The freshwater tank: travel full? Or empty?

[rudyhehn]

Amazing interest in this topic. We agree with the consensus above. You can safely travel with the tank full but it adds 8# per gallon so it increases stopping distance decreases mileage a bit, worse if in hilly country. We always carry a days worth for travel and in case we dry camp overnight. We carry more if we are sure we are dry camping at the next stops.

[Jimbo56]

Well Rudy, I’m damn glad you got back on topic! Now, can we have 160 more posts about whether or not to travel with water in the fresh water tank?

Oh, we’re going for 2 1/2 weeks. But you’ll have to guess how much water I’ve got. If you guess the water, fuel for 180 miles, propane for same, I’ll put your name in the running for the Camping World grand prize!

Let’s have 400 posts about what that might be. Cmon now!

[Pete'sMH]

Perhaps it’s time to start a parallel thread on traveling with “water” in your black and grey tanks. When we’re traveling with just overnight stops I don’t empty every day as it just doesn’t seem worth it for one day’s waste. Maybe we can get 160 posts on that as well….

[EA37TS]

We had 3 mechanical breakdowns within 2 weeks the second of which required a tow. First was Sioux Falls, SD, the second was Cedar Rapids, IA and the third was Indianapolis, IN.

For those that say you travel with the fresh water tank empty good luck to you if you breakdown.

We travel with 2/3 and during the first breakdown where we dry camped with the broke down trucks we used almost all of the fresh water in the tank.

Bottom line is do what you feel comfortable doing but then live with that decision regardless of outcome.

Based on our recent experience I will always start the travelog day with 2/3 fresh and empty grey and black tanks. And that is based on our experience not someone's thoughts or expert opinion.

[Wiley1]

Originally Posted by Msdpok

141 posts! 99% of firehouses will provide you water and most Cabella’s have fresh water….

And, if you have a Water Bandit, you can get water from any rest room.

$8.46 is cheap insurance. Not really stealing, right?

https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Connect.../dp/B000EDOSKG

[Wiley1]

Originally Posted by EA37TS

For those that say you travel with the fresh water tank empty good luck to you if you breakdown.

I bleeve I've read every one of these 165 posts. I don't recall anybody saying they travel with the FW tank empty. That would be stupid.

Many: 1/3-1/2 full for short trips, I can get water anywhere.
Even more: 2/3 full for longer trips, I like to be prepared.
Some: always 100% full, I don't care about the weight.

Me: 1/3 full for flushing. 40 bottles of water in the basement that we hope we never use.

[16ACE27]

[EA37TS]

Originally Posted by Wiley1

I bleeve I've read every one of these 165 posts. I don't recall anybody saying they travel with the FW tank empty. That would be stupid.

Many: 1/3-1/2 full for short trips, I can get water anywhere.
Even more: 2/3 full for longer trips, I like to be prepared.
Some: always 100% full, I don't care about the weight.

Me: 1/3 full for flushing. 40 bottles of water in the basement that we hope we never use.

Read it again because there are a few. Posts 14 and 25 are just a couple.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by Wiley1

I bleeve I've read every one of these 165 posts. I don't recall anybody saying they travel with the FW tank empty. That would be stupid.

Many: 1/3-1/2 full for short trips, I can get water anywhere.
Even more: 2/3 full for longer trips, I like to be prepared.
Some: always 100% full, I don't care about the weight.

Me: 1/3 full for flushing. 40 bottles of water in the basement that we hope we never use.

My bewilderment is not so much about how much anyone may actually be traveling with at any moment in time, it is the FACT that some will connect the hose and stop at 1/3 tank, and others will look at the gauge and say; I have too much and actually drain water from the tank.

On any trip I always fill before hand, or ensure I have enough for that trip. If I need any water (meaning I must get the water hose out and connect it to the City fill), I am going to fill it Full, and I am never going to drain water before ANY trip. That is the big difference.

Originally Posted by 16ACE27

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by EA37TS

Read it again because there are a few. Posts 14 and 25 are just a couple.

When football season begins, I may cancel my Netflix account because Thor Forum can fill in for any gaps of Entertainment that I may need

[lwmcguire]

We do provide Cheap Entertainment!

[Muggs]

This thread is still hilarious! Like says above it just will not die.

Our RV is full of water, gas and propane. We slept in it a while back when we lost power. Next day replaced water used for 2 showers plus restroom. Too lazy to drain tanks.

I took truck with lowest gas gauge and got generator gas during fill up as a hedge against possible storm this weekend. I wonder if keeping 15 gallons of gas in shed may alter gravitation field of planet. If storm passes by I will put in car, truck or RV before it gets stale.

[Scubawise]

I have heard that folks take cases of bottled water, extra gas just in case less than 1/4 full and generator shuts off.
Again we travel full water & propane

[atreis]

Originally Posted by dkoldman

My bewilderment is not so much about how much anyone may actually be traveling with at any moment in time, it is the FACT that some will connect the hose and stop at 1/3 tank, and others will look at the gauge and say; I have too much and actually drain water from the tank.

On any trip I always fill before hand, or ensure I have enough for that trip. If I need any water (meaning I must get the water hose out and connect it to the City fill), I am going to fill it Full, and I am never going to drain water before ANY trip. That is the big difference.

Yep. Different strokes for different folks. There are many answers, none of them wrong.

[dkoldman]

Originally Posted by lwmcguire

We do provide Cheap Entertainment!

Do you mean we have to pay for this

Originally Posted by Muggs

Our RV is full of water, gas and propane.

My ritual before any trip is to ensure water, gas & propane are FULL

Originally Posted by Scubawise

I have heard that folks take cases of bottled water, extra gas just in case less than 1/4 full and generator shuts off.
Again we travel full water & propane

We carry at least 2 cases of water bottles on every trip, then add in the Cokes, Dr Peppers, Powerade and Beer and we may be at 800 pounds.
Maybe that is why I can't get the RV past 80 mph

Now I don't carry any extra gas. But you are scaring me with the thought of going below 1/4 full of Gas and NOT being able to run Generator!!! When we traveling we just never get that low. I can't drive from Full to 1/4 tank without stopping at least twice, so I will get gas at one of those stops. And dare I add that if I stop to get Gas; I will always fill the tank

[Muggs]

We do carry water bottles, extra soda,, cookies, etc depending on race, single day or multiday we even carry up to 50 gallons of water and up to 25 gallons of gas (up to15 for trailer gen plus 10 of premium for racecar). If lose early excess goes into RV at some point. Multiday events at long distance tracks will always top tank before pulling into track.

When I get lucky events can past midnight and we stay at track overnight so beds are made up and food ready for anything.

At our heaviest we are still under on both GCVW and GVWR. During hurricane season keep everything full in case need to leave. Just got gen gas today as in rural area we can lose power.

We try to ready for anything.

[Traina]

Had our 21 ACE at a campground with full hookups. Fresh water tank was empty. I turned on water pump to help increase pressure. Pump would not turn off. Adjusted pressure valve but it kept running. Turned off pump and filled fresh water tank. Turned pump back on and it primed and stopped running. Turned on and off as I turned faucet on and off. QUESTION: Since I now have water in fresh water tank is pump drawing water from fresh water tank only instead of city water? I didn’t want to waste water so I didn’t drain tank and try again.

[Jimbo56]

Originally Posted by Traina

Had our 21 ACE at a campground with full hookups. Fresh water tank was empty. I turned on water pump to help increase pressure. Pump would not turn off. Adjusted pressure valve but it kept running. Turned off pump and filled fresh water tank. Turned pump back on and it primed and stopped running. Turned on and off as I turned faucet on and off. QUESTION: Since I now have water in fresh water tank is pump drawing water from fresh water tank only instead of city water? I didn’t want to waste water so I didn’t drain tank and try again.

The water pump only draws water from the fresn water tank. Has no affect when hooked up to city water. It never quit running due to no water in tank to build pressure. Luckily you didn’t burn it up running it dry. I don’t know what water pressure you’re used to, but the pump will only affect pressure from fresh water tank, not city water.

[Jimbo56]

Originally Posted by Traina

Had our 21 ACE at a campground with full hookups. Fresh water tank was empty. I turned on water pump to help increase pressure. Pump would not turn off. Adjusted pressure valve but it kept running. Turned off pump and filled fresh water tank. Turned pump back on and it primed and stopped running. Turned on and off as I turned faucet on and off. QUESTION: Since I now have water in fresh water tank is pump drawing water from fresh water tank only instead of city water? I didn’t want to waste water so I didn’t drain tank and try again.

Yes, with pump on and water in tank, you’re pulling tank water with pump. Unnecessary to run pump on city or campground water.

[lwmcguir]

Diaphragm pumps can run dry for a very long time

City water has to be plumbed through the pump to boost pressure when augmenting with the pump, some are