Travel with full water tank

[fritz54]

We have a 2019 Montana 3810MS 5th wheel and occasionally travel with a full fresh water tank. Is this something I should be avoiding?

[NLOVNIT]

No reason to avoid so long as you are under the 5-r's GVWR, your combined GCWR & your axle rating.

We often traveled with at least 1/2 fresh with our prior 5-r.

Lori-

[akeagle]

I had always started trips, even short ones, with a full tank of fresh water. Mostly with a "just in case we should need it" logic. Even in the once or twice I did actually think about filling it to less-than-full, usually for testing of maintenance, it was difficult to gage when the desired level was reached without having to repeatedly go in the coach and look at the tank level panel.

Someone in another recent thread on this very subject recommended buying a flow indicator that attaches to the fill hose that will tick off the number of gallons added. I bought one from Amazon for about $13 that will do the trick nicely.

My fresh water tank has the capacity of 44 gallons. Now if I want to fill the tank halfway, I can stop the flow at 22 gallons and we're good to go.

[sugarhillctd]

Depends on where we are going.

No hookups where we are staying? We leave with a full tank.

Several hours to a CG? We leave with just a few gallons in the fresh tank so that SWMBO is able to use the toilet at rest stops.

Less than a couple hours to a CG? I don't add any water.

But we always carry our drinking water in smaller containers.


As far as measuring, I keep it simple. I know that our home water supply flows at 5 gallons/minute- I timed it filling a 5 gallon bucket. So I start filling the fresh tank and look at my watch.

[bddadles]

Like they said , it depends on what you are going to do. I'm a full timer and I keep about a 1/2 tank of water. In 11 years of full timing we have had water problems at a park 5 times (no power, well trouble(2), broken pipe(2). This happens often enough that I keep enough on board to cover these problems.

[Jkjavelin]

We have an Open Range 5th wheel with an 85 gallon tank. I used to travel with the tank 1/3- 1/2 full. Then one day I found the tank sagging. One of the 4 straps supporting it became unbolted. Someone with way more experience suggested that a partial tank creates a lot of force with the water having room to slam back and forth. A full tank keeps the air space full... no motion. So, now I keep it full.
JK

[Ray,IN]

We travel with a full tank for a JIC scenario, which has happened more than we expected. Like when we were in a traffic jam for 4 hrs due to a large crash. luckily I spotted a WalMart and off-ramp, drove up the break-down lane to the exit to WM. We dry camped the night, as that was 8PM. It would've been a miserable night without drinking and flushing water. DW has a medical issue requiring water also.
I have never detected a fuel mileage difference between full or empty water tank.

[Cumminsfan]

I don't travel with a full tank unless I know that where I'll end up that there's no water.
I always have some in it it as we pull off where ever we need to for potty breaks or a bite to eat. I have an 80 gal tank and travel with 20-30 gals in it.

This year because of Covid one of our favorite CG's we go to shut off the water at the community pump. My guess is to control spreading the virus from people touching the same pump handle.
It's and area where there's 7 CG's along a river and there's a large gravel parking lot that campers can pull into and fill there fresh water tanks since none of the CG's have any spigots in them.

Our TT manufacture also installed a piece of angle iron that runs side to side under the tank, so no way for to fall out when traveling. Our previous 5er had the same angle iron installed as well. Something I'd DIY if it wasn't there.

[IC2]

Unless you are boondocking, can't see why you should haul around 66 gallons of water at 8-1/3 pounds/ gallon or ~550 pounds. Your 5er weighs at about 13.5Kpounds to start with before necessities and toy which could put it real near 17,000 pounds. Phew.


Is it OK? Yes. That Montana was built to carry a full potable tank worth of water tho more then a few have fallen out due to Keystone mounting the tanks incorrectly by the top flange rather then bottom supports - and one of my concerns with ours.

[swduns]

usually the wet bay includes the grey tank, the black tank and water tank ... all together they equal a lot of weight ... I've seen pictures of the structure failing from the dynamic loads/impacts at the wet bay from all that weight.

If I'm going somewhere .... if I know the quality of the water where I'm going .... I will take less water with me on the trip.

Just for the trip I don't think I need 100 gallons ... 50 gallons or 25 gallons are enough ... depending on how long the trip is, whether I'm boondocking on a stop .. etc

I try to have some in case of emergency but no more than I need due to fuel usage and weight stresses ...

[L.C.Gray]

Always... always have. Fill up first trip of the year, drain last trip of the year. It can come in handy. Our last long trip, the park was out of water for two days, but we weren't.

[fritz54]

Thanks everyone for your input. I talked to a Keystone dealer today and they recommended having either a full or empty fresh water tank. The water in a 1/3 or 2/3 full tank "sloshes" around and has a lot of weight behind it thereby causing unnecessary wear and tear on the support brackets and the tank then coming loose.

[Old-Biscuit]

Originally Posted by fritz54

Thanks everyone for your input. I talked to a Keystone dealer today and they recommended having either a full or empty fresh water tank. The water in a 1/3 or 2/3 full tank "sloshes" around and has a lot of weight behind it thereby causing unnecessary wear and tear on the support brackets and the tank then coming loose.

That is a CYA for poor tank supports!

We used to travel with just a few gallons for lunch breaks/potty breaks until we got to one destination that had no water due to City Main Water Supply line break.
Had to go and haul water via 5 gallon bottles
THAT was last time......always travel with full tank JIC

[IC2]

I suggest you wander over to the Montana owner's site and ask the question again: https://www.montanaowners.com/forums/index.php


Do uou actually beleive/trust your dealer? I'm still waiting to be reimbursed $70 for a minor warranty issue from 2014)