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Post by ronc on Jan 23, 2018 16:20:18 GMT -5
Although we are full timers, we have never traveled with a full fresh water tank. We normally carry 10-15 gallons or so to provide for toilet flushing and hand washing while enroute between FHU spots. However, I anticipate that there may be an occasion when carrying a full fresh water tank might come in handy. I have a 2017 DG 381REF. A self described expert told me that if we traveled with a full fresh water tank it would "definitely fall out". Not sure about that, so I thought I would ask the collective wisdom on this board for their thoughts and experiences.
Thanks for the help.<style></style>
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Post by joecamper on Jan 23, 2018 16:29:12 GMT -5
I have a 2012 Durango. I, like you generally only carry a few gallons for the same reasons. However, I have traveled with full tanks when I did some dry camping and never had any issues. Honestly, I couldn't really "feel" much difference with full tanks. I'm sure someone that dry camps a lot may have some better feedback.
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Post by lynnmor on Jan 23, 2018 17:00:16 GMT -5
Full tank, I never leave home without it. Been to campgrounds with dirty water, pump failures and foul tasting water. I also overnight at any place that I can reasonably park. If weather is bad, I can delay hookup for several days if need be. Why have a self-contained RV if you aren't going to use it for the intended purpose?
Yes, some RV's are built so poorly that tanks have been known to fall out. While I had some frame cracks on my poorly built frame, it wasn't the water weight that caused them. I welded and added support to reduce frame flex as needed.
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Post by rvdude on Jan 23, 2018 21:54:42 GMT -5
I usually have it half full and full and I have never had a problem. Like lynnmor, I would rather have it if needed along the way. I have been at places several times where the water was out for whatever reason for half a day with no notice.
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Post by Edd505 on Jan 23, 2018 22:43:49 GMT -5
I travel with about 1/3 tank but I carry three 3 gallon refillable drinking water bottles. Like lynmor some places water sucks so I always have good drinking water, 1/3 tank lets us flush or take a quick shower if needed.
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Post by johnr on Jan 24, 2018 7:58:58 GMT -5
I have traveled with a full water tank many many times, and I can attest that my tank has never fallen out.
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Post by jetzen on Jan 24, 2018 8:59:55 GMT -5
1/3 to 1/2 tank max for me. Don't need the extra weight. However I always travel with at least 1/3 for the reasons lynmor stated. with a 67 gallon fresh tank 22 gallons is enough to hold me and the DW for 2-3 days of dry camping.
Even when at the seasonal I keep about a 1/3 tank just in case the campground system goes down.......and it has. |
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Post by capemayal on Jan 24, 2018 11:28:20 GMT -5
The only reason I would not carry a full tank is fuel. Water, any liquid, is heavy. Weight=fuel. Speed=fuel, etc. I have and will if necessary. Like others, I do carry a bit for toilets, cup of joe, etc.
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Post by doublewa on Jan 24, 2018 11:36:07 GMT -5
May I suggest mapping out potable water points along your route? Ask around and I am sure here (and other places) you can gather information from others who have been along the route you intend to go. I know of just such a case where someone I know didn't want to carry water very far due to weight and fuel. He asked on another forum and was pointed to a spot where he could water up and/or dump with a dump rinsing station and clean potable water for $10 and it was about 25 miles from where he was going.
He got to pull up to his site with fresh clean water as a just in case as lynmor pointed out.
Worth a shot.
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Post by capemayal on Jan 24, 2018 14:39:18 GMT -5
I have found, over the years, that most campgrounds, for a modest fee, will let you dump and take on water. Just another solution. Be careful of Flying J's, Pilots, Love's, etc., and other places with spigots for potable water. Those spigots are usually just out there with no covers, etc. If you really want to use them, make sure to at least give the spigot a good bleach bath, and let the water run awhile, to help flush it, before hooking up.
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Post by mtcowgirl on Jan 24, 2018 18:35:03 GMT -5
And if you fill from a spigot be sure to use only your own hose designated just for fresh water. DO NOT use any hose that is already hooked to the spigot. I can speak from experience you do not want the results of drinking water from a hose that was polluted somehow. YUCHY YUCHY!
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Post by bluegrass2 on Jan 24, 2018 19:28:06 GMT -5
We agree 100% with Lynnmor and the others who carry a full tank of water from home. If the water is good at the CG, we fill up when we move on. We have a 2014 Spree, to date, no problems. We too have been in CGs with really bad water and one time a storm took out the power...no CG pump station...then it was discolored when it returned.
Shouldn't have to say this but always run the water at the spigot for a bit, get a clear glass to check clarity, and taste before hooking up your trailer.
Also, be sure to drain your tank when not camping for even a short period. Somehow we forgot, the weather was very hot, the water got very funky. We had sanitized prior to the trip but leaving the water in the tank really fouled it up. It did clear up with another good sanitizing but it was work. |
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Post by lynnmor on Jan 24, 2018 19:41:36 GMT -5
Excellent point about running the water before hookup. I run the water before connecting the filter, and then again after the filter is connected. The filter media in charcoal based filters will loosen during travel and will give a shot of black water, especially if brand new.
At three campgrounds in PA, that have high iron content water, I ran water in a glass and watched it turn rust color after a few hours. Water like this is not harmful for consumption but I have seen it turn fixtures brown in a week. Most filters will do little to remove iron. Just another reason to fill your tank.
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Post by capemayal on Jan 24, 2018 22:36:25 GMT -5
And if you fill from a spigot be sure to use only your own hose designated just for fresh water. DO NOT use any hose that is already hooked to the spigot. I can speak from experience you do not want the results of drinking water from a hose that was polluted somehow. YUCHY YUCHY! I did all of the above at a campground in western Pennsylvania. 4 days later, in the hospital with pneumonia and Legionaries. Laid up for nearly 2 1/2 months! |
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Post by Chuck on Jan 25, 2018 23:02:41 GMT -5
We travel with 1/3 to 1/2 tank max for us. I as wel do not don't need the extra weight. However we always travel with at least 1/3 for the reasons lynmor, jetzen, edd505 an others stated. Like jetzen we have [67 gallon fresh tank 22 gallons is enough to hold us for a couple days of dry camping if needed ... Also we carry 3 case's of bottled water for coffee, Ice tea an drinking water  Safe Travels Chuck |
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Post by ronc on Jan 26, 2018 15:00:58 GMT -5
We travel with 1/3 to 1/2 tank max for us. I as wel do not don't need the extra weight. However we always travel with at least 1/3 for the reasons lynmor, jetzen, edd505 an others stated. Like jetzen we have [67 gallon fresh tank 22 gallons is enough to hold us for a couple days of dry camping if needed ... Also we carry 3 case's of bottled water for coffee, Ice tea an drinking water Safe Travels Chuck I do kinda what you do. I'm just wondering if carrying a full tank of fresh water would cause any damage to the rig. Seems to me that if they put a tank in it, they expect you to use it ... but that's just my thinking. I have asked KZ Customer service (unlikely that I'll hear back from them as they don't seem to monitor their own website). <style></style> |
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Post by laknox on Jan 26, 2018 15:50:05 GMT -5
Although we are full timers, we have never traveled with a full fresh water tank. We normally carry 10-15 gallons or so to provide for toilet flushing and hand washing while enroute between FHU spots. However, I anticipate that there may be an occasion when carrying a full fresh water tank might come in handy. I have a 2017 DG 381REF. A self described expert told me that if we traveled with a full fresh water tank it would "definitely fall out". Not sure about that, so I thought I would ask the collective wisdom on this board for their thoughts and experiences. Thanks for the help.<style></style> Personally, I only carry a full tank when I know I'm not going to have access to water, like boondocking, which we do at least once a year. With about 8,000 total vertical feet to climb from PHX into the mountains, the nearly 400 lbs of fresh in my old Komfort and, now, nearly 500 lbs in my new Durango, that's a lot of weight we didn't/don't have to schlep "up the hill". My usual routine is to stop about 30 miles short of our camp site and fill up there. As for the tank "falling out", the =design= is supposed to handle a full load on all tanks, as the mfrs never know when an owner might not be able to dump. Now, the build quality of the structure supporting the tanks is another story...  Lyle |
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Post by laknox on Jan 26, 2018 15:51:47 GMT -5
I travel with about 1/3 tank but I carry three 3 gallon refillable drinking water bottles. Like lynmor some places water sucks so I always have good drinking water, 1/3 tank lets us flush or take a quick shower if needed. DW won't drink the on-board water, so we always carry drinking water. Tank water is only for washing and flushing. Lyle |
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Post by laknox on Jan 26, 2018 15:53:50 GMT -5
May I suggest mapping out potable water points along your route? Ask around and I am sure here (and other places) you can gather information from others who have been along the route you intend to go. I know of just such a case where someone I know didn't want to carry water very far due to weight and fuel. He asked on another forum and was pointed to a spot where he could water up and/or dump with a dump rinsing station and clean potable water for $10 and it was about 25 miles from where he was going. He got to pull up to his site with fresh clean water as a just in case as lynmor pointed out. Worth a shot. This is =exactly= what I do for our annual boondocker... The water's a lot better, than our city water, too!  Lyle |
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Post by Edd505 on Jan 26, 2018 19:37:28 GMT -5
DW won't drink the on-board water, so we always carry drinking water. Tank water is only for washing and flushing. Lyle Same reason DW & dog have sensitive stomachs & I want good water for my coffee. |
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