Travelling with Full water tanks

Rip and Rosie · Guru

Travelling with Full water tanks

Vic · Guru

Some say it is better to keep them full all the time as it stops the growth of algae etc inside the tanks.

But then if you don't use them too often probably better just to flush them out with a tank cleaner/and or white vinegar or bleach suitably flushed out before refilling and use.

I always found my caravans travelled better with water in them, less bouncing around and more stable etc, but of course at the expense of fuel economy.....

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

if we are stayin gbush we have full tanks, if going to a CP then tanks are empty, if after the CP we intend to go bush we fill our tanks at the CP.

labrat · Member

G'day we just came back from two weeks at Glenbawn dam towing our caravan 1800klg with a petrol 4.5 landcruiser filling up with petrol before driving down to the dam .The twin water tanks were full 85 litres each plus two water jerry cans on the rear bar also full =210 kilos plus 5 bags of fire wood =about 50 kilos total 260klg's .We had used 79 litres getting there approx 320 klm's .When leaving the dam we filled up at the same service station and filled up at home and had used 69 litres for the same distance travelled .

So the extra weight had made a significant differance to my fuel consumption ,the time taken to go and come home was about the same just a little longer to come home as we came home on a work day and there was a bit more traffic ..

In the future I will definately take into consideration the weight of the water I will carry and make enquires if water is available at my destination ..

Cheers ..BOB..

grumpy-j · Senior Member

When travelling outback, I fill both tanks up to the maximum (120lts) plus a 20 litre container because of the water quality out there as well as the lack of it.

Around Vic I just carry enough water for a cup of tea along the way.

(I hate making Arabs richer).

In caravan parks I connect direct to town supply but pass it through a duel filter system to remove any sediment, heavy metals plus some of the other nasties.

Vic · Guru

Just out of interst, do you think that partly full tanks can make a van unstable (ie; sloshing around from side to side when going over bumps etc) or do they have baffles inside them to stop this?

ozjohn · Guru

If we intend to do some bush camping or know the water in the caravan park we're going to say at is less than perfect then we fill the tanks.
Otherwise if visiting parks with good water we travel with the both tanks half full to maintain correct weight ditribution and a good ball weight.
Cheers, ozjohn.

-- Edited by ozjohn on Friday 14th of October 2011 12:54:28 PM

03_troopy · Guru

I usually fill the 60L water tank in the rear of the camper trailer because it balances the weight of the trailer better. Compensates for the extra weight of an extended drawbar with a box fitted to it.

Happywanderer · The Master

Thats interesting. I thought everybody would fill their tanks from home before leaving no matter where they are going so they know they have good water to start off with.
Not sure how much my tank holds. Must measure it sometime. I fill before I head off and always carry a 10 litre of tap water from the house for drinking. If I run out of drinking water will buy a fresh one from the supermarket. Haven't had to yet but would fill the tank from a suitable tap in my travels I presume.

Onedodger · Guru

RE: Traveling with Full water tanks

wendyv · Guru

RE: Travelling with Full water tanks

Dreamcaster51 · Senior Member

We always travel with full tanks. What happens
If you find a brilliant place to stop for a couple of nights and you dont have water? What happens if you breakdown and have to spend a couple of days on the side of tne road?
We keep ours full even in parks. It will not be the first time a water pipe burst in the park and they advise no water for two days, has happened twice in two years up here in Lake Placid. You never know

jonathan · Guru

.. I always try to travel with Water Tanks as full as possible .. including spare jerries. Lets not forget though that I am full-time on the road .. and to me, water is my most important commodity ..

Jon

Bent Axle Bob · Senior Member

I always travel with water on board , regardless of where I am, And I make sure that I do not carry water in only one tank.2 tanks or cans to guard against damaged containers andlost water. That happened to me a number of years back travelling from Townsville to Perth.

justcruisin01 · Guru

Water is the life line, allways leave home with a tank full, if in a park do the same as we free camp when possibile.

Also handy for the car if required, maybe just to get to help point, just never know what may happen.

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

Something you guys maybe interested in is a 'four way tap conector' (c pic) you get them from Bunnings, very handy at those taps that have the tap handle removed.

We do NOT use the water from these taps for drinking, only for showers.

-- Edited by _wombat_ on Friday 14th of October 2011 09:39:39 AM

Rip and Rosie · Guru

Can't work it out Wombat.... how does it work?

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

Rip and Rosie wrote:
Can't work it out Wombat.... how does it work?

each of the four have differant sizes to fit differant taps, just find the right size and attach to the top of the tap and turn it on, don't forget to turn it off again after use.

Gerty Dancer · Guru

Dreamcaster51 wrote:
We always travel with full tanks. What happens
If you find a brilliant place to stop for a couple of nights and you dont have water? What happens if you breakdown and have to spend a couple of days on the side of tne road?
We keep ours full even in parks. It will not be the first time a water pipe burst in the park and they advise no water for two days, has happened twice in two years up here in Lake Placid. You never know

Yes we do this for the same reason. Plus we like to take good water from home, and have enough that we only need to re-fill if the water's alright.

Vic · Guru

Vic wrote:
Just out of interst, do you think that partly full tanks can make a van unstable (ie; sloshing around from side to side when going over bumps etc) or do they have baffles inside them to stop this?

????????????????

Gerty Dancer · Guru

Vic wrote:
Vic wrote:
Just out of interst, do you think that partly full tanks can make a van unstable (ie; sloshing around from side to side when going over bumps etc) or do they have baffles inside them to stop this?
????????????????

We dont know either Vic, have tried to keep tanks full just in case.

Vic · Guru

I was hoping Ozjohn might comment Gerty, but I think he missed the first post. Someone will know hopefully, plenty do it so can't be too much of a problem (they might start full but as they use it between fills would be partly empty at least).

Like that tap gadget Wombat, would come in handy and not too big to carry/store etc.

Ma · Guru

We have travelled both ways and haven't really noticed any difference.

I guess it all depends on how your tanks are made. Whether they have baffles or equalizer thingys in them.

Sorry can't be more helpful

We usually have full tanks most of the time though as we free camp 94% of the time

Rip and Rosie · Guru

When we were discussing this, (before I posted), one fellow asked whether we stored the van with full tanks.

His position on it was it kept the tanks cleaner if you store them full, and flush and refill before a trip.

We store them empty, but now wonder what others do

Ma · Guru

We store our van with full tanks Rosie, but that's not really any indication regarding purity of water as we travel very regularly the water isn't sitting in them long enough to have to flush and refill before the next trip.

_wombat_ · Master (of Mischief)

Vic wrote:
I was hoping Ozjohn might comment Gerty, but I think he missed the first post. Someone will know hopefully, plenty do it so can't be too much of a problem (they might start full but as they use it between fills would be partly empty at least).

Like that tap gadget Wombat, would come in handy and not too big to carry/store etc.

Vic, I was just in Bunnings and they sell for $10.41AUD

Vic · Guru

Thanks Wombat, I'll have a look next time i'm in there.

In regards to tank water, I usually drain mine (clean tap water) on the lawn either at home or a park nearest home when I leave. Leave mine empty with the tap open to allow some ventilation for a few days. Draining before your final leg and leaving the tap open also allows remaining water to shake out. I give a flush and fill before I take off for my next trip.