Opinions on Carrying Water or Waste

[nickandmarilyn]

I am new, one month on the road. We empty all our tanks before driving. Is this standard procedure. Are there any downsides to carrying partially full tanks. I assume whatever is in there is going to slosh back and forth unless those tanks have a baffling system.

[rogue]

We try to empty our Black, Gray and Galley tanks before traveling. And we like to keep about 1/3 tank of fresh water. This allows for use of the kitchen and bath room while traveling when needed.

[H. John Kohl]

We are the same as Bob and Ellen,
The less water and waste is the less weight you are pulling around. Water weighs 8 lb per gallon. Also with some post on holding takes falling, traveling with little weight helps prevent those problems. We keep the fresh water tank at about 1/4 to 1/3. Enough for potty stop or washing hands.

[stiles watson]

We do about the same. We do put some paper disintegrater and about 5 gallons of water in the black tank to slosh around while on the road. When I get to the new site, I hook up the tank wash line and the sewer line, then add about 3 minutes of water to the black tank with the valve closed and then open the valve and drain the tank. This gives me a cleaner tank and lets me check the system for leaks. To me, that cleaning action is worth the 40 lbs of extra weight.

[exav8tr]

I usually drive with empty tanks, however, if just overnighted, I will go without emptying. I also only carry a minimum of fresh water to flush and have a little as reserve, just in case.........Obviously the more weight you carry the less mileage you get........

[JH Sechelt]

We carry 35 to 40 gallons of fresh water. We have a very heavy tongue weight (helps counterbalance).
Plus if I told the DW she couldn't use the "little girls room" because I didn't keep any water on board.... that might be our last trip .
Try to keep waste tanks mostly empty ( like Stiles leave a little water in black tank).

We never know if we might go a few days with out hook ups, nice not having to worry if we have enough water, etc.

J&D

[Mrs. CountryGuy]

Pretty much what every one else is saying, 1/3rd or less of fresh water. Black and gray and galley as empty as can be. BUT, if we have situation come up where we don't want to hook up water/sewer/etc. we will go a day or so of LIGHT useage on the tanks before dumping.

We are very nervous about running with any thing more than minimum, for reasons stated, Al does NOT want to be replacing tanks. (Do you see us praying, eh???)

[Glenn and Lorraine]

All waste water tanks empty. Roughly 10 gallons fresh water.
With the price of diesel, the less weight the better.

[dsprik]

Same... All waste tanks empty. I do have to keep a little over 1/3 full, or a little more, in my fresh H2O tank as my on board pump will not pick up for some reason if I am too much below 1/3 full. I have discussed this problem with Keystone and to date we are at a loss as to why this happens. First noticed this after I accidentally over filled my tank during the 2006 Fall Rally.

I am cautious, though as one member here, Judy and Glen Denner, did drop their fresh H2O tank out the bottom of their Montana during an Alaska trip.

[firetrucker]

We're not worried about weight of trailer affecting fuel mileage, so we carry a full tank of fresh water to keep the dogs on what they're used to at home. Galley and grey tanks are empty, but, like Stiles, between 5 and 10 gallons in the blank tank that we dump as soon as we get to the park.

Bob

[ols1932]

Same as firetrucker except for emptying the black tank upon arrival at new site. We never empty the black tank unless there is at least seven days usage. This usually means about 2/3 full. Personally, I don't see the difference in mpg with or without full tanks.

Orv

[HughM]

I don't think 50-60 lbs of water will cut into the overall mileage of a diesel. However I empty all tanks except fresh water when pulling. We keep just enought fresh water for that days use.
Hugh

[Mudchief]

If you break down and have to dry camp while your vehicle is being repaired like has happen to us. You will be glad those holding tanks are empty and your fresh water tank is full.

[sreigle]

We used to carry along whatever was in the tanks, preferring not to dump tanks until the black tank is full. We've not had problems with that method. However, lately I've been wondering about the sanity of all that weight sloshing around in the tanks while driving down the road. It seems to me that's just asking for tank damage (i.e. leaks) or even breakage of whatever holds the tanks in place.

We still fill the fresh water tank 2/3 to full and carry that along. When it gets down to 1/3 I fill it again. But I think I'm going to practice emptying the waste tanks before we hit the road. If only 1 or 2 days' accumulation in the black tank I might leave it there and dump just the gray tanks.

In other words, I don't know what is best but have decided to err to the side of caution.

[bob n pam]

We travel with 3 - 5 gallons in black tank. We were taught that to run it empty was to invite clogging problems, so we never have. Both grey tanks run empty. Keep about 1/3 in fresh water tank for potty stops, etc.

Pam