Towing with water

rmcarthur

We are finding that many of our stops across the country do not have potable water. Do you travel with water in your T@B 320 (11 gallons) fresh water tank and, if so how much? Thanks!

N7SHG_Ham

Either travel with it empty or completely full to eliminate tank surge while towing. It is only eleven gallons, but that is still 92 pounds, if 1/2 full that is 46 pounds surging as your turn, stop and accelerate (much subdued surge when tank is completely full). I have a 400 and travel with a full tank which on the 400 is 250 pounds, as long as you DO NOT exceed weights anywhere (trailer tires, frame, axle and GVWR and same for tow vehicle with addition of total CGVW rating), I feel that extra weight really stabilizes the trailer.

Sharon_is_SAM

Surprised no potable water.  Where are you stopping?

webers3

 Consider using bottled water or filling a large container you know has been well sanitized. Would not trust the fresh water tank for drinking water.

ScottG

Yep, I always head out with a full tank--and a primed pump. One less thing to do when I arrive and I know I have at least one tank of good water!

db_cooper

We only boondock, so always leave with full tank, lines filled and primed.  We're on a well, so I add a little chlorine to keep the lines and tank clean.  We only use for showers and flushing, carry separate drinking water.  And beer.

pthomas745

There are many places in the west where the campgrounds do not provide potable water. 

xdr

How exactly do you prime a pump with a full tank on the Tab 400? Does that just mean turning on a faucet? 

mae 

Denny16

Yes, turn on the 12VDC system, disconnect from city water hookup and turn on the sink faucet, pump will come on, and should prime and water come out.  Then you are all set to go.  

Since the water tank is over the axle, a full tank is better than a partial, as the water in a partial tank will slosh back and forth.  A full tank is better in the road, little to no water movement in the tank.
cheers

trimtab

"carry separate drinking water.  And beer."  that's my thinking also ..  

jenniferlzr

Do most people NOT drink the water from the tank? Why? 

Denny16

It’s OK, if you clean the tank with bleach solution and then flush it out, each time before going on a trip.  Most don’t bother and just use bottled water for drinking, a lot of urban dwellers do not drink their tap water either.  We run our own local water company which is treated and filtered well water, so we drink it, better than bottled water.
cheers

Denny16

You could also filter the TaB tank water wit a Berkey water filter system.
cheers

N7SHG_Ham

@Denny16 we do exactly that.

BrianZ

We usually bring a big jug of water filled from our home tap, and use it mostly for making coffee, but also for cooking & drinking.  We typically camp with hookups using city water & only sanitize/flush the fresh water tank once a year after de-winterizing.

GatorEgg

We only carry water in tanks when heading “way out there”.  With our Berkey filter we have potable virtually anywhere there’s water. But, As far as filling be open.  We’ve filled at city day park faucets, rest area faucets even malls have faucets on the outside wall.

NoVaGuy

@GatorEgg How do you like your Berkey.  Have been thinking about it.  Currently I used bottled water for drinking, coffee, etc. 

Sharon_is_SAM

We did stay at a BLM outside Moab that did not have water.  There was a gas station in town that had a spigot - free with a fuel fill up!

MischiefBrewing

Only have 2 boondocking trips under my belt in the new 2020 TAB400 but have realized that we're water hogs (what can I say, we enjoy our post-hike showers).  Currently developing a solution to refill while in the backwoods. 

I have a 150-quart Igloo Marine cooler that I used for mashing grain during my old brewing days so it has a ball valve and quick disconnect on the drain spot.  Will seal the lid as best I can and fill all 37 gallons of it with potable water in the bed of the truck.  Have a brewing pump that I can run with the 110-volt outlet in the bed of the truck that also has quick disconnects on it and can accommodate the drinking water hose I store in the trailer on the outlet side. The truck only needs to be within 25 feet of the trailer and I can refill in less than 3 minutes.  Only issue is gray water and since we use all biodegradable camp soaps, draining that into the trees isn't a major issue.

Plan to test in a week and a half.

AirBoss

Don't mean to hijack the thread but a related question.

Been looking for a schmatic of the water system layout for the 2020 T@B 400 with rear mounted AGM batteries, Alde and Air8 under the bunk. Like to know where the tanks are located. Understand the H2O is over the axle? Are the grey and black located on one side or the other? Centerline? I have a fair amount of gear in aft storage compartment on passenger side and want to ensure my load is balanced.

Didn't see a thread on it here, nor detailed in the "UnOfficial T@B 400 Manual." 

Thanks much!

Denny16

The water tank is centered over the axle, the gray tank is forward of that.  The black tank is under the toilet and along the drivers side of the head in the raised bit under the fold out sink.  See the AirForce guy factory walk the video, it shows the black tank setup in the head from a left side exterior shot before the sides were attached.
cheers

Dutch061

I fill our 2020 400 BDL to the rim before leaving, only because we regularly boondock (After all that's why we have a BDL). Plus my wife takes a longgggggg shower. Not wanting to start any battles, but if you are worried about the "slosh of water in a tank that is not fully filled" you may wish to rethink what you are towing with. In the last 15 plus years I have had 4 different campers and never worried about water slosh from a partially filled tank be it fresh water, grey water, or black water. But then again, I have always had "more than enough tow vehicle" in front of whatever I was towing so that I didn't have to worry about tongue weight, GVW, GCVW or otherwise.

Brad

GatorEgg

NoVaGuy said:

@GatorEgg How do you like your Berkey.  Have been thinking about it.  Currently I used bottled water for drinking, coffee, etc. 

Love the Berkey.  Bought it years ago to filter the "flouride" out of our city water.  Hauled it around the Caribbean and Central America on our sailboat for years.  Now goes everywhere our trailer goes.  When not traveling it sits on our kitchen counter doing its thing.  We've got an extra set of filters for when the "big one" or hurricanes hit us.  My kids also bought one when they had their first child so they could provide good water for them.

Plastic bottle water..... bad.

falcon1970

Sloshing water in a half full fresh water tank in a TAB won't affect the tongue weight, GVW, or GCVW.  It will affect the side-to-side stability to some extent.  Whether it will effect it enough to cause control issues is a different point.  Probably not on a TAB but it might and on a larger trailer it surely will.  Towing with a minimally capable tow vehicle will just add to the excitement.

Denny16

Good point.  I towed my TaB 400 with a 1/2 tank of water, no issue, but was thinking from a “perfect world” perspective, of what would be optimal towing situation.  I may have been overthinking this one, since the tank is over the axle.
As for effecting tongue weight, not an issue, only the gray and black (not so much as it is small)  tanks will add some to the tongue weight.
cheers

rmcarthur

Thanks everyone! Sharon_is_SAM we are not 100% sure about the lack of potable water. We just need to ensure we can accomodate for such a situation. 

Sharon_is_SAM

@rmcarthur - yes, if you are planning on BLMs and more remote sites (as well as Walmart’s and Harvest Host type stops) water can be an issue.