Trailering with Water

[Len & Cheri]

A couple gallons at most. If the CG doesn't have water, I'm going someplace else.

[jeeplj8]

Not sure about you guys, but with the design of my tank and overflow, the water sloshing will dump roughly 1/2 my tank on any drive. Any time the trailer is on a slight grade there is water pouring out the overflow hose. I have left home with a full tank and been under a half tank by the time we got the CG.

[SYE]

I usually fill mine when I am going to the state parks because they do not have water hook up. The only reason why I fill up at home is because I know it is good water, and you never know what you are going to get at the parks.

[rotorhead1250]

Hey Jeep, my TT did the same thing when new, come to find out the vent tube/hose wasnt connected properly and I had it fixed under warrintee. I'm not sure what wasn't connectd right because I didn't ask, but ya might want to take a look at that. It shouldn't vent water overboard.

[Twisty]

"It shouldn't vent water overboard."
No kidding!!
If the fuel tank on your vehicle "vented" 1/2 a tank on a drive I'll bet that you would be freaking out.
Something aint right there... get it fixed.

[myredracer]

I have read about people driving with full tanks and having the tank supports pull away and causing damage. I don't think I'd want to take the risk except for very short distances. Not sure if travelling with a partial fill, like say 1/4 full, is a good idea either. You could have around 100 lbs sloshing around which might cause just as much damage. RVs aren't exactly built on the heavy duty side. I suppose you could add re-enforcement as mentioned above.

Then there's the question of overloading the camper and/or tow vehicle in some cases. I know in our case that we'd be over our present tv's max. towing capacity and I think, the TT max. load as well since we added about 1,200 lbs on top of the dry weight as measured at a scale.

[jeeplj8]

Originally Posted by rotorhead1250

Hey Jeep, my TT did the same thing when new, come to find out the vent tube/hose wasnt connected properly and I had it fixed under warrintee. I'm not sure what wasn't connectd right because I didn't ask, but ya might want to take a look at that. It shouldn't vent water overboard.

Dealer claims that is normal...uh hunh.

This is on my list of things to investigate. I need to pull the cabinet panel that I believe the water pump is behind and see if I can see the top of the tank from there. I want to see exactly how it is plumbed, my guess is that the water overflow is simply too low.

[BillyBass]

I don't take any water either I have a three mile hill to climb and I take a half of truck load of wood.that is a enough weight

[5er_tom]

It depends on where we will be camping. If the campground has city water, then I take no more than 1/4 tank as I feel comfortable about using their water. If the campground is on a well or some other water source that is suspect, I take a full tank. You very quickly learn the lesson of what happens if you get a load of bad water in your tank.

We spend a month in Nova Scotia and Newfoundland last summer, and I always asked the campground about the source of their water. If it was a well, we did not connect. If it was city water, we would top the tank if necessary. Never had any issues.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Twisty

Using some very rounded numbers it costs me about 1 cent per mile to haul a tank of fresh water.

this is so true! so many fret about the water weight affecting mpg, when it's the barn door's air resistance that affects mpg way more the weight.
carrying an extra 200-300lbs. will barely affect gas mileage, unless you're already at your tow vehicle's max and you need to find ways to lighten the load.

we almost always dry camp, so we travel with a full tank. that way i don't have to find a campground spigot to fill it and i know that my home water is good.

[acadianbob]

Originally Posted by Dave Lyon

I'm curious to see what the consensus is regarding trailering with your fresh water tank full. How may of us fill our water tank at home prior to travelling vs. filling up at the campsite.

FWIW, I leave home with the fresh water tank filled. I generally camp within 3 hours of home.

I will tow with a full water tank for 2 different reasons:
* I'm going to a state forest or national forest that doesn't have water
* I'm camping where the water is horrible; minerals, iron, stinky, etc

Otherwise, I travel as light as I can.

[Terier]

98% camping with full hook ups so I travel with the tank empty. It's a pita to drain the fresh water tank where I live so I rather avoid dealing with it for my usual trips. Now if I were camping with family or traveling for hours I would do it differently.

[Mountainmanbob]

have not been dry camping lately
been spending time at an RV park
so
only travel with proxy 1/4 fresh water in tank
just so as to use in an emergency

Mountainman

[rattleNsmoke]

X 27 for traveling with enuff H20 for flushing the toilet enroute and washing up.

[BillyBass]

All we use the water for is shower and a few dishes because we use paper and plastic.Plus I have a filter on the main line and I have a portable filter for the hose

[jrs_diesel]

Are RV water tanks baffled? Just curious if they are or not. If they are not then partially filled tanks pose a small stability problem due to free surface effect.

That's a bigger problem on ships (like the one I'm on), because free surface effect + bad weather = possible capsize.

Just thinking about that causing tail wagging while going down the road if the water starts sloshing back and forth (assuming the water tanks are behind the axle).

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by jrs_diesel

Are RV water tanks baffled? Just curious if they are or not. If they are not then partially filled tanks pose a small stability problem due to free surface effect.

That's a bigger problem on ships (like the one I'm on), because free surface effect + bad weather = possible capsize.

Just thinking about that causing tail wagging while going down the road if the water starts sloshing back and forth (assuming the water tanks are behind the axle).

None that I've seen.
Most These tanks are very shallow or flat and are more so long and wide.
So the free surface effect is very prominent.

Turbs