Community Forums

DR60 · 08-09-2022, 02:08 AM

Before leaving home for a long trip do you drain the water tanks? Holding tanks? Travel with empty propane tanks? Do you buy ice once you get to your destination?
In the past I have always topped off all tanks before leaving home. We have really clean water here, but that is not always true of our destination.
I got to adding up the weight of 80 gallons of water 25 gallons of propane, a couple of 25 lb blocks of ice, etc... Is 500 lbs of weight savings worth the effort?
I'm sure there are other things I could easily purchase once I was close to our camp spot to.
What do you'all do? leave home with empty tanks and fill once there? Leave home with only a few gallons of water just in case? How about propane and ice?
Thanks DR

Griswald One · 08-09-2022, 03:35 AM

The answer to that question is generally going to be... It depends!

I can't see any time I would intentionally travel with empty propane?!? Ice, well I am spoiled now and have an ice maker on board. But yes that is something you can likely buy on site.

As to water... you need to balance the distance you are travelling, the weight of the water you are carrying, the quality of water at home vs where you are landing and the ease of accessing water at home vs the campground. Do you have water on your individual site or do you have to line up and get it???

I pretty much always travel with 5-10 gallons on board for use while we travel. I almost never travel with a full tank. At 100 gallons that is a whole bunch of unnecessary weight most of the time. But for me, I am generally going to sites where the water source is reliable and I have full hook ups on my site. The exception to that is if I am arriving on a Friday afternoon at a Provincial Park where I have to line up at the public hose to fill my tank, then I will gladly burn the extra fuel to bring the water from home.

MtCamper · 08-09-2022, 05:43 AM

We usually stay in public CGs or boondock when we travel. We've encountered times when water wasn't available so I make it a practice to travel with full water. Holding tanks are empty with the exception of a few gallons in the black tank. What do you do with 50# of ice? I use the auto change over for the propane and always fill as soon as the tank goes empty. I can't see any difference in my MPG full or empty. Terrain and wind are much bigger factors on milage. Tow-ability doesn't change.

Warhorse6 · 08-09-2022, 06:00 AM

Don’t have propane, but travel with freshwater about 2/3 full, black and gray tanks with two or three gallon each to slosh around the tank cleaners. As for ice, a gallon zip lock bag. We don’t dry camp, so that’s what we based our load upon. Best on whatever you decide.

twinboat · 08-09-2022, 06:26 AM

I could save some of that weight by leaving the wife home, but who would cook for me ?

Our long trips are for 6 months and the wife packs up the summer home and jams it into our MH. Tanks full for dry camping nights and RV parks to refill.

We are out on the road enjoying America, what's a 10th of a gallon of gas saved going to do.

Hpozzuoli · 08-09-2022, 07:04 AM

I leave with holding tanks empty and propane full. Water is usually 1/4 full. Just enough to keep making ice and if I need to fill dog bowls.

Rosy · 08-09-2022, 07:20 AM

I always travel with my water tanks empty but we only stay in sites with full service. Haven't felt the need to bring ice with me yet.

Psneeld · 08-09-2022, 07:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Griswald One

The answer to that question is generally going to be... It depends!

I can't see any time I would intentionally travel with empty propane?!? Ice, well I am spoiled now and have an ice maker on board. But yes that is something you can likely buy on site.

As to water... you need to balance the distance you are travelling, the weight of the water you are carrying, the quality of water at home vs where you are landing and the ease of accessing water at home vs the campground. Do you have water on your individual site or do you have to line up and get it???

I pretty much always travel with 5-10 gallons on board for use while we travel. I almost never travel with a full tank. At 100 gallons that is a whole bunch of unnecessary weight most of the time. But for me, I am generally going to sites where the water source is reliable and I have full hook ups on my site. The exception to that is if I am arriving on a Friday afternoon at a Provincial Park where I have to line up at the public hose to fill my tank, then I will gladly burn the extra fuel to bring the water from home.

This post opens with one of may favorite opening lines to many, many internet forum posts.

Specific questions can be pretty well answered, the more broad the question, the more the answer is better answered "it depends".

I extrapolate the greater the distance between replenishment points the more I carry.

The other main point is how close to the limits of your rig are you. For me...I know taking them right up to the limit isn't a big deal if the travelling is not expected to be challenging such as stop and go, mountainous, high temps, etc.... If the case is opposite, sure I will cut back and let my credit card fix issues of low this or that along the way. Seems expensive but I am betting cheaper in the long run.

The other big part of it depends

I would never travel with less than one day's supplies when travelling in areas that are abundant with available supplies/short travel distances between.

That way I can comfortably live if any issues develop for at least a day...and have that time to resolve them hopefully, or replenish soon.

2cyber71 · 08-09-2022, 07:56 AM

When I leave home I carry about 1/3 water about 20-30 gallons.
Black & Grey pretty empty except for a gallon or two with my digestion chemicals in

If I’m heading to a electric only or boondock. I fill my 100 gallons of water

TexasJack · 08-09-2022, 07:59 AM

I have a 30 ft C. I travel with 3/4 tank or more freshwater, and case or two of DW's favorite bottled water. Gray tank is emptied, and kept so, daily. Black accumulates over several days. The small propane tank starts full, and is fixed.

Get to my Destination?? That may be 7 to 10 days away. When we go to family in AZ, we hit other spots along the way. And we rarely travel the quick ways.

Some comments, and the nature of your question point to towed campers, and I believe your best solution will be based upon your tow vehicle more than anything mentioned so far. And your style of travel.
I can and will stop at need, or want, at any odd or convenient or pleasant spot for lunch, sightseeing, potty breaks, or overnight. These are not always planned, but are allowed for in our travel style. Thus, we are always prepared.

You must suit your loading to your vehicle, your comfort, your flexibility. I will allow for the unplanned stop, stay unrushed, and dry camp, if necessary, somewhere. Or not.

Crasher · 08-09-2022, 08:23 AM

We're on our 7th motorhome and have always left home with full fresh and empty grey and black tanks. When we had propane, we left with it full in the winter. In the summer, we left with whatever it had at the time. We never left weighing more than the GVWR. A 500# load of water represents 3% of a 16,000# coach. It's only 2 1/2% of a 20,000# coach. For me, the POM knowing I have everything I need in the event of an unforeseen breakdown when water was not available, far outweighs the benefit of 2 1/2% less weight. Now, our coach weighs 40,000# and the 90 gallons of fresh water is insignificant.

Duster73 · 08-09-2022, 08:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MtCamper

We usually stay in public CGs or boondock when we travel. We've encountered times when water wasn't available so I make it a practice to travel with full water. Holding tanks are empty with the exception of a few gallons in the black tank. What do you do with 50# of ice? I use the auto change over for the propane and always fill as soon as the tank goes empty. I can't see any difference in my MPG full or empty. Terrain and wind are much bigger factors on milage. Tow-ability doesn't change.

We do pretty much the same thing. I always travel with water full and empty waste tanks. I always keep the 40lbs of propane on board. No issues doing all this ever.

I used to buy ice before we left so our drinks were cold when we got to the campground. But now I have an outdoor refrigerator also. So I stopped buying ice with our new to us trailer.

jacwjames · 08-09-2022, 08:49 AM

We travel with full fresh water tank and at always try to have more then 1/2 tank of propane.
We drain the black and grey water tanks.

Best thing I did last year before travel was clean out everything from the RV. Removed all the cloths. Food items. Basement compartments. The only put back what I needed to travel since I was going solo.

The rear closet had been pretty much taken over by my wife, I made her unpack all of it. No telling how much weight was there.

Same thing in the basement compartments, she had pretty much loaded up the front larger compartment with all of her dog Xpens and crates, lots of weight. Made her take out all of it.

She was pissed to say the least but I felt better

**Camp CA** · 08-09-2022, 08:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DR60

Before leaving home for a long trip do you drain the water tanks? Holding tanks? Travel with empty propane tanks? Do you buy ice once you get to your destination?...........

RV holding and gray water tanks are drained prior to storing. Fuel tank topped off, rv water tank filled partically, only if we are going to boondock. Remove any extra stuff. Propane is never topped off until we are close to empty. Bring a bag of ice from home ice maker, food and beverages to avoid a grocery run.