Water Tank in Rockwood HW214

[Letarae]

I've had my Rockwood HW 214 since August and have done 3 trips so far. I'm planning another starting Thursday (if we don't get snow in western Washington ).

Am I suppose to drain my water tank or is turning on the kitchen sink enough? I've seen posts about the water tank but not if you have to drain the water tank.

Thanks for information ahead of time. With our old trailer, we did it automatically when we dumped the grey and black water at the end of a trip. This is my first time with an aframe.

[JArry]

You mean after each trip? I just top it off all season, though on some longer trips it gets nearly drained by the end anyway. It may be more consequential if you drink the water from it versus only using it for washing and such.

Practices probably widely vary.

[Letarae]

Thanks for the comments. I didn't think about drinking from it. I have the trailer's filter and then another outside filter but maybe I should look at draining it.

[pgandw]

It really depends on your water and storage. We always start a trip with full water tank for several reasons:

• a full water tank reduces tongue weight
• a full water tank makes the torsion axle work better
• from October to May most Colorado public campgrounds shut off all or all but one spigot - and that may be at the dump facility. Counting on water at the campground leads to rude/disastrous surprises. Same applies to Wyoming. Last summer due to Covid, many Forest Service campgrounds never got their water tested/approved, and so had none.

When I lived outside Colorado Springs and had well water, I had to drain the tank after every trip. If I didn't, first the water heater and then the tank would get that sulfur smell after a few weeks of the camper sitting. When we moved to the city, the water stays good for a year or more.

During the summer, I just top off the water tank at start of each trip. In late fall, I drain the water tank after a trip, and refill at start of next trip. When I fill, I go through 2 fill steps to get the water heater filled (it takes 6 gal of your 20 gal tank to fill if you wait until arrival at the campsite). The attached garage where I store the A-frame stays just warm enough in winter to not freeze the plumbing so I don't winterize.

I found that releasing the pump water pressure before starting to tow prevented pressure build up problems from the sun while towing. I would have pressure locks preventing the pump from turning on and/or leaking from the jostling of the fold-down sink faucet. After turning the pump off, I simply open the valves on the outside shower and bleed water pressure off. Then shut the valves.

hope this helps
Fred W
2019 Flagstaff T21TBHW A-frame
2008 Hyundai Entourage minivan
camping Colorado and adjacent states one weekend at a time