When to fill/empty fresh water tank

[leefl]

Fairly new to fifth wheel, but had a pop-up for a few years.

I've seen quite a lot of posts about HOW to empty the fresh water tank, mostly just folks trying to find the drain valve on a particular model, but not much on WHEN to empty the fresh water tank.

On our popup we never ever used the fresh tank, and left it permanently empty, since we always hooked up to city water.

My first question is whether that's OK to do on a fifth wheel ? (no plans to camp anywhere without city hookup in the foreseeable future)

We're just about to go on a trip, and I just realized that the fresh water tank is still 2/3 full, and was left that way for quite some time.
I'm thinking that, even if I do drain it and leave it empty, I should sanitize it first since it's had water sitting in it for ages, while in FL heat.

If it's not OK to just leave the tank empty, when do folks empty it, and fill ?
Empty before leaving campsite ? Empty when get home ? Leave empty while not in use or leave full until next trip ? Fill before next trip ? etc

Hoping to get some advice/consensus.

Thanks

[Mr. Dan]

I fill mine once per year when I dewinterize- for the purpose of sanitizing the tank. I never have more than 10 gallons of water in mine and that for hand washing and toilet flushing on trips. We camp at sites with water and don't want the weight of hauling water. We camp somewhere once per month so our 10 gallons of fresh water gets exchanged enough that it doesn't get too stale for hand washing.


Sent (I think)

[Flybob]

If you always have water hookups and you don't plan to use water during travel, you do not need to add water to fresh water tank. When I do not have hookups, I wait to fill tank until arriving at campground and drain before I leave so as to not have the weight during towing. I do not recommend leaving water in tank for extended periods of time. People will disagree with me, but to see for yourself, put about some water from your FWT in a container and sit on a counter in your RV after a few weeks or months, open container and decide for yourself if you want to use it.

[dieselguy]

I sanitize mine twice a year ... spring and later on in the summer. We always carry about 10 gallons of water in the tank for "as needed" situations on the road or when the dump stations have no water. We make several trips so the water gets replaced and doesn't sit long. About 1/3 of our destinations don't have water at each campsite as well.

[leefl]

Thanks for the feedback guys, I think I'll empty, then sanitize, and then leave empty for now.

I'll probably partially fill when going on longer (out-of-state) trips, just in case of emergency, but we always (thus far) camp at sites with water hookup, and just stop off en-route for bathroom breaks etc.

[bob caldwell]

What would you do if tv breaks a radiator hose next to the clamp? If you can cut the end of hose off and re-install, what'll you do for coolant? Some people carry bottled water, but I prefer 'free' water........always travel with some water in tank.

[dave961]

I sanitize often and always have some in while traveling to flush & wash. I've also seen on other posts where people fill/drain the tank to change the weight distribution. Probably not as important on a 5er.

[oldtool2]

Originally Posted by leefl

Fairly new to fifth wheel, but had a pop-up for a few years.

I've seen quite a lot of posts about HOW to empty the fresh water tank, mostly just folks trying to find the drain valve on a particular model, but not much on WHEN to empty the fresh water tank.

On our popup we never ever used the fresh tank, and left it permanently empty, since we always hooked up to city water.

My first question is whether that's OK to do on a fifth wheel ? (no plans to camp anywhere without city hookup in the foreseeable future)

We're just about to go on a trip, and I just realized that the fresh water tank is still 2/3 full, and was left that way for quite some time.
I'm thinking that, even if I do drain it and leave it empty, I should sanitize it first since it's had water sitting in it for ages, while in FL heat.

If it's not OK to just leave the tank empty, when do folks empty it, and fill ?
Empty before leaving campsite ? Empty when get home ? Leave empty while not in use or leave full until next trip ? Fill before next trip ? etc

Hoping to get some advice/consensus.

Thanks

If I were you I would empty and then sanitize the tank. Then in the future I would put between 5 or 6 gallons in before a trip. This is just to be used for emergencies. I never travel with more than that. Remember that water weighs 8.3 pounds per gallon so the weight adds up fast. For drinking I normally have a case of water with me, normally in the truck so no added weight to the trailer and easy to get to. When I get to the cg I can always put a few bottles in the fridge if I want.

If at a cg without running water fill at the cg and empty when leaving. My 5er carries 42 gallons of fresh water, that is 348 pounds, about 300 pounds I don't need to travel with!


Jim

[TGR]

i always travel with fresh water. We frequently camp at locations without water so our habit of bringing our own water is likely bassed on that need. However, too often my wife and I have camped at places with poor tasting water. Good tasting water from home will make the coffee tast much better.

I agree that you should sanitize your entire water system, even if you don't intend to carry your own water. Sanitizing your waterlines is a good precaution even when you intend to exclusively use your "city water" connection because it's not just your tank that needs tending to.

[kluza2786]

I've started carrying about 5 gallons to use for unplanned needs - i.e. toilet flushes, washing, etc. If you carry a full load of water, be sure to check and see how that affects your tongue weight, axle loading, etc.

[CAT-RN]

Originally Posted by bob caldwell

What would you do if tv breaks a radiator hose next to the clamp? If you can cut the end of hose off and re-install, what'll you do for coolant? Some people carry bottled water, but I prefer 'free' water........always travel with some water in tank.

Bob !! I see YOUR point--but OP not worried about break downs!! Read his profile. He has a Ford !!

Russell

[aceinspp]

Originally Posted by Flybob

If you always have water hookups and you don't plan to use water during travel, you do not need to add water to fresh water tank. When I do not have hookups, I wait to fill tank until arriving at campground and drain before I leave so as to not have the weight during towing. I do not recommend leaving water in tank for extended periods of time. People will disagree with me, but to see for yourself, put about some water from your FWT in a container and sit on a counter in your RV after a few weeks or months, open container and decide for yourself if you want to use it.

X 2 Later RJD

[aceinspp]

Yep a Ford Found on road dead Later RJD

[Tom48]

Originally Posted by dave961

I sanitize often and always have some in while traveling to flush & wash. I've also seen on other posts where people fill/drain the tank to change the weight distribution. Probably not as important on a 5er.

We sanitize annually and never ever travel with the trailer empty, so we have water for just in case. Most of the time we dry camp and carry 100 gallons on board. I usually dump the water that's left down pretty low for travel home but still carry 20 or 30 gallons. At home after the trailers cleaned up I dumped it out on the ground then in preparation for the next outing I resell it. I don't put a filter on with city water at home because I know the water's good and it does have some chlorine which avoids anything growing in my tanks. I only fill up with a filter when I'm not sure about the quality and taste of the water, and then I dumped that water because I know my filter takes most of the chlorine out. When we get home I feel things back up with freshly chlorinated city water, again, to keep the system clean

[tenttotrailer]

Living in Canada, the FWT is empty when I winterize. In the spring I will sanitize the tank (and plumbing lines) with a bleach/water solution. On prep for leaving to a CG, I will carry about 10 gallons for the emergency situations, on arrival will fill up the tank or be running on the city line. When we go to our Provincial Parks, which only supply hydro, after breaky top up the FWT and empty the others with blue boy. I have never had an issue with stale water, moulds etc, constant flow through the system. My DW has a high tech water filter on the home line so we take 10 gallons of filtered water with us for drinking. I always time the emptiness of the FWT with our departure date, I don't like to just drain the tank for travelling.

Kevin

[DKRITTER]

First off we don't consume the water that goes in the trailer. We use some form of bottled water to cook and drink.

With that said we always have 5-10 gallons of water with us minimum for washing, or using the restroom and such. We stopped one night at a RV Park in northern NM, there was a thunderstorm the park lost all power and it's water well. It sure was convenient to have some water to get us by.

Plus when we stop on the road we always use the 5th wheel bath room rather than the public one.

We sanitize the fresh tank every spring just because.

[oldtool2]

Originally Posted by kluza2786

I've started carrying about 5 gallons to use for unplanned needs - i.e. toilet flushes, washing, etc. If you carry a full load of water, be sure to check and see how that affects your tongue weight, axle loading, etc.

FR normally puts a sticker in side of a kitchen cabinet giving the GVWR with a full FW tank and full propane tanks. I don't see the need to carry any more water than 5 gallons though. Most cg have fresh water near entrance to fill your tank if your site doesn't have water.

I have a Brita water filter to filter water for drinking water at the cg. That way I don't need to use my bottle water, save it for when I go out. One Brita filter will last me all season. I use that water for drinking and my coffee. Makes great coffee!

Also have a filter on my fw system but I don't know how good it really is.

Jim

[kluza2786]

Originally Posted by oldtool2

FR normally puts a sticker in side of a kitchen cabinet giving the GVWR with a full FW tank and full propane tanks.

Jim

That's true about the GVWR sticker - however - it doesn't reflect the actual weight of the trailer with clothes, food, and all of the other stuff that we (especially the DW) manage to stuff in there!

[oldtool2]

Originally Posted by kluza2786

That's true about the GVWR sticker - however - it doesn't reflect the actual weight of the trailer with clothes, food, and all of the other stuff that we (especially the DW) manage to stuff in there!

LOL! I am sure. My downfall is camera gear. Extra lenses, tripods and such. It adds up quick.

The reason I mentioned the sticker is many have no idea how big there fw tank is. My tank is 42 gallons so I know with the 5 gallons or so I travel with gives me an extra (42 - 5 = 37) 37 * 8.3 = 307 pounds I can use if needed. If not needed that is great. I normally don't sense it is just me and my dog so I know that is 307 pounds I am not towing. If nothing else I am sure it improves my gas mileage not towing that much extra weight.

I am sure many members don't realize how much weight they can free up just by not filling their fw tank.

Jim

[oldtool2]

Originally Posted by kluza2786

That's true about the GVWR sticker - however - it doesn't reflect the actual weight of the trailer with clothes, food, and all of the other stuff that we (especially the DW) manage to stuff in there!

I have a lot of storage cabinets I don't use. If I were to fill all of them I could easily be a ton over weight! I have 5 overheads in the slide I never use except for my laptop. Half of the ones in the bedroom unused also.

It would be sooooo easy to become over weight!

Jim