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Post by dragonflight on Jan 3, 2021 10:18:06 GMT -5
I have a Durango 336RE 5th wheel, and occasionally have a need to dry camp.
My owners manual does not address the question of traveling with a full fresh water tank, or full grey/black tanks.
Can any of you provide some advice on the advisability of full tank travel?
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Post by lynnmor on Jan 3, 2021 12:03:40 GMT -5
Fill the fresh water when you can and empty the waste when you can.
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Post by Edd505 on Jan 3, 2021 14:16:40 GMT -5
Fill the fresh water as close to where you want to stay. Gray you maybe able to dump to a tree or cactus where you camp, black will need a dump station. You will have more tank capacity in the black/gray than the fresh water holds.
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Post by laknox on Jan 4, 2021 10:53:36 GMT -5
I have a Durango 336RE 5th wheel, and occasionally have a need to dry camp. My owners manual does not address the question of traveling with a full fresh water tank, or full grey/black tanks. Can any of you provide some advice on the advisability of full tank travel? An RV =should= be designed to travel with full tanks, though you may have to watch your GVW, especially if you've carried extra water in in your truck and you don't have a lot of cargo capacity in the trailer. Personally, if I needed to, I'd dump grey water first. I know that in a lot of places it's illegal to do so, but I've always felt that our public lands here in the West, especially the past 20 years, or so, can use all the water they can get. I've always taken 2-3 of the "blue cube" water jugs with me, just in case. I use them for spare fresh water, hand washing and teeth brushing to spare the internal tank. I'll also dump the remains of a jug into the black tank and will use another one to dump on the camp fire. I will tell you that we ran out of fresh water the first boondocker we did with our KZ. Stupid plumbing design caused us to lose probably 10-15 gallons of water out the vent lines. Just used the winterizing setting to suck up some water on Saturday night and we were good for clean-up and break-down. Also, I've always traveled with minimal fresh water =to= out 'docking site and fill up about 30 miles away, after traveling about 90 miles, mostly uphill. We also dump at the same location, so we don't have to schlep the full tanks home. I've only spent 1 weekend in a camp ground in the KZ and, again, traveled to the CG with minimal fresh water. I'd do the same on a longer road trip, though I'd probably have more fresh water in the tank that usual...just in case. Another tip about your tanks is, if you know you're going to be traveling in windy conditions and you simply can't wait it out, DON'T dump your tanks and even fill them =more=, like 2/3 on the grey and black and full on the fresh. Makes you heavier and lowers your CG to help prevent a blow over. Lyle |
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Post by jfspry58 on Jan 6, 2021 8:02:05 GMT -5
I almost always travel with the fresh tank full. It’s convenient for bathroom breaks, etc. I normally dump my waste tanks before departure unless I’m expecting high wind. As Lyle said above, the extra weight creates a ballast effect, lowering your center of gravity. I’ve heard horror stories about people traveling with full tanks but have never personally had any issues, other than losing part of my fresh water out the vent. Good luck and safe travels!
Jay
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Post by laknox on Jan 6, 2021 11:50:14 GMT -5
I almost always travel with the fresh tank full. It’s convenient for bathroom breaks, etc. I normally dump my waste tanks before departure unless I’m expecting high wind. As Lyle said above, the extra weight creates a ballast effect, lowering your center of gravity. I’ve heard horror stories about people traveling with full tanks but have never personally had any issues, other than losing part of my fresh water out the vent. Good luck and safe travels! Jay Jay, local KZ dealer, under warranty, re-routed my vent lines (there are 2) so they now go up and over the frame. Before, they just vented downward. 2 years ago, when I pulled into my 'dock site, there was water draining out and I traced it back down onto the road. We ran out of water Sunday morning, as we were trying to clean and pack and ended up having to use the winterizing valve to suck up water from one of my blue cubes. This past year, we had no water issues and left with still about 1/4 tank. Also, the water pickup is in the =side= of the tank, not the bottom, so we probably lose 5-8 gallons, near as I can calculate, as unusable because we can't get to it. Mind boggling that they can't use "proper" tanks that have a pickup sump and vent out the top instead of the side. Lyle |
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Post by jfspry58 on Jan 7, 2021 18:15:45 GMT -5
I almost always travel with the fresh tank full. It’s convenient for bathroom breaks, etc. I normally dump my waste tanks before departure unless I’m expecting high wind. As Lyle said above, the extra weight creates a ballast effect, lowering your center of gravity. I’ve heard horror stories about people traveling with full tanks but have never personally had any issues, other than losing part of my fresh water out the vent. Good luck and safe travels! Jay Jay, local KZ dealer, under warranty, re-routed my vent lines (there are 2) so they now go up and over the frame. Before, they just vented downward. 2 years ago, when I pulled into my 'dock site, there was water draining out and I traced it back down onto the road. We ran out of water Sunday morning, as we were trying to clean and pack and ended up having to use the winterizing valve to suck up water from one of my blue cubes. This past year, we had no water issues and left with still about 1/4 tank. Also, the water pickup is in the =side= of the tank, not the bottom, so we probably lose 5-8 gallons, near as I can calculate, as unusable because we can't get to it. Mind boggling that they can't use "proper" tanks that have a pickup sump and vent out the top instead of the side. Lyle Thanks Lyle, I'm seriously considering dropping the coroplast and rerouting both my vent line and pickup line. We lose a little water with the Durango, but not as bad as a couple of past trailers we've had. Seriously, between the water you lose going down the road and the water you can't pick up, you probably lose 1/4 -1/3 of your capacity. All they would need to do is move the pickup line to the bottom and the vent to the top. Problem solved! I think someone else said on here a few days ago they should just let a bunch of us old guys come to the plant and drink coffee and tell them how to fix things right. Not a bad idea at all! Jay |
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Post by Chuck on Jan 7, 2021 19:48:54 GMT -5
I have always fill the fresh water as close to where I was going to stay if dry camping. As Edd505 stated your gray water you maybe able to dump next to a tree where you are camping, black will need a dump station. As stated you will have more tank capacity in the black/gray than the fresh water holds... I always carry about a 1/4 tank of fresh water for bathroom breaks if needed an since we most of the time are in RV Camp grounds with full hook ups we do not need to travel with a full tank of fresh water ... At time I will not empty my black water tank between camp grounds an let is slosh around to break down stuff ... Safe Travels  Chuck |
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Post by roaming315 on Jan 9, 2021 16:32:13 GMT -5
How do you all fill the freshwater to the max? We have a 315 with a 55 gallon tank, but you can't see it. I've read to fill it to the gauge shows the full light on and then slow the flow till water vents. A bit cumbersome when alone. Any better ideas?
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Post by lynnmor on Jan 9, 2021 18:12:28 GMT -5
How do you all fill the freshwater to the max? We have a 315 with a 55 gallon tank, but you can't see it. I've read to fill it to the gauge shows the full light on and then slow the flow till water vents. A bit cumbersome when alone. Any better ideas? I would turn on the water till it comes out the vents, done. |
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Post by Edd505 on Jan 9, 2021 18:33:15 GMT -5
Running out from under = full
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Post by chulavista on Jan 9, 2021 22:30:20 GMT -5
We travel empty, fill up as close to our camping destination as we can. We also empty at the nearest facility, to keep from hauling weight any farther than we have to.
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Post by laknox on Jan 9, 2021 23:19:17 GMT -5
Jay, local KZ dealer, under warranty, re-routed my vent lines (there are 2) so they now go up and over the frame. Before, they just vented downward. 2 years ago, when I pulled into my 'dock site, there was water draining out and I traced it back down onto the road. We ran out of water Sunday morning, as we were trying to clean and pack and ended up having to use the winterizing valve to suck up water from one of my blue cubes. This past year, we had no water issues and left with still about 1/4 tank. Also, the water pickup is in the =side= of the tank, not the bottom, so we probably lose 5-8 gallons, near as I can calculate, as unusable because we can't get to it. Mind boggling that they can't use "proper" tanks that have a pickup sump and vent out the top instead of the side. Lyle Thanks Lyle, I'm seriously considering dropping the coroplast and rerouting both my vent line and pickup line. We lose a little water with the Durango, but not as bad as a couple of past trailers we've had. Seriously, between the water you lose going down the road and the water you can't pick up, you probably lose 1/4 -1/3 of your capacity. All they would need to do is move the pickup line to the bottom and the vent to the top. Problem solved! I think someone else said on here a few days ago they should just let a bunch of us old guys come to the plant and drink coffee and tell them how to fix things right. Not a bad idea at all! Jay That was me, commenting on a Camping World comment. 🤪 Lyle |
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Post by laknox on Jan 9, 2021 23:20:34 GMT -5
How do you all fill the freshwater to the max? We have a 315 with a 55 gallon tank, but you can't see it. I've read to fill it to the gauge shows the full light on and then slow the flow till water vents. A bit cumbersome when alone. Any better ideas? I would turn on the water till it comes out the vents, done. What ^^^he^^^ said! Lyl |
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Post by jfspry58 on Jan 10, 2021 0:52:30 GMT -5
How do you all fill the freshwater to the max? We have a 315 with a 55 gallon tank, but you can't see it. I've read to fill it to the gauge shows the full light on and then slow the flow till water vents. A bit cumbersome when alone. Any better ideas? I would turn on the water till it comes out the vents, done. x2 |
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Post by roaming315 on Jan 10, 2021 10:48:14 GMT -5
Jay, local KZ dealer, under warranty, re-routed my vent lines (there are 2) so they now go up and over the frame. Before, they just vented downward. 2 years ago, when I pulled into my 'dock site, there was water draining out and I traced it back down onto the road. We ran out of water Sunday morning, as we were trying to clean and pack and ended up having to use the winterizing valve to suck up water from one of my blue cubes. This past year, we had no water issues and left with still about 1/4 tank. Also, the water pickup is in the =side= of the tank, not the bottom, so we probably lose 5-8 gallons, near as I can calculate, as unusable because we can't get to it. Mind boggling that they can't use "proper" tanks that have a pickup sump and vent out the top instead of the side. Lyle Lyle, I don't have my control center manual with me, did you get the winterizing valve trick to get water to a faucet, or can you get it to your tank ?
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Post by roaming315 on Jan 10, 2021 10:58:57 GMT -5
Thanks for the response on the fill question. I might should have explained why the question. I read somewhere, and can't find it now, that someone filled their tank and a line ruptured. Seems like the rv tech, said over filling will damage the system, since the vent is smaller than the fill. Since you guys are doing it routinely, it seems the issue may have been high pressure fill left on much longer than the starting to vent stage.
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Post by lynnmor on Jan 10, 2021 11:11:35 GMT -5
Thanks for the response on the fill question. I might should have explained why the question. I read somewhere, and can't find it now, that someone filled their tank and a line ruptured. Seems like the rv tech, said over filling will damage the system, since the vent is smaller than the fill. Since you guys are doing it routinely, it seems the issue may have been high pressure fill left on much longer than the starting to vent stage. If you might have excessive water pressure then, of course, use a pressure regulator no matter what you are doing. The venting of a water tank (which is not a pressure vessel) should have double the area than the incoming water line, often that is done by using one line in and two vent lines. Two vents also creates redundancy in case one might become plugged. If you are talking about a gravity fill system that has a large hose for fill and a small vent, then do not close off the entire fill port with anything. |
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Post by lynnmor on Jan 10, 2021 11:20:16 GMT -5
Duplicate.
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