How do you fill your water tank when you dry camp? - Hi-Lo camper travel trailer forum

inthepink · 11-17-2011, 07:56 PM

I know that a lot of people drive without water in order to reduce the weight of their trailer for towing. That is what we plan to do but I was wondering, how do you fill the water if you're going to a campground without hook-ups? Are there places to fill your water? The person we're buying the trailer from said to never EVER fill the water with the hose from the dump station because "you never know where it has been and what people have used it for." Gross. The thought of filling my water tank with a hose that was used to rinse a holding tank or who knows what else.... yuck....

How do you fill your water tank when you dry camp?

Thanks,
Cheryl

PopRichie77 · 11-17-2011, 09:18 PM

There are usually 2 water supplies at dump stations one is potable water for filling your trailer the other is for sewer hose, or what ever flushing. It not at the dump station then it is located some where else, just ask.

inthepink · 11-17-2011, 09:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PopRichie77

There are usually 2 water supplies at dump stations one is potable water for filling your trailer the other is for sewer hose, or what ever flushing. It not at the dump station then it is located some where else, just ask.

Ok, good to know. Do you use your own hose on these or is there a hose there? I'm a little skeeved out at the thought of using a hose that is there when I think of it possibly being used to rinse out a someone's blk/gry tanks or something.

Fireballsocal · 11-17-2011, 10:09 PM

I brim my tank before I leave. I always boondock and the 240 pounds of water doesn't make any difference in mpg for my truck. I never drain the fresh tank till I get home either. Never know when I'll get stuck on the side of the road needing to use the bathroom or needing to stay an extra night somewhere so the extra water is nice to have.

Richard · 11-17-2011, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fireballsocal

I brim my tank before I leave. I always boondock and the 240 pounds of water doesn't make any difference in mpg for my truck. I never drain the fresh tank till I get home either. Never know when I'll get stuck on the side of the road needing to use the bathroom or needing to stay an extra night somewhere so the extra water is nice to have.

Ditto, filling the fresh water tank before you leave home, you never know what the water taste or quality is, especially at some remote camp sites. Be sure you buy a hose that is rated for drinking water to fill your tank, and keep with you.

Richard

retiredcamper47 · 11-17-2011, 10:38 PM

The hoses for your drinking water are white in color and do not give you the "garden hose rubber" taste. I carry two 25' fresh water hoses. They are only used for drinking water only. I carry a separate hose for tank flushing. We usually carry approx 5 gal of water in our fresh water tank while traveling for flushing. Because we travel with our parrot, we carry drinking water from home in plastic containers.

Bob

RichR · 11-17-2011, 10:43 PM

The white hoses that are approved for potable water is what to get. For convenience get two 25 foot ones and connect them together if you need the added length. Most campgrounds have water supply points located around at various points. We usually fill our tank about 1/3 full before we leave home so we have some water to use along the way, if necessary. We fill the tank at home if we are going boondocking near home. If we run low while there we fill a couple 6 gallon containers at a local municipal water supply point then siphon the water into the tank.

Oops! Looks like someone was typing the same time as me. Great minds follow the same path.

PopRichie77 · 11-18-2011, 07:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by inthepink

Ok, good to know. Do you use your own hose on these or is there a hose there? I'm a little skeeved out at the thought of using a hose that is there when I think of it possibly being used to rinse out a someone's blk/gry tanks or something.

The hose for flushing is located very close to where you dump. The potable water hose is located 20 ft or more away, both have very clear signs. Usually they both have hoses, that you use. Also as someone else said camp ground water doesn't always taste very good. We keep a Brita filter pitcher in the trailer for when this happens. I also use a clear container to look at the water and taste it before putting it in the trailer, on occasion the water is very cloudy or rusty and I won't put it in the trailer. I have found that this happens more in state camp grounds than any where else.

RichR · 11-18-2011, 08:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PopRichie77

The hose for flushing is located very close to where you dump. The potable water hose is located 20 ft or more away, both have very clear signs. Usually they both have hoses, that you use. Also as someone else said camp ground water doesn't always taste very good. We keep a Brita filter pitcher in the trailer for when this happens. I also use a clear container to look at the water and taste it before putting it in the trailer, on occasion the water is very cloudy or rusty and I won't put it in the trailer. I have found that this happens more in state camp grounds than any where else.

A charcoal inline filter is a great help to trap sediment and remove taste and oder. We live in the country and use well water, the taste of chlorine is not pleasant to me. The filter along with a Brita filter pretty well takes care of that.

Rolff · 11-18-2011, 05:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PopRichie77

The hose for flushing is located very close to where you dump. The potable water hose is located 20 ft or more away, both have very clear signs. Usually they both have hoses, that you use. Also as someone else said camp ground water doesn't always taste very good. We keep a Brita filter pitcher in the trailer for when this happens. I also use a clear container to look at the water and taste it before putting it in the trailer, on occasion the water is very cloudy or rusty and I won't put it in the trailer. I have found that this happens more in state camp grounds than any where else.

Checking the water before you hook up the hose or pour it into a tank is a good idea. We also have the Brita picture.
In many of the places we go there aren't campgrounds, well there are, but we don't stay at them. I usually have 5 to 8 gallons in the tank and carry 2 empty 6 gal - water jugs. I fill the empty jugs up where I can - We are usually camped out on BLM land near National or State Parks. I now have a siphon pump to fill from the jugs to the tank thanks to the idea from the Boondocking thread.
Of course the reason I don't fill the tank at home is because I don't have a WDH - yet. I am looking for one over the winter.