Traveling with water tank full

buccello · 08-25-2010, 11:44 PM

Is there really any problem traveling with water. My dealers said he wouldn't. Been told water will swish around causing the tank to come loose.
I haven't read any horror stories, any help, I don't see any problems.
Thanks

NWJeeper · 08-26-2010, 12:15 AM

Tank will come loose

Once again a case of a dealer that doesn't know squat. Problem is so many people think that because they sell RVs they know RVs. Dealers are responsible for so much bad information it should be illegal.

There is NO problem with travelling with your tank full. We usually will top it off if we are planning to dry camp and there will be no water available where we are going. If we are headed for a park where we will have hookups then we don't bother as there is no reason to carry all that weight, it just uses more gas to carry it.

Hokiehall · 08-26-2010, 05:40 AM

You can travel with water. That is why they put the tanks on there. If you go boondocking somewhere without any access to water you have to carry your own. Some dealers should be in another line of work.

Just remember that you are adding 8 lbs of weight for each gallon carried. I only carry water if I am dry camping and not sure of availability of water.

youroo · 08-26-2010, 07:14 AM

We alwayes have water in the tank,when on the trips. Stop anywhere and use water! Youroo!!

skeeterbait8 · 08-26-2010, 07:29 AM

So far we have always left home with a full water tank! We have our own well, so we don't have all the chemicals in our water. No nasty smell from chlorine. Hubby much prefers using it for his coffee too. I'll normally carry extra jugs JUST for his coffee water. But now we've not taken any trips longer than 50 miles either. Maybe if we were going further I'd have less/none in the tank but still carry some of "HOME" water for his coffee just for the weight issue. OR then again I could buy "spring" water at a store and use that.

macbwt · 08-26-2010, 08:59 AM

I also research the parks and area (even call) to see if water locations in the park are available. More time than not they have a water spigot I can connect to upon arrival and fill up then set up camp. I do this just because I don't see the need to tow 40 gallons of water when it is available.

tmmar · 08-26-2010, 10:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by macbwt

I also research the parks and area (even call) to see if water locations in the park are available. More time than not they have a water spigot I can connect to upon arrival and fill up then set up camp. I do this just because I don't see the need to tow 40 gallons of water when it is available.

I agree with the above. 40 gals of water add about 320 lbs to the weight and I too don't like carrying that much extra weight when it is not needed.

Iggy · 08-26-2010, 11:05 AM

Is is ok to travel with a full tank. Sure.
Now you must ask why would you ever travel that way. Only if you have no access to fresh water and you plan to dry camp for a week.

You do know you get better gas mileage with a light trailer.

Other than that I only carry 5- 10 gal for flushing on the way to the campground.

Hokiehall · 08-26-2010, 12:09 PM

For purposes of making coffee, I go to Kroger and pick up a gallon or two of their water, depending on trip length. It only costs about .80/ gal here and works great for coffee.

DAISY BOYKIN · 08-26-2010, 02:12 PM

As some have already said, "ONLY IF YOU ARE DRY CAMPING". The extra weight cuts gas mileage. carry just enough to flush the "JOHN".

I use a BRITA water pitcher that I fill as soon as I am parked and hooked to the RV park fresh system. I even re-fill plastic throw away drinking bottles. Or you can purchase a charcoal water filter from Wally-World that fits to the park water supply for about $17.95. Both ways sure will make your cup of coffee taste like real coffee with out the chlorine.

Sid & HRH Daisy

Dave_Monica · 08-26-2010, 03:35 PM

As others have already mentioned, why carry water unless you're dry camping. However if you do wish to travel with a full water tank be mindful of where this weight is added to the camper. It may have a drastic effect of hitch weight.

Dave

camprat · 08-26-2010, 04:08 PM

I would say where the fresh water tank is located under the trailer, most are by the axles. We had a TT onetime, the tank was just behind the axles a little,on a ruff road it keep you on your toes. we pull with 5-10gals on trips to keep the weight down. Just see how it pulls full,5-15 gal & empty. And do what right for you.

buccello · 08-26-2010, 07:57 PM

I have a 25 gal water tank. It is locater in the front corner of the rv. I will be traveling to Fl was planning to carry about 15 gal. as I will sleep on the road, Just want to take a shower in the morning.

rockwood06 · 08-26-2010, 08:24 PM

We have never try camp in the ten years we have been camping, but for those long trips we carry two gallons of water in plastic milk cartons for pit stops if there is no place to stop and the cartons ride in the bath tub. There is no need to carry the extra weight unless dry camping is planned.

camprat · 08-26-2010, 08:47 PM

You may want to check it out on one of your short road trip first, fifteen gallons in front is over 120# & may change your set up for pulling. Just something to think about.

Mr. Black · 08-26-2010, 09:21 PM

I usually carry at least 20 gallons in our 60 gallon tank.

You never know, it could save your life.

Plus it is nice to have for any road side stops that may occur.

Obviously if we dry camp we fill it full and notice no ill effects from it. When you are gross combined of near 19.5k pounds whats a few more gallons of water lol.

chevy02 · 08-27-2010, 03:11 AM

I always put water in the tank as i have to travel with the wife and daughter and they must have bladders the size of a peanut cause we always have to stop somewhere along the route so they can use the bathroom they say much better then using a gas station one and i cant argue with that

Filthy Beast · 08-28-2010, 07:13 AM

we always carry at least some water. We only have a 36 gallon tank, but this is why we bought the rv, our own bathroom, bedroom, etc. Last year on our trip back to Wisconsin, we planned to stop at a rv park East of Tulsa. After a long first days drive, when we got off the freeway, the rv park was no longer there. Luckily there was a casino with an rv parking area so we ended up staying there overnight.

The_Stuff · 08-29-2010, 11:03 AM

LOL When I went and got my unit from the dealer the grey and black water tanks were right FULL!! they said its part of the testing for leaks etc which i understand, but the fresh water tank was empty... which sucked on the way home and staying over in a power only campground lol. Anyhow go on the high way and the water in the tanks was making me sway bad so I pulled over on a turn out and opened the black and grey tanks and wow did i get nasty looks from people on the way by! lol

revrnd · 08-29-2010, 04:12 PM

In the past when I towed the popup to IN for the races, the FW tank was empty. Potable water is available just inside the CG entrance & we'd fill up there. My trips to prov' parks this summer, I took water to Algonquin (didn't realize dumping station had potable water) & went empty to Halfway Lake (filled up upon arrival).

Now this year on our way to Indy, I'll probably partially fill the FW tank for the drive down & top up when we get there.

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