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?

 

[Larrynwin]

Always full, with 85gals. If it's just me, I can last a week easily, without trying. If Management is with me, about a day and a half.

You have loads of payload Sooperdooperwinabagelmike in your Winabagel RV so no problem I guess

 

[mpdcymru]

Always full, with 85gals. If it's just me, I can last a week easily, without trying. If Management is with me, about a day and a half.

85 gallons!!! That's a lot!

 

[SuperMike]

85 gallons!!! That's a lot!

Truly it is, however, by some RV standards only modest.

You have loads of payload Sooperdooperwinabagelmike in your Winabagel RV so no problem I guess

Loads and loads of payload LarryHarryTypeChappy. How's the crepe and posh coffee business going.

 

[Larrynwin]

Truly it is, however, by some RV standards only modest.



Loads and loads of payload LarryHarryTypeChappy. How's the crepe and posh coffee business going.

My little Hymer is just bootiful

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[The Silvers]

Always Full plus additional bottled water in the fridge.

 

[MC 55 FUN]

Half full which allows a decent alcohol payload . .

 

[Gin Palace]

Always good to know you have a full tank onboard. You never know what's round the corner. All part of the fun!

 

[DBK]

We aren't as optimistic as you, we travel half empty!

Only joking, we always travel half full.

Corrected you there. I like the positive approach.

 

[ianandkath]

always full ,as @SuperMike says 85 galls is a weeks worth.
empty waste and black tanks.,as and when you can. but takes a lot to fill them, both 50 gall tanks
so still room for wine and beer,lol

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[Big Nick]

We travel full and on our last trip a 100 litres lasted us for the full 6 days we were away including wilding
So much easier as it turned out as the taps on the farm site we later stayed at were nowhere near the pitch. I felt sorry for the neighbouring motorhomers whom were going back and forth with a 2 litre bottle to top up their tank.

 

[travelling wilbury]

just like the 'do you, dont you' views on carrying water can polarise opinion, the actual usage levels of campers vary significantly, too.

we were on a site for five nights and filled on arrival (110 litres plus 10 for boiler) and this lasted us the whole stay despite using the van for showering each day alog with cooking and washing up, tea/coffee etc...

our pals next door seemed to be topping up constantly, despite using the site showers!

i mentioned this level of usage on another forum and, for some caravanners, this seemed to attract disbelief, some (couples, not a large family) even citing two aquarolls a day (80 ltr approx).....four times our usage.....

we have a meter at home and respect the supply (rather than the actual cost) but i dont like to see the waste of any resourse.....

from the earlier post, 20ish ltr a day is not unusual....is it?

 

[sdc77]

We try and always be full on site and if we were staying for a while would do a few trips each day with the watering can to keep it topped. Certainly we wouldn't want to go below 50%. We don't skimp on water usage when it's free and available. We would use site showers if they were very nice otherwise we'll use our own which is great.

 

[WillH]

3 x 10 litre watering cans full, then top up as required or when available.

 

[Beacons]

Full always.

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[Minxy]

Our usage of water is minimal except for one thing ... cups of tea! I can get through a lot of those in a day! Our usage is probably around 15L a day - we don't have daily showers just our morning wash so say 1L, cooking and washing-up 9L max (depending on what we're cooking!), then of course my numerous cuppas (probably 4L max for us both a day) and other things such as toilet flushing, water for the dogs etc making up the rest. When we had a 66L fresh water tank it was a case of always topping up when we could just to be safe as we like to go to out of the way places to 'wild park' so not always in places with aires etc, now we have a 100L tank it's not so much of a problem thankfully so we won't have to keep lugging full water carriers around with us too for when we intend to have a shower or wash hair!

 

[Forestboy]

Always full and we use loads both shower morning and evening tea coffee washing up etc.

Some smelly buggers on here I reckon defiantly best to park up wind of a few.

 

[tonyidle]

Always full and we use loads both shower morning and evening tea coffee washing up etc.

Some smelly buggers on here I reckon defiantly best to park up wind of a few.

Good job you aren't soluble. Us clean campers shower every couple of days .
We're in the full-tank-when-travelling camp. 140 litre tank lasts 4 - 5 days. I carry an Aquaroll for fill-ups if the tap is out of reach or if I don't want to move the van.

 

[Dave1966]

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.

We thought the same until we went away with a full water tank (100Lt = 100Kg) and stopped on a weighbridge enroute to check. Found that back axle was weighing in at 2100 Kg which is 100 Kg over for the design of van and 50 Kg over on each tyre. We weren't really carrying that much either, 2 people, 1 dog plus enough for 4 days of planned wild camping. So now to keep within 3500 Kg, we travel with both tanks empty. Not happy to push the design limits of axle/tyres being fairly new to MHoming.

 

[travelling wilbury]

Good job you aren't soluble. Us clean campers shower every couple of days .
We're in the full-tank-when-travelling camp. 140 litre tank lasts 4 - 5 days. I carry an Aquaroll for fill-ups if the tap is out of reach or if I don't want to move the van.

i added an second long hose (along with my original hose) which, when joined together, allows me to reach pretty much most taps....and takes up minimal space....
i do have 10 ltr container and a filler for the tank for the occasions i have to stroll to a tap....but i cant be doing with an aquaroll (takes up too much space and reminds me of a caravan....) or the kit to pump water into the van (reminds me of a caravan...)....

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[MR. FUSION]

In my book of words it says not to run around with a full tank & part of the reasons being the tank is quite high up under the bench seat. I have done it once for wilding and I could feel a slight wallow! A bad half to quarter is my usual if I suspect no water supply.

 

[Sallytrafic]

I'm surprised that two other points haven't been raised. If you travel empty then park up at home empty the wet surface is ideal to grow bacteria. My tank is near the middle of the van, but a half full tank in an off centre tank may cause instability as the water surges, (both full or empty removes that risk). I tend to travel full but don't refill at home as its impracticable so I'm the one filling up at the campsite prior to my return home.

 

[tonyidle]

i added an second long hose (along with my original hose) which, when joined together, allows me to reach pretty much most taps....and takes up minimal space....
i do have 10 ltr container and a filler for the tank for the occasions i have to stroll to a tap....but i cant be doing with an aquaroll (takes up too much space and reminds me of a caravan....) or the kit to pump water into the van (reminds me of a caravan...)....

My Aquaroll has never seen the inside of the van: it either travels in the Smartie on the trailer, or, if no trailer, on a modified towball mounted bike carrier. I do have the pump though - I simply fitted a caravan-style (water + 12v feed) water inlet next to the original.

 

[DBK]

Has the OP recovered from the enthusiasm of the responses to the original question?

 

[Dave and Ginny]

I still don't really get the need to travel with loads of water, unless your a fire engine on your way to a fire . In 5 years only once have we been stuck with no water on an aire in the middle of nowhere in Winter. We seem to have survived the ordeal .

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[EZGee]

After travelling around Europe we have learned to always travel with a full water tank plus any containers you have and always an empty toilet whenever possible as you never know if there's water or a disposal at the next stop. We never put paper in the loo ( as in Greece) and go on average 5 days before we need to find a loo point. We find places with a wonderful view for free and not a view of a toilet block or worse for 20 euros .

 

[sdc77]

I still don't really get the need to travel with loads of water, unless your a fire engine on your way to a fire . In 5 years only once have we been stuck with no water on an aire in the middle of nowhere in Winter. We seem to have survived the ordeal .

It's not a do or die need. It just means you don't have to worry if the next place has water (you'd want) or not. Or if the weathers poor you don't have to worry about filling up. It makes no difference to the vans handling and little difference to the weight so why leave it empty.
On the other hand who cares if you don't want much water. It's a choice thing

 

[Minxy]

... We never put paper in the loo ( as in Greece) and go on average 5 days before we need to find a loo point.

Wow, you've got some strong bladders there!!! Respect!!!

 

[gus-lopez]

i mentioned this level of usage on another forum and, for some caravanners, this seemed to attract disbelief, some (couples, not a large family) even citing two aquarolls a day (80 ltr approx).....four times our usage.....

from the earlier post, 20ish ltr a day is not unusual....is it?

No like @Minxy Girl , I probably use less than that & I always shower daily.

 

[mexican pete]

When traveling in the UK then half a tank of fresh water just in case it is raining when we arrive on site. (has been known on several occasions!!). In France and Spain then with a full tank.
However, when we leave home we do have 22 lts of fresh filtered water in separate containers for making the all important cups of tea. Water quality on site sometimes leaves a lot to be desired.

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[PeteH]

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.

My current issue, which I am attempting to "cure" by getting my C1 back, over 70, and upgrading to 3,850kg. Which should also reduce my "Road Tax" too!.

Pete