How much payload is enough for 2 people? (1 Viewer)

Vanman

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 12, 2016
1,656
3,875
Runcorn
Funster No
44,564
MH
Roadscout R PVC
Exp
March 2017
The list of essential equipment has got me thinking … how much does all that weigh? Then you’ve got all the stuff you need to live for a week, even if you’re eating out you need breakfast and lunch – that’s a couple of pans, plates, cups, glasses, a fridge full of beer and wine, a couple of bottles of the good stuff …

The minimum payload on the vans I’m short-listing is 475 kg. Now I wouldn’t know a Killer granny (Kg) from my elbow and I’m not any better at tonnes. So what do you all think? The max I can see is 650 Killer grannies which I presume is more than reasonable. Is 475 enough for two people and their gear (no bikes, two laptops, an outdoor table and two chairs?). I'm not looking for a scientific answer obviously and I suppose I can weigh some things in advance, I just don't want to buy something with a silly small payload that will never work.
 

vwalan

Funster
Sep 23, 2008
8,835
5,798
roche cornwall
Funster No
4,148
MH
lynton5th wheel
Exp
since a child
i say no. think for two people you need 1000kg .
then clothes shoes coats . food etc plus tools . spare gas bottle . water ,plus a bit for waste .
it soon mounts up.
just walk around your kitchen at home weighing things it really can be surprising even a pot of jam etc is a pound in weight . almost half a kg.
never mind books ,maps ,
washing up liquid , etc .
i have tried it years ago and its amazing how it all mounts up.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Upvote 0
Jul 29, 2013
9,048
18,089
Salisbury
Funster No
27,215
MH
Hymer B678DL A class
Exp
since 2011
You have to take what is necessary but not necessarily what you or the other half need,we soon learnt that a lot of the stuff you carry you don't need and can forget about.(y)last winter laden for a three month trip including a full tank of water we had 600kg of clobber so for a week would be a lot less.(y)
 
Upvote 0
Jul 29, 2007
6,526
39,282
Ipswich
Funster No
32
MH
RV and PVC
Exp
30 years
If your reading these weights from a brochure, beware, they may be highly inaccurate, it depends whats been included in the calculation.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Last edited:
Upvote 0

vwalan

Funster
Sep 23, 2008
8,835
5,798
roche cornwall
Funster No
4,148
MH
lynton5th wheel
Exp
since a child
i also forgot . spare oil, spare fuel . bottle of polish , perhaps spare brake fluid .
then perhaps solar,batteries . chargers for phones etc tv, radio , weigh the cutlery plates cups pans . tin opener .
 
Upvote 0
OP
OP
Vanman

Vanman

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 12, 2016
1,656
3,875
Runcorn
Funster No
44,564
MH
Roadscout R PVC
Exp
March 2017
>> enough for 2 people?

Now that would depend if one of them is female.

most definitely!

i say no. think for two people you need 1000kg .
then clothes shoes coats . food etc plus tools . spare gas bottle . water ,plus a bit for waste .
it soon mounts up.
just walk around your kitchen at home weighing things it really can be surprising even a pot of jam etc is a pound in weight . almost half a kg.
never mind books ,maps ,
washing up liquid , etc .
i have tried it years ago and its amazing how it all mounts up.

Looking at your avatar may give me an understanding here ;) Thousands of these vans sell every year with max 650Kg so I think 1000kg may be a little OTT (for a PVC)

You have to take what is necessary but not necessarily what you or the other half need,we soon learnt that a lot of the stuff you carry you don't need and can forget about.(y)last winter laden for a three month trip including a full tank of water we had 600kg of clobber so for a week would be a lot less.(y)

That's good to know, makes it feel like just another of the variables, big is better but most of my list is still viable :)

If your reading these weights of a brochure, beware, they may be highly inaccurate, it depends whats been included in the calculation.

A mixture of reviews and websites. New vans so I'm guessing they have to be at least a little honest, although I suspect there's probably no 'standard' trim to weigh in.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Upvote 0
May 12, 2011
1,180
1,854
West Midlands
Funster No
16,388
MH
Hymer
It's all a matter of personal needs, we run with about 350kg of weight that leaves us about 200kg spare capacity, doesn't seem to matter if going for a weekend or a few months. I have had the van weighed several times, the local trading standards weighbridge is easy to get to and they are more than happy to weigh for free if you just want to write down the weight.

At Malvern last weekend, I was looking at a used Hymer that was advertised as 3500kg, sure enough, it had been downplated from 3850kg, which I estimated left the vehicle with about 200kg of payload capacity. The dealer had no idea, told me there was ample capacity, I left hoping that someone seriously interested checked it all out.
 
Upvote 0
OP
OP
Vanman

Vanman

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 12, 2016
1,656
3,875
Runcorn
Funster No
44,564
MH
Roadscout R PVC
Exp
March 2017
i also forgot . spare oil, spare fuel . bottle of polish , perhaps spare brake fluid .
then perhaps solar,batteries . chargers for phones etc tv, radio , weigh the cutlery plates cups pans . tin opener .

You can rest assured that we won't be taking any polish or brake fluid - this is a holiday vehicle and we won't be setting off if it can't make the round trip on existing polish and brake fluid ;)

My bad though for not explaining it would be new - or nearly new :)
 
Upvote 0
Jul 29, 2007
6,526
39,282
Ipswich
Funster No
32
MH
RV and PVC
Exp
30 years
From here: https://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/m...dvice/motorhome-weights-and-payload-explained

On a new motorhome, remember that every additional optional item – from carpet mats to electric awnings – must be subtracted from your available payload. Buy a vehicle with a modest payload and just a few extras can soon reduce the remaining payload to a negligible amount for your essentials such as clothing, bedding, food and drink. Manufacturers and dealers should advise you clearly on the weight of any options, so check carefully at the time of purchase. Given the sizeable cost of investing in a motorhome, you can also insist on getting it weighed as part of the deal.

Does it include water? Full tank of fuel? Gas bottles? Passengers?

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Upvote 0
Jul 29, 2011
2,684
21,710
Urmston, Manchester
Funster No
17,549
MH
Former owner.
Exp
June 2012
If your reading these weights from a brochure, beware, they may be highly inaccurate, it depends whats been included in the calculation.

Brochure weights will not include extras, awning, solar panel, satellite system, microwave etc. When I weighed mine with just myself in plus quarter tank fuel and half tank water it came to 3560 kegs, so already over without wife, dogs food and clothes.
Had to up rate to 3850 to stay legal at the time.
I weighed all the bits and pieces in the underneath cupboards and it only came to 150 so not much saving there.
Get it on a weigh bridge before buying, make sure you know what your getting, water and diesel weigh approx 1 kg per litre.
 
Upvote 0

Popeye

Deceased RIP
Sep 5, 2011
7,926
86,461
edge of New Forest
Funster No
18,072
MH
Frankia Platin Plus
Exp
On and off since 1983
Well I have 1.25 tonne now that I have fitted Air Assist and uprated the payload and the trike weighs 250 kg alone so that leaves a metric ton for all else and I think that is plenty.

Before the upgrade I even ditched the fairly heavy windbreak so that we could carry both electric bikes and the trike too. I carry a genny that has never been fired up for my use, others have benefited though.

I think if ever I come down in size (post 70 years) I would take a 3.5 tonne and tow a box trailer with the toys inside.
 
Upvote 0

funflair

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 11, 2013
19,199
29,888
Guisborough
Funster No
29,351
MH
MORELO palace
Exp
since 2012
The list of essential equipment has got me thinking … how much does all that weigh? Then you’ve got all the stuff you need to live for a week, even if you’re eating out you need breakfast and lunch – that’s a couple of pans, plates, cups, glasses, a fridge full of beer and wine, a couple of bottles of the good stuff …

The minimum payload on the vans I’m short-listing is 475 kg. Now I wouldn’t know a Killer granny (Kg) from my elbow and I’m not any better at tonnes. So what do you all think? The max I can see is 650 Killer grannies which I presume is more than reasonable. Is 475 enough for two people and their gear (no bikes, two laptops, an outdoor table and two chairs?). I'm not looking for a scientific answer obviously and I suppose I can weigh some things in advance, I just don't want to buy something with a silly small payload that will never work.

If you are looking at new vans you have to be careful because a lot of your theoretical payload can be lost by options fitted at the factory, awning, extra batter, solar panel, side door up front on "A Class" etc etc.

If you have 475 kg once the van is fully specced up you should be OK I would think but you will be limited to how much water you can carry, a 100 litre tank would be pretty normal I guess and that will be 100 kg.

Martin

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Upvote 0
OP
OP
Vanman

Vanman

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 12, 2016
1,656
3,875
Runcorn
Funster No
44,564
MH
Roadscout R PVC
Exp
March 2017
If you are looking at new vans you have to be careful because a lot of your theoretical payload can be lost by options fitted at the factory, awning, extra batter, solar panel, side door up front on "A Class" etc etc.

If you have 475 kg once the van is fully specced up you should be OK I would think but you will be limited to how much water you can carry, a 100 litre tank would be pretty normal I guess and that will be 100 kg.

Martin

You'll have to excuse me as I'm new to this ... I thought that people usually emptied the tanks before departure or travelled with the bare minimum? I seem to remember at least one of the vans having a 'feature' where it dumped fresh water automatically over a certain level.
 
Upvote 0
Jul 29, 2007
6,526
39,282
Ipswich
Funster No
32
MH
RV and PVC
Exp
30 years
Usually travel with a full water tank, got caught in 9-10 hour traffic jam outside Milan once, I hadn't filled the water tank and ran out of water for the toilet, decided that wouldn't happen again. my tank holds just over 300litres :)
 
Upvote 0

vwalan

Funster
Sep 23, 2008
8,835
5,798
roche cornwall
Funster No
4,148
MH
lynton5th wheel
Exp
since a child
You can rest assured that we won't be taking any polish or brake fluid - this is a holiday vehicle and we won't be setting off if it can't make the round trip on existing polish and brake fluid ;)

My bad though for not explaining it would be new - or nearly new :)
it was just to say how things mount up or we push a polish contaier in just to keep it for the vehicle .
mind i do 6 month trips so carry allsorts .
in truth i can have 3.5 ton payload if i want . hee hee .

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Upvote 0

funflair

LIFE MEMBER
Dec 11, 2013
19,199
29,888
Guisborough
Funster No
29,351
MH
MORELO palace
Exp
since 2012
You'll have to excuse me as I'm new to this ... I thought that people usually emptied the tanks before departure or travelled with the bare minimum? I seem to remember at least one of the vans having a 'feature' where it dumped fresh water automatically over a certain level.

Some vans do have the facility to dump water to about 20 litres left, that is so they can get away with giving you bugger all payload. We travel with about 50% so about 80kg and then quite often waste water as well if we have not had the opportunity to dump it so that could be another 50kg and then half a toilet cassette might be 10kg an extra battery as most are only one as standard and then all the other bits including wine and beer coming back fro France and you can see it adds up, we have 1400kg out of the factory but have used about 1000kg of that when we are coming home with the garage full of booze and bikes etc etc.

The manufacturers web site for new vans should have a configurator section where you can add all your options and work out the total weight, or at the very least they should show you the weight of options, DONT FORGET options will come out of you standard van payload.

Martin
 
Upvote 0

Lenny HB

LIFE MEMBER
Oct 18, 2007
52,698
147,635
On the coast in West Sussex
Funster No
658
MH
Hymer B678 DL
Exp
Since 2008 & many years tugging
I recon around 600-700kg for 2 to be comfortable, we carry e-bikes 50kg but don't have an awning 45kg so balance out, always run with full water tank. The van started out at 3500 with a payload of 590 kg had about 150kg of extras leaving 440kg so we had to upgrade to 3850kg as we were always a 100kg over
 
Upvote 0

donnaquixote

Free Member
Aug 11, 2016
14
11
Aberdeenshire
Funster No
44,541
MH
Van conversion
Exp
Since 2015
>> enough for 2 people?

Now that would depend if one of them is female.
ohhhh..sharp intake of breathe! Off to weight watchers tomorrow to see if Ronnie "El Valiente's" (the van) BMI needs to be reduced...gained some capacity from fitting lighter weight Lithium batteries but then decided to take the Moroccan carpet with me......
The weighbridge is the only method I trust.

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Upvote 0
May 13, 2016
1,746
15,559
Funster No
43,069
MH
Elddis Accordo 105
Exp
eight years in theory, a newby in practice!!!
i also forgot . spare oil, spare fuel . bottle of polish , perhaps spare brake fluid .
then perhaps solar,batteries . chargers for phones etc tv, radio , weigh the cutlery plates cups pans . tin opener .
Cuddly toys, good game, good game! :LOL:
 
Upvote 0

jtp890

Free Member
May 16, 2014
591
393
wakefield
Funster No
31,501
MH
Dethleffs 7014
Exp
13 years on n off
Depends how much wine you want to bring back, managed 30 cases last journey , about 140kg
 
Upvote 0

vwalan

Funster
Sep 23, 2008
8,835
5,798
roche cornwall
Funster No
4,148
MH
lynton5th wheel
Exp
since a child
Depends how much wine you want to bring back, managed 30 cases last journey , about 140kg
if you brought 30 cases of the tetra bricks 1ltr at 12 to a box more like 360kg .
plus some spanish brandy , scotch wisky , possibly some vodka and gin .
never mind full tanks of diesel . soon mounts up. oh and beer less than 50p a litre ,
after all best build some celler stock up as it might all be finished soon once we leave the eu.
you could have a ton of just liquids . hee hee .

Subscribers  do not see these advertisements

 
Upvote 0
Jan 8, 2013
8,478
11,516
Dronfield - Derbyshire
Funster No
24,202
MH
Burstner Lyseo 690G
Exp
Happy FLT since 2011
The max I can see is 650 Killer grannies which I presume is more than reasonable. Is 475 enough for two people and their gear (no bikes, two laptops, an outdoor table and two chairs?). I'm not looking for a scientific answer obviously and I suppose I can weigh some things in advance, I just don't want to buy something with a silly small payload that will never work.

We have 500kg to play with and it is more than sufficient for the two of us, even carrying ridiculous amounts of German wine.
Keep 'stuff' to an absolute minimum. Many fill their vans for every eventuality, which for some reason we have never needed - there is every kind of shop some where close by in an absolute emergency - every where in Europe - I don't think you'll be going to Siberia!
Keep the water tank down to 1/4 - 1/2 full and it will give a load more payload if needed.
Next week I'll be taking my 150Kg motor bike to the IOM for over two weeks. The fuel tank will be empty by the time I get there and I wont be carrying any water AT ALL in the tank - there is water on the site.
Learn to travel light?
 
Upvote 0
OP
OP
Vanman

Vanman

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 12, 2016
1,656
3,875
Runcorn
Funster No
44,564
MH
Roadscout R PVC
Exp
March 2017
We have 500kg to play with and it is more than sufficient for the two of us, even carrying ridiculous amounts of German wine.
Keep 'stuff' to an absolute minimum. Many fill their vans for every eventuality, which for some reason we have never needed - there is every kind of shop some where close by in an absolute emergency - every where in Europe - I don't think you'll be going to Siberia!
Keep the water tank down to 1/4 - 1/2 full and it will give a load more payload if needed.
Next week I'll be taking my 150Kg motor bike to the IOM for over two weeks. The fuel tank will be empty by the time I get there and I wont be carrying any water AT ALL in the tank - there is water on the site.
Learn to travel light?

Thanks (y) Travelling light shouldn't be a problem for someone who's regularly managed to go camping for a week on a motorcycle. Haven't been to the island since 2013 - have fun!
 
Upvote 0

Join us or log in to post a reply.

To join in you must be a member of MotorhomeFun

Join MotorhomeFun

Join us, it quick and easy!

Log in

Already a member? Log in here.

Latest journal entries

Funsters who are viewing this thread

Back
Top