Camper Trailer Water Tanks

[just cruizin']

Just a quickie.

Do ppl keep their water tanks full or empty when not in use?

and if empty do they bleed as much water as possible out of the hoses.

Not going to use the trailer for a couple of months.

[Tiny]

I used to keep mine full then flush it before going somewhere

[itchyvet]

Just a quickie.

Do ppl keep their water tanks full or empty when not in use?

and if empty do they bleed as much water as possible out of the hoses.

Not going to use the trailer for a couple of months.

just cruizin,

Normaly, we don't fill our water tank until we are just about at our camping location. (hate to give all that water a free ride,and it's bloody heavy as well)
When we leave our campsite to return home, open the drain plug and allow tank to drain dry on homeward leg.
Arrival at home, leave plug off drain pipe and store trailer until next time.
In the two years we've had it, so far we haven't yet had to flush or clean the tank.
Seems to work well for us.

[just cruizin']

What about dust on the way home and spiders and the like setting up home in the tank?

[itchyvet]

What about dust on the way home and spiders and the like setting up home in the tank?

nope, never had any worries.
We do get the odd spider web at home whilst the camper is in storage under cover, but occasionaly, I spray the place for such bugs anyway round the house and that seems to keep the buggers under control.
Dust ???? nope, no probs yet.

[BundyRumandCoke]

I have a T piece in the delivery pipe, at the lowest point, and a pipe that comes out near ground level, its actually clamped to a mudflap, with a tap on it. I use this to drain the tank on the way home. Its also useful if you need to wash hands or get a bucket of water for some reason, quicker than a hand or electric pump, and not as messy. I close it again once I get home, and leave the tank empty when in storage.

[cookie monster]

we just leave ours at whatever level it is at. before using it again, i just pop a couple of sterilising tablets in and fill it up.
seams to work for us.
cookie

[badger]

we drain ours when we get home, then flush it with soduim meta bio sulfate (home brew steraliser ) before use next time
you just put in a few litres of water and some powder se4al it up and drain it a bit later on as its the gas it puts off that steralises it

[ricduza]

Water should not go off in a water tank, unless the tank is clear plastic, in which case algae etc will grow due to sunlight. Having owned a cruising yacht for 7 years when I was younger, the fibreglass tanks sometimes sat for 12 months before being used and providing you put clean water in when you fill them, you should have absolutely no problems.

People have been drinking out of rainwater tanks for eons without any probs. Sterilising tablets are useful only if you think the water you put in may be suss, like from a water hole in the bush where animal contamination is possible.

By the way, if you ever think the water is a bit off or has a bad taste and you absolutely have to drink it, using rasberry cordial with it helps to purify it.
Ric