Class C and water

[sltrawick]

We are taking a trip from Florida to Colorado this summer. We plan on stopping at truck stops to spend the night. My question is, do you fill your fresh water tank up or just bring jugs of water? We are towing a Jeep behind us and we are watching the weight.
We usually bring jugs of water. Have never filled up the fresh water tank, so it’s never been used.

[bukhrn]

True, there is absolutely NO reason NOT to use your Fresh water tank, and if you sanitize it regularly, there's not reason Not to drink from it, (depending on the source you get the water from).

[sltrawick]

Thank you, thank you to all who replied. I will be using my water tank. Your absolutely right. Why have it if you are not going to use it.

[maillemaker]

There's probably no reason not to fill your tanks when you hit the road. Your RV shouldn't be overloaded, but this is something you should check. With a full tank of gas and water and propane, and all your normal camping gear, stop a truck stop and use their scales. You will get front and rear axle load numbers. Did ours and we are not even close to rated weight, but we have a 29-year-old RV probably made before the advent of slide-outs.

My dad one time got stuck on the road when his RV broke down, and he had not put any water in his tanks. State Patrol dropped off some water for them.

We do not drink from our fresh water tanks. We carry bottled water for drinking and cooking. The fresh water tank is for the toilet and shower and teeth brushing.

So, you don't have to use your fresh water tank, but you paid for it and it's a nice amenity so why not?

[Elk_traveler]

sltrawick wrote:
We are taking a trip from Florida to Colorado this summer. We plan on stopping at truck stops to spend the night. My question is, do you fill your fresh water tank up or just bring jugs of water? We are towing a Jeep behind us and we are watching the weight.
We usually bring jugs of water. Have never filled up the fresh water tank, so it’s never been used.

Don't know if you have ever encountered it but sometimes difficult to spend the night in truck stop because so many especially like Flying J have sites that truckers pre-registered. In addition many require back in and if you towing that may be a little difficult to do if you're driving a motorhome either dolly or flat tow. Just a comment.

[AJR]

Always travel with a full tank of fresh water used for everything.

I bought it for that. I just do not get all this other stuff.

[klutchdust]

I often travel solo during the race season and I use truck stops,rest areas and Walmart to get some sleep and then move on. If dear wife is my passenger we stay in campgrounds and relax.

I keep my water tank full. How much gas it would save if empty? can barely be measured. I kept track of each tank of fuel for the last 35K miles. Towing the Jeep, 18 foot trailer, empty tanks, full tanks, my 30 ft Cambria averaged 8.5 MPG. Towing my Jeep to Las Vegas,250 miles vs not towing my Jeep and the mileage was the same. Seriously doubt that an empty tank of water would save much, hitting passing gear a few times would eat up what you saved.
I fill 'er up and go, when it needs more I stop and fill "er up again. If my intention was to pinch pennies I would have never bought a motorhome.
The first time i sanitized my tanks also happened to be the time i had an allergic reaction to bug bites that I put "deet" on after I scratched open the skin. Thinking I should shower ,the bleach in the water was enough to swell my arms up like Hulk Hogans.
a 2 hour ride home to urgent care was the most painful time.
Why I am telling you this, I don't know.

[Community Alumni]

Commercial airliners don't always take off with a full tank of fuel. It is more efficient when the loading and destination is known. It is safer too. Like a lot of other RVers, if I know my next destination, I will only carry enough water plus a little bit more for the trip. Any possible unknown factors dictate a full tank. It pays to look ahead too. Once I discovered that the next stop two hours away had the water shut off for the winter season. Sometimes it's best to show up with a full tank and then some containers would help as well.

[twodownzero]

I would never leave home without a full tank of water.

[Jayco-noslide]

Our tank full weighs about 300 lbs. more than no water. That's a lot if you are already at your very max. tow limit but only about the weight of 1 modern person.

[Matt_Colie]

If all you ever do is go from FHU site to FHU site in good weather and well known roads then traveling without water onboard is not that bad.

That is not what we do. At departure, the potable is full, the black is empty and we will be a full fuel before the end of the first hundred miles.

Between October and April, we will always be provisioned for three days. We have often been held up for a day for weather in the off season. On one memorable occasion, that became two days. So, we sat in the parking lot in the nice warm coach and watch other people struggle to get somewhere.

We have often been held up for weather or road issues and the places we go often only barely have GPS coverage. If we could not run completely self-contained, it would be a sincere cramp for our style of traveling.

Matt

[pnichols]

We consider all RV trips as somewhat of a "mini-expedition", and as such leave home with all tanks full that should be full and all tanks empty that should be empty.

We never know what situations can occur out on the open road and often don't know where we might be camping day by day. We leave home in our Class C with: 45 gallons of fresh water, 60 lbs. of propane (15 gallons in an 18 gallon tank), 55 gallons of main engine gas, extra gas for a portable generator, extra propane for a portable firepit, an empty 29 gallon grey tank, and an empty 39 gallon black tank. Plus we usually start out with at least 48 bottles of drinking water. We of course sometimes travel between campsites with all tanks full that should be full and all tanks that should be empty not empty (partially full but not yet emptied.). All of this is in addition to a whole of bunch of gear in internal and external storage areas.

However we did anticipate this RV'ing style when we bought our Class C. It's a small 24 footer, but built on the optional-at-the-time E450 chassis. We probably have at least 1500 lbs. of additional load carrying capacity when we leave home. I've not noticed any negative affects in handling of the RV whenever it's loaded like we do - but still well below it's design maximum. In fact, it rides better with this much weight loaded on it.

The freedom that a high margin of weight carrying capacity gives is what comes from what I call having a motorhome built with "chassis overkill".

[sltrawick]

Thanks for replying. A lot of good information. I appreciate it.

We do use the toilet and sinks, etc. we just use jug water for it. We don’t carry that much with us when we do. But we are reconsidering that now from all your suggestions.
Also, We don’t always stay in truck stops, sometimes Cracker Barrel, etc. ????

Again, thanks everyone !

[4x4van]

sltrawick wrote:
Have never filled up the fresh water tank, so it’s never been used.

So you've never used the toilet in your RV? Never used the sink to wash dishes? Wash your hands/face?

I've never quite understood buying an RV and not using half of it.

[ksg5000]

Some class C's have weight issues when towing - if your rig is one of them then I would carry less water. Just remember to choose camping sites where water is available.