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Old 09-21-2020, 06:48 AM   #1
levic900rr
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Real world Water Capacity

Hey Team,

I have a 2020 239ML and I really love it. I do mostly off grid camping at state parks around my area so I am always looking for ways to extend that capability. I recently purchased a water flow meter because I felt like I was sometimes unable to get a full tank of water loaded. After getting the flow meter it was confirmed.

My water capacity is listed at 43 gal. The two times I have measured the water in I was only able to get 36 and then 33! Water starts pouring out the inlet port. My question is, do you guys think my tank is smaller than advertised? Or am I unable to drain all the water out? If its the later, I cant believe that I sometimes have 5-10 gal of water that I cant drain. That seems like a problem waiting to happen.

Thansk
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Old 09-21-2020, 06:51 AM   #2
Javi
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Originally Posted by levic900rr View Post
Hey Team,

I have a 2020 239ML and I really love it. I do mostly off grid camping at state parks around my area so I am always looking for ways to extend that capability. I recently purchased a water flow meter because I felt like I was sometimes unable to get a full tank of water loaded. After getting the flow meter it was confirmed.

My water capacity is listed at 43 gal. The two times I have measured the water in I was only able to get 36 and then 33! Water starts pouring out the inlet port. My question is, do you guys think my tank is smaller than advertised? Or am I unable to drain all the water out? If its the later, I cant believe that I sometimes have 5-10 gal of water that I cant drain. That seems like a problem waiting to happen.

Thansk
43-6 (water heater) =37
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Old 09-21-2020, 06:51 AM   #3
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When they publish the fresh water capacity it includes the water heater, usually 6 gallons, and the water lines.
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Old 09-21-2020, 06:51 AM   #4
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Your hot water tank typically holds 6-12 gallons, depending on the model.
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Old 09-21-2020, 06:54 AM   #5
levic900rr
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NO WAY!!! I had no idea. Thanks for the info. That is insane.
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Old 09-21-2020, 09:41 AM   #6
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Not to mention you'll likely never totally empty to the fw tank, there may be 2-3, or more, gallons left at any given time.
When I bought my last rv they had the tank full, before I left the lot I opened the drain, for the next month or so every time I turned a corner water ran out of the drain.
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Old 09-22-2020, 05:19 AM   #7
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Maybe that spec is an industry standard to include the HW tank. It is complete bunk in my opinion because once the FW is so low that the pump no longer pumps, you have 6 gallons in the HW tank that you can’t use. Dead weight.
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Old 09-22-2020, 07:01 AM   #8
levic900rr
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Maybe that spec is an industry standard to include the HW tank. It is complete bunk in my opinion because once the FW is so low that the pump no longer pumps, you have 6 gallons in the HW tank that you can’t use. Dead weight.
I had that same thought... doesn't do me much good in there.
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Old 09-22-2020, 07:04 AM   #9
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I had that same thought... doesn't do me much good in there.
No... it doesn't but it is weight that must be accounted.
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Old 09-22-2020, 07:41 AM   #10
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I had that same thought... doesn't do me much good in there.
So is the black and gray water contents but it does need to factored into the weights being carried.
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Old 09-22-2020, 08:01 AM   #11
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If that 6 gallons in the wh is that critical to use then you could pull the drain plug & catch it in a bucket then pour it into the fw tank. Or haul a couple 5 gallon jugs of water.
Also if the weight of that 6 gallons is of that much concern a bigger truck may be needed.
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Old 09-22-2020, 10:51 AM   #12
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When the DW and I go out we go for 5 to 6 days. The grey and black are plenty for those days but the fresh water will run low. As you have stated the State parks do not have water or sewer at the site, so I installed one half of a trolling motor pigtail to the battery and purchased a 12 volt diesel fuel pump and installed the other half of the pigtail on the pump cord. Then I have 2 six gallon blue water jugs that I fill up at the water station and put the pump into the jugs to fill my fresh water tank. This works very well and many campers have copied my method at the park we visit.
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Old 09-22-2020, 12:01 PM   #13
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.
Also if the weight of that 6 gallons is of that much concern a bigger truck may be needed.
Everything is bigger in Texas, right Danny.
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Old 09-22-2020, 12:10 PM   #14
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When the DW and I go out we go for 5 to 6 days. The grey and black are plenty for those days but the fresh water will run low. As you have stated the State parks do not have water or sewer at the site, so I installed one half of a trolling motor pigtail to the battery and purchased a 12 volt diesel fuel pump and installed the other half of the pigtail on the pump cord. Then I have 2 six gallon blue water jugs that I fill up at the water station and put the pump into the jugs to fill my fresh water tank. This works very well and many campers have copied my method at the park we visit.
I had an extra FloJet pump that use for that purpose and for antifreeze in the city water port and the black flush port. A FloJet pump with a leaky internal check valve will work just fine for this purpose. Save that pump.
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Old 09-22-2020, 12:13 PM   #15
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Everything is bigger in Texas, right Danny.
Yes sir! That's for sure!
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Old 10-02-2020, 05:07 AM   #16
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After you think the tank is empty, ie; quits pumping water, open the drain valve and see how much is left in the tank.

I had a trailer that came from the factory with the water line in the tank that didn't reach the bottom of the tank.
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Old 10-02-2020, 05:45 AM   #17
levic900rr
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After you think the tank is empty, ie; quits pumping water, open the drain valve and see how much is left in the tank.

I had a trailer that came from the factory with the water line in the tank that didn't reach the bottom of the tank.
Good call, I don't typically run it dry but I will run that exercise at home some time to check.

This is one downside of having the enclosed underbelly. On my Clipper I could just look at the tank
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Old 10-05-2020, 06:57 AM   #18
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Hey Team,

I have a 2020 239ML and I really love it. I do mostly off grid camping at state parks around my area so I am always looking for ways to extend that capability. I recently purchased a water flow meter because I felt like I was sometimes unable to get a full tank of water loaded. After getting the flow meter it was confirmed.

My water capacity is listed at 43 gal. The two times I have measured the water in I was only able to get 36 and then 33! Water starts pouring out the inlet port. My question is, do you guys think my tank is smaller than advertised? Or am I unable to drain all the water out? If its the later, I cant believe that I sometimes have 5-10 gal of water that I cant drain. That seems like a problem waiting to happen.

Thansk
Mine is advertised as a 66 gallon tank and it only holds 40 gallons. Yes they include the water heater, water lines and probably the water in the drain traps. Believe me I was not happy when I found this out and I let Keystone and my dealer know about it too. This is my one and only Keystone product I will buy and it’s 100 percent because of this misrepresentation of their products.
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Old 10-05-2020, 08:19 AM   #19
DDuncan51
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It's almost impossible to determine how much water a tank holds. Most of the fresh water tanks are flat on the bottom. if parked on an angle there will be some water left in the tank. The drain will usually be on one side of the tank, if you park it on an incline with the drain down, you'll get more water to drain.


The only way(s) I can think of to get it all is driving around sloshing it out with the drain open as Travelin' Texans mentioned. Or parking on side incline with the drain on the downhill side, then jacking the trailer up and down while the drain is open. Maybe then...
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Old 10-05-2020, 08:28 AM   #20
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It's almost impossible to determine how much water a tank holds. Most of the fresh water tanks are flat on the bottom. if parked on an angle there will be some water left in the tank. The drain will usually be on one side of the tank, if you park it on an incline with the drain down, you'll get more water to drain.


The only way(s) I can think of to get it all is driving around sloshing it out with the drain open as Travelin' Texans mentioned. Or parking on side incline with the drain on the downhill side, then jacking the trailer up and down while the drain is open. Maybe then...
To add to DDunkin's advice (which is an honest and factual limitation of how RV water tanks are constructed,

If you do park on an incline to get that last gallon of water, remember to turn your refrigerator off or you'll wind up damaging the cooling section !!!!! Oh, and don't forget to wait between "jacking sessions" to allow the tongue jack/landing gear motors to cool down.

There's NEVER a solution to fix 'everything at once', so take another Pepcid and carry on !!!
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