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Big freshwater tank for boondocking?

Zquill
Explorer
Explorer
I'd like the opinion of some experienced boondockers on tank freshwater tank size. I'm usually at full hookups but do several weeklong stays without amenities throughout the year in my fleetwood 180ck. I'm looking to upsize to something in the 24-30ft range, but finding that many larger campers have smaller tanks than my current tank(50 gal).

what is the best midsize camper on the market with a larger freshwater tank?

what's the minimum size tank you'd reccomend for a weeklong stay (2 couples)?

Thanks
20 REPLIES 20

JiminDenver
Explorer II
Explorer II
Yeah you can always refill the fresh water tank with extra jugs, we carry up to 6 five gallon jugs each trip. Those and the 30 gal FW tank gives two of us a week of daily navy showers and we don't have to panic over every drop.

I have room to double my FW tank at the cost of some storage. I still only have 54 gal of waste capacity so it doesn't change the limitation much.
2011 GulfStream Amerilite 25BH
2003 Ford Expedition with 435w tilting portable/ TS-MPPT-45
750w solar , TS-MPPT-60 on the trailer
675 Ah bank, Trip-lite 1250fc inverter
Sportsman 2200w inverter generator

mbopp
Explorer
Explorer
OP -
Are you talking about a campground that has no hookups but has water faucets scattered through the cg, or are you off-road boondocking with no water available?
2017 Grand Design Imagine 2650RK
2019 F250 XLT Supercab
Just DW & me......

larv
Explorer
Explorer
My Timber Ridge has a 80 gal FW tank but the grey is only 40 gals as is the black tank sooo I may have to dump a little grey water here and there when boon docking. Haven't been boondocking in it yet.

Larv
04.5 Dodge Cummins, QC, SWB, Atlantic Blue, 6 spd, 3.73's, pyrometer, Jake brake, Leer camper top, well wheel liners, fender trim, FMJ spray-in bed liner, tow pkg, Prodigy controller, MAAP nerf bars, Hatchie Bottom seat covers
29' Timber Ridge 260RLS

Huntindog
Explorer
Explorer
My first TT had a small FW tank. I added another one. The next two TTs, I took a different route.
I have 14 6 gallon jugs that I can use to refill the TT with. It's a really flexible system as I can bring as many or as few as I want, depending on how long we are staying and how hard it is to get more water.
I wouldn't put a high priority on a large FW tank when choosing a TT.. It is a nice to have feature, but can be worked around easily enough.
Huntindog
100% boondocking
2021 Grand Design Momentum 398M
2 bathrooms, no waiting
104 gal grey, 104 black,158 fresh
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wmoses
Explorer
Explorer
Zquill wrote:
I'd like the opinion of some experienced boondockers on tank freshwater tank size. I'm usually at full hookups but do several weeklong stays without amenities throughout the year in my fleetwood 180ck. I'm looking to upsize to something in the 24-30ft range, but finding that many larger campers have smaller tanks than my current tank(50 gal).

what is the best midsize camper on the market with a larger freshwater tank?

I know that you asked for opinions on a "best midsize camper ... with a larger FW tank ..." but since the endgame is boondocking, have you thought about a water bag? They sell 45-gallon bags at Camping World for $90. In this way you have better flexibility in choosing the floorplan you like - itself a better criterion than FW tank size.

Regards,
Wayne
2014 Flagstaff Super Lite 27RLWS Emerald Ed. | Equal-i-zer 1200/12,000 4-point WDH
2010 GMC Sierra 1500 SLE 5.3L 6-speed auto | K&N Filter | Hypertech Max Energy tune | Prodigy P3
_

johndeerefarmer
Explorer III
Explorer III
nevadanick wrote:
Look at a toyhauler


Yep, this is the way to get a large freshwater tank because they figure are going to be off of the beaten path. Problem is the smaller toyhaulers don't have many luxuries. I started out with one but got rid of it for a travel trailer. Now I carry 4 of those blue 6 gal water jugs that you can buy at Walmart with me if I am staying in the boonies.
2020 Ford 350 6.7 PSD & 2017 F150 3.5 EB max tow
GD Reflection 29rs

Mike_Up
Explorer
Explorer
Zquill wrote:
I'd like the opinion of some experienced boondockers on tank freshwater tank size. I'm usually at full hookups but do several weeklong stays without amenities throughout the year in my fleetwood 180ck. I'm looking to upsize to something in the 24-30ft range, but finding that many larger campers have smaller tanks than my current tank(50 gal).

what is the best midsize camper on the market with a larger freshwater tank?

what's the minimum size tank you'd reccomend for a weeklong stay (2 couples)?

Thanks


Jayco Jay Flight trailers have huge fresh water tanks. My 26BH has 90 gallons of capacity, two 42 gallon fresh water tanks and the 6 gallon water heater tank. They have many floorplans.

Good luck.
2019 Ford F150 XLT Sport, CC, 4WD, 145" WB, 3.5L Ecoboost, 10 speed, 3.55 9.75" Locking Axle, Max Tow, 1831# Payload, 10700# Tow Rating, pulling a 2020 Rockwood Premier 2716g, with a 14' box. Previous 2012 Jayco Jay Flight 26BH.

Golden_HVAC
Explorer
Explorer
One time while camping in Rocford Ill, I bought 6 each 50' long drinking water hoses from Wal Mart. Strung together, they made it from the campground faucet to the RV, so I was able to fill up with water! Then the neighbor asked to use the hose, before we put it away, and in exchange they used his tote to take away 20 gallons or so of grey water.

You can not dump the grey water in a crowded campground like that one. A week later, I dumped all the tanks at the campsite dump station, then filled the gas tank in getting ready for the next leg of the trip.

It is easy enough to take a hot shower by turning off the water at the handle while showering to extend the use of the water, and get a good shower with only about 1.5 - 2 gallons!

Fred.
Money can't buy happiness but somehow it's more comfortable to cry in a

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If there's a WILL, I want to be in it!



I havn't been everywhere, but it's on my list.

Kangen.com Alkaline water

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carringb
Explorer
Explorer
The Nash-family trailers (Arctic Fox/Dessert Fox/Outside RV) have large tanks. Mine came with 100 gallons (even though the brochure said 80). The dealer did advertise the 100 gallons tank, so they might have ordered their run with up-sized tanks.
2000 Ford E450 V10 VAN! 450,000+ miles
2014 ORV really big trailer
2015 Ford Focus ST

profdant139
Explorer II
Explorer II
Our tiny trailer has a 30 gallon fresh tank -- we use 5 to 6 gallons a day for the two of us, with a hot shower every night. (Brief shower. But the real thing.) And so when we are boondocking, we have to refill the tank every five or six days, using six gallon plastic jerry cans that we refill wherever we can and haul back to the trailer.

The real limiting factor is the gray water tank -- only holds 25 gallons. So we transfer the gray water to a tote every four or five days when boondocking. Some people dump the gray water into a hole in the ground (which is permitted in some national forests). We don't.
2012 Fun Finder X-139 "Boondock Style" (axle-flipped and extra insulation)
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clubhouse
Explorer
Explorer
Jayco's JayFlight line offers 80+ gallon FW holding tanks. The FW tank is one thing, grey/black tank capacity is something all together different. My JayFlight has 38 gal grey & black holding tanks (published specs are 32 gal, but a visual inspection clearly showed 38 gal) which for black will last a week for our family of 5 but the grey needs to be dumped every couple nights.

nevadanick
Explorer
Explorer
Look at a toyhauler

2oldman
Explorer II
Explorer II
The camper's tank size is less important than your ability to refill it.

You can always figure a way to carry water in your truck, to the trailer, and use either muscle or pump power to refill it. That's what I rely on because I'm not into uber-conservation.

I'm certainly not the fairer sex, but I do like a nice shower.
"If I'm wearing long pants, I'm too far north" - 2oldman

ReneeG
Explorer
Explorer
Ok. DW here and I too like my showers but, when we boondock, we take a 5 min shower (Navy style and we catch the water in a bucket while we wait for the hot to come through) every 3rd day, with body wipes in between and dry shampoo. It can be done. We use other water saver techniques too to prolong the tank. With just two of us, we can easily go a week or longer, so for the last night, we take a little longer hot shower for the trip home. If your women absolutely insist on a shower every day, you'll have to get a water tote and refill along with dumping your gray tank into the fire ring away from any streams (if you are using non-bio soap).
2011 Bighorn 3055RL, 2011 F350 DRW 6.7L 4x4 Diesel Lariat and Hensley TrailerSaver BD3, 1992 Jeep ZJ and 1978 Coleman Concord Pop-Up for remote camping
Dave & Renee plus (Champ, Molly, Paris, Missy, and Maggie in spirit), Mica, Mabel, and Melton