Filling Fresh Water Tank at Campground Without Site Hookups

[Michael_69f90bba5cb36]

Ok maybe this is a dumb question. We are going to be taking our new camper on its maiden voyage and we are brand new to camper life. The campground doesn't have water hookups so what is generally considered appropriate for filling the fresh water tank? I want to avoid towing the camper full of water. The campground has frost proof spigots in a few places in the campground, is it ok to pull up and fill up? Like I said total newbies to camper life, we've tent camped a ton.

 

[Rene T]

No question is dumb if you don’t know the answer it’s not dumb to ask.
How far from home will you be going. We generally tell newbies to camp right in your driveway for the first time. When you check in, ask them if you can fill your tank. Better than that, call them now before you show up

 

[Michael_69f90bba5cb36]

No question is dumb if you don’t know the answer it’s not dumb to ask.
How far from home will you be going. We generally tell newbies to camp right in your driveway for the first time. When you check in, ask them if you can fill your tank. Better than that, call them now before you show up

I was thinking about calling, and we are planning to use it a little this weekend, at least test the beds and maybe the heater if it gets cold overnight.

 

[Alaskansnowbirds]

I was thinking about calling, and we are planning to use it a little this weekend, at least test the beds and maybe the heater if it gets cold overnight.

With a brand new RV it would be best to live in your RV this weekend in your driveway just like you would at a campground. When, not if, you discover an item you forgot to put in the RV, you can walk into the house and get it. Much better than being at the campground and having to go buy it or drive home and get it. Also if you discover there's an item you need that you don't own, you'll have time to buy it before you leave for your camping trip.

Unless you're already close to your max weight, there isn't any reason not to fill your fresh water tank before you leave home. You can't measure the difference between traveling with a full tank and an empty tank.

 

[Michael_69f90bba5cb36]

Completely agree. We do have the fortune of doing quite a bit of tent camping, so I've already moved many of those supplies over. We even had a cargo trailer we used to transport all of our camping gear. So hopefully we have most bases covered.

I do need to put together a setup and teardown checklist...

 

[OldWEB]

Search results for query: Checklist

www.rvforum.net

 

[Jackiemac]

Hi and welcome.

We often travel with a full tank.

Sometimes, if on a rough road, some of the water escapes, so we don't always arrive with what we started with.

If there are spigots at the campground then they are probably for you to use, some have signs saying not for RV Fill, so definitely best call and check. Commonly these may not have a threaded outlet.

If there is a dump station on site, it may have fresh (potable) water.

Have a great time.

 

[Rene T]

I always tell people when packing for the 1st time, make up two lists of items. One list will be things you have to have and the other list are things that would be nice to have in case.
Only pack the things you have to have. If you find that there is something you needed, there are Wallmarts all over.

The other thing is if you are packing let’s say like a potato peeler, if you only have one in the house, do not pack it. Go and buy one for the camper. The last thing you want to do is move a potato peeler back and forth from the house to the camper then back to the house after your trip.
Now after you are packed for the 1st time and all your tanks are full of water including the gray and black tanks, go and get it weighed at a scale to see if you are overloaded.
Now get out there and go and have some fun.

 

[John From Detroit]

The other thing is if you are packing let’s say like a potato peeler, if you only have one in the house, do not pack it. Go and buy one for the camper. The last thing you want to do is move a potato peeler back and forth from the house to the camper then back to the house after your trip.

As it happens I have an electric peeler on order.. Well it's sitting in customs at JFK. don't know how good it will be.. But it's low cost so I thought I'd give it a try.

 

[Michael_69f90bba5cb36]

I always tell people when packing for the 1st time, make up two lists of items. One list will be things you have to have and the other list are things that would be nice to have in case.
Only pack the things you have to have. If you find that there is something you needed, there are Wallmarts all over.

The other thing is if you are packing let’s say like a potato peeler, if you only have one in the house, do not pack it. Go and buy one for the camper. The last thing you want to do is move a potato peeler back and forth from the house to the camper then back to the house after your trip.
Now after you are packed for the 1st time and all your tanks are full of water including the gray and black tanks, go and get it weighed at a scale to see if you are overloaded.
Now get out there and go and have some fun.

We learned that with tent camping already. Have camping gear and home gear.

 

[Michael_69f90bba5cb36]

Hi and welcome.

We often travel with a full tank.

Sometimes, if on a rough road, some of the water escapes, so we don't always arrive with what we started with.

If there are spigots at the campground then they are probably for you to use, some have signs saying not for RV Fill, so definitely best call and check. Commonly these may not have a threaded outlet.

If there is a dump station on site, it may have fresh (potable) water.

Have a great time.

Ooph, unfortunately that would put me uncomfortably close to my limits with the expedition.

 

[Larry N.]

Ooph, unfortunately that would put me uncomfortably close to my limits with the expedition.

You don't have to FILL the water tank- you could put in maybe a third of a tank for the reduced weight, but don't travel with it empty.

 

[Michael_69f90bba5cb36]

You don't have to FILL the water tank- you could put in maybe a third of a tank for the reduced weight, but don't travel with it empty.

Why do you say that? Genuinely curious.

 

[Kirk]

If there is a dump station on site, it may have fresh (potable) water.

Never fill the freshwater tank from a hydrant located at the dump station because people stick that hose into the sewer hoses when flushing them. It is quite common for those hydrants to be other then potable water as well since they are not intended to be drinking water. Campgrounds with limited water availability nearly always allow you to fill the RV tank from them.

Why do you say that? Genuinely curious.

We carry at least some water just in case we might need some along the route we travel for some reason. Also, you could arrive at your campground to find the water system not working for some reason. Even a temporary shutdown is annoying if you have a potable water tank and it is empty.

 

[Jackiemac]

Why do you say that? Genuinely curious.

Its always good to have water available. Toilet whilst on the road. Unexpected delays etc.

 

[Larry N.]

Why do you say that? Genuinely curious.

Kirk and Jackie gave good answers, but there are all kinds of scenarios where lack of water can be a big problem for you, and I've always tried to follow the Boy Scout motto, "Be Prepared."

Never fill the freshwater tank from a hydrant located at the dump station because people stick that hose into the sewer hoses when flushing them.

Kirk, I think Jackie may have been referring to the potable water hoses which many dump stations have, but they're not right at the dump spot -- they're somewhat separated from the non-potable hose and the actual dump.

 

[CharlesinGA]

Some campers have poorly mounted fresh water tanks and actually should not be towed with a full fresh water tank. If a manual came with the trailer, look thru it for a restriction like this. If you don't find any restrictions, fill the tank and go. I always travel with my water tank full as many of the campgrounds I stay at do not have water available, and I prefer my own water, as it is untreated well water (which I add Purogene to).

The hydrants you find randomly scattered thru campgrounds that don't have water at each site are indeed for campers to use (but check anyway). Be forewarned that most of these hydrants have had the threads removed or ground off of them to prevent a hose from being hooked to them. You may need a "water bandit" or "water thief" which is a rubber thimble that has a hose fitting on the end of it. It won't handle much pressure without blowing off, but you can free flow water thru a hose easily enough. Camco sells them, so an RV supply or possibly the RV and camping section in Walmart may have them (or Amazon)

One last thing. If the trailer has a gravity fill port, DO NOT just stick the hose in the port. On most of them, the metal end of the hose will just fit enough to stay in place but basically blocks air escaping from the tank, causing the tank to swell up and possibly damage the mounting straps or blow the flexible fill neck off the tank. The air vent line cannot handle the volume of escaping air and the tank will pressurize. Been there, done that, twice, before I learned the lesson.

Always use a fill adapter like this one or a homemade one from pieces from Home Depot or wherever. This is small enough to not block the filler neck, and air can escape from around it.

 

[ButchW1]

Its always good to have water available. Toilet whilst on the road. Unexpected delays etc.

You can only tell that you are from the British Isles... Who else says "whilst"??? Please don't stop, I love colloquialism and accents... Especially Scottish... If I could only understand what you are saying. ...
Butch

 

[Rene T]

Kirk, I think Jackie may have been referring to the potable water hoses which many dump stations have, but they're not right at the dump spot -- they're somewhat separated from the non-potable hose and the actual dump.

If that hose is long enough to reach the sewer hole, I would never use it. And if the hose is a ways away, I still wouldn’t use it. Sure as sh_t, someone probably dragged their sewer hose over to it and flushed their sewer hose. I would not take the chance

 

[Kirk]

I think Jackie may have been referring to the potable water hoses which many dump stations have, but they're not right at the dump spot --

While that may well be true, it doesn't change the importance of my post for someone new to RV travels. I know a couple who didn't realize the problem and both had a visit to the ER within the next two days with salmonella, then emptied and sanitized the entire RV water system.

If that hose is long enough to reach the sewer hole, I would never use it.

Exactly, and especially if it is the only water available near the dump station. Even when in a campground with full hookups, I always sanitize the water hydrant with a strong chlorine bleach mix from a spray bottle, then flush before connecting.