Disappointing Fresh Water Tank Size!

[DonnieP]

I purchase a 2003 Sunseeker Le last summer and I am very disappointed in the 25 gallon fresh water tank. Has anyone made a change to a bigger tank and if so how did you do it and where did you put it?

[LadyWindrider]

Not sure why you're disappointed. Can't take showers everyday when on the tank. If you're camping without hook-ups, dry camping, you have one very important thing to remember.....the fresh water goes in to the holding tanks. How big are they? Odds are they're only 30 gallons each, that way all your fresh water and your 6 gallon water heater, if it were all dumped in one holding tank, would only make a one gallon mess. If you add more fresh water, you have to be able to store it when it becomes waste water. I know this doesn't answer your question, or solve your problem, I'm just trying to look at the bigger picture. Sometimes what we want for a solution, ..more fresh water, ..really won't solve the problem, only create more problems, ..holding tank overflow. Maybe you need a different solution to your problem. Tell us where and how you camp, and maybe we can share some ideas....wash dishes in the stream.

[MtnGuy]

Originally Posted by windrider

If you're camping without hook-ups, dry camping, you have one very important thing to remember.....the fresh water goes in to the holding tanks. How big are they? Odds are they're only 30 gallons each, that way all your fresh water and your 6 gallon water heater, if it were all dumped in one holding tank, would only make a one gallon mess.

Actually, the only way to get the 6 gallons out of the water heater is to add more water from the fresh water tank. So the actual usable volume for DonnieP is 25 gals.

Some manufactures list the fresh water holding tank and the hot water heater as a total, which is very misleading, except for the weight. The usable amount is only what is in the holding tank.

We carry additional water in old milk containers. We can either use a funnel to pour the water into the tank, or use it for cooking, filling ice trays and water bottles, or rinsing dishes straight from the containers. We also catch the initial cold water from the hot water line to the shower to flush our toilet.

Navy showers rule.

[slpybeartx]

We went and bought two five gallon water cans from Academy. When we are boon docking it makes the perfect extension to the fresh water tank.

[MtnGuy]

Originally Posted by slpybeartx

We went and bought two five gallon water cans from Academy. When we are boon docking it makes the perfect extension to the fresh water tank.

Also, you can use that extra 10 gallons of water for ballast. My Surveyor has a heavy tongue, so I keep the extra water under the dinette seats in the back of the trailer. If your trailer tends to have a lite tongue, then the front pass through is a good place. 10 gals. of water = 83 lbs.

[08flagvlite]

That's what we did, also. I have three 7 gallon fresh water containers from Wal mart and a funnel. I put them in the back of my truck when dry camping. I would like to be able to pump the water from the containers to the inlet on the camper, and I have been looking for a way to do that. Otherwise, you just have to use muscles to hold the containers up, and you also get WET !! Randy

[STEWARDORNG]

I changed my fresh water tank to a 40 gallon unit i found on ebay. I also was very disapointed to find out my tt only came with a 20 gallon tank it was advertised as 30 gallon i don't have a problem overfilling the waste tanks because the water gose into both tanks. Mine was very easy to change out it is in the front storage compartment and did not take up much more room just a litle longer and taller, just make sure it will fit thru the door.

[midnightpumpkin]

I bought a 26 gallon tank from Northern Tools http://www.northerntool.com/webapp/w...7114_200337114

It has a standard hose connection at the bottom.

I install a hose shutoff at the tank and fill it through the hose connection. When it is full, shut off the valve, and drive to the campsite. Gravity will transfer the water from the back of the truck to the trailer tank.

If gravity won't work, Harbor Freight has a nice 12 volt transfer pump.http://http://www.harborfreight.com/...temnumber=9576

I got mine on sale for $29.00, haven't had to use it yet.

The tank sure beats hefting a 6 gallon jug!

John U

[mikes86gn]

After camping in our Crusader 28RL for 45 nights since May 2nd I've finally come to a conclusion. The advertised tank size of the fresh water tank is incorrect by 35 gals. It's suppose to be 60 gals but only holds 25 gals thus explaining why we kept running out of water while camping. I verified the black and gray water tanks today and they both hold at least 35 gals each but the fresh water tank will only hold 25 gals. I'll be contacting GenRV tomorrow to see what course of action will be taken. I just wondered if this was freak or something normal that other people have experienced. We've got a sealed bottom that I think I will open up tomorrow and measure the tank but it's never taken more than six to seven minutes to fill @ 5 gals every 1min 15secs.

[Terier]

Originally Posted by mikes86gn

After camping in our Crusader 28RL for 45 nights since May 2nd I've finally come to a conclusion. The advertised tank size of the fresh water tank is incorrect by 35 gals. It's suppose to be 60 gals but only holds 25 gals thus explaining why we kept running out of water while camping. I verified the black and gray water tanks today and they both hold at least 35 gals each but the fresh water tank will only hold 25 gals. I'll be contacting GenRV tomorrow to see what course of action will be taken. I just wondered if this was freak or something normal that other people have experienced. We've got a sealed bottom that I think I will open up tomorrow and measure the tank but it's never taken more than six to seven minutes to fill @ 5 gals every 1min 15secs.

Just a heads up to everyone that this is a old thread from 2009.

Mike - How or what do you based the 25 gallon size tank on? Sometimes the fresh water tank doesn't get filled completely while the owner thinks its full. I take it that you are sure this isn't the case with you.

[mikes86gn]

Sorry about reviving an old thread but I was frustrated last night trying to start a thread about this water tank.


I filled the tank until I couldn't get another drop to go down and then drained into a 5 gallon bucket 5 times. I did this 3 times getting the same result each time. The biggest reason for doing this was because after my last trip (2 weekends ago) when I drained the tank at home the level indicator showed 2/3 full but the tank had nothing left to drain and the pump was sucking air. I put bleach into the tank and begin to fill hoping to clean the sensors and again after 6mins the tank was full and running back out the fill tube. The tank indicator showed full and the pump filled the lines. I drained the tank into a 5 gallon bucket 5 times and no more came out. All season long since we started camping the 1st week of May we would run out of water if we weren't hooked to a bib. I kept blaming the wife for taking too long of a shower. When our tank ran dry we would show 2/3 full gray water and 1/3 - 2/3 black water. I measured the tanks yesterday and both will take 35 gallons each and then some. 8 gallons in the black water shows 1/3 full. 16 gallons in the gray water shows 2/3 full. That is why I checked the holding tanks to see if the were the advertised sizes and they are, just the level indicators are way off. I called GenRV today and have a Nov. 9th noon appointment to see what's going on. I got her winterized today so we'll find out in a couple of weeks. Sorry about the endless rambling.


Mike

[B and B]

Did you fill the tank till it overflowed? I never trust the tank sensors.

[MarsMan]

Originally Posted by B and B

Did you fill the tank till it overflowed? I never trust the tank sensors.

Good point. When my sensors show full I can usually add another 6 gallons. I always fill to overflowing