new to rving here and i am wondering, if you know you are going to be dry camping do you fill up fresh water at home or do you stop somewhere along the way and fill the holding tank to reduce weight. if you stop somewhere along the way can you give me an example of where you would stop and get water. I can't imagine that a gas station would like it if you filled up your tank there.
We normally take it if we know theres none where we are staying BUT IF the cg has water available but not at each site we fill up when we get there . call ahead and ask ?
Ok I did not even think of filling up at a site when i got there. I was wondering because the dealer said try not to travel with a full fresh water tank because it is just extra weight. thanks f1100 for you input i will keeping it in consideration.
if you know you are going to be dry camping do you fill up fresh water at home
yes
if we are going dry camping
we fill at home
of course we are usually
only driving 65 miles to camp site
I always leave it prox 1/3 filled anyway
just in case to use on the road
once back home
tablespoon of bleach in there
Mountainman
Location: No longer own a Forest River product, but enjoy the info on this site
Posts: 309
we normally travel with very little water in the fresh water tanks. Some campgrounds that we frequent do not have water easily accessible (one has a hand pump well type watering hole) so we take a full tank of water at home before leaving out for this campground. I've seen several rest areas with potable water for RV'ers, but most do not have this amenity.
We try not to travel with full water tanks - especially if we know if there is a watering hole along the way or at the CG.
if it is going to be setting a while at home
I try to remember to add Tablespoon of bleach
into 1/3 or up to full water tank ??
have not got the exact science down
but
as a part time job I test water wells GPM
and also treat them for bacteria
a small amount of bleach kills a lot of bugs
would not add right before drinking
do add before short storage times
Tablespoon of bleach mixed with water
into a water bottle
then squirted into water tank
There are RV friendly truck stops/gas stations like Flying J/Pilot that have water available as well as dump stations (for a fee) and Rv fueling lanes that are easy in and out. If you are a Good Sam member you can apply for a charge (not credit) card that gives discounts on dump fees and cents off per gallon of fuel. Also does not have $100 limit so you can fill tank without multiple swipes of the card.
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2012 Forest River Sunseeker 2300 Chevy
I always leave it prox 1/3 filled anyway, just in case, to use on the road once back home tablespoon of bleach in there Mountainman
Tank Monitor Primer: Remember the 1/3 light on the tank panel does not mean 1/3 full. It could just mean "Not Empty."
In the photos below you can see what I mean. The three probes turn on the top 3 lights of the monitor. The "Empty" light is always on and means the sensors are getting power but there is no detectable level.
It all depends how the installer felt the day he drilled the holes for the probes. In the photo of the holding tank, the 1/3 light would illuminate after 1 good flush; yet the fresh water tank is about 1/4 full when the 1/3 light comes on and depending on camper levelness (hard to do when hooked up) the 2/3 light could mean "Full".
When hooked up to the truck my camper is slightly nose low and water will be coming out the overflow at the 2/3 light.
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Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
If you are a Good Sam member you can apply for a charge (not credit) card that gives discounts on dump fees and cents off per gallon of fuel. Also does not have $100 limit so you can fill tank without multiple swipes of the card.
I am a Good Sam member and have never heard of this. Is it my membership card? If I can buy gas with it; how is it not a credit card?
Confused...
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Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
Wow thanks herk that is some good info! So pretty much look at where your sensors are mounted and that should give you an idea of what your "levels" really mean.
Wow thanks Herk that is some good info! So pretty much look at where your sensors are mounted and that should give you an idea of what your "levels" really mean.
My belly was covered with a plastic panel so I was not sure about mine till I had to drop the panel to install my new probe set.
My tank indicators are now totally reliable and that upgrade is highly recommended. If you can use basic tools and remember to clean the tanks well before you start, I think anyone can do it.
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Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
The Pilot/Flying J card is a charge card that has to be paid off every month. You can not keep a balance on it like a revolving card. Just go to the Good Sams web site and it will direct you on getting one of these. The card is issued by Pilot/Fying J.
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Renee and Wayne
Seymour, Tennessee
2018 Salem 27DBK,
2004 Dodge Ram 1500
2 kids, 2 Grandsons, 1 Granddaughter, 3 fur babies
I always fill up the water tank before I leave home as well as take 15 to 30 extra gallons with me depending on how long I am staying. Where I camp most of the time there is no running water within 50 miles.
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2012 Grey Wolf 19RR
2008 Dodge 2500 CTD
We have a Cedar Creek
silverback and I cannot find a water inlet to the fresh water
holding tank.
We have a central control center that has most of the
controls, filter and dump valves for the camper.
Fresh water is diverted from the city supply to the holding
tank by flipping a lever.
The dealer never told us how to sanitize the tank or fill it
from a water jug.
Welcome to the Forum!
You've already found the only inlet to the fresh water tank. With your camper, the city water connection also fills the fresh water tank by switching the diverting valve. Sanitizing the FW tank was discussed recently on the forum with your type of set-up and the suggestion was to pour some bleach into the hose end before connection to the inlet.
As far as adding FW from a jerry can with that inlet set-up (with a check valve) inside a docking station, that will be a problem. You could look at portable FW tanks and a 12V transfer pump set-up to refill the FW tank.
Another suggestion I might make is those big, blue, plastic water bottles that are used upside down in a water dispenser.
A fellow RVer of mine taught me this trick. Bring a small cart or wagon to set 2 or 3 of these in, pull wagon to your water source and back to RV. Take a 2 Ltr pop bottle and cut the bottom half of it off, place the other part of the pop bottle in the whole on the exterior of the RV leading to the potable water tank to use as a funnel, then pour the water in from the blue bottles. (Might take two people to hold it up there while its filling depending on your strength)
__________________ Bob & Nina's Bunkhouse
1970's Coachman Crusader 30ft TT
Add In: Sarina (18), Susan (14), and dogs Midnight & Shadow
Hitched up to a White 1999 F-150 Ext. Cab
Number of days camped in 2014-2 (4 more days reserved)
I made a filler tube for using the blue square jugs, Easier to lift and have a handle molded in. I used a piece of vinyl tubing and the cap from the blue jug to make the filling unit. A small hole in the blue cap lets more air into the jug for faster filling.
No water wasted.
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Lou & Freya the wonder dog
2008 GMC Sierra 3000HD Allison Duramax
2019 Flagstaff 8529FL
fresh water?
(4 more days reserved)
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