Is it crazy to leave water in your tanks in storage?

[StephJohn2010]

I am storing in Las Vegas so the coldest it gets at night are in the low to mid 20s for just hours at a time. I feel like it would be better for the rubber seals (keeping them moist) if I fill the grey and black tanks 1/2 full of water for storage. Do you think this is a good idea or not?

[rv2go]

wa8yxm wrote:
In some areas keeping the FRESH tank full is recommended.. Change the water from time to time and use a bit of heat if needed.

WHY: Well can you count on your default water supply?

The OP stated that the RV would be in storage.

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

wa8yxm wrote:
In some areas keeping the FRESH tank full is recommended.. Change the water from time to time and use a bit of heat if needed.

WHY: Well can you count on your default water supply?

But chances are that the fresh tank still has a skinny little drain tube that extends underneath the RV, that will freeze in the blink of an eye....

[Deb_and_Ed_M]

ScottG wrote:
Keep in mind that if you leave enough water in the tank to fill the shot section of pipe going to the drain, it will freeze and bust the pipe.

Agreed!!! The ability of ice to destroy things is amazing. And it forms rather fast with temps in the 20s....

[Dennis12]

Call and get a price to repair what may or could go wrong. Then you make up your own mind from that point.

[wa8yxm]

In some areas keeping the FRESH tank full is recommended.. Change the water from time to time and use a bit of heat if needed.

WHY: Well can you count on your default water supply?

[valhalla360]

This is a great plan...if you want to learn how to do plumbing repairs.

[Grit_dog]

Crazy? No.
Silly and/or unnecessary? Yes.

[DrewE]

There's no need for the gasket material to be kept moist with water. If you think about it, the seals on the output side of the valve (which are the same material as on the input side) are dry practically all the time, or at least should be. The whole point of the gasket, be it rubber or silicone or whatever material they use, is to be impervious to water as it seals.

[ScottG]

Keep in mind that if you leave enough water in the tank to fill the shot section of pipe going to the drain, it will freeze and bust the pipe.

[SidecarFlip]

rv2go wrote:
When I gamble in Vegas, I lose. :B
Why gamble on the weather, drain the tanks and winterize.

If people didn't loose, there would not be those big fancy casino's. They plan on you loosing. keeps them in business.

[rv2go]

When I gamble in Vegas, I lose. :B
Why gamble on the weather, drain the tanks and winterize.

[gbopp]

You're storing your rig in Las Vegas. Gambling with the weather is your choice.
Personally, I would drain the tanks and use RV Antifreeze as recommended above.
Then you know the tanks won't freeze in the event of colder than normal weather.

[ScottG]

Water wont keep the seals pliable. They will be fine without anything in the tank.

[turbojimmy]

1/2 full probably won't hurt anything, but also unnecessary. The seals you're concerned about are at the very bottom of the tanks. I just pour enough antifreeze into the tanks to know some got down to the drain valves. I dump some in the toilet to keep that seal wet, and a bit into the drains.