Traveling with a full water tank

[FDchief]

Thanks FDChief, I did try to message you (to thank you) but it looks like that is not a option. Maybe your mailbox is full?

Gene, thanks for the heads up on the PM. I think I have resolved it.

 

[guymon.hall]

too many interesting points to quote, so i'll chime in my list of thoughts:

-when i travel with a full tank, i fill up the tank until the overflow starts dripping. that's an 86 gal tank, but i always end up losing about 1/3 of it during the drive. guess it's just sloshing around and dripping out through the overflow. this has been confirmed during one of the short trips where my wife was following me.

-someone was wondering about feeling sloshing. yes, i can feel it. barely perceptible, but it's there. normally when i slow to a stop or accelerate from a stop. makes sense what with that whole law of inertia thing...

-gas mileage: i haven't taken a long enough trip with water in the tank to notice. every time i've travelled with a full tank it's only been about a 45 min trip.

-someone asked about 95 gals. guessing the '03 33V is the same as mine ('07); mine is an 86 gal tank and 10 gal hot water heater, so 96 gals.

-overall, unless i'm going just up the road, i'll wait and fill up when i get to where i'm going. mostly because if i'm going on an extended trip, i don't want all that water i filled up with sloshing through the overflow and then i've got less water than i planned for.

-some have mentioned travelling with half or less in their tanks. i would be interested to see if they experience the overflow loss that i have with a full tank. has anyone noticed a difference?

 

[brooking]

The only times that I travel with a completely full tank of water is when tailgating with no hookups. Other than that I'm usually about 1/3 to 1/2 full.

 

[John From Detroit]

In my case it depends on the trip.. If I'm leving SC headed fro MI or the other way around I fill the tank because i'll be the better part of a week between water spigots.

On the other hand if I'm headed from St. Clair to Davison or the other way around, or campground to campground in SC.. around 1/3 or less. Because it takes us several hours to go a few miles (Due to stopping at Wal-Mart, Aldi, And other stores and church on-route) and I might need to.. You know. Use a bit of water (For example I just made a cup of coffee, Cinnamon coffee, very good.. The company that made the flavor syrup used genuine sugar not that corn stuff. )

 

[Duner-WO]

..... when i travel with a full tank, i fill up the tank until the overflow starts dripping....... but i always end up losing about 1/3 of it during the drive.

If you want to keep a full tank of water.....

On my last two motorhomes, I've installed a shower shut off valve in the overflow tube. The only time I leave it it in off position is when I want to arrive with 100% full tank for dry camping, like 7 days at the sand dunes.

A word of caution: You don't want to have the overflow shut off when filling an empty tank.....the pressure will build up and could expand the tank to the breaking point....or push the tank compartment apart.

By using a shower valve which is designed not to turn of completely, it allows air to pass thru. So if you forget to open the valve when filling you will hear the air hissing out the overflow and remind you to open the valve.

Works for me for the past 11 years.

Bill

 

[Bug512]

I just installed a valve (SharkBite) on our overflow. Once at our location I open the valve. We also have a gravity fill on ours.

 

[plbrooke]

What does RO mean? I am new to this. I have a good filtering system for water, but do like to travel with about 1/2 tank for emergency.

 

[RickO-WO]

What does RO mean? I am new to this. I have a good filtering system for water, but do like to travel with about 1/2 tank for emergency.

I believe it refers to reverse osmosis systems which are probably the most sophisticated systems going. I don't fully understand how they operate but I want one!

Rick

 

[DRBARBER001]

h20

We always roll with it full & we always well,

 

[JMonroe-WO]

I've changed my practice over time. The weight of any water I'd carry on-board was far more significant with the smaller rigs we owned over the years. I'd try to 'guesstimate' what we might use while in the travel phase of the trip and carry that, and no more, to save weight. With our current rig the 800lbs is such a small percentage of our overall weight I'll leave home with a full tank. We'll have plenty for our stops and have the option of taking a site without water and not have to find a way to take some on-board at the destination.

 

[stik]

I start EVERY trip with full tanks of everything (well not black/grey tanks).
One of the advantages of a motor home is having EVERYTHING with you.
Round numbers, the weight per gallon of water is 8.3, diesel is 7, gas is 6, and propane is 4. Would you go someplace and start out worrying about how much diesel/gas is onboard or how much propane? Do you worry about dragging a 3-4000 lb toad?
In my case, I don't have money to burn, but on the other side of the coin, if I was going to worry about mileage, I shouldn't have purchased a 30,000 lb motor home in the first place.
To me, it's all about comfort and peace of mind. I am a full-timer and I ALWAYS keep fill fresh water tank full (when ever there is municipal water available), whether I am getting ready to travel or parked for a month or two. Some of my "neighbors" make fun of me, until the RV park loses water . . . I still shower and flush while they mumble.

So it boils down to what you are doing, what comfort levels you want, and what contingencies you want to contend with.

The important factor is IF you are approaching max gross weight, then you should evaluate everything you carry. Otherwise, fill your fresh water tank, fuel tank, and propane tank and go have fun!

Just my opinion and experience, which I am sure some will disagree with.

Stik

 

[Wanabee FTer]

What does RO mean? I am new to this. I have a good filtering system for water, but do like to travel with about 1/2 tank for emergency.

Reverse Osmosis is the process most water treatment facilities use to purify drinking water, ie hospitals, drinking water stores etc. Typically tap water is filtered through a series of canister type filters then the final process uses a fine membrane to filter the remaining impurities out of the water. The RO membrane has to be constantly back flushed for the process to work. This means there is a significant amount of waste water produced.
Here in lies the problem with using an RO system with an RV. What to do with the waste water generated from the filtering process.