Travelling with water onboard

[Bagpuss33]

We are after some advice about the amount of onboard water you can carry when on the move and also is it safe to fill the Truma water heating tank before setting off in our Auto Trail Tracker. Any advise would be appreciated.

[TeamRienza]

We travel with a full tank, 140 litres. This gradually reduces as time passes until an opportunity to refill presents.

I do not notice any adverse handling properties, similar to not noticing the fuel tank of 90 litres affecting the van.

I do not give any consideration to the potential affect that this 150 kg might have on the fuel economy. I have an expensive piece of kit, and expect to use it to its full potential. If this involves a few extra pounds sterling then so be it. Similarly why design a vehicle with a large capacity water (and waste at 100 litres) and not exploit its facilities.

I fill the hot water tank and travel with it full, it is part of the water system.

 

Davy

 

[Bagpuss33]

Many thanks Davy.

 

[colin]

You don't say which Tracker you have, but one I googled has very little payload so you might need to think about how much you can actually carry before being overloaded. With little worries on payload the amount we put in tank will depend on how long we are away and if we know we can easily top up, but we would rarely travel with less than half a tank, and always with Truma full.

[Yorkyrunner]

I always carry enough for the sort of trip I am going on ie if going away for a weekend or staying on a full facility site I tend to carry 50% capacity. If we are going long distance and especially using the French aries or rallying I always carry tank full. Especially travelling down France in the winter months when you cannot rely on any fscilities being available. I never notice any difference in mpg and have travelled fully loaded with bikes, garage full and towing car and the M/H seems to thrive on it and still have to ease off so as not to break any speed limits.This is on Fiat 150 bhp and having previously had the 3ltr 160 bhp I cannot tell the difference and its on the comformatic.

[Bagpuss33]

Don’t know how many Tracker models there are but ours is a 2 berth end kitchen. Thanks for the advice.

[Don636]

I fully agree with Davy’s comments and always travel with full tanks. I doubt you would be able to detect an effect on handling, if any, and I am not interested in what it might cost in fuel use, although I guess it would be pennies.

[peterjl]

What does the manual for your Moho suggest.

 

Some moho’s these days recommend travelling with 20 or 25% full. That is what my manual suggests..

 

Consider filling your tank, with van ready to, and take to a weighbridge.

 

Peter

[DISCOVERYIII]

I'm new to this but I fill up the water tank whenever I can, it means that I can stop where/when it is convenient and I am self sufficient.

 

I used to have a boat and always kept the diesel tank full as well, so when I end a trip I try to fill that up too - lots of problems with boats and diesel bug now that marine fuel has biodiesel in it, less of a problem for a motorhome but its an old habit.

 

rgds

 

Richard

[colin]

Bagpuss33 - 2019-11-05 9:45 PM

 

Don’t know how many Tracker models there are but ours is a 2 birth end kitchen. Thanks for the advice.

 

Sounds like you have the EKS, a visit to weighbridge fully loaded in holiday trim with the both of you in it will confirm, but if it's plated at 3.5t then you probably have limited scope to carry much more than 1/4 of tank

[alanedwin]

It all depends on your destination. If wildcamping or staying off sites carry more water, but if you mainly stay on sites wait till you get there to fill up. As previously stated you need to check your payload.

[Geeco]

Our AT Tracker FB travels with a full water tank every trip. In AU the Tracker FB is rated at 4450kg while in UK at 3500kg so payload is no issue. Fully loaded with all tanks full last week I weighed 3960kgs on the weigh bridge. I see no negatives with travelling with a full tank from a driving or fuel consumption point of view.

As an aside I have mentioned before in a previous post that it is possible to drive a vehicle up to 4500kg on a standard car licence here. It is a good thing because most of the motorhome and caravans made locally are not the lightest. They argue that the additional weight is to add strength to cope with the rough roads! My AT has coped so I do not accept that argument, cheers,

[StuartO]

The amount of water you carry is limited by the available payload and in some motorhomes by constructional limitations - my MH has a limit valve designed to help you avoid travelling with more than 70% water. Modern MHs are often limited to quite small quantities when travelling, eg 20 litres for new Hymers, which is done to boost apparent payload for other things.

 

I like to travel with 50 - 75% water, to have some up my sleeve in case of non-availability at my destination. I don’t worry about using fuel to carry water, just whether I’m at risk of ending up over my max allowable weight. A modern MH which limited me to 20 litres of water would be OK if I only ever went campsite to campsite but I like the flexibility of using all sorts of overnight stops so that’s no use to me at all!

[Derek Uzzell]

Carrying fresh water was discussed in this August 2019 forum thread

 

https://forums.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/Motorhomes/Motorhome-Matters/Laika-s-20-fresh-water-travel-restriction-why-/52706/

 

However much (or little) water is being carried in a motorhome’s fresh-water tank when the vehicle is being driven, there will be no potential problems driving with a full Truma water-heater boiler.

 

If a Truma boiler is not filled before setting off in a motorhome, when the time comes to use the boiler to obtain hot water the water system will need to be bled of air. This is not always a simple, quick task.

 

[weldted]

Our new Burstner has two setting for the fresh water drain tap, either complete drain or part drain the label says it will leave 20 litres when in fact it leaves 35 litres. Not a problem if you have plenty of payload but a litre of waters weighs a kilo and our tank holds 120.

[EJB]

We always travel full...on our older long term AT Tracker and recently on our not as old Burstner.

Appreciate that weights are a bit tight on many MHs...but wouldn't buy if that was the case....sadly some don't realise the problem until it's too late. *-)

[Clive_Adams]

I like to travel with at least half a tank of fresh water, increasing this to full if going to Europe in winter due to the non or restricted availability on a lot of the European sites. I also before setting off ensure the van is all up to temperature as well as a tank of hot water in the boiler ( about 10 ltr ) this should stop or allow more time in extreme cold before the safety valve kicks in. Grey water which no one has mentioned, non or minimal.

I have not ever noticed any handling or fuel consumption issues whichever way I go.

[Derek Uzzell]

Bagpuss33 - 2019-11-05 9:45 PM

 

Don’t know how many Tracker models there are but ours is a 2 berth end kitchen. Thanks for the advice.

 

Auto-Trail has marketed “Tracker EKS” models continuously since 2005. The attached images are of the three 'different Fiat chassis’ versions and the period during which the chassis would have been built. Weight-related data are likely to vary according to which of the three types are involved, as well as things like water-tank capacities.

[vindiboy]

TeamRienza - 2019-11-05 9:05 PM

 

We travel with a full tank, 140 litres. This gradually reduces as time passes until an opportunity to refill presents.

I do not notice any adverse handling properties, similar to not noticing the fuel tank of 90 litres affecting the van.

I do not give any consideration to the potential affect that this 150 kg might have on the fuel economy. I have an expensive piece of kit, and expect to use it to its full potential. If this involves a few extra pounds sterling then so be it. Similarly why design a vehicle with a large capacity water (and waste at 100 litres) and not exploit its facilities.

I fill the hot water tank and travel with it full, it is part of the water system.

 

Davy

Same here and I usually have a few 5 litre cans of drinking water aboard too, I have a diesel water heater so that has no hot water holding tank just pipework , my van is 3.5 tonnes and no problems with this at all, we wild camp most of our time on our travels so top up with water and empty the cassette every time we see an opportunity.

 

https://ibb.co/album/mOtD6F

[ron.]

Fill up to whatever your payload allows. You’re supposed to be enjoying yourself not forever dumping and taking on water.

[Don636]

Well said Ron - absolutely succinct and spot on.

[mikebeaches]

Normally travel with fresh water about 25% full, so as not to unnecessarily use up payload - van plated at 3,500kg.

[Tall_Mike]

We have a 110 ltr tank - that's 110kg extra, the weight of another adult. The hot tank takes another 10 ltrs..

 

Not worried about the cost in fuel, think it's negligible, more worried about getting caught for being overweight, our van is restricted to 3500kg, - it can be upgraded as a paper exercise to 3850kg - The van will physically take the weight, my license will support it (Have got C1) but the regulations say - No. - you also have to consider axle loadings. I have travelled with it full of water without any problem at all, we have a large van, - but best not to.

 

I know we are tight on load weight so generally I travel with about 20% of water or less, - enough for everything to work, cup of tea, brief shower etc, and fill up when we arrive. - If we go static for a few days I fill it right to the top. If we get stopped with 20% on board - we'd either be under or maybe just into the 10% discretionary weight zone.

[Derek Uzzell]

I don’t know which countries have a "10% discretionary weight zone” relating to vehicle overloading, but France isn’t one of them.

 

This link describes the position in France regarding overloaded motorhomes

 

https://www.lemondeducampingcar.fr/pratique/reglementation/surcharge-du-camping-car-des-sanctions-damende-et-dimmobilisation/157850

 

and Mr Google provides the following translation

 

CAMPING-CAR OVERLOADING: PENALITIES AND IMMOBILIZATION

 

It is forbidden to drive in a vehicle whose actual weight is greater than the authorized weight. If you do not respect the payload of your camper (and therefore its GVW), you risk a fine (which increases according to the extent of the overload) and immobilization of the vehicle.

 

Checks are not frequent, but sometimes the police force the motorhomes on to the weigh-scale. Woe betide the camping-cariste who has loaded their camper without taking care to remain within the limits of the payload ... Article R312-2 of the Highway Code states that it is forbidden to drive a vehicle or a vehicle component whose actual weight exceeds the permissible gross laden weight. " The same applies to each axle: forbidden to exceed the weight limit.

 

Overload: progressive fines

 

The Highway Code provides for the case of exceeding a GVW of 3.5 tonnes (or less), or a GTW (total rolling weight allowed, ie with the trailer) of 3.5 tonnes or less. And in these two cases, the penalty is the same. Up to 500kg overload, the driver is liable for the fine for a fourth-class ticket. That’s a minimum of 90 € (in the event of a reduced flat-rate fine) up to a 750 € maximum. And then ... for each additional 500kg, add the same amount. Attention, as far as the fines are concerned, no tolerance applies. The first kilo is counted: for a weight of 3550kg, the penalty is the same as for 3950kg.

 

Immobilisationn:t: for more than 5% overload

 

If the gross weight exceeds 5% (ie 3675kg in the case of a 3.5 tonne motorhome), the camper can be immobilized.

[Tall_Mike]

For the Uk, - 1kg overweight in total, or 1kg per axle, even if the whole van is under the limit is overweight,

 

Anywhere between 5% and 10% overweight leads to a £100 fixed penalty, - on a first offence, the gap between 0% and 5% seems to be at the VOSA guy’s discretion.

 

In Germany 0-5% seems to be tolerated, but over that the fines are draconian.

 

On a 3500kg van this amounts to 175kg.

 

The problem is that modern vans are so close to the weight limit even empty - the extra load of a full tank of water is sufficient to blow the ceiling.