Do you travel dry? (1 Viewer)

Mar 12, 2012
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Just started!
Just wondering. Besides the wine & beer, do you travel dry?

My van has a 120ltr water tank and that's quite some weight to haul around!

We're going to Stratford and wonder whether we should fill up before leaving or is it possible to fill up on arrival?

Any tips?
 
Jul 28, 2010
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makes no difference to mine full or empty with car on back or not all ways get the same mpg
thats on a 7.4 ltr V8 lpg/petrol RV

if your over 3 ltr would not worry too much

Ian
 

schojac

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Hi,

full would give an additional 120 KGs; a big slice off the payload for many. Personally I carry the minimum, Max 1/4 tank

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SPUD'N'T

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Going to Statford empty and filling up on arrival, the extra 120 kg does seem to make a slight difference to us, and as tesco are so fond of telling us.. "every little helps":Smile:
 

pappajohn

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120ltrs is emergency drinking water.

my tank holds 70 GALLONS (320ltrs/kg)

now that make a difference but i usually run at half a tank at most.:Sad:
 

JockandRita

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Hi Stichup,

If we aren't sure of the availability of water at our destination, (a bowser last time at Stratford), we fill up at home. That will do us for Stratford next weekend, and we will fill up next, when we arrive at Gowerton CC site near Swansea (via Vanbitz) on the Tuesday.
If 100% sure of our water supply upon arrival, we'll travel empty, but with bottled drinking water available.

When touring Europe, we start full, and never travel with less than a quarter of a tank. Weight doesn't come into it, but running short of water does. :winky:

Cheers,

Jock & Rita.

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Last edited:

grumps147

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Local events and shorter times away from home - within 50 miles (as Chester was) - I will fill up to save the hassle of a queue or low pressure supply taking an age.
Longer runs enough to be able to flush toilet for the journey.
For us that weight makes a big difference to payload.
 

slobadoberbob

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we travel with full tanks

We travel with full tanks... water, log, fuel.... makes no difference to my RV

Bob

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Jul 28, 2010
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I agree with you BOB we RVs have it lucky as the large power engines can take the load and not hammer the MPH
it is a worry for the euro vans as they have so little power that a head wind sends then in to every petrol station on route
and long ques for water when they arrive

as i have said many times on threads
"If you have to watch the mileage and the costs of using the motorhome you probably should not be trying to run one"




We travel with full tanks... water, log, fuel.... makes no difference to my RV

Bob
 

cpease

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Mar 16, 2008
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We dump our fresh water at Pidou carpark Calais or Dunkirk whilst we are filling our trolley inside the store with Beer & Wine and we will be doing it again on the 27th June
 

sedge

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Well - at Stratford, if you are going to fill from scratch from the bowser you best have a big watering can and lots of patience.

I'd say get there with enough in, for first overnight at least.

What others did who stayed the week as we did, was to top up from the bowser by watering can as and when.

Not having a watering can* and only living 'up the road' we arrived full to the brim, and then later in the week drove the van round when the traffic was light to where the showers etc are - to the water point they use on the actual 'general camping' as opposed to the rally areas - and used our hosepipe as per usual.

* we could indeed invest in same - but then, where would we carry it? - would be a B nuisance in our van ! We use a collapsible bucket and flexible necked funnel when otherwise stumped. Yes that's a B nuisance too, but at least it's only when doing the water that time - not for the whole holiday !

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slobadoberbob

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why not get a small pump

why not get a water container and a small pump and pump water in to your motor home? that is what I do at places like Stratford... I have a 5 gallon water container and then pump it from that to the main holding tanks.. I arrive full and then make a few trips with the scooter and the water container.. I connect the pump to a 12v out side plug - simples.

Here in France I have the hose goes to the RV from a tap beside the RV..


Bob
 

GJH

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Regarding Stratford specifically, Stone Leisure do recommend (in the sheet sent with the tickets) that you enquire where the stand pipes are on entry and fill up before crossing the racecourse.

Last year the bowser wasn't made available for the first day or two so I used a stand pipe which isn't all that far away. On the shot Here it's about the centre, between the RVs and Paddock Lane.

We have a container and pump as described by Bob - essential with the much smaller tank in our previous van - which we will use again if need be.
 

Techno

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If I know where I'm going I carry the minimum for toilet flushing. If I'm undecided where we're going I fill up ,(mainland europe).
No payload issue for me as I'm now at 3700kg

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grumps147

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I agree with you BOB we RVs have it lucky as the large power engines can take the load and not hammer the MPH
it is a worry for the euro vans as they have so little power that a head wind sends then in to every petrol station on route
and long ques for water when they arrive

as i have said many times on threads
"If you have to watch the mileage and the costs of using the motorhome you probably should not be trying to run one"

Like Bob we top up using electric pump and 5 gallon container.
My concern for not filling on long trips is not the cost of diesel. It is being pulled for a weight check..
 

Chris

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as i have said many times on threads
"If you have to watch the mileage and the costs of using the motorhome you probably should not be trying to run one"

I don't get that philosophy.

I have a Eurovan and travel almost empty so that I don't waste fuel and money carrying weight I don't really need.

Nothing to do with whether I can afford to run a Motorhome.
 
Apr 27, 2008
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I travel full if I don't know where I'm going to stop, and also for show rallies as getting water is often not very convenient.
Many aires charge for water and some need a token which you may not be able to get easily. I like to travel in a state that will allow me to overnight anywhere I end up. I I know that I am going to a site with facilities then a 1/4 tank will do, but I'm not usually that organised.

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Jul 28, 2010
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Like Bob we top up using electric pump and 5 gallon container.
My concern for not filling on long trips is not the cost of diesel. It is being pulled for a weight check..
so as i said this would not apply to you as it a weight concern not a monetary
concern simples !!
 
Jul 28, 2010
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I don't get that philosophy.

I have a Eurovan and travel almost empty so that I don't waste fuel and money carrying weight I don't really need.

Nothing to do with whether I can afford to run a Motorhome.

so as i said this would not apply to you as it a weight concern not a monetary
concern simples !!

i stand by what i said
no need to quote me and chastise me

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jb0371old

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As i learnt in the army, always fill up whenever you can as you dont know when your going to get water again. With a 100 litre water tank does it really make a massive difference to mpg, when you consider that you are stocked up with food, beer, clothes etc. Also if I go to a show I want to pull up and crack open a beer as soon as i pull out the keys from the ignition, rather than trying to find a stand pipe.
 

JOHNSTEY

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Quarter tank for traveling seems sensible.Half if unsure of o'night supply.No point in traveling full unless you want to waste fuel! I think it's a bit rich the RV people saying it doesn't matter to fuel consumption when they are burning twice as much as we lesser mortals in the first place!:thumb:
 
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StitchUp
Mar 12, 2012
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Quarter tank for traveling seems sensible.Half if unsure of o'night supply.No point in traveling full unless you want to waste fuel! I think it's a bit rich the RV people saying it doesn't matter to fuel consumption when they are burning twice as much as we lesser mortals in the first place!:thumb:

.... and contributing to global warming fears. :ROFLMAO:

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pappajohn

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Last time I looked at a stratford bowser it was unlocked.

a perfect, and probably closer, late night dump point for the 'less than' thoughtful campers grey, or worse, black waste. :Doh:

would I use a bowser in a public area....No, I would not !
 

Chris

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so as i said this would not apply to you as it a weight concern not a monetary
concern simples !!

i stand by what i said
no need to quote me and chastise me


Read my post again.

It is a monetary concern , not weight related.

I was just putting forward an opposite view to your " mantra".

No need to get precious about it.
 

pappajohn

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Quarter tank for traveling seems sensible.Half if unsure of o'night supply.No point in traveling full unless you want to waste fuel! I think it's a bit rich the RV people saying it doesn't matter to fuel consumption when they are burning twice as much as we lesser mortals in the first place!:thumb:
But we generally run on petrol or LPG so much cleaner than an oil burner, and we pay for the privilege of burning more fuel.

I'd sooner have 360bhp pulling me around than 150bhp.

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Chris

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If it didn't affect my fuel consumption I would run full all the time.

Why wouldn't you?
 

Hollyberry

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I carry just enough in the tank for a shower plus some cooking water. Then carry 10L of drinking water for me and animals.
Have 125L water tank so, full , that must weigh a lot.
 

Landy lover

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With a 5'er you can see the difference both in comfort and fuel consumption - if I know there is water at the other end then would normaly only run with enought for the journey otherwise is a bit like taking coals to Newcastle.

Last year at Stratford we filled up at one of the standpipes on the campsite on the way in - there are a fair few of them so should not be a problem. Personally I would always avoid bowsers given the choice

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