Do you drive with Full Water Tanks?

[Pelirocco]

I remember the first time we took the moho overseas. We topped up at Canterbury and boarded the ferry. On arrival in Calais we went to the vehicle deck and wondered what all the water was on the deck. We travelled down to Rouen and stopped at an Aire. That was when we found we had no water,, the plug in the FW tank had popped out and drained all over the vehicle deck. Checked round the Aire and could not find any water. Ended up no drink etc till visit to supermarche the following morning. No,, water is not always available.
We now travel with full water unless we know we can fill on arrival.
As for these people who will not use their onboard water for drinking I just do not understand their mindset. I have seen people fill their onboard water then fill separate bottles from the same tap for drinking.???? Same water!!! Surely you sanitize your tanks annually.

I'm one of those odd ones lol .New to use Motorhome is 15 years old ,we have sanitised tank .However still don't fancy drinking from it as in my mind I am not 100 % convinced it is as it should be

 

[stevewagner]

I never fill the fuel tank either. There's lots of fuel station so why carry 80litres around...just saying!

A lot of fuel stations in the UK don’t have water filling facilities these days

 

[bertiebasset]

I'm one of those odd ones lol .New to use Motorhome is 15 years old ,we have sanitised tank .However still don't fancy drinking from it as in my mind I am not 100 % convinced it is as it should be

Ah but how should it be ?? It is a plastic box,, almost sealed,, underslung,, cannot get to the sunshine so no growth,, sanitized bi/anually it must be more sterile than the plastic bottles used over and over again by some and when filled with fresh water from the tap you presumably fill your water container must be a better bet. The other thing I cannot understand is those that drink only bottled water in the UK. How old is the water in the bottle.

 

[stevewagner]

Well its 100kg of extra weight to lug around. The manufacturers instructions on our van advise not more that 25% full when travelling. Obviously it OK to travel a short distance but 100's of miles, it just doesn't make sense. I had a friend who I cycled to work with. He loved diluted fruit juice. He used to add the concentrate at home and top up with water BEFORE cycling to work. I asked him why he didn't just take the concentrate on the bike and then fill with water once he got to work. His answer?....

"I never thought of that"

Being a cyclist I apply the same theory to the motorhome. It goes a lot faster when there is less weight in it and water is the biggest weight of all.

Just my view and I see I am well outvoted

I don’t drive faster than 60 anyway

 

[pandas]

You guys who travel completely empty, why not bin your tank altogether and carry an aquaroll to fill up when you're onsite just like a caravan, or maybe just buy a caravan.

For those that travel full, which it entirely up to them of course as long as it’s within their weight criteria, you could also take a Bactrian with you for a bit extra just in case your caught short.

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[glenn2926]

Ah but how should it be ?? It is a plastic box,, almost sealed,, underslung,, cannot get to the sunshine so no growth,, sanitized bi/anually it must be more sterile than the plastic bottles used over and over again by some and when filled with fresh water from the tap you presumably fill your water container must be a better bet. The other thing I cannot understand is those that drink only bottled water in the UK. How old is the water in the bottle.

The water is millions of years old as is all the water on the planet. I find it very funny that some bottled water has a use by date. There is no less and no more water on this planet than there has ever been.

 

[Ian Bosman]

Fill up at every opportunity, even got two five gallon drums under the seat in case we run out.

Every litre weighs 1KG

 

[eddie]

We also always keep dehydrated water tablets on board. Expensive but a Godsend when we are travelling a run low on water.



www.wateranywhere.com

 

[bertiebasset]

Every litre weighs 1KG

To save on the weight issue I only carry de-hydrated water.

 

[gpat]

I find it incredible that some owners are saying stability is affected if driving with a tank of water, i wouldnt have believed it, its only equivalent to an extra person or 2 at most.
it doesn't make an apath of difference to ours. Its like driving a little tank regardless.

Does it show poor design and build quality?

No it is nothing to do with design or build quality
Whatever you think, 100kg does affect stability. It may be by a small amount and it does not necessarily make it unsafe. However there are some unescapable laws of physics that you seem to have over looked

A van with 100kg less will;

Be more stable
Stop in a shorter distance
Accelerate more rapidly
Use less fuel
Climb hills better
Wear its brakes out more slowly

All of these things apply proportionally to the weight of the vehicle and they are physical facts. Its all relative of course and we have to live with weight (otherwise we wouldn't have a van at all would we) but some weight is more optional that other weight.

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[tonyidle]

I have air suspension and used to travel with full water empty waste but now I’ve thought about it I will carry bare minimum fresh water In future. Don’t worry about weight capacity think about what motoring gurus say, empty boot gives better mpg now that can be significant on a streamlined house brick

Maybe if it was streamlined.

 

[gpat]

Maybe if it was streamlined.

Don't' start another whole new argument

 

[pandas]

If anything I would say ours drives better when full.

Especially faster down hill I bet

 

[gpat]

A lot of fuel stations in the UK don’t have water filling facilities these days

That's rare. I know some charge 50p and it takes about 4hours to fill the washer bottle but I can't believe that many filling station would not have water at all. Just takes some finding sometimes

 

[M-J]

Especially faster down hill I bet

Can’t remember ever having to rely on a hill to go any faster than already travelling.

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[Jaws]

I can't believe anyone would be daft enough to carry a full water tank when travelling. Think about it

Why ?
Putting the weight issue in to perspective, would you refuse to carry two people ( other than your self and SOH ) ?

and uses less fuel too.
You can fill up with water practically anywhere where there is a fuel station at the same time

Not where we go.. Perhaps you do not travel much outside the UK, or tend towards camp sites ?

 

[tonyidle]

Don't' start another whole new argument

I don't think anyone would suggest a motorhome slips through the air like a knife through butter.

 

[cmcardle75]

I find it incredible that some owners are saying stability is affected if driving with a tank of water, i wouldnt have believed it, its only equivalent to an extra person or 2 at most.
it doesn't make an apath of difference to ours. Its like driving a little tank regardless.

Does it show poor design and build quality?

It probably does show poor design. The problem with tanks isn't the weight as such, but the fact is sloshes about, causing sudden movements, especially when a resonance builds up. It was the invention of the baffle that allowed road and sea-going tankers to be viable without the vehicle becoming dangerously unstable.

Unfortunately, some manufacturers continue to stick large unbaffled tanks in to save money over a much safer baffled tank and poor/dangerous roadholding will result.

 

[MikenSue]

We always wild camp so carry as much water as possible and top up as often as we can. Also carry 9, containers of water, 10 litres each. Effectively 2 tanks worth. Last day of hols before setting off for home drain everything off except enough for a cup of tea on route. That way no water to go stale or freeze in system as it has all been shaken out. Never noticed any difference on homeward bound journey in fuel consumption, power or stability. 750 kg of payload though. Probably different if you haven't any spare capacity.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

You guys who travel completely empty, why not bin your tank altogether and carry an aquaroll to fill up when you're onsite just like a caravan, or maybe just buy a caravan.

.....but the empty aqua roll rolling from side to side might adversely affect the handling of the vehicle. On the same note, I think that all motorhome fuel tanks should be restricted to 20% full whilst travelling, only allowed to top up when you reach the site. Then drain down to 20% before setting off again

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[gpat]

Why ?
Putting the weight issue in to perspective, would you refuse to carry two people ( other than your self and SOH ) ?



Not where we go.. Perhaps you do not travel much outside the UK, or tend towards camp sites ?

I wouldn't refuse as I think people are more important that tanks of water. You can't fill up on new people when you get to where you are going. Apart from maybe the middle of the Sahara desert, water is generally always available wherever there is civilisation!

 

[DuxDeluxe]

A van with 100kg less will;

Be more stable
Stop in a shorter distance
Accelerate more rapidly
Use less fuel
Climb hills better
Wear its brakes out more slowly

SO I will immediately stop driving with a full water tank and fuel tank, so that

1. I am more stable (despite the fact that the tank is low and over the rear axle)
2. I can stop in 27cm shorter distance
3. I can accelerate to 60mph in 0.35 seconds quicker
4. I can use less fuel, gaining an extra 0.1 MPG
5. I can climb hills better and only change down to 5th or 6th at the last 20 meters of the hill
6. get an extra 200 miles out of my brake pads and discs

on second thoughts, I simply cannot be arsed to worry about trivial things in the list above and will continue to fill, empty and drive as I see fit.

 

[thidwick]

There’s another issue which doesn’t seem to have been (much) mentioned.
Our fresh water tank is 120litres I think. It’s under the bench seat inside the van (it won’t freeze in winter use). Travelling with the tank full would mean a lot of momentum in the 120kg of water tank. Any sudden stop would mean huge force on that weight, and inertia could see that weight smashing through the interior of the van, and (in our case) into the back of the passenger seat. Hence we are recommended to travel with a max of about 25litres. I don’t think this is a payload issue - more of a structural safety issue.
Of course, we’d all like to avoid any stops sudden enough to be an issue, but idiots happen!

 

[Jim]

There’s another issue which doesn’t seem to have been (much) mentioned.
Our fresh water tank is 120litres I think. It’s under the bench seat inside the van (it won’t freeze in winter use). Travelling with the tank full would mean a lot of momentum in the 120kg of water tank. Any sudden stop would mean huge force on that weight, and inertia could see that weight smashing through the interior of the van, and (in our case) into the back of the passenger seat. Hence we are recommended to travel with a max of about 25litres. I don’t think this is a payload issue - more of a structural safety issue.
Of course, we’d all like to avoid any stops sudden enough to be an issue, but idiots happen!

It is a calculated risk, and if I worried about that, I certainly wouldn't travel with a water boiler, or the pump or the fridge, a gas tank, my microwave, the air conditioner or my porcelain loo

 

[DuxDeluxe]

There’s another issue which doesn’t seem to have been (much) mentioned.
Our fresh water tank is 120litres I think. It’s under the bench seat inside the van (it won’t freeze in winter use). Travelling with the tank full would mean a lot of momentum in the 120kg of water tank. Any sudden stop would mean huge force on that weight, and inertia could see that weight smashing through the interior of the van, and (in our case) into the back of the passenger seat. Hence we are recommended to travel with a max of about 25litres. I don’t think this is a payload issue - more of a structural safety issue.
Of course, we’d all like to avoid any stops sudden enough to be an issue, but idiots happen!

No danger of that happening on my van - tank is secured between two bulkheads. On the last van, it was under the passenger seat but very well secured to the Al-Ko passenger seat belt post, which also acted as an efficient baffle.

I am waiting to see all those wrecked motorhomes lying by the side of the road with the interiors trashed by a rogue water tank going walkabout inside the van

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[DuxDeluxe]

It is a calculated risk, and if I worried about that, I certainly wouldn't travel with a water boiler, or the pump or the fridge, a gas tank, my microwave, the air conditioner or my porcelain loo

.....and leave the beer/wine home as well. Not worth the risk Jim

 

[gpat]

SO I will immediately stop driving with a full water tank and fuel tank, so that

1. I am more stable (despite the fact that the tank is low and over the rear axle)
2. I can stop in 27cm shorter distance
3. I can accelerate to 60mph in 0.35 seconds quicker
4. I can use less fuel, gaining an extra 0.1 MPG
5. I can climb hills better and only change down to 5th or 6th at the last 20 meters of the hill
6. get an extra 200 miles out of my brake pads and discs

on second thoughts, I simply cannot be arsed to worry about trivial things in the list above and will continue to fill, empty and drive as I see fit.

Nice One. I did say the gains were small. I was just challenging the person that said it made No difference. You have confirmed very scientifically that it does, but to a small amount. That is what I said.

Just hope you always apply your brakes 27cms before I have to, to avoid running into the back of that truck that just stopped..

 

[gus-lopez]

The overfow is simply a 30mm long 15mm dia pipe poking out of the side ( at the very top) of the tank
As you corner, the water sloshes out.....madness

My Ford escort van had a fuel tank like that !! Every time it sloshed back & forward or you stpped petrol pissed out. They eventually extended the vent up to the filler & back down again to cure it. but along with other problems I moved it on.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

Nice One. I did say the gains were small. I was just challenging the person that said it made No difference. You have confirmed very scientifically that it does, but to a small amount. That is what I said.

Just hope you always apply your brakes 27cms before I have to, to avoid running into the back of that truck that just stopped..

Point taken but just pointing out that life is really too short to worry about these things

 

[eddie]

My fresh water tank is 50 Gallons

We carry more Wine and Beer than that

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