Has anyone added an extra water tank to RV roof

[Jonathan92028]

Hi,
everyone I’m new to this website and was hoping to get your advice.
I have a 25’ Class C four winds RV with a e450.
Because I do lots of boondocking and have issues finding water, I wanted to add a 48 gallon water tank to my roof. I realize there’s some negatives and I’m curious what you thought or have experienced. I do not tow anything, I do realize it will add an extra 400lbs to my RV and center of gravity will possibly be effected. I plan to spread the load over several roof supports .

The tank is Clear plastic allows you to see the water level easily. Tank measures 64 1/2" L x 18" W x 12" deep.

Any feedback ? , has anyone tried this.

[Jonathan92028]

Thanks for the feedback, I’m evaluating a new spot for the tank.

[VA-Apraisr]

Portsmouth Island, NC just south of Ocracoke. Yes, private ferry service (Morris Marina). Costs me $375 due to size. Only 20+ fishermen on the entire 14-miles of beach.....heaven! And, all the beautiful shells you'd ever expect to find. I brought home probably 100 and most just washed up in front of my fishing spot. Conchs, sand dollars, whelks, etc. I think they did hookup the shower for some non-potable water but certainly check before going! A full tank of fuel is definitely a must due to driving on soft sand and using generator in hot weather! I was lucky, most nights dipped into the lower 70's so just opened the windows. There are a lot of FLIES so keep windows closed with screens! If the wind dies down, they appear out of nowhere.

[pnichols]

VA-Apraisr wrote:
I went to a deserted island for 8 days (no houses/roads) and carried an extra supply of water using 1-gallon jugs of water at $.60/each at Walmart. I just put 15 in the rear storage compartment and 15 up over the front cab bedroom. Extra long filler spout and added to fresh water tank as needed. Worked like a charm and no added expense to try and rig-up a special tank system.

John ... I'm curious. It sounds like you may have went to an island in your Class C. If so ... how'd you get it there ... a causeway, a ferry, a heavy-lift helicopter, etc? 😉

We have camped on an island, but got there using a causeway and we drycamped there in a campground with some other campers there - but very few. It is one of my favorite places to camp.

[patperry2766]

There's a difference between 400 lbs on a stationary object, and 400 lbs of bouncing, sloshing and moving water on a roof going down the road. Probably not a good idea

[VA-Apraisr]

I went to a deserted island for 8 days (no houses/roads) and carried an extra supply of water using 1-gallon jugs of water at $.60/each at Walmart. I just put 15 in the rear storage compartment and 15 up over the front cab bedroom. Extra long filler spout and added to fresh water tank as needed. Worked like a charm and no added expense to try and rig-up a special tank system.

[PSW]

I actually added a 20 gallon tank on a 24 foot C with a 450 chassis years ago.

I suspended it between the chassis rails as others have described, installed a fill hose and a discharge hose and then used a small pump to transfer to my rig's regular on board water tank as needed. This was for boondocking and it worked fine.

I always filled the tank near the campsite. With that knowledge, I would say those that suggested the hitch carrier have a better idea. Install a hitch carrier, strap on an appropriate sized water tank and you would be good to go. I certainly wouldn't fill the tank until I got to the campsite area and I would probably limit the tank size to no more than 25 gallons max. I had rather be safe than sorry.

Also, when traveling and not boondocking, I would just leave the hitch and tank at home and be two feet shorter and have less to mess with.

[Grit_dog]

I think there are better solutions and weight on the roof, c of g and more holes in the roof (mounting bolts) are the downsides.
Some use water bladders. We do too when needed. Consider wakeboard boat ballast bags. You can get them in all different shapes and sizes. They all plug in easily to a 12V cig lighter pump that you can put whatever length of hose you need to transfer the water as well.
I use our old 400lb sacs. Either 1 or both depending on the need.
I can put an extra 100gal of water on the back seat floor of the truck where it’s low and contained. No setup no fabrication and it all folds up to the size of a bed roll when not needed.

[klutchdust]

Rv roofs are not designed to hold that much weight. The construction is barely enough to hold what is up there already.

Seriously, i thought this was an April fools joke.

[pnichols]

Jonathan92028 wrote:
Hi,
everyone I’m new to this website and was hoping to get your advice.
I have a 25’ Class C four winds RV with a e450.
Because I do lots of boondocking and have issues finding water, I wanted to add a 48 gallon water tank to my roof. I realize there’s some negatives and I’m curious what you thought or have experienced. I do not tow anything, I do realize it will add an extra 400lbs to my RV and center of gravity will possibly be effected. I plan to spread the load over several roof supports .

The tank is Clear plastic allows you to see the water level easily. Tank measures 64 1/2" L x 18" W x 12" deep.

Any feedback ? , has anyone tried this.

That's too much weight up there on the roof. Also, the sun will make and keep the water pretty warm.

The place to have fresh extra water capacity added is in tanks mounted down underneath the coach floor on each side between the longitudinal chassis frame members and the drive shaft.

I once read of a Class C owner who carried an extra 150 gallons of water this way. Of course with water stored this way ... during winter camping it could be exposed to freezing in extreme cold temperatures, and would need to be pumped up to where you needed it.

The above is really the right way to add fresh water capacity in large amounts. Of course, small plastic tanks can instead be tucked away and plumbed inside the coach so as to be in, or behind, or below, regular storage cabinets - as most motorhomes have some wasted space areas.

[ppine]

Too heavy and too high.

[valhalla360]

DrewE wrote:
It would affect the center of gravity some, raising it probably a couple or a few inches. Whether or not the roof structure would be safely able to carry the extra weight is a bigger concern; if it's a well-constructed RV, it ought to be able to, as it isn't enormously more than, say, a couple of air conditioners (the weight of which is less evenly distributed), but we all know that many RVs are not especially well-constructed.

If you do install it, be sure the tank is oriented lenghtwise rather than across the RV. If it's crosswise and half full, the water will slosh back and forth from side to side and could definitely cause handling issues or at least annoyances. Weight shift front to back is rather less of a problem--though still may be noticeable. Weight shift can, of course, be avoided by travelling with the tank either full or empty (as opposed to something in between).

All in all, I think a trailer mounted tank is a better idea (a "water buffalo" or something similar/smaller).

Actually it would more the equivalent of 6-8 air-conditioning units and unlike air conditioners (they weigh about 70lbs), the sloshing would multiply the impact during emergency maneuvers.

[bobndot]

I realize there’s some negatives

There is a risk installing a tank below the belly as well.
Many trailer owners have to weld crossmember supports to secure
OEM water tanks installed under TT's. Most water tanks in MH's are resting on solid interior floors.

Is this idea something that you would intend to use while driving on a highway or is it a very short state park campground kind of road you plan to drive on where you don't want to break down your site to go get more water from a spigot ?

On my first search I found a documented case. Most states now have criminal negligence laws regarding DOT and public highways.
In Georgia, A ladder flew off an improperly secured rack mechanism on a privately owned pickup truck and killed another motorist.
The DA made a criminal negligent homicide arrest. The driver was civilly and criminally responsible for 'failure to properly secure a load while operating a motor vehicle on a public highway." He had no defense, he put the ladder there and it was his truck, he was operating it. It was a felony.

[DrewE]

It would affect the center of gravity some, raising it probably a couple or a few inches. Whether or not the roof structure would be safely able to carry the extra weight is a bigger concern; if it's a well-constructed RV, it ought to be able to, as it isn't enormously more than, say, a couple of air conditioners (the weight of which is less evenly distributed), but we all know that many RVs are not especially well-constructed.

If you do install it, be sure the tank is oriented lenghtwise rather than across the RV. If it's crosswise and half full, the water will slosh back and forth from side to side and could definitely cause handling issues or at least annoyances. Weight shift front to back is rather less of a problem--though still may be noticeable. Weight shift can, of course, be avoided by travelling with the tank either full or empty (as opposed to something in between).

All in all, I think a trailer mounted tank is a better idea (a "water buffalo" or something similar/smaller).

[Dusty_R]

Because water is a liquid it does not spread it's weight equal but if there is a point that a little lower or weaker it will put more of it's weight there.