How many of you travel with a full fresh water tank?

[dbbls59]

My fresh water tank is leaking, again. it was repaired two months ago by plastic welding but it did not hold. It is cracked where the tank extends over the frame to hold it up. The repair shop told me not to travel with a full tank. There was no warning in the literature that came with my Big Country stating not to fill the tank when traveling. A new tank is ordered. How many of you travel with a full tank and have you ever had the tank to leak?

 

[cookie]

At times I do travel with a full tank.
I have not had a problem.

Peace
Dave

 

[asherwin]

If we are going to boondock for 2 or more days I will fill the fresh water tank at home and travel to our destination. After two years of doing this several times a year we have had no issues with leaks.

 

[pegmikef]

Only a couple of times with it full, but not problems.

 

[danemayer]

I've had ours full once or twice but usually travel half full. No problems.

 

[gwalter]

I have a few times, but generally just enough to have a few gallons for drinking or bathroom use on the road.

 

[2TrakR]

Half full or more every time.

 

[sjs731]

I have had mine full, half full when I travel. Depends if we are stopping somewhere with no water and how many people are with us. Never had an issue other than completely full I've had water in the UDC when we got where we were going. Must have sloshed back through filler hose.


Steve and Carrie

HOC# 2252

2007 GMC 2500HD Duramax

B&W Companion Hitch

2012 Sundance 3300CK

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Lynn1130]

To dry camping locations in state , yes. If I am going to locations that have services, no.

 

[jnbhobe]

I always travel with a full tank, always have.I have seen them sag quite a bit, not only on my Heartland but many other rigs. I always have put a 1 1/2 X 3 X 3/16 tube under the center of the tank between the frame rails.

 

[scottyb]

I always carry a full tank because you never really know where you may end up at the end of the day. Water is a dynamic load and as far as I know there are no baffles in these tanks. A half full tank could create a water hammer effect and probably come closer to splitting a tank than just the sheer weight.

 

[porthole]

Frequently travel with near full tanks. Don't like taking a chance with strange water for the dogs.

 

[caissiel]

Always travel with a full tank. Been doing it for 23 years. Never had any issue.

 

[JohnD]

I generally travel with just enough water in the fresh water tank to use the bathroom while on the road a few times.

Filling the fresh water tank adds about 400 pounds to the travel load.

Why pull the extra weight . . . ?

 

[porthole]

Why pull the extra weight . . . ?

For me, 110 gallons is a drop in the bucket compared to needing water and not having it.

Two dogs with "gastrointestinal" issues in a RV in bad weather

Lesson learned - HL rally on the Outer Banks several years ago. Traveled with little water to save weight.

It was two days before I happened to take a drink from our water hookup. The water was absolutely atrocious and IMO the park had no business supplying such poor well water without pre-alerting campers.

Ended up making several runs for gallons of drinking water for the dogs. And for those that don't know, we're talking hour trips to a food store.

 

[jmgratz]

We travel with just enough water for on the road toilet use. Water is heavy and we add water to the tank upon arrival at the destination. We do not dry camp. We use bottled and/or filtered water for drinking use. Cannot see traveling with the extra weight of a full tank if not needed on the road. The times we have camped without water connections such as the Good Sam Rally we have added water at our last overnight stop prior to arrival at the Rally.

 

[Lynn1130]

Water weights 8.35 lbs per gallon. My tank holds 100 gals then add 12 gal in the water heater and probably 3 gals running around in the water lines = 115 gals X 8.35 = 960.25 lbs. I worry about that much weight (835 lbs in the tanks) bouncing on the straps and plywood that is hold the tank in. Especially when traveling some really bad roads in some states. A small amount in the tanks for flushing while on the road is ok but that much weight is a worry. JMHO

 

[porthole]

Water weights 8.35 lbs per gallon. My tank holds 100 gals then add 12 gal in the water heater and probably 3 gals running around in the water lines = 115 gals X 8.35 = 960.25 lbs. I worry about that much weight bouncing on the straps and plywood that is hold the tank in. Especially when traveling some really bad roads in some states.

Good point with the support.
When I replaced my original tanks I made new mountings pads. Two pieces of exterior grade plywood West System'ed together and new supports. Plus, unlike the original supports, mine go all the way in to the web of the I beam.

 

[Lynn1130]

Me too.

 

[Hockster]

I always run with 1/3 of a tank of fresh water, about 25 gallons.
Just enough for basics.
If we are staying more than a couple of days I fill the tank, then drain it down to 1/3 before we leave.
When I get into my long term Winter site, I fill the tank.
We have had the water in the park turned off for a day to repair water lines, and it's nice to know you still have a water source.

Hockster