Selecting the right size caravan water tanks
There are a number of factors you need to consider when deciding on the right size caravan water tanks but the most important question is – how much water do you need? If you have a modern caravan then it’s likely that you’ll also have a shower, toilet and even a washing machine, all of which require a substantial amount of water. Older model caravans and camper trailers won’t need this extra water since they usually don’t have these facilities.
Then you need to ask yourself how many people will be travelling with you on your trips. Clearly, the more people in your party, the greater the amount of water you’ll need and the bigger the plastic tanks required. If this number is not consistent and the number of people changes over time, then it’s much better to install the larger caravan water tanks, just to be sure that you’ll always have sufficient fresh water available.
As a rough guide, it’s advisable to take at least 5L to 7L of fresh water per person per day if you’re travelling through the outback. This is based on how much water you need to survive if your 4WD breaks down and you have to wait for help in a hot and dry environment. However, it still gives you a good guide for calculating the right size water tank for your caravan or camper trailer.
Another question to ask yourself is whether your trips tend to be long or short. Obviously, the longer the trips, the more water you may need, but if you can top up your water supply along the way then you might get away with a smaller tank. Your decision will also partially depend on where you tend to travel, because if you love the remote outback then carrying more water is essential.
If you like free camping then this will likely mean that you need to carry more water which will require bigger plastic tanks, unless you know where you can top up your water supply in the area, but that’s not always guaranteed. Off-the-grid camping can be extremely exciting, but water supplies are few and far between, so carrying sufficient water is important. On the other hand, if you always keep to the sealed roads and tend to stop in caravan parks or serviced camping grounds, topping up your water supply won’t be a problem and you could probably get away with smaller caravan water tanks.
- Do you have an onboard shower or bathroom?
- On average, how many people will be travelling with you?
- Are your trips usually long or short?
- Do you free camp or book into caravan parks or camping grounds?
It’s also worth noting that you might need multiple plastic tanks, depending on the answers to the questions posed above. If so, you might want to consider locating them at different points underneath your caravan, due to their weight when fully loaded. That’s because each additional litre of water you carry adds another 1kg of weight you need to tow. Also, if this weight is not distributed evenly underneath the caravan it can become unbalanced and lead to an accident, whether on the road or when parked.
