33gal freshwater, about how long will it last?

[danimal53]

As we prep for our first trip (just a weekend, we're beginners), can anyone give an estimate for how long 33gal will last? wife and I, and 2 dogs. 2days? 3days? obviously depends on how much we use, but a rough estimate would be appreciated

[Nvr2loud]

TomG2 wrote:

Nvr2loud wrote:
......snip..........

We use the camp showers and wash dishes with the campground water spigots as supply water then dump after dishes are done.

Some parks do not allow washing dishes at the hydrants. Too many rinse off garbage which smells and attracts insects.

I don't wash the dishes at the hydrants... I fill up portable water containers and carry them back to my campsite LOL.

[Dirtclods]

downtheroad wrote:
Absolutely no way to answer this question.
Showers use the most water...stand in the shower and rinse shampoo and conditioner out of long hair...well you get the picture.

I don't think he wants to picture that!

[danimal53]

i was planning on getting an in-line water filter that attaches to the hose to filter the water before it goes into the tank, just for taste. i would assume a properly flushed/maintained system would be perfectly safe. thanks again for the info, these forums have been really helpful so far, can't wait for our first trip!

[rbpru]

Our dog is very sensitive to his water supply; that is why he passes up the fresh water in the dog water bowl and goes out back to drink the scummy pond water.

It seems a two day old mud puddle is when it is at its finest. Doggy Aqua Vitae.

We drink, cook and wash with our fresh water tank supply, which we drain and refill before each trip.

And yes, when watering the garden, I still drink from the hose. Come on folks, be reasonable.

[schlep1967]

beemerphile1 wrote:
The paranoia about water purity runs rampant. The RV water system is perfectly fine and safe to use for drinking if correctly maintained.

I agree completely. The problem is that many are not maintained correctly.
And any time you introduce water from any source you are taking the chance of contaminating the system. I know here in PA many campground owners hands are tied by DEP. The costs associated with permits and installing a new sewage tank are prohibitive to the small parks. So they rely on the old systems installed many years ago. Eventually the systems leak and the possibility of contaminated drinking water increases.

So unless you are running all water going into you RV through a UV light system you stand a chance of contaminating your RV system.

I just find it easier and take comfort in knowing what we are drinking by bringing along a few gallons of drinking water.

[colliehauler]

At my seasonal site the water is fine but has a lot minerals. The minerals make the water cloudy for brew tea and coffee. I buy ice and water for that reason or I bring several jugs of R.O. water from home. I might put a R.O. system in the RV in the seasonal site where water use is not a concern.

As BEEMERPHILE 1 stated the rv water system is fine if properly maintained. A person could use a purifying pitcher as well for taste.

[beemerphile1]

The paranoia about water purity runs rampant. The RV water system is perfectly fine and safe to use for drinking if correctly maintained.

[SoundGuy]

schlep1967 wrote:
I know my body is used to any bacteria that may be in my home supply.

We use campground water to fill the trailer's fresh water tank wherever we may be but any water we intend to ingest (coffee, soup, etc) we bring from home. Regardless that campground water supplies may be "safe" it often still tastes "different" from what we're used to ... and if we run out we can always buy more at a local grocery store. Any dog owner also knows that pets are particularly sensitive to changes in diet, whether food or water, so we always bring water from home that he's used to.

[schlep1967]

danimal53 wrote:

regarding drinking water, a lot of people seem to mention bringing separate bottles/jugs for drinking/cooking/coffee. Is there a reason other than conserving the tank water? Does it taste bad out of the tap or something?

The biggest reason we bring water is the concern for bacteria/mold growth in the storage tank and water lines. You can run some bleach through the system to help counter this but basically you have a damp dark environment that is perfect for growing bad things. The other side of it is some campgrounds just don't have good water. I'm sure they are government regulated at some level to have their water tested. But I would rather put some of the water from the house into gallon jugs and bring that. I know my body is used to any bacteria that may be in my home supply.

[danimal53]

schlep1967 wrote:
Try this before you go. Fill your freshwater tank. Find a container to run water into. Time how long it takes to run out of water. Now you will know how many minutes of pump running you have with a full tank. And if you use a container of a known volume you can also see how much usable supply you have.

thanks for the tip! i hadn't thought of "usable" water, i assumed i'd get the full 33 gallons. will report back how the first trip goes, we're planning just a weekend the first time out, CG only has electric, no water hookups. so there has definitely been some useful information on this forum!

regarding drinking water, a lot of people seem to mention bringing separate bottles/jugs for drinking/cooking/coffee. Is there a reason other than conserving the tank water? Does it taste bad out of the tap or something?

As a kid, we had a trailer (park model) at a seasonal campground, and I remember NEVER drinking from the tap as it always had a funky smell, i assumed it was from the supply at the campground maybe? or the tanks weren't properly flushed/kept fresh.

[schlep1967]

Try this before you go. Fill your freshwater tank. Find a container to run water into. Time how long it takes to run out of water. Now you will know how many minutes of pump running you have with a full tank. And if you use a container of a known volume you can also see how much usable supply you have.

[TomG2]

Nvr2loud wrote:
......snip..........

We use the camp showers and wash dishes with the campground water spigots as supply water then dump after dishes are done.

Some parks do not allow washing dishes at the hydrants. Too many rinse off garbage which smells and attracts insects.

[Lynnmor]

My KZ had a 40 gallon tank. About half of the water spilled out the vent pipes and the bottom 10 gallons was below the supply port. I had about 10 gallons of useable water after driving 80 miles. I completely changed the entire "system". You should measure the amount that you can use before depending on it.

[Nvr2loud]

our 20 gallon lasts for 8 day trips without becoming fully empty. We only use it for toilet flushes and hand washing. We bring a couple small bottles of water from home for drinking / coffee / tea (we are on a well and HATE HATE HATE the taste of chlorine treated water)

We use the camp showers and wash dishes with the campground water spigots as supply water then dump after dishes are done.