Dry Camping not???

[Frenchman]

I purchased a 2022 Jay Flight SLX 212QBW and since I will be using it for a dry camping in southern NM in early December, I read the owners manual section on plumbing. I figure that I'll have to de-winterize sanitize and then be ready to winterize again, in quick order. As I was reading, I came across this gem. "Warning: Never travel with full fresh, black or grey water holding tanks."

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over? How in the heck is someone to "dry camp" unless that really means no water, no shower and no crapper? Furthermore, why would my unit have a freshwater tank at all? The owners manual never states why you should never travel with the tanks full. Later in that section the manual states that part of disinfecting the freshwater tanks involves driving with the bleach solution in the freshwater tank to splash water in the tank.

Does anyone know why this Warning is required? On my last unit, I often drove out with a full freshwater tank and home with the black and grey tanks full.

[ARoamer]

Probably stated in manual so when it falls off they don't have to fix it! I always travel with 1/3 tank, about 30 gallons, and fill up at campground or near one. Another issue is the extra weight may change handling characteristics and overload or stress suspension when traveling.
More to read here-
https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f...ure-88227.html

[pc35]

hi from laprairie,québec,canada, enjoy your new buy ,have fun, as i read your post i understand that in every owner manual, any company will warn you at the maximum,so that if you broke something on your unit you can't tell it's company fault and sue them to claim for dammage. and also it's very true that it's not recommanded to travel with your fresh tank full of water at the top.but you can fill fresh tank with a small amount of water that it could help you for a short periode during your travel,and when you reach the area you expect to dry camp, you should looking for a place that you will be able to fill up your fresh tank and then go to you campsite. hope that will help you

[Kim Gass]

Originally Posted by Frenchman

I purchased a 2022 Jay Flight SLX 212QBW and since I will be using it for a dry camping in southern NM in early December, I read the owners manual section on plumbing. I figure that I'll have to de-winterize sanitize and then be ready to winterize again, in quick order. As I was reading, I came across this gem. "Warning: Never travel with full fresh, black or grey water holding tanks."

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over? How in the heck is someone to "dry camp" unless that really means no water, no shower and no crapper? Furthermore, why would my unit have a freshwater tank at all? The owners manual never states why you should never travel with the tanks full. Later in that section the manual states that part of disinfecting the freshwater tanks involves driving with the bleach solution in the freshwater tank to splash water in the tank.

Does anyone know why this Warning is required? On my last unit, I often drove out with a full freshwater tank and home with the black and grey tanks full.

The liability pundits at work One of our favorite campgrounds had a water leak somewhere in the campground and it took a while to a ; find it and b get parts which had to be flown in.

Its a campground some fifty miles deep in the North Maine Woods accessible only by logging roads. We and the owners were not sure that all was fixed so we filled the FW tank at home and went to the campground. Over those fifty miles of logging road. There were some huge holes of course in the road

We were glad to have the water even though we brought a jerry can and a gravity feed water purifier so we could also filter water from the lake. It was nice not to have to do that

We have the same unit only a 2021. If the tank fell off it would have been our fault and we knew that.

Remember the yellow sticker on the door that gave you the load capacity of the trailer and reminded you how much water weighed?

Seems that sticker info is not present on the new units.

[madmaxmutt]

Originally Posted by Frenchman

I purchased a 2022 Jay Flight SLX 212QBW and since I will be using it for a dry camping in southern NM in early December, I read the owners manual section on plumbing. I figure that I'll have to de-winterize sanitize and then be ready to winterize again, in quick order. As I was reading, I came across this gem. "Warning: Never travel with full fresh, black or grey water holding tanks."

Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, over? How in the heck is someone to "dry camp" unless that really means no water, no shower and no crapper? Furthermore, why would my unit have a freshwater tank at all? The owners manual never states why you should never travel with the tanks full. Later in that section the manual states that part of disinfecting the freshwater tanks involves driving with the bleach solution in the freshwater tank to splash water in the tank.

Does anyone know why this Warning is required? On my last unit, I often drove out with a full freshwater tank and home with the black and grey tanks full.

It is basically; do so, at your own risk. My Forest River, Keystone and Jayco manuals all said something similar. My Jayco is a fifth wheel, but it the tank is way more secure, in it with steel bars, than either of the previous TTs. Those were strapped in with two steel bands. I would only travel with 5-10 gallons (8lbs each) in those tanks. I would then fill up, near my destination.

Sanitizing the fresh water tank is normally only a once a year thing, for me.

[Kim Gass]

You may not have to do the winterizing dance.
We traveled across Texas from San Antonio to El paso via Big Bend then to Tuscon Ls Vegas Death Valley Flagstaff.
In Texas we had lows is Feb below freezing and daytime highs at freezing in Big Bend for 3 days
We just drained all the water lines during that period and used a jerry can for water and used the campground facility. .Dry camping
As we had heat that may have contributed to no damage from freezing
The rest of the trip temps sonetimes dropped below freezing at night but were about 60 during the day
We rewinterized in Kentucky on the way home to Maine

[RogerR]

If you can do it a good idea is to inspect the bands that hold the water and sewer tanks up onto the frame. If you travel part or all full it puts torque on them. Several reports of failure to build them right posted here in the past.

I always travel with enough water for an overnight. Knowing I had several hundred miles to go before I dry camped I planed stop where I could dump and then fill completely as close to camp as I could get. I didn't want to haul hundreds of pounds up and down the hills for no reason.

[Frenchman]

Thanks and roger that on what you take down and how (containers), but I'm more concerned with what I'll be bringing back (Black and Grey tanks). A long hunt, for example may involve a trip for water with containers. I just feel it is ridiculous if one cannot even make a short drive to the nearest dump station when through.

[Frenchman]

Thanks, good advice.

[Frenchman]

Thanks. mine has the yellow sticker on the driver's side. I guess because that is where you fill from. Would love to visit Maine again. I had an unsuccessful moose hunt years ago. Looks like the bird hunting would be good (grouse). Best

[Frenchman]

Thanks, I believe you are right. Good advice

[Frenchman]

Thanks, I may do similar. This unit has a winter package that requires running the heater, but a small section of grey and black pipe (plus valves is exposed). That's my concern. I'll watch the weather and then decide.

[Frenchman]

Thanks. That sounds about right to me. Best

[Kim Gass]

Originally Posted by Frenchman

Thanks and roger that on what you take down and how (containers), but I'm more concerned with what I'll be bringing back (Black and Grey tanks). A long hunt, for example may involve a trip for water with containers. I just feel it is ridiculous if one cannot even make a short drive to the nearest dump station when through.

We use grey water on our outside plants. Unless illegal, or in the desert you can dispose of it thoughtfully.. ( Not lecturing but remember to filter out food scraps)

I am ok with taking any risk of travel with a full black tank.

[Kim Gass]

Originally Posted by Frenchman

Thanks. mine has the yellow sticker on the driver's side. I guess because that is where you fill from. Would love to visit Maine again. I had an unsuccessful moose hunt years ago. Looks like the bird hunting would be good (grouse). Best

you were lucky to even hunt for moose. The lottery for moose is brutal in the odds.

Come have a deer..

[Frenchman]

Thanks, great point on grey water. Same as using the outside shower

[Frenchman]

Great point on deer. Best,

[thenne1713]

In today's GREEN world, we know extra weight lowers gas mileage? :-) :-(

[Randel J]

I've read the owner manual warnings and heard a few horror stories of tank damage, but we travel to our destination with full FW tanks we filled from our faucet at home. We always travel on good asphalt/cement roads so we don't get a lot of potholes that can cause tank damage. But the main reason we fill our tanks at home is because of cleanliness.

We really have no idea how clean and careful the previous camper that filled their FW tanks were. And in this day and age of Covid, etc, we're not willing to take chances with our health. Besides, even with full tanks of 84 gallons, we're still way under our target gross weight.

[Frenchman]

Thanks. Definitely not wanting to make a habit out of it, but sometimes its the only option.