over time but I need to plan for if she doesn't...
Any ideas?
About the power... Assuming not be there from 2 weeks to 4 months at a time - I think I need to keep the batteries alive if possible then when we get there just hook up the generator during the day to fill them up and then use them at night or over the few days we are there? is that possible or will that kill batteries? what equipment do I need for that?
Any specific tips about how to setup a travel trailer for a few years of no movement?
things to pop to my head - remove tires, empty engine from gas, and so on.
|
|
Princelake
Member
|
# Posted: 2 May 2020 10:35pm
Reply
Hi, this is currently what I'm doing. I bought a 26ft trailer for $4000 and I brought it into my lot. The road wasn't great at the time and I bent the hell out of the 2 front leveling jacks bringing it in. I brought patio slabs with me to help level it up knowing it's going to sit there for a while. The tires on the trailer were ripe when I bought it and had a little prayer and brought like 4 spares with me haha. Once I get rid of the trailer I'll need a set of tires and brake service before it leaves.
I use a sump pump and a garden hose and pump water into the holding tank of the trailer for showers and dishes. So not sure where you're getting water from.
For power if you know you're coming back the next weekend or 2 I have a solar panel I hook up to the batteries. If I leave long term I bring the batteries home and put them on a charger. I would not leave batteries out in freezing temps for long periods. I have a 4500watt generator which I built a dog house for and put it a good distance away from the trailer so I don't have to listen to it and could just leave it there without moving it.
First thing after I got the trailer in was I built an outhouse. I did a good job of it, put a real toilet seat on it, have lots of hand sanitizer,etc. Made it comfortable as possible for the wife and she has no problem using it. Only other thing you could do is let her use the toilet in the trailer and go dig a hole in the bush and dump the honey wagon in there.
Next I built a shed to store tools, supplies, BBQ, chairs,etc.
I'm now ready to build. I poured my piers and waiting to get up there. For the winter I cover my trailer with a huge tarp.
|
|
Princelake
Member
|
# Posted: 2 May 2020 10:40pm
Reply
Lot with trailer
|
|
Atlincabin
Member
|
# Posted: 3 May 2020 08:56am
Reply
Get something like the Thetford portable toilet. Not quite like home, but may work in your situation. You can easily take it home or to an RV dump to empty it. Not particularly expensive, about $100.
|
|
NorthRick
Member
|
# Posted: 4 May 2020 12:49am
Reply
Build a nice outhouse. Spacious. Make it up off the ground with good ventilation. If that isn't enough you may have to rethink what is important to you.
|
|
FishHog
Member
|
# Posted: 4 May 2020 10:38am
Reply
I see 3 options
1. Trade her in for a new wife. 
2. Like rick said above make a nice outhouse to show her that they don’t have to be like a construction site port a John and there is nothing gross about an outhouse
3.get a composting toilet. They are clean don’t smell and you can easily dump back in the bush
No way would I use the black water system on a trailer. Dumping it without a dump station would be horrible. Or get your wife to empty it and she will be begging for a construction site port a John
|
|
PA_Bound
Member
|
# Posted: 4 May 2020 04:06pm
Reply
Get a Thetford portable toilet for her, and you empty it into the outhouse every time before you leave. Of course... it won't take long before everyone is using it, and only using the outhouse as a backup or dump station.
|
|
optimistic
Member
|
# Posted: 4 May 2020 08:19pm
Reply
Thanks for the advice!
PABOUND! you are still around I see. Glad to hear from you.
I was also thinking to go composting route. In fact I was thinking to make the outhouse a composting one as well... I am in the catskills and I am afraid to make an outhouse that dumps to the ground... get in trouble?
I will run gray water and maybe a urine diverter to the soil unseen I think though.
Another question - Should I even bother with the inverter and batteries that will come with the trailer?
As I will only go there once every two weeks if I am super lucky or once every 4 months if I am not - I am thinking big battery bank and not so big solar panels - as they will have a lot of time to charge up? Then what else I need? charge controller? I also need something to help them charge off generator right?
Anyone can share their layout?
|
|
|
Princelake
Member
|
# Posted: 6 May 2020 06:43am
Reply
https://www.canadiantire.ca/en/pdp/coleman-40w-folding-solar-panel-0112043p.html#srp
I have 2 batteries and I leave them on 2 of these panels while I'm not there. I tucked the little controller up under the frame of the trailer. When I'm at the trailer and my generators is pulled in to my trailer it charges a battery and I have a regular battery charger there also.
|
|
mj1angier
Member
|
# Posted: 6 May 2020 08:14am - Edited by: mj1angier
Reply
We built a stand alone composting outhouse at our cabin. We use a Separett toilet ( https://www.amazon.com/Separett-Villa-9200-AC/dp/B01N8QFWWV/ref=sr_1_1?crid=38DD8VP8U Q6E&dchild=1&keywords=separett+toilet&qid=1588766198&sprefix=separe%2Cindustrial%2C18 8&sr=8-1) and a 12 volt battery with small solar panel. For the building we used a plastic 4x6 storage building. It has enough room for toilet, hand washing station ( like this but without the toilet part https://www.amazon.com/VINGLI-Upgraded-Self-contained-Detachable-Lightweight/dp/B07G4 5QGMJ/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&keywords=Self-contained+5+Gal+Hand+Washing+Station&qid=1588 766605&sr=8-1)and a storage shelf in it.
It works great for us (2 adult men and 3 adult females) for a long weekend without having to empty. But emptying is just taking bag out and putting it in compost tumbler.
I will try to get some photos when I am up there next. Here is one when building it.
As for power on a trailer: I love lithium battery we have in our cabin, but not sure if on-board charger in a camper is set up to charge them correctly so I think you might be stuck with normal batteries. I used our camper to stay in as I was building cabin. I had a small (50w) solar panel that was hooked up during the week that would cover topping off batteries but I would run the genny when there for a/c or microwave and full charge batteries before I left.
|
|
moneypitfeeder
Member
|
# Posted: 13 May 2020 07:09pm
Reply
We use a marine-style composter, a Sun-Mar (but there are many to choose from) with a urine diverter. The liquid is piped to a leach pit, and the solids we take out and dump in the woods. Has worked well for us with sometimes 7 people using daily.
|
|
mj1angier
Member
|
# Posted: 14 May 2020 05:37pm
Reply
Here is the outhouse and the shower stall
IMG_0245.JPG
| 
IMG_0244.JPG
| 
IMG_0246.JPG
|  |
|
|
moneypitfeeder
Member
|
# Posted: 22 May 2020 07:23pm
Reply
Nice shower!
|
|
Brettny
Member
|
# Posted: 23 May 2020 02:33pm
Reply
Yes an outhouse that dumps into the ground is illegal in NY. Unless its grandfathered in but then you are not allowed to move it.
Inverter and batteries will keep you from hearing the generator. As for lithium vs lead acid..I look at it as with so little use of your system you may get over 10yrs out of lead acid batteries. At that time lithium will be alot cheaper
|
|
moneypitfeeder
Member
|
# Posted: 23 May 2020 07:51pm
Reply
? Brettny, is a urine diverter to a leach pit (for a composter) allowed to be moved in NY?
|
|
Brettny
Member
|
# Posted: 24 May 2020 07:32am
Reply
No. A leach pit would prob be considered a drywell and those are illegal too.
I have heard of people setting an outhouse over the manhole cover of there plastic/concrete septic tank...but at that point your halfway to a real septic. You still need a permit and to have this type of system inspected.
|
|
|
