Traveling with fresh water tank full

[Kevan Gibbings]

We have a Compass 185 which has a 100L fresh water tank. The advice in the manual is to travel with it empty (or near empty) which we do, althogh we do want to do some wild camping up in Scotland later this year.

Has anyone got any experience of Compass/Elddis motorhomes and traveling with the water tanks full/partially full?

I understand about the weight issue 100L = 100KG but the calculations I have done we should be within the weight limit. But I am worried about the strength of the tank/brackets.

Are they specified for traveling full?

Thanks in advance

 

[DuxDeluxe]

This is what Compass/Hymer have to say on the subject of travelling with the tanks full

"The tank and brackets are designed to hold a full tank of water whilst the vehicle is static.

The components have not been dynamically tested with the water tanks full, Therefore we strongly advise to comply with the information as stated in the hand book and travel with empty tanks."

Just thought people might be interested.

Remind me not to buy either compass or Hymer, if they are that well put together.
My fresh tank is effectively boxed in and also lucky enough to have a tonne of payload even with full tanks so not an issue here. I appreciate what gpat said about 3500kg vans.

I would love to see evidence apart from pub talk concerning the difference in braking distance 80kg makes on even a 3500kg van.

 

[Skez]

I would love to see evidence apart from pub talk concerning the difference in braking distance 80kg makes on even a 3500kg van.

I'd be interested to see the difference in fuel consumption with an additional 110kg load within 4250kg - if anyone can calculate it. I wouldn't know where to start!

 

[DuxDeluxe]

I'd be interested to see the difference in fuel consumption with an additional 110kg load within 4250kg - if anyone can calculate it. I wouldn't know where to start!

My thoughts exactly. Would love to see the science behind it all, but if scrimping makes people happy then that is fine. For me, life is far to short to worry about the possible extra 0.1mpg the difference makes and run everything on nearly empty tanks to save money. It costs whatever it costs and that is the price to pay for actually enjoying motorhoming as it should be.

 

[gpat]

I'd be interested to see the difference in fuel consumption with an additional 110kg load within 4250kg - if anyone can calculate it. I wouldn't know where to start!

The 4250kg is irrelevant in the calculation. The energy required to transport 110kg is the same whether your vehicle is 1 tonne or 20 tonnes. Just a thought.

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[Lenny HB]

The 4250kg is irrelevant in the calculation. The energy required to transport 110kg is the same whether your vehicle is 1 tonne or 20 tonnes. Just a thought.

Does it really matter, spend a 100k on a Motorhome are you really going to worry if a trip in it costs a few pence more.

 

[Jim]

The energy required to transport 110kg is the same whether your vehicle is 1 tonne or 20 tonnes. Just a thought.

It's just maths I suppose, but they were never a strong point. Any idea how to work out what it has cost me per mile running full of water for 35 years, so I know what I've paid for the convenience?

 

[eddie]

I guess the difference is that those of us that use the philosophy that if it’s meant to be full, fill it and if it’s meant to be empty, empty it, and the people that say it’s not fuel efficient is that they latter has yet to be en route and a ferry delay, snowstorm, gridlock, French farmers strike, blowout et al

Our epiphany happened early on in our families motorhoming passion, with us arriving at Roscoff, in a ’just made it manner’ Lyn me and three little boys, AshVanBitz Simon-Alan Kerr & James Andrew James Motorhomes (Nick wasn’t born then) the loo was full, the gas was on fumes, the grey water full, the fresh water empty, as was the fridge and the cupboards !

But it didn’t matter, there at four o’clock check in, let the boys run around and look at the docks (you could then as the suicide bombers hadn’t realised that life was better in the afterlife with their allocated virgins in those days) buy them ice cream, board the ferry which departs at five o’clock, dinner on the ferry, arrive at Plymouth, get three sleepy little boys in bed and drive the hour or so home to Brixham!

Loving this Motorhome lifestyle with kids!

Approaching the terminal lanes there certainly was a lot of cars, and big electronic signs, in French scrolling away

”Attention, the carpet is brown in Spring, but can be demanded” I read out to Lyn who’d gone back to sort out a squabble (Ashley had stuck a small toy plane up Simons nose from memory)

”What?” Asked Lyn, so I pointed at the sign and read it again with my best schoolboy French

”Attention, the cow is brown, and your mother smelt of elderflowers“ “Oh it’s changed I said

”Idiot” Lyn said, and as she gave a shit at school read out “The ferry has technical difficulties and this evenings sailing is cancelled till tomorrow morning” (which is close I’m sure, to what I’d translated, however

A Sunday evening in Northern France is bad enough now, but thirty years ago, a ghost town, and had everything that should be full, full, and everything that should be empty, empty it wouldn’t have mattered one jot, just a lovely evening parked alongside a beach somewhere, instead of a memory of a different, more difficult night filled with ‘I wished we’d done xyx’

 

[gpat]

It's just maths I suppose, but they were never a strong point. Any idea how to work out what it has cost me per mile running full of water for 35 years, so I know what I've paid for the convenience?

HaHa

I'm on to it. Give me your routes

Its probably a few quid here or there

 

[gpat]

Does it really matter, spend a 100k on a Motorhome are you really going to worry if a trip in it costs a few pence more.

HaHa

I didn't say it did. Like Jim says its just maths

The point was doesn't matter how big or heavy our motorhomes are, the energy required to cart around 100kgs of water up hills is the same.

Google tells me the power required to lift 100kgs by 100 meters is 980W. So whatever anyone says, its not nothing

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[gpat]

My thoughts exactly. Would love to see the science behind it all, but if scrimping makes people happy then that is fine. For me, life is far to short to worry about the possible extra 0.1mpg the difference makes and run everything on nearly empty tanks to save money. It costs whatever it costs and that is the price to pay for actually enjoying motorhoming as it should be.

I'm not worrying about it.

Its just a bit of fun.

 

[gpat]

I reckon, by my calculations that to carry a tank of 100kg up Alp d'Huez (1000m net climb in 30mins) will cost about 24p extra at todays prices.

If you journey was equivalent to 100 Alp D'duezes it adds up.

As has been stated if you have a £100K motorhome its nowt

So Jim I reckon its cost you a few hundered quid or so over the 35 years depending whether you travel in the mountains or not/

 

[DuxDeluxe]

I reckon, by my calculations that to carry a tank of 100kg up Alp d'Huez (1000m net climb in 30mins) will cost about 24p extra at todays prices.

If you journey was equivalent to 100 Alp D'duezes it adds up.

As has been stated if you have a £100K motorhome its nowt

So Jim I reckon its cost you a few hundered quid or so over the 35 years depending whether you travel in the mountains or not/

Note to myself:

Must not climb Alpe D'huez with full tanks
Must not climb Alpe D'huez with full tanks
Must not climb Alpe D'huez with full tanks
Must not climb Alpe D'huez with full tanks


Seriously..... interesting information and thanks for taking the effort

 

[WESTY66]

I guess the difference is that those of us that use the philosophy that if it’s meant to be full, fill it and if it’s meant to be empty, empty it, and the people that say it’s not fuel efficient is that they latter has yet to be en route and a ferry delay, snowstorm, gridlock, French farmers strike, blowout et al

Our epiphany happened early on in our families motorhoming passion, with us arriving at Roscoff, in a ’just made it manner’ Lyn me and three little boys, AshVanBitz Simon-Alan Kerr & James Andrew James Motorhomes (Nick wasn’t born then) the loo was full, the gas was on fumes, the grey water full, the fresh water empty, as was the fridge and the cupboards !

But it didn’t matter, there at four o’clock check in, let the boys run around and look at the docks (you could then as the suicide bombers hadn’t realised that life was better in the afterlife with their allocated virgins in those days) buy them ice cream, board the ferry which departs at five o’clock, dinner on the ferry, arrive at Plymouth, get three sleepy little boys in bed and drive the hour or so home to Brixham!

Loving this Motorhome lifestyle with kids!

Approaching the terminal lanes there certainly was a lot of cars, and big electronic signs, in French scrolling away

”Attention, the carpet is brown in Spring, but can be demanded” I read out to Lyn who’d gone back to sort out a squabble (Ashley had stuck a small toy plane up Simons nose from memory)

”What?” Asked Lyn, so I pointed at the sign and read it again with my best schoolboy French

”Attention, the cow is brown, and your mother smelt of elderflowers“ “Oh it’s changed I said

”Idiot” Lyn said, and as she gave a shit at school read out “The ferry has technical difficulties and this evenings sailing is cancelled till tomorrow morning” (which is close I’m sure, to what I’d translated, however

A Sunday evening in Northern France is bad enough now, but thirty years ago, a ghost town, and had everything that should be full, full, and everything that should be empty, empty it wouldn’t have mattered one jot, just a lovely evening parked alongside a beach somewhere, instead of a memory of a different, more difficult night filled with ‘I wished we’d done xyx’

Incidentally Eddie, what are the capacities on your RV and being probably large do they make a difference to your mpg (I know you don’t really care about mpg but what do you get out of that bus)?

 

[eddie]

Incidentally Eddie, what are the capacities on your RV and being probably large do they make a difference to your mpg (I know you don’t really care about mpg but what do you get out of that bus)?

With our current camper we get about 10 mpg what ever we do, tow a 27' RIB a car on an A Frame, travel with the tanks full or not (and yes they are big) whether the beer locker is full or not, and of course the fuel, 280l of petrol and 230l of LPG gives us an enormous range

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[JJ]

I worked out many years ago that my mpg would improve if I left my wife and kids behind...

JJ

 

[gpat]

With our current camper we get about 10 mpg what ever we do, tow a 27' RIB a car on an A Frame, travel with the tanks full or not (and yes they are big) whether the beer locker is full or not, and of course the fuel, 280l of petrol and 230l of LPG gives us an enormous range

Well done. You have defied all the laws of physics and indeed invented a sort of perpetual motion.

I'm sorry but I am absolutely sure you are not right and need to check the accuracy of your mpg calculations

Like I have said before. It will use more fuel. You just haven't noticed because its not a lot.

 

[eddie]

Well done. You have defied all the laws of physics and indeed invented a sort of perpetual motion.

I'm sorry but I am absolutely sure you are not right and need to check the accuracy of your mpg calculations

Like I have said before. It will use more fuel. You just haven't noticed because its not a lot.

Nope, its just with my V10 engine I can cruise all day at 80mph down the motorway and when we have the boat on we stick to 70 mph being safety conscious and all that

Our previous camper and James's camper in front

 

[gpat]

Nope, its just with my V10 engine I can cruise all day at 80mph down the motorway and when we have the boat on we stick to 70 mph being safety conscious and all that View attachment 651522
Our previous camper and James's camper in front

Its an impressive rig

The difference here is that in %terms the difference is tiny. That's why you don't notice.

Its there though. Same as someone with one of these

 

[eddie]

Its an impressive rig

The difference here is that in %terms the difference is tiny. That's why you don't notice.

Its there though. Same as someone with one of these

View attachment 651531

All joking aside, it obviously makes some difference, but as you say the percentages are low. The Sun Voyager above was plated at 11,000kg from memory so a couple of hundred Kgs didn't register

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[peterc10]

I reckon, by my calculations that to carry a tank of 100kg up Alp d'Huez (1000m net climb in 30mins) will cost about 24p extra at todays prices.

Ahh but how much energy did you save going down on the other side.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

Ahh but how much energy did you save going down on the other side.

.....but you have to factor in the extra brake wear if you are going to stop perpetually climbing and actually do something sensible like descend the other side

 

[gpat]

Ahh but how much energy did you save going down on the other side.

None. You don't get energy back unless you have a Hybrid

 

[Minxy]

It's just maths I suppose, but they were never a strong point. Any idea how to work out what it has cost me per mile running full of water for 35 years, so I know what I've paid for the convenience?

As in toilet?

 

[Rumour and Innuendo]

None. You don't get energy back unless you have a Hybrid

Maybe not, but you do get a lower average of energy used.