Wilson Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Hi Do you fill up with fresh water before going on a journey and if so what effect does this have on MPG? Hope to get away this weekend so happy Easter to one and all. Wilson :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handyman Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 I try to not have (much) water in either or the water tanks when travelling a good distance, as its a no brainer that it would affect performance/economy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Hello Wilson, Short answer yes and none! We always travel with full tanks though dump waste if possible before we leave a site. Our milage doesn't seem to alter from around 28mpg irrespective of speed or what we carry. From our point of view the benefit of having fresh water wherever we decide to stop and during the journey would by far outweigh any minor alteration to performance if it did anyway. Bas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clive Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Totally agree with Basil, Cannot see the point of doing anything differently. C. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MandyAndy Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 I think alot depends on how much you rely on it in the first 48 hours, we set off to France with half a tank so not carrying too much excess. Then sometime on the first or second day we fill up, usually before we shower then move on, making sure you dump waste water whenever possible. If you are big water/tea drinkers or 4 showers a day people then you need more in your tank than those who drink soft drinks and shower every other day, it also depends of course on how many there are in the van we have 2 adults and 2 children. Mandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vernon B Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 Hi Wilson I think there's a body of opinion that recommends you travel empty and fill up on arrival - but despite the possibility of reduced mpg, increased C02 emissions, and global warming, I don't subscribe to it. It doesn't seem to make a great deal of sense to have none of the water dependent (life supporting?) services available during the journey. Moreover experience tells me that if I did travel "dry" sod's law would apply and I'd regret it. So I always carry enough water to cope with an unplanned overnight stop. V Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolh Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 I used to fill up, but don't any more, I just make sure there is enough for washing and flushing etc - then fill up on site. Unless of course we are going to camp wild or not be anywhere to fill up for a day. There is always the exception to the rule - don't you know:o) I never travel with waste though - that always gets dumped before we set off. Drinking water comes out of a 3 litre bottle filled from the tap at home before we leave. We never drink water out of the tank, not even boiled. Carol Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
handyman Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 we always stay in a campsite at night, so can always fill up. I never go a long distance with full waste or fresh, although i wouldnt dump any fresh water, but just time it about right. I did travel with the tanks full when we got the van, and it was sluggish at 85-90mph. Both were full, so thats 200L of water. Much better cruising at high speeds with less weight. B-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 We always fill up and always dump when we can you just never know . Cant see that it has made the slightest differnce to us or the van . Still each to her own :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
soarer Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 michele - 2008-03-20 4:58 PM We always fill up and always dump when we can you just never know . Cant see that it has made the slightest differnce to us or the van . Still each to her own :D I agree Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
geoff Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 I rarely book sites in advance, and its difficult to find places to top in the UK so we always fill up at every opprtunity unless we know in advance that we can fill up on arrival. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shaun Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 I think payload is worth a mention. Anyone who's counting the kilos will add quite a bit with a full tank of water. Just out of interest I checked my water tank, which is 110 litres. I then weighed a couple of litres in a plastic bottle and it conveniently came to exactly 2 kilos. So, with a full tank of water, that's an extra 110kg in weight. That would put me close to my limit, so I won't be travelling with a full tank of water. Shaun Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 We certainly never travel with the fresh tank empty - especially since we tend not to use sites abroad. But now we've got a shower for the first time, we WILL fill up on arrival, or at an Aire de Service Camping-Cars on the way to wherever we're sleeping - learned that the hard way last Friday! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoff Cole Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 I usually fill the tank about 1/2 full and take a 4ltr container of water for drinking purposes. it is not always easy to fill up on some aires in France so its best not to be caught out. If its very windy like last week I fill the tank up so as to keep the wheels in contact with the tarmac (which was not easy on the A1 and M62 from Newark last wednesday) but its a matter of personal opinion really. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mco Posted March 20, 2008 Share Posted March 20, 2008 We always travel with full fresh water and empty waste tanks. Always fill bottles with water for drinking, never out of the tank. If we are full and empty we can camp wild when the opportunity arises. It doesn't seem to affect performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 We travel with full fresh water tank and empty waste tank when possible. As we rarely use sites, using aires etc abroad, not all of which have fresh water, we keep the tank topped up to be safe. We haven't got a problem with payload so the extra weight doesn't matter and to be honest as to MPG, when you're lugging a great big motorhome around I don't think that the extra 100 litres of water will make a difference really. We always use the tank water for drinking, washing etc, never had a problem in at all with doing this since our first old coachbuilt back in 1997. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Geoff Cole - 2008-03-20 7:59 PM I usually fill the tank about 1/2 full and take a 4ltr container of water for drinking purposes. it is not always easy to fill up on some aires in France so its best not to be caught out. If its very windy like last week I fill the tank up so as to keep the wheels in contact with the tarmac (which was not easy on the A1 and M62 from Newark last wednesday) but its a matter of personal opinion really. Funny that I have always felt ours handles best fully laden, one of the reasons we fill with water every time we move. Didn't say before as it is a bit subjective. Bas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Mel B - 2008-03-21 7:29 AM We travel with full fresh water tank and empty waste tank when possible. As we rarely use sites, using aires etc abroad, not all of which have fresh water, we keep the tank topped up to be safe. We haven't got a problem with payload so the extra weight doesn't matter and to be honest as to MPG, when you're lugging a great big motorhome around I don't think that the extra 100 litres of water will make a difference really. We always use the tank water for drinking, washing etc, never had a problem in at all with doing this since our first old coachbuilt back in 1997. Exactly the same as us and I agree with your last paragraph, that is our experience as well going back to our first caravan to have onboard water back in 1986. Bas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tp002c784tp002c784tp Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 Hi Wilson I am like most of the other members I travel with a full water tank and empty waste tank, I have always thought the motorhome runs better with a full water tank. I also read an article a few years ago that if you travel with only a small amount of fresh water in your tank it can make your vehicle unstable with the movement in the tank but I don't no if this is fact. Terry Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
flicka Posted March 21, 2008 Share Posted March 21, 2008 The reply regarding payload is particularly relevent. Irrespective of capacity, weight costs in economy. We travel with about 4 litre bottles of drinking water & 1/4 tank fresh water, if heading for a site & then fill on arrival. Ensures we have Loo available during travelling (essential for my wife) We always dump waste water before leaving site. With out M/H not being generous on payload this give us precious extra kilo's for gear. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Curly Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 This subject crops up quite a lot even at various meets, we travel with full water tank ALWAYS, the power of todays engines make very little diff. with the consumption and if a slight drop in mpg the diff. is just not worth the hasle to fill up elsewhere. As already mentioned you can never be sure where you would like to stop where there is no water available. Our routine is to fill up at any time that suites us and as we have a SOG always try to empty the cassete daily if not the following day so it it is always fresh, the advantage of the SOG is many, to mention 1 using the "earth type" dump stations you are not polluting the environment, as we hear many Germans say "it goes back to nature" Curly Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Usinmyknaus Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 We can't travel with more than 60% as it pours out of the overflow if we put in any more. In the Alps we could not carry more than 40% which was a bit of a worry if we had no idea where we would end up for the night. In normal terrain we always take enough for an overnight stop so aim not to go below 40% (40L) and if necessary fill a 15L bottle. I'm intrigued that so many people can carry full tanks - there have been occasions overseas when I would have liked to have been able to. Don't most people have the same problem with the overflow on the move as I do? Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michele Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Have you got a bung missing ? thats really strange have you looked at a tank at the factory ? or should I say in the catolouge a cross section or exploded view ? It seems really weird and if it were me that wouldnt of done at all with the kids on board . You need one of the techy people who knows about these things but it dont sound right . I mean Knaus is a nice little vehicle surely they have come up with something better than that . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mamie Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 Hi We had a similar with the water spilling out of the fresh water tank and could only part fill it. The problem - a faulty water tank! We were lucky that the van is still under warranty and had a new tank fitted and it has been fine since then. Might be worth a try. Mary Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
davenewellhome Posted March 22, 2008 Share Posted March 22, 2008 I always fill our fresh water tank before we travel as most of our trips are to outdoor shows where its not always feasible to fill up on arrival. Our tank loses water out of the overflow during travelling and it is not in any way unusual but I don't thikn we lose 40% of the tanks contents. It doesn't make a significant difference to fuel consumption and we have sufficient payload available for it not to be a problem. D. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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