Why travel only with 20 litres of water? (1 Viewer)

[JacknJo]

Hi. I am curious as to why we are encouraged to travel in our motorhome with only 20 litres of water. Is this because its more fuel efficient or is there another reason.

 

[maz]

Hi. I am curious as to why we are encouraged to travel in our motorhome with only 20 litres of water. Is this because its more fuel efficient or is there another reason.

Probably because the payload is poor and more than 20 litres is likely to take you over your maximum legal weight.

 

[Drexxer]

No it's because alot of the 3500kg MH's do not have the legal payload, so are therefore Not fit for purpose!

so to make it seem slightly better they suggest carrying less of everything

Carrying a small amount of water will make bugger all difference to the MPG!

Mine is full of Gas, Diesel & water at the start of every trip

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[HugoBNB]

It depends on what type of trip you are on. If you are certain of supplies along the way, you will not need as much. If you are roughing it a bit, you may need to stock up. Water = weight (1kg=1ltr) so make sure you have capacity to carry it safely and legally. You may be well served loading up your MH as if you were heading off on a trip and visiting a weighbridge to see how you are fixed.
Hope this helps. Safe travels.

 

[Jim]

In thirty-three years, I have never set off on a journey in a motorhome without my freshwater tank being full to bursting.

 

[deleted79651]

Hi. I am curious as to why we are encouraged to travel in our motorhome with only 20 litres of water. Is this because its more fuel efficient or is there another reason.

I don't think it's a stipulation or recommendation. The Vehicle weight is calculated by reference to some assumptions, such as including a driver who weighs 75kg, with 90% Diesel in the tank, and 20 litres of fresh water. This then forms the basis of the vehicle weight from which the claimed payload is calculated.

The most accurate way of calculating the actual, rather than computed, vehicle weight, from which you can measure the available payload for your vehicle [and this has been posted many times before on the Forum!] is to pack it in holiday mode, with the family on board, all the kit, clothing, food, chairs, bikes, dogs, cats and BBQs and then go to a weighbridge to get the total weight, which will tell you how tight you are against the 3500kg limit [assuming you have not uprated the GVW]. It's also useful to measure the weights on the front and back axles to ensure that you are within the permitted maxima.

Another [less accurate] way is to visit the weighbridge with just the driver on board and, say, a full tank of Diesel and get the Vehicle weight and axle load weights. Then, back at home, weigh the family and all the kit etc that you will be taking on your trips [luggage scales useful alongside bathroom scales] to check that the loaded vehicle will be within the 3500kg limit. You won't have the benefit of the revised axle weights because of the addition of the 'kit and caboodle' after the weighbridge visit.

Steve

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[Lenny HB]

Always travel with a full tank 160 Lt.
Coming down through France a couple weeks ago nearly all the Bourns were turned off had to make a tank last a week.

 

[TinaLes]

I fully agree with the above posting from Marchie. most new 3500KG vans especially with 4 passengers, all their kit, Fridge Freezer and store cupboards full with provisions etc, full diesel & Fresh water tanks, in many cases the van will be overweight, especially on the rear axel.
That's why so many 3500KG vans have the facility to drain down to 20/25 litres of fresh water with a 2 stage drain off valve.
The law needs to be clearer in warning potential buyers that their 3500KG van is not suitable to carry 4 adults with everything needed for a few days away. That's also what keeps the weight upgrading companies like SV tech in business, providing you have carried out the necessary mods and have The C1 license to allow the weight upgrade.
Sadly many van manufacture's continue to make vans with a very low payload, they would be near the mark even with 2 people, plus their kit, let alone 4.
LES

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

When we first got our van I new we would be close to the axle limits so applied for an upgrade almost straight away. I got the maximum increase allowed that didn't involve any alterations. Trouble is we straight away found that extra 200kg gained diminished PDQ with absolute extra essentials we found that needed to go on board. So, now back for round two of upgrades, this time another 150kg, which takes us to the limits, [ almost] of easily achievable upgrades, giving us 3850kg, which is about 900kg of payload, that's got be enough now surely? Adding 112kg of water??, that takes us back to really tight again, I'm already rationing Mrs. BBF's , sock draw . Better start leaving some heavy [ lol] clues lying about like 4250kg vans brochures.
Mike.

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[Lenny HB]

When we first got our van I new we would be close to the axle limits so applied for an upgrade almost straight away. I got the maximum increase allowed that didn't involve any alterations. Trouble is we straight away found that extra 200kg gained diminished PDQ with absolute extra essentials we found that needed to go on board. So, now back for round two of upgrades, this time another 150kg, which takes us to the limits, [ almost] of easily achievable upgrades, giving us 3850kg, which is about 900kg of payload, that's got be enough now surely? Adding 112kg of water??, that takes us back to really tight again, I'm already rationing Mrs. BBF's , sock draw . Better start leaving some heavy [ lol] clues lying about like 4250kg vans brochures.
Mike.

Our van is 4500kg with a payload over the MIRO of 1350kg we only have about 250kg spare and we are couple of lightweights.

 

[olley]

I usually travel with a full tank.

 

[Phill D]

Personal choice and circumstances.

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[wizza]

Sometimes it because not enough payload we always travel with full tanks

 

[Phill D]

The amount of additional fuel used for an extra say 60 / 80 kgs is negligible really.

The wind direction or strength is likely to have more impact than the additional weight.

Assuming of course that with a full tank you are within the max weight of the van

 

[deleted79651]

Duplicate of your original post

Steve

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[paddymcc]

So that the manufacturer can claim that the payload is bigger than it is. Ie the tank capacity is 100L, travel with 20L and you have 80kg extra payload

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

Our van is 4500kg with a payload over the MIRO of 1350kg we only have about 250kg spare and we are couple of lightweights.

Wow, I could stash another half a dozen boats about the van with that amount spare payload, essential ones of course only
Mike.

 

[Lenny HB]

Wow, I could stash another half a dozen boats about the van with that amount spare payload, essential ones of course only
Mike.

???

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[The Old Man]

Personal choice and circumstances.

+1

If I'm heading off Freedom Camping I travel full.

On Monday I'll be travelling to a booked pitch with a fresh water supply I will travel with one day's emergency fill.

 

[The Old Man]

Out of interest who is encouraging;

"...why we are encouraged to travel in our motorhome with only 20 litres of water..."

 

[BouncyBoatFolk]

???

Inflatable kayaks.
Mike

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[Stealaway]

Always travel with a full tank 160 Lt.
Coming down through France a couple weeks ago nearly all the Bourns were turned off had to make a tank last a week.

We been in France for nearly 5 weeks and have yet to find any Aire water supply turned off.
We have actually been at two fairly remote one's today and both are working perfectly.
We have just filled with 40 ltr of water today because we're having a shower tonight.
That will be plenty for two showers and the next three to four days of normal usage.
I can't understand why anybody would need to carry any more.

 

[Yorick]

Only 20 litres?

I carry more beer than that

 

[Minxy]

In thirty-three years, I have never set off on a journey in a motorhome without my freshwater tank being full to bursting.

... but with what Jim?

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[Minxy]

We been in France for nearly 5 weeks and have yet to find any Aire water supply turned off.
We have actually been at two fairly remote one's today and both are working perfectly.
We have just filled with 40 ltr of water today because we're having a shower tonight.
That will be plenty for two showers and the next three to four days of normal usage.
I can't understand why anybody would need to carry any more.

Its down to how you travel, where you stay, for how long etc. We always leave home with a full tank (currently have 150 litre one) and wouldn't have it any other way, last thing we want to have to do is go back to filling the tank frequently as we had to when we only had a small one, we like to stay in some places for a while, record to date is 5 days, so if we had to move and risk losing our lovely spot to top up the water because we had foolishly not filled it previously we'd be well peeved.

 

[nicholsong]

We wildcamp and would not leave home without full water and diesel, within legal weights.

Geoff

 

[deleted79651]

Its down to how you travel, where you stay, for how long etc. We always leave home with a full tank (currently have 150 litre one) and wouldn't have it any other way, last thing we want to have to do is go back to filling the tank frequently as we had to when we only had a small one, we like to stay in some places for a while, record to date is 5 days, so if we had to move and risk losing our lovely spot to top up the water because we had foolishly not filled it previously we'd be well peeved.

I only have a little one, but it's a worker ... And, to save starting up a cold engine for a drive of only a few metres, as well as to avoid losing the pitch, I've rigged up a pump with a hella plug that runs off the [redundant] tv socket, out of the kitchen window and into a 25 litre Water Carrier. The latter is filled from a 5 litre carrier so I can walk to & from the tap to my heart's content, and then add about 22 litres about every 36 hours or so. Exercise does me good, and it works quite well [after the first time when I for got to withdraw the plastic tube from the tank and returned from the tap to find that I had siphoned off the water that I had just pumped in ... doh!]

Steve

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[Lenny HB]

Inflatable kayaks.
Mike

I've only got a Paddleboard with us.

 

[PhilandMena]

Fairly certain, we like most other 3.5T motorhomes are overweight when on the road. My water tank is usually full when setting off.

 

[Lenny HB]

We been in France for nearly 5 weeks and have yet to find any Aire water supply turned off.
We have actually been at two fairly remote one's today and both are working perfectly.
We have just filled with 40 ltr of water today because we're having a shower tonight.
That will be plenty for two showers and the next three to four days of normal usage.
I can't understand why anybody would need to carry any more.

Nearly every where we went in France a couple of weeks ago Bourns had out of order notices on them or water turned off. I think a lot were turned off last year to discourage people due to Covid.
We were travelling down to the south west corner from Belgium.
No problems in Spain.
We use about 35—40lt a day if both having showers.

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