I learned a good lesson this weekend. Always carry some water in your fresh-water tank. Even when you have FW hookup at the campsite. You may need it. We went camping at a KOA Campground this weekend. It was quite windy and for some reason the power went out throughout the campground early Saturday morning, probably from 6:30am till about 9:00am. Since the campground water comes from a well and needs to be pumped, there was no water available, anywhere. This meant all bathrooms were closed. Luckily, this didn't affect us because we had battery power and before we left the house I filled out fresh water tank about 1/2 way (I tend to be over-prepared), but all of those tent campers, TT, and motorhomes without any water stored (in FW tanks or jugs) were out of luck. Truthfully, I'm surprised they don't have a backup plan for this (i.e. generator). This is your random tip for Monday morning. Have a great week!

I always travel with FW full. We have had to use our bathroom several times while traveling with two small boys.

I NEVER travel with a full tank of fresh water. BUT....I DO fill it up when I arrive at a CG just for that very reason of a power failure. Makes me laugh because I usually am the only one in the CG that has water while waiting for the power to come back on! :CGreat Tip OP!

The wife and I were staying at a state park in Northern Florida last October. My wife tends to use our shower as a closet and she had a bunch of dresses hanging in the shower. I went to the bathhouse to take a shower. Had great water pressure (initially). I get all lathered up with soap and water pressure stops. No water. I wait for several minutes and still no water. I used my towel to get most of the soap off of me (had shampoo still in my hair), and head back to the trailer. I had to take all of her stuff out of the shower but since I had water in the tank, just flipped on the water pump and finished my shower in the RV. I will always have some water in the tank from now on. I can laugh about it now but is wasn't funny at the time! :)Burch

Ouch, @MetalGator, you did good having that water available. Alkali burns from being unable to wash soap off are no fun at all. You have convinced ME to fill the fresh water tank before the next camping trip, even though it is planned to visit a place with full hookups.

I Never leave home without a case of water.

Tip for the day...always carry some fresh water...

Chromag
Explorer
Jun 14, 2013
I always travel with around 1/3 tank of fresh water. My wife and/or kids always seem to have to pee when we're getting ready to pull out of a campsite after I've already disconnected everything. I also keep my TT in storage so it comes in handy to be able to wash my hands if I have to do any work on it.
69_Avion
Explorer
Jun 14, 2013
Lantley wrote:
69 Avion wrote:
Another silly question. How do you boondock if you can't come back with full gray and black tanks? I guess you have to leave your RV in the boonies. LOL
What good is a trailer that you can't use?

Avion I'm glad you asked the question so I don't have to!

I knew that other people had to be thinking the same thing. LOL

I feel for the folks that get sold a TT (RVs) that can't do what they should obviously be able to do.
Lantley
Nomad
Jun 13, 2013
69 Avion wrote:
Another silly question. How do you boondock if you can't come back with full gray and black tanks? I guess you have to leave your RV in the boonies. LOL
What good is a trailer that you can't use?

Avion I'm glad you asked the question so I don't have to!
69_Avion
Explorer
Jun 13, 2013
Another silly question. How do you boondock if you can't come back with full gray and black tanks? I guess you have to leave your RV in the boonies. LOL
The manual is correct in that the full gray and black tanks can affect your handling characteristics since they are usually toward the back. I like to see them close to the axles so the affect is minimal. If you come back with an empty water tank (in front of the axles) and full G&B tanks behind the axles, your tongue weight may be low. All you have to do is adjust some items to the front so that you have adequate tongue weight. Some trailers (Airstreams) have been known to damage the frames when the owners traveled with full tanks. What good is a trailer that you can't use?
thomasmnile
Explorer
Jun 13, 2013
Lantley wrote:
69 Avion wrote:
If I were looking for a TT and I noticed that the manufacturer stated that the trailer is not to be towed with full tanks, I wouldn't buy that trailer. How do you expect to ever boondock without water?

I agree. If Jayco has that disclaimer I won't be buying a Jayco.
I have traveled with all tanks full at times. Not being able to travel with tanks full would be a deal breaker for me.

OK, I'll take this opportunity to wipe the egg off my face and enjoy some fresh crow. Went into the owner's manual for our WhiteHawk and found this:

"Never travel with full black or grey water holding tanks. This not only wastes
your fuel but depending on the location of the tank(s), it can affect your
tow vehicle handling characteristics."

The warning was for gray and black tanks, not the FW tank. My apologies, guess the CRS is getting worse.........:S

But, I did read a post on the Jayco Owners' Forum in the last month where someone reported their FW tank fell out of the belly. I have also seen posts on this Forum with owners of various other brands of towable RV's reporting dropped FW tanks. So, it does make you wonder how substantial the support and bracing for these tanks really is.......:h
eabc5454
Explorer
Jun 13, 2013
We just moved up from a TT to a MH, but either way we always carry water, at least enough to flush, wash off faces and hands, etc.

I always thought that 1/4 tank of fresh water was adequate. However, one cold and snowy November evening (yes, we camp in the snow!), I knew the water hoses would freeze and we'd be out of luck in the morning. I got some really weird looks as I used my hose to fill my FW tank. I got more weird (envious) looks the next morning as I showered, flushed, etc. The sealed underbelly with the furnace on kept my water in the preferred, liquid format, rather than the hard, cold water in the hoses.

Also, we've been in CGs twice where someone drove over a spigot and they had to turn the water off to fix it. No, it wasn't me!

Happy camping,
Elizabeth

2014 Thor MC ACE 30.1 (The Mothership)
2013 Honda CR-V (The Pod)
KFS
Explorer
Jun 13, 2013
We tend to pull empty thinking we are saving fuel.

This is a great tip. Thanks!
dclaarjr
Explorer
Jun 13, 2013
I bought my first TT 2 years ago. First camping trip I was camped near my Dad's permanent site. I showed up with a full tank of water.

My Dad said I was crazy puling the extra weight. Later that day the well pump for the campground went out and was out until the next afternoon.

Guess who came asking for water?

I always fill my fresh water tank when getting ready for the next adventure.
Lantley
Nomad
Jun 12, 2013
69 Avion wrote:
If I were looking for a TT and I noticed that the manufacturer stated that the trailer is not to be towed with full tanks, I wouldn't buy that trailer. How do you expect to ever boondock without water?

I agree. If Jayco has that disclaimer I won't be buying a Jayco.
I have traveled with all tanks full at times. Not being able to travel with tanks full would be a deal breaker for me.
69_Avion
Explorer
Jun 12, 2013
If I were looking for a TT and I noticed that the manufacturer stated that the trailer is not to be towed with full tanks, I wouldn't buy that trailer. How do you expect to ever boondock without water?