Fill Fresh Water Tank?

[Jim1950]

I have a recently purchased Dolphin 2007. Great motorhome. I have a desire to (literally) 'top off' my Fresh Water Tank. We won't be traveling with it that way, just moving down the road a ways.

I should have an overflow valve somewhere... and I think it is in the driver side rear compartment by the power transformer?

How do I safely fill my water tank without blowing out anything under pressure?

Thanks,
Jim

[glenda1908]

Originally Posted by Jim1950

I have a recently purchased Dolphin 2007. Great motorhome. I have a desire to (literally) 'top off' my Fresh Water Tank. We won't be traveling with it that way, just moving down the road a ways.

I should have an overflow valve somewhere... and I think it is in the driver side rear compartment by the power transformer?

How do I safely fill my water tank without blowing out anything under pressure?

Thanks,
Jim

There should be and over flow valve that will start dripping when your tank is full to capacity. Check where your drain valve is and it should be in the same area. Ours is on the passenger side first door by the steps. It might be red or yellow and that's where you would empty the fresh water too. You don't need to touch that when you are filling, just when you want to empty old water from the tank.

[BFlinn181]

When you get close to full, slow down the flow until you start to see/hear water coming out the overflow. Unless you're putting water in at full throttle, your overflow will function as it should. If you are putting it in too fast, it could build pressure since the overflow is usually much smaller than the hose you're using to fill, that's why you slow down when near full. It'll take longer but safer.

[sidewinder2]

We have a 2008 Dolphin and I fill at full throttle until I see water coming out the overflow at the rear of the coach.

Congradulations on your new coach.

[tropical36]

Originally Posted by sidewinder2

We have a 2008 Dolphin and I fill at full throttle until I see water coming out the overflow at the rear of the coach.

Congradulations on your new coach.

That's what I did last time, but not on purpose, cuz I usually just watch it under the bed and then run out and shut it off, except I waited too long.
I think it splashes over the fuel tank first and I'm somewhat leery of that.

[Resist]

Originally Posted by Jim1950

I have a desire to (literally) 'top off' my Fresh Water Tank. We won't be traveling with it that way, just moving down the road a ways.

Is it not recommended to be traveling with a full fresh water tank?

Sorry I was a little off topic. I'm new to the RV scene (07 Dolphin also), and am still learning.

[BFlinn181]

Originally Posted by Resist

Is it not recommended to be traveling with a full fresh water tank?

Sorry I was a little off topic. I'm new to the RV scene (07 Dolphin also), and am still learning.

Since water 8.3 lbs. per gallon, It adds a lot of weight you don't need to haul. Why use the fuel and heat up the brake pads for something you can get at the campsite or closer to your destination?

[glenda1908]

It is extra weight, but if you know you are going to be somewhere with no water hook ups for a couple of days it's what they're made for. We make sure our black and grey tanks are empty so it's a trade off.

[Libero]

I like to travel with full fuel, full propane and full fresh water and empty black and grey tanks. This makes sense to me because one never knows what is over the next hill where one can spend many hours trapped in traffic or have to take a detour to who knows where. In our case, we simply like to be prepared for any change. We often do not know where and when we are stopping for the night until we are there. If we see a nice boondocking spot we like to be able to just pull in and not need anything. This can be anytime throughout the day.

I doubt if one really saves much money by traveling with empty fresh water and if one has to make a special trip just to get water, it may end up costing more because of having to go to a place to fill.

I start looking to fill my fuel tank when I reach 1/2 tank level. I stop every 1 1/2 or no more than 2 hrs anyway so I choose to do that at a convenient fuel stop.

I have not noticed or concerned myself about fuel consumption vs empty or full tanks but physics tells us it takes more energy to move a greater mass. How.much difference would depend on a lot of factors such as driving slower likely saves a lot more fuel than lightening the load.

[Resist]

I'm tending to agree with you Libero.

[kennersonf]

My freshwater tank is behind the rear axle and running. If I run with a full tank I'll will have too much weight on the rear axle. All of my clothes, generator, and propane tank are behind the rear axle. The grey and black water tanks are above it. I've weighed my MH with the fresh water tank 2/3 full and grey and black holding tanks empty and I'm right at 14,500 lbs. You might want to weigh you MH with full fresh water just to confirm you're not overweight on the axle.

[Libero]

Originally Posted by kennersonf

My freshwater tank is behind the rear axle and running. If I run with a full tank I'll will have too much weight on the rear axle. All of my clothes, generator, and propane tank are behind the rear axle. The grey and black water tanks are above it. I've weighed my MH with the fresh water tank 2/3 full and grey and black holding tanks empty and I'm right at 14,500 lbs. You might want to weigh you MH with full fresh water just to confirm you're not overweight on the axle.

WOW is all I can say.

None of my RV's have had the Fresh water tank aft or over the rear axel. In my DP's the engine and tranny were there. In my present RV the FW tank is midway between the axels. Black and grey are aft of the rear axel.

I weighed my RV in our normal travel mode. Full fuel, full propane, full fresh and empty black and grey. Am well within axel and GVWR limits with 2 people on board.

If I had a coach that put me over the legal limit just by filling a fresh water tank, I would unload (sell) it Seems like a poor design to me. How would one ever boondock?

[njs42]

I think we would be stunned to know just how many Class A MH's cannot run full fresh water w/o being over weight. Particularly those on a 22K chassis measuring 35/36 ft.

We would also be more stunned by the number of people who do it not knowing how much the rig weighs anyway.

Kennersonf and I have the same year Dolphin and mine is the same way.

We do not boon dock and do not care to so it is not an issue.

I remember when we were shopping for ours new that the Dolphin had the least factory weight compared to the gross weight of those I was interested in, still when I fill my water tank and load it with people and gear we are over weight.

[AndrewC]

Same as Libero i always travel with a full fresh water tank i know by experience