Water Tank - Baffles Or Not?

[HKF]

Hi. Can someone tell me how I know if I have baffles in my fresh water tank, please? Thank you so much

 

[cmcardle75]

The only way is to look.

How big is it? Small tanks don't need baffles.

 

[HKF]

The only way is to look.

How big is it? Small tanks don't need baffles.

It's 120L. I can't actually see the tank, as it's hidden under one of the seats.

 

[poppycamper]

It's 120L. I can't actually see the tank, as it's hidden under one of the seats.

Be very surprised if tank that small has baffles..

 

[HKF]

Be very surprised if tank that small has baffles..

Just double-checked and it's 130L, so I was close enough. So, I shouldn't really travel with much in the tank, then?

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[poppycamper]

Just double-checked and it's 130L, so I was close enough. So, I shouldn't really travel with much in the tank, then?

Or snap it full... no room for movement then.
Personally, and this is only my view I would not be concerned with that amount of water sloshing about even without baffles.

 

[VXman]

I have a 120 litre tank. I travel with it full as much as I can (you never know when you will find water next when travelling off grid) sometimes it's 50% full or less. Never really thought about it being an issue and never noticed it to be a problem.

 

[peterc10]

We have a 120 litre tank with no baffles in our Hymer. Always full when we leave home and when touring we take every opportunity to keep it that way. Never had any problems in the 40,000 miles we have travelled in the last 7 years.

 

[bobnick]

With the Bailey Autograph you can access the tank from indoors. Screw top of about 5", put your hand in to search for fishes, or baffles. Not found either as yet.

 

[mitzimad]

seats fitted under the dinette bench seats are normally shaped to fit round the frame so the are baffled by virtue of the shape, under slung square tanks sometimes have a baffle fitted i had a tank made for my self build deliberately without a baffle so i could fit the connectors when i knew where i needed them and the manufacturer recommended a slightly thicker plastic to allow for surge

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[Reallyretired]

Always try to travel with a full tank so no problem.

 

[Tea Bag]

Hi.
No Baffles ? Not a problem. Baffles could/may/might/might not ..... cause problems when cleaning tank out . I try to not let the level drop below 50% when on the move. 100ltr. tank.
Tea Bag.

 

[bladerunner]

We have a 120 litre tank with no baffles in our Hymer. Always full when we leave home and when touring we take every opportunity to keep it that way. Never had any problems in the 40,000 miles we have travelled in the last 7 years.

Same. 150l. Usually travel full. No issue in 60k miles over 8 years. Can occasionally hear slosh but never affected handling.
No convinced consumption would change but can feel weight when braking. Can be reassuring in high winds that you have 150Kg balast low down.

 

[AndyPK]

I must admit I’m baffled by all of this……..

 

[Jim]

We had a 60 gallon tank in an RV with no bafflles. I fitted a tap so when we were wild camping I could block the overflow and fill it to the max. It was a square tank, but when over filled it, it looked fit to burst, almost completely round! Never had an issue with it, never felt it move even when half full, but it was a big van.

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[DuxDeluxe]

Our van has a 230 litre tank, running transversely. Tall and narrow to fit but no baffles or issues either

 

[HKF]

Same. 150l. Usually travel full. No issue in 60k miles over 8 years. Can occasionally hear slosh but never affected handling.
No convinced consumption would change but can feel weight when braking. Can be reassuring in high winds that you have 150Kg balast low down.

It's not the fuel consumption I'm worried about. After Jim's thread about fresh water, my thoughts are with the strength of my tank and whether or not it has baffles to help prevent sloshing against a thinner tank.

 

[Jim]

I’ve never thought it was a real issue. But with manufacturers advising against. Who am I to argue. To tell people to ignore the makers advice, could prove costly.

But for me a maker who advises travelling with 20L either has no idea about motorhome use at all, or is a bad designer. Do makers have focus groups, if they do they must be either caravanners or accountants.

 

[Jim]

r, my thoughts are with the strength of my tank and whether or not it has baffles to help prevent sloshing against a thinner tank.

Don’t worry too much. You could start a poll Have you ever had a water tank fail In normal use. Yes or No. I’d bet the yes column would be empty or as good as.

 

[DuxDeluxe]

I’ve never thought it was a real issue. But with manufacturers advising against. Who am I to argue. To tell people to ignore the makers advice, could prove costly.

But for me a maker who advises travelling with 20L either has no idea about motorhome use at all, or is a bad designer. Do makers have focus groups, if they do they must be either caravanners or accountants.

Or desperate to save travelling weight due to a lack of payload. And yes, you do wonder how many have actually toured in a motorhome……..

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[Spriddler]

Don't worry about it. What do you propose to do if it hasn't got baffles and you'd 'like' some?

 

[JJ]

With the world as it with wars, pandemics, warming, economic inflation, cost of living rises and City's failure to sign a left back, one of the last things I would worry about would be water sloshing about in my motorhome tank.

JJ

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

Just double-checked and it's 130L, so I was close enough. So, I shouldn't really travel with much in the tank, then?

Most tanks are just plastic boxes with some shaped to fit the recess where they are but have never heard of any with baffles in.
We have a 120l tank under the bandwidth no baffles , but if your concerned that the water sloshes about then dont worry about it ,unless that is you are short on payload. A full tank of 130litres weighs 130kg

 

[Stealaway]

With my 3.5 tonnes max van. I can only travel with a quarter tank so not much water to swish about. We are always off grid and have never failed to find water when we want some, in fact it's getting easier every year. We only half fill it on bath night and drain the grey tank ASAP.

 

[poppycamper]

With my 3.5 tonnes max van. I can only travel with a quarter tank so not much water to swish about. We are always off grid and have never failed to find water when we want some, in fact it's getting easier every year. We only half fill it on bath night and drain the grey tank ASAP.

Appreciate you travel quarter tank for weight issues but in regards to possible handling issues (not that there will be any) but a quarter tank full tank is worse than a full tank.. more water... less spare room in tank therefore water cannot swish about as much as the water in your tank will...

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[Stealaway]

Appreciate you travel quarter tank for weight issues but in regards to possible handling issues (not that there will be any) but a quarter tank full tank is worse than a full tank.. more water... less spare room in tank therefore water cannot swish about as much as the water in your tank will...

Burstner have strict instructions to not travel with full tanks. They have special valve that only allows you to travel half full. I assume they have carried out tests as to the consequence and effect of half empty tanks.
I've never noticed any problems.

 

[poppycamper]

Burstner have strict instructions to not travel with full tanks. They have special valve that only allows you to travel half full. I assume they have carried out tests as to the consequence and effect of half empty tanks.
I've never noticed any problems.

Is that a stability or a weight issue??

 

[HKF]

Don't worry about it. What do you propose to do if it hasn't got baffles and you'd 'like' some?

I don't understand your point. I'm trying to determine whether or not I have a suitable tank to cope with water sloshing around in it. If it's not suitable, I can mitigate any issues by not carrying water in it (or carrying very little).

 

[HKF]

With the world as it with wars, pandemics, warming, economic inflation, cost of living rises and City's failure to sign a left back, one of the last things I would worry about would be water sloshing about in my motorhome tank.

JJ

Good for you!

 

[HKF]

Most tanks are just plastic boxes with some shaped to fit the recess where they are but have never heard of any with baffles in.
We have a 120l tank under the bandwidth no baffles , but if your concerned that the water sloshes about then dont worry about it ,unless that is you are short on payload. A full tank of 130litres weighs 130kg

Thank you. I was wondering, after reading Jim's article, that we may have a thinner tank with no baffles, fitted so the manufacturer could boast better payload. In that case, it might not have been wise to travel with it full, in case it was damaged. I'm trying to mitigate any worry when we travel, after having two awful breakdowns in France already (albeit in our truck, not the MoHo) and another breakdown in the MoHo (when the fuel filter failed). I'm trying to stop any worries so that i can try to enjoy the MoHo before I completely lose my nerve and sell it. Thank you for your nice reply. Some people seem to think it's fun being blase and gung-ho about the whole thing, and berating me for having a genuine concern. One of them is fast on their way to my Ignore List

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