Travel with water tank full or empty?

[MandM]

We have a couple of 10 litre water bottles that we use when travelling. Leaving the on board fresh water tank empty between stops. While in France we were advised by a fellow UK MH driver that he travels with the tank full for better stability. We also watched a large Concord owner (German) fill his two huge water tanks before departing....

Now this did not seem a sensible option to me. Less weight seemed to be the way to go especially as it might compromise the vehicle weight limit.

Thoughts please?

 

[scotjimland]

always keep mine full... never leave an aire or site without filling as the next stop may not have water available

that's what the tank is for.. otherwise you may as well have a caravan and depend on sites.

 

[Mel]

I travel full .
You never know where you will stop next.
A Concorde driver wont even have to worry over weight.
Thats the only reason to run empty.
I do not believe it will efect stabbility.

 

[Bailey58]

I always run full even if going to a Club site, avoids the queues for water after the check-in window opens.

 

[Armytwowheels]

It depends where we are going to be stopping next. If we know we can get water we will probably travel half full, if we are going to an unknown place or intend to park somewhere we will have the tank full and two 10ltr water carriers and any 5ltr water bottles we might have knocking around.

Another good bit of advice we had was to not count on the Aires in winter having the water turned on, or even in the summer as things can change since the Aires book was printed, hence we always travel at least half full.

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[Dave K]

I always travel full for the same reasons as @Mel

 

[tonka]

Always full. Some people cannot as they have very low payload and so carrying full water is an issue.
Some choose not to carry water because the extra weight will cost more in fuel.! But when you do the maths it's so small I wonder why they bother but everyone has a choice. You do what suits you and your style of traveling.

 

[chaser]

Yeah full ,all the same reasons

 

[scotjimland]

Some people cannot as they have very low payload and so carrying full water is an issue.

yes indeed.... in which case the van is not fit for purpose .. may as well have an aquaroll

 

[Vic]

Yep. Always full. 100 lts = 100 kg = 2.6% of my max weight. So the weight saving when empty is not that big a deal.

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[bigtree]

Always full,been caught out a couple of times and had to move from an excellent spot to get a fill.

 

[iandsm]

We have a couple of 10 litre water bottles that we use when travelling. Leaving the on board fresh water tank empty between stops. While in France we were advised by a fellow UK MH driver that he travels with the tank full for better stability. We also watched a large Concord owner (German) fill his two huge water tanks before departing....

Now this did not seem a sensible option to me. Less weight seemed to be the way to go especially as it might compromise the vehicle weight limit.

Thoughts please?

It was good advice. Don't see why it doesn't seem sensible, motorhomes are designed with water and waste tanks included.

 

[travelling wilbury]

if you really do 'empty' every time you leave a sote, youll soon be an expert on spluttering taps and airlocks.....

 

[mustaphapint]

Always full for same reasons as mentioned. Plus you are moving a bit more weight towards the front wheels (or at least you are if the tank is towards the front)

 

[Clarky]

I log our fuel consumption and can see no difference in consumption full or empty.
A few mph of head wind makes much more difference than full (170 litres) tanks.

Richard.

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[nelly]

Always full we got caught out once and only had a small container of water for everything

Neil

 

[Dave and Ginny]

I must be the exception here, but only what we need dependent on where were heading. Cannot really see the need to lug water about if you can fill up at next stop or destination.

Good idea to check weight on weighbridge before making your decision.

 

[iandsm]

I must be the exception here, but only what we need dependent on where were heading. Cannot really see the need to lug water about if you can fill up at next stop or destination.

Good idea to check weight on weighbridge before making your decision.

Your choice of course but you don't know you can fill up at next stop or destination.Many times our plans have changed en route. Isn't it better to know you have water rather than hope you can get some. What happens if you arrive at an air where the water is tuned off or broken.

 

[Puddleduck]

Depends where we are going but generally it's a compromise and we travel half full from home - or what is in the tank when we leave if it's more than half full.

If Britstopping or wilding the tank would be filled as and when possible.

I have found that many places will let you fill a small (say 5 litre) container for free if you ask nicely. And if you offer to pay you may be allowed to fill a tank at a marina (canal or marine) or a garden centre.

 

[Reallyretired]

Always full,
Water may not be available at the next stop, also for the same reaon always empty the grey water and cassette when there are facilities even if not very full.

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[DBK]

We met some folk on a Caravan Club site who went to great lengths to explain to us why they always travel empty. The reason was at home where they had a water meter it cost them money to fill up so as water was inclusive with the pitch fees they always filled up on arrival.

Being at heart a survivalist I always travel with everything full which should be full and everything empty which should be empty.

 

[Tanya_and_Mick]

Also typically always full

 

[Larrynwin]

We generally use sites in UK so travel half full ,mmmmmm , or is it half empty

 

[scotjimland]

no one has mentioned yet...

when travelling abroad in summer, I've taken a break and had a nice cool shower... can't do that with an empty tank

 

[Larrynwin]

Be interesting to know how many that travel full have a 3500kg van as 100lt of water is as you know 100kg which eats a huge amount of payload and could well take it over the gvw.

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[Gaston aires]

Always fill up when we can. Would have been caught out many times especially in Europe if we had run empty.
Phil

 

[Zoppydog]

Always fill up when we can. Would have been caught out many times especially in Europe if we had run empty.
Phil

Was that water or wine......

 

[glenn2926]

Always full. I quite often don't know my destination till we get there. If there is then no option to fill up I would have no water. So clean water full, grey water empty and cassette empty. Then ready for anything.

 

[Don Quixote]

Why carry 120lts (100kg ish) or more of water - thats like having 1 or 2 people in the rear and thats lowers your MPG. We carry 10lts and only fill up of we are not moving for a few days or using shower also dump grey waste before driving.

 

[mpdcymru]

Agree with Reallyretired, always fill fresh water to ensure I have availability when I want it and to avoid pouring fresh water down the drain (not good for the environment) but also take every opportunity to empty grey waste and toilet.