Filling fresh water tank before trip, good or bad?

[Jerry_L]

We're new to the RVing world and are planning on a trip to a National Park that has no water hookups. Traveling with 40 gals of water for 300 miles bad for 5th wheel trailer and truck. I have a 3500 HD, one ton Silverado. Thanks for your input. Jerry_L - SLC


Thanks to all those to replied. I was being told by 5th wheel owners in SLC, Ut., not to travel with the fresh water tanks filled. I always thought that was weird advise. I feel better knowing my idea of leaving home with a full water tank is not "weird".

[old_guy]

to me it all depends on where I am going to camp. some have water and some don't. there are places I know that will let you fill up with water esp if you are buying a full tank of gas from them. Most of the time I just travel with enough water to use the toilet during travels. then I just use full hook ups when I get to camp. If in the mountains then I fill up at home and I have even brought several 5 gallon jugs to tied us over the week

[larry_barnhart]

lee worsdell wrote:
I do it all the time we have a 55 gallon tank. I have heard of a tank falling out on the way to a camp site, and it was a brand new trailer.

we were in Tok Alaska in 2004 and a fifthwheel from New York had the fresh water fall out and drag the highway. It happened early on their trip and not in Alaska. He was carrying the tank in his fifthwheel. Manufacturer told him to let it go and it would be fixed later. His traveling friend thought he was goofy to keep the broken tank so guess stuff happens.

chevman

[Veebyes]

100gal capacity here. Most of the time there is at least 70gal onboard. Reservations are rarely made so we never know if the next stop will be dry camping or not.

[AZ_T_T]

Over 90% of the time we boondock so we always travel with our 92 gallon tank full. It what it was made for.

[MTPockets1]

We know our trailer weight, and. A full tank would add 600 lbs. which in turn would cause us to be over GVWR of the trailer. We travel with about 1/4 tank for flushing, hand wash, minimal needs. Only one time did we ever find a Nat'l Park with no fresh water source, and then, the camp host let us fill our tank from his hook up; so we have always found water. Additionally, any extra lbs does affect mileage whether you feel it or not.

[fly-boy]

I haul with just enough for bathroom breaks... unless we have a short drive and are dry camping.

If we are dry camping and it is over 200 miles away- I find a place close to where we are camping to fill.

Trailer holds 160 gallons of fresh water so when it is full you know it is there.

[tahoemc]

Most times we leave the house with a full tank of fresh water, as a lot of places we go to have minimal fresh water spickets, or none at all.

I can't speak to NPs, but a lot of NFS and BLM campgrounds out west have instituted water restrictions due to the ongoing drought and are asking campers not to fill their RVs with fresh water at campgrounds.

[johntank]

I start with full fresh water (110 gals.) as the late wife and I did over nights at Walmart, truck stop, or rest areas on our way to and from our destination(s).

[waltbennett]

We're well & septic, so I only fill about 1/4 (unless going somewhere w/o any hook up). That said, if the front end of the Monty is loaded, I'll fill the tank to offset it some & lessen the pin weight. I try filling it completely with city water only - less chance of stuff growing over time.

[lap527]

We always fill our FW tank up from home. We started doing that when we were in PA and the state park had no water spigots at the sites. Now we do it all the time and like some we don't hook up to water unless needed. Our coffee taste a lot better. :B

[Jaxom]

I fill my 35 gallon tank on my Truck Camper for the times when there is no city water hook ups. No issues and it helps with COG.

[korbe]

Our next campin' trip is to a park that does not have city water available. I called the park and was told they have a convenient water tank fill location. So I will travel with about a quarter tank of fresh water.

[2oldman]

Full water-8 pages- April 2014

[IAMICHABOD]

I always travel with a full tank when going to a park that has no water hookups.

Most have water available so I also carry 2 empty gallon bottles and a homemade funnel so I can refill when needed, if I can't get a hose and water thief on them, most times the water spickets are a long ways from the camp sites.

With a 30 gallon fresh water tank and 36 gal black and 34 gal grey tanks I have plenty of room.

[Sandia_Man]

Full tank here as well when we travel but we do a lot of camping without hookups so that is part of the reason. Secondly, we have found poor water quality at many campgrounds that we prefer not to ingest. Depending on the size of your FW tank it amounts to carrying an extra person or two, I guess some are very close to over-loaded if a few hundred pounds makes a difference in towing. We see no discernible difference in mpg when towing with or without full FW tanks and our towing combo is well matched so zero issues with towing performance. Heck, there are many times we don't even pull out the water hose when only camping for a few days.