Question about freshwater tank use

[SUMRX4]

I have had two TT previously. Between the two about 8 seasons of camping. I have never put a drop of water into a freshwater tank nor have I ever needed to. I have occasionally thought about if I needed to sanitize it or just leave it be. Well I just purchased a new unit and in an effort to prevent any issues I wanted to hear what others do. Do you keep a few gallons of sanitizing solution in it so it stays clean or what? I had a camping neighbor tell me once that he filled his up every time he set up camp just incase the campground lost water.

[Grit_dog]

way2roll wrote:
OP said they don't use their FW tank and asked if should they sanitize it. Turned into 3 pages of opinions on why they should use their FW tank.

To the OP, no. If you've never used it, no need to sanitize it. If you do eventually use it, most public water sources contain enough chlorine or chloramine to take care of anything that would be harmful.

Great advice!

[Lynnmor]

I want no part of a fresh water system to be a potential source of disease, so my suggestion is to sanitize whether you use it or not. Also, after seeing and reading how other campers handle their equipment, you might want to rethink going to campground potluck dinners.

[way2roll]

OP said they don't use their FW tank and asked if should they sanitize it. Turned into 3 pages of opinions on why they should use their FW tank.

To the OP, no. If you've never used it, no need to sanitize it. If you do eventually use it, most public water sources contain enough chlorine or chloramine to take care of anything that would be harmful.

[down_home]

Many times we stopped where there was no water. And on the road we stopped to use the facilities, plus the ice maker is running.
Some campgrounds the water pressure is low, so we use out of the tank and refill later. if we just over nighting, or in bad weather we may not connect the water or power, use the batteries and or the generator and onboard water. Towed broke down in Ark on I40, parked at welcome center and used on board water and generator for ac it was hot.
Many campgrounds as stated before have bad water sediment, sulfur iron etc. Clogged many filters, so may not connect up at all.
Michigan campgrounds use well water and lots of sediment/mud when a lot of campers or not. The really good filter clog up first that is their job so we may not connect up.
our tank was kept pristine and we drank from the tank and cooked with it and showered with it and washed clothes from the tank water.
The 800 lbs or so of 100 gallons of water will help to smooth the ride too. Always kept the tank full when we could ,except trip to storage, or if headed o=t in a week or too again left the tank full plus drinking water chlorine.
So we kept water i the tank for whatever we encountered or decided not to use campground water or when there was no water. Our well filtered water was usually far superior to the tap.

[rk911]

Lantley wrote:

Michelle.S wrote:
All I can say is: If you don't put water in the Fresh Water Tank, you won't be camping at some of the Beautiful State Park CGs that we visit, as may State Parks in numerous Cities don't have Full Hook-ups.

That sort of my point. But if your happy with what your doing and FHU is what you seek. There is nothing wrong with that.
The main reason to use your tank is that all parks do not have running water at the site.
There are lots of fantastic sites with no running water.

early in our RV adventures we ran across one park with a tainted water connection (e-coli). that taught us to always travel with a full or nearly full fresh water tank cuz ya just never know.

[rk911]

Timmo! wrote:
If "camping" involves parking one's rig on asphalt with full services (including wifi), then "why should I use the fresh water tank" is a valid question...

these days were mostly FHU RV park RVers. We usually will shut off the water connection at the post when we leave the rig to avoid potential flooding issues. but a lot of the time I'll fill the fresh tank and we'll live off that rather than the city water connection. easier to turn the pump on/off inside than outside.

[wa8yxm]

Before you first use it do a sanitization run Instructions all over the place so I won't type 'em out here.

For rather complex reasons I started filling the on board in my RV and then using it. Often I'd disconnect from the park.... Originally it had to do with over chlorination by the city. But then I found that I only used about 1 tank every 4 weeks and I changed parks every 1-2 weeks so I only hooked up half as often (NICE)

Also if I had to do an "overnight" in a parking lot or "Dry" site.. no problem.

And when the weather hit 11 degrees and the park froze and I mean FROZE!!!Q

No problem.

[Lantley]

Michelle.S wrote:
All I can say is: If you don't put water in the Fresh Water Tank, you won't be camping at some of the Beautiful State Park CGs that we visit, as may State Parks in numerous Cities don't have Full Hook-ups.

That sort of my point. But if your happy with what your doing and FHU is what you seek. There is nothing wrong with that.
The main reason to use your tank is that all parks do not have running water at the site.
There are lots of fantastic sites with no running water.

[Michelle_S]

All I can say is: If you don't put water in the Fresh Water Tank, you won't be camping at some of the Beautiful State Park CGs that we visit, as may State Parks in numerous Cities don't have Full Hook-ups.

[dedmiston]

SAR Tracker wrote:
We also use ours for a "bug out trailer" since we live in a high fire danger area. Full water, fuel, batteries on charge, everything ready to go if we have to evac. Once fire season is over, I'll drain for the winter, and move freezable stuff into the house.

Same here. If fires or earthquakes kill our home services, we'll turn to the RV as our Plan B. The fresh water is filled and the batteries are charging with solar.

[toedtoes]

Timmo! wrote:


To each is own, I listen to jazz (Artie Shaw), you may listen to Kenny G. Who is wrong? (nobody).

Obviously the one listening to Kenny G.

[CharlesinGA]

valhalla360 wrote:
As mentioned, if you never plan to use it...who cares.

That said, we use the tank and pump even on full hookup. Had an experience on our boat many years ago, heard a slight hissing sound late at night. Searched it out and found the city water had sprung a pinhole leak. If it hadn't been dead silent, it would have continued for hours or days without us noticing.

Running off the water tank with the pump, if there is a small leak, we will hear the pump kick over periodically alerting us that there is an issue. The RV may not sink but the floors can certainly rot out.

Boats sink when they fill up with water, rv's just get totaled.

Co-worker took his neice/nephew (don't remember the exact details of who they were) with him camping. they used the shower while on city water, shut off the water at the shower head, which leaves it dribbling by design to keep hot water flowing, and to alert you the faucets are on. Well, he failed to follow after them and check that all was properly turned off, and they went to bed only to wake up to an RV standing in water inside. The gray tank had overfilled and the shower pan filled up and overflowed. insurance totaled the trailer.

I do not hook up to city water, I fill the tank and use the pump, and turn the pump off when not using it. I turn the water heater off when not using it, also.

I too listen for the pump cycling when it should not, and that is the clue I should go investigating for a leak or a leaking check valve in the pump.

Charles

[Timmo_]

If "camping" involves parking one's rig on asphalt with full services (including wifi), then "why should I use the fresh water tank" is a valid question.

If "camping" involves parking one's rig far away from a water source, then....

My Nash's water tank is under the gaucho bed located at the very front of the TT, and when I run empty, the tongue weight falls below 15%, but increases to around 15% when tank is full.

To each is own, I listen to jazz (Artie Shaw), you may listen to Kenny G. Who is wrong? (nobody).

[RRinNFla]

All of the reasons above, plus if we need to use the “rest” room and there are no facilities we can use our own. I don’t like to fill it before leaving since 40 gallons of fresh water weighs almost 300 lbs. Most campgrounds without water have a fresh water fill station unless they have been shut down for winter.

I also try to find out in advance if the campsite includes water hookup.

[RoyF]

I like to use water from the fresh tank and top it up as needed, which is usually about every third day. That means that water in the fresh tank is always quite fresh.

If the RV has been sitting in storage for a few weeks, then at the first campsite I drain the fresh tank (hooking to camp water while it drains) and refill it. (This assumes that the first campsite is in an area where there is an ample supply of water.)