How full is too full?

[Twisties]

I thought I bought a 5th Wheel with a 61 G fresh water tank, but when I took delivery the dealer instructed never to travel with the tanks full. I planned on boondocking quite a bit and don't really see how this is going to work if I can't haul fresh water in and waste water out.

Do you run around with full tanks, or what level do you consider safe?

[flybouy]

I don't travel with full tanks. My fw tank is full forward so it ads a lot of tongue weight. Only carry about 1/3 capacity, enough to flush toilet and wash hands.
The black & gray I try not to travel over about 1/3 capacity.

Traveling with full tanks places too much stress on the mounting points in my opinion.

[sourdough]

^^^^What Marshall said. For us carrying full tanks is simply useless and one of those things that has lots of downsides and nothing positive. If I thought an RV was built like a vault I might consider it, but they aren't by a long shot.

If you boondock a lot I suppose that is something you have to consider. The backwoods boondocking I used to do would destroy a full 60-80 gal. before I got to pavement. To each his own but when you spend many tens of thousands of dollars on an RV I tend to want to make it last. Now, if I wanted to spend lots of time "out there", boondocking, I would have a lower or mid line trailer small enough to negotiate in the boonies and not all the big tanks and accessories of a large trailer....which aren't meant for that use IMO.

[rhagfo]

I found traveling with a forward of axles FW tank full smoothed out the towing of the 5er. I have also traveled over a 4,800’ mountain pass, with all tanks full as the closest dump station was 20 miles the wrong way.

[Canonman]

We dry camp a fair amount. We go in with the FW tank full. When we come out I'll empty the FW tank down to about 10 gal or so for "just in case" moments. the grey I'll sometimes empty at he camp site with a hose attachment depending on how far it is to a sanitary dump. Watering the trees etc. The black is held until we get to a dump station. Full tanks = weight, but you should be trading FW for Grey and black so I think you're OK based on our experience.

[Twisties]

Well, tomorrow we're traveling to a camp at Bisti Badlands Wilderness. We've been before and don't anticipate any unduly rough roads with the trailer... after we unhook may be another matter, yikes.

We want to stay long enough to do some photography/hiking at Bisti, Ah Shi Sle Pah and Chaco. Hopefully 3-5 days. We'll maybe shower once, and we've bought prepared foods and paper plates so we don't need to use much kitchen water.

Our tank gauges only go by thirds... so I guess if I fill the FW until it just shows 2/3rds, or is flashing between 1/3 and 2/3rds that is probably in the half-full range?

We'll see how it goes. We have a full hook-up park lined up for whenever we come out.

[Canonman]

Looks like a super interesting area. Be sure to upload some photos. Would love to learn more about the area.

[Twisties]

Originally Posted by Canonman

Looks like a super interesting area. Be sure to upload some photos. Would love to learn more about the area.

Not much data signal there, but when we get to Aztec I'll upload something.

[GaryUT]

If we are dry camping I have the fresh water tank full on the way out. Black and gray are not dumped until we get to a dump station, this can be over a hundred miles away, often 20 or so miles of dirt road too.

Never had a problem.

The sticker that shows the cargo carrying capacity of the trailer says "calculated with the fresh water tanks full" so the manufacturer takes the weight of the water into consideration.

Gary

[Brantlyj]

I would think the tanks are roto-molds. They should be pretty strong.
My previous employer was a manufacturer of hydraulic systems for snow plow trucks. We used 100 gal roto-mold hydraulic tanks that were held on with only 4 5/8” bolts.
With my experience using roto-mold products I would have no issues traveling with full tanks. Going off highway on heavily rutted roads would make me think twice though.

If you really wanted to beef things up you could weld or bolt on a strap across frame rails under the tanks as additional support.

[travelin texans]

Originally Posted by Canonman

We dry camp a fair amount. We go in with the FW tank full. When we come out I'll empty the FW tank down to about 10 gal or so for "just in case" moments. the grey I'll sometimes empty at he camp site with a hose attachment depending on how far it is to a sanitary dump. Watering the trees etc. The black is held until we get to a dump station. Full tanks = weight, but you should be trading FW for Grey and black so I think you're OK based on our experience.

Be careful mentioning "watering trees" with your grey water!! In the past most state parks we visited allowed tree watering, but today you'll find yourself paying a healthy fine if caught doing so.
As to hauling 60+ gallons, 480-500lbs, of FW I'd have to pass due to knowing how well those tanks are manufactured & secured.

[notanlines]

I'm with both Danny's here. Avoid the watering of trees, and avoid the full FW tank if possible. I'd fill the FW tank at the last possible spot and then ease my way in.

[Canonman]

Agree on filling the FW tank at the last available spot. No need to carry the extra weight any further than necessary.
As for "watering the trees", I've never needed to do that in a State Park or any other improved campground since they are usually equipped with dump facilities. That said, boon-docking or dry camping away from any reasonable access to dump facilities is a different matter. Remember when we all tent camped. Wash water was always dispersed into the brush. It is common practice in many countries to use gray water for irrigation and is becoming generally more acceptable as an alternative to irrigating with culinary water.
Now I'm not advocating opening the dump valve and pouring 30 gallons of water directly onto ground. I use a waste valve cap (pictured) with a hose attachment. I attach my 25' rinse hose to the cap and disperse the gray water without creating any puddles or pooling.
You may want to check out this link for more information: https://greywateraction.org/greywater-reuse/
Hope this helps

[JRTJH]

Around here, dumping gray water on the ground is prohibited at all state/federal campgrounds and most private campgrounds don't permit the act either.

When you "think beyond the irrigation perspective" and consider what's in galley gray water, what's in shower water and "tooth brushing water", neither is "really clean". Galley gray water contains bits of food, grease and other contaminates. Those attract flies, the smell attracts "critters" (if you've never had a skunk family stroll through your campsite, spend time sniffing around the table and chairs under your awning, well, it's not completely stress free)…

Bath gray water, from brushing teeth, showering, etc contains potential health hazards to other humans as well as to wildlife. While it's been done that way for centuries, the earth is much more crowded than it was even 50 years ago, so what was "OK for wide open spaces" in 1950 is now, in many areas, considered "not OK any longer". As more people use the "un-used open spaces" those little "puddles of grease and food particles from 30 gallons of gray water" will add up. In the '50's, there was 1 puddle per 100 acres. Today, there's 100 puddles per acre"... Potentially, the harm from "overuse by a growing population" will damage the areas we enjoy today, making them less enjoyable for people 50 years from now....

No, I'm not a "tree hugger" and I am not advocating that we stop eating KFC or BK "meat products" and I'm not suggesting that we stop camping. I am suggesting that as the population grows, the pollution we leave is no longer "just a little bit here and there". Just as we all comment about the ruts and potholes on the interstate from "overuse and under maintenance".... That same "overuse and under maintenance" affects our "vast unspoiled wilderness".....

In most campgrounds around here, you'll find a sign saying something like:

Dispose of all dishwashing water in the sinks located behind the shower house. Anyone caught throwing it on the grass or trees will be asked to leave the park.

[Lee]

Hi,

I only Dry camp,.... Mostly on National Forest land where it is allowed. No campgrounds..... Just primitive spots in the woods many miles from civilization. I always travel with the FWT full at 60gal. So far no structural problems. I also dump grey tank on forest floor before departure.

[flybouy]

With regards to dumping gray water. This is just MHO but as has been mentioned "gray" water can contain contaminants including fecal matter from bathing. Blood products from washing poultry and antibacterial soaps that in my thinking could damage natural bacterias found in soils that mushrooms grow on.

I'm no environmentalist but the thoughts of drastically changing the ph levels in the soil, the "pooling" or standing water that contains food particles and smells attract wildlife. I can recall in my early childhood folks residing in rural area with septic systems would routinely run their washing machine waste water and some their wash water ans sink drains outside to the ground. The thinking was that it would prevent the "primitive" septic systems from overloading. That practice was stopped and fines were issued 4 or 5 decades ago. Many cg have the signs on no gray water ground dumping and I've seen many with signs stating "no outside shower use" as well.

While one can argue that they drain the gray water "slowly" and let it soak in I'd guess the majority of people getting ready to leave and hit the road will not take the time and end up opening the valve and "letting her fly".

JMHO

[Canonman]

It's my opinion that responsible people will act responsibly. I'm not advocating dumping gray water when other facilities are available, i.e. dedicated or improved campgrounds, state parks etc. I am suggesting that gray water, properly disposed of, is not the "bio-hazard" some would make of it. We have a unique situation where our RVs have for the most part, separate black and gray water systems. We can take advantage of this when necessary and prudent by simply following a few simple common sense guidelines.
More info here: https://greywateraction.org/greywater-reuse/

[Logan X]

When I boondock, which is about half of my trips, I always travel with the 60 gallon fresh water tank full. How else would one have water to camp with?

[sourdough]

I am not a "tree hugger" by any means and probably the antithesis of an eco nut. I do however have some thoughts on the subject;

I, and many of us, have lived through times when open outdoor "cesspools" were the norm simply because there was no other option. The dangers associated with that were unknown because....we didn't know them. Now we do and they are no longer allowed. As we progressed from the outdoor cesspools we went to a small concrete underground silo, sort of like a septic tank but only about 30 gal. that had to be emptied by hand...yep, not sanitary. The kitchen and bathroom drained out onto the lawn. That's not allowed any longer due to the dangers modern science has found.

Now, to the forests and dumping of "clean" gray water. I kind of liken that to this; I've hiked, camped and RVd in fed and state forests for over 50 years. 50 years ago they were almost pristine. If you wanted to camp you had to make one; bring in what you wanted, and although no one told you to, you took out what was left because you knew you would be back and you wanted it to be "pristine" again. Beautiful, unspoiled; each trip looked like no one had been there in centuries. Fast forward to today...

I love to walk, hike and 4 wheel through the mountains. Those once pristine areas, the gorgeous "I'm the first one here" feelings are completely gone. Why? You can't hike or drive in a primitive area that isn't filled with human garbage and waste underscoring another's presence and their complete disregard for our land. Those trips that used to be filled with wonderment and awe are now filled with black yard bags to collect every kind of human waste and filth known due to our current generation of thoughtless, uncaring humans. It is literally sickening but left unchecked our trips into nature's wonderland would be a hike through knee deep trash and refuse.

Just to say that while dumping a gray tank seems innocuous enough, in the long term, and with all the abuse that will take place simply because people don't care, will eventually create another crisis of our own doing. The numbers of folks that get "out there" are increasing exponentially along with the numbers of them that "don't get it". Personally, I think taking an RV into the forest to unimproved areas should follow the same guidelines as anything else entering; pack it in, pack it out....and that would include the gray water. JMO

[Blackrock]

I travel with a 1/2 tank unless I am going straight to a boondock site. I found out the hard way when up on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon a source for fresh water is almost impossible to find.
I did a lot of boondocking in Alaska in 2016 and always carried a full tank. There were plenty of dump stations at almost all gas stations.