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Had my rig weighed today @ an Escapees SmartWeigh
Week 2 of my full-time RV life and I am at an Escapees park in Congress, AZ specifically to get my rig weighed using SmartWeigh. It was $55 to weigh the RV and the Jeep.

This morning, I weighed as a "worst-case scenario", which means, full freshwater, full propane, and empty gray & black tanks.

I'm a little heavy on the left rear duallys due to the full freshwater tank. I also have some heavier items on that side. (like extra fluids for the RV and Jeep as well as cleaning supplies). I'll shift some over to the passenger side or into the Jeep.

On the whole, they thought I was in good shape. They did suggest that I bump the pressure on the front tires from 65 PSI to 70 PSI since I am close to max weight.

When I get to the Escapees park at Rainbow's End, I will re-weigh for $25 (as long as I do it within 60 days I think). I am carrying items that I will be leaving at my Mother's house in TX, so I should be right on the money once I leave those items behind.
My wheels:
2003 MB
2012 Jeep Liberty
Re: Had my rig weighed today @ an Escapees SmartWeigh
Reply #1 –
Hi Deb,
Sounds like you're doing everything right.  :-)   Okay. . . but. . . do you intend to travel with full fresh water?    At 8 lbs per gallon that's a lot of weight.    A half tank would be enough to get you through a night of dry camping (and then some) and flushing along the way.     We make a point of traveling with just about 1/3 of a tank, knowing we will be able to get water along the way.      Good for you for taking the initiative to weigh your rig.   And, yes, balancing the weight is important for all sorts of reasons, never mind tire wear. 
Safe travels!
Juli W
Juli W.
Former owner 1994 mid bath,  2006 26.5'rear bath
Re: Had my rig weighed today @ an Escapees SmartWeigh
Reply #2 –
Quote from: JuliW  - 
Hi Deb,
Sounds like you're doing everything right.  :-)   Okay. . . but. . . do you intend to travel with full fresh water?    At 8 lbs per gallon that's a lot of weight.   

Actually, weighing with full water and empty waste tanks generally averages out the total tank weight contribution to what you might be traveling with on any given day.  Not everyone dumps before driving (especially the black if it's not full).  And you never know what might happen, so having a decent amount in the fresh tank is prudent.

So in this case, the weights determined by the scales are a good representation of the average as-loaded traveling weight.
Re: Had my rig weighed today @ an Escapees SmartWeigh
Reply #3 –
Quote from: JuliW  - 
Hi Deb,
Sounds like you're doing everything right.  :-)   Okay. . . but. . . do you intend to travel with full fresh water?   

I'm moving tomorrow to a forest location about an hour or so away. I'm going to dry camp for the next 6 days, so I am taking a full fresh tank with me.
My wheels:
2003 MB
2012 Jeep Liberty
Re: Had my rig weighed today @ an Escapees SmartWeigh
Reply #4 –
Back in my “early” days of LD RB travel, I always traveled with a 1/3 tank of fresh water. That was the suggestion from the Mothership.

That was then. Now, I fill up all my tanks. Gasoline, propane and fresh water. Our RB has been underweight all along and the extra 200 + pounds of water makes no noticeable difference in drivability or mpg.

Making it to camp with everything full just makes getting there a little bit easier. More important to me is getting the rig level and firing up the fridge. After accomplishing that, I’m in no hurry to move the rig.

Hitting camp like this sets me up for at least a five day stay before I need to hit the dump.

Works for me.

Kent
2015 27' RB "MissB.Haven"
Re: Had my rig weighed today @ an Escapees SmartWeigh
Reply #5 –
50*8 = 200 pds.  or about one USA adult give or take.  

To us, DW and I,  a full tank of 'home' water is  insurance.   With our 'camping' style one never knows were one might end up.

glen
personal fine art photo stuff
TF Mack | Flickr
It's all good .......
2014 Twin King
Re: Had my rig weighed today @ an Escapees SmartWeigh
Reply #6 –
Quote from: colddog  - 
50*8 = 200 pds.  or about one USA adult give or take. 

To us, DW and I,  a full tank of 'home' water is  insurance.  With our 'camping' style one never knows were one might end up.

glen
LDs ride better with full tanks.
Chris
Formerly: 2002 30' IB
Re: Had my rig weighed today @ an Escapees SmartWeigh
Reply #7 –
50*8 = 200 pds
----
Glen, Portland water must be lighter than San Jose water!  ;)  
2003 TK has a new home
Re: Had my rig weighed today @ an Escapees SmartWeigh
Reply #8 –
Joan - lol.  San Jose water must be 'harder' than Portland water, those minerals have weight to them. :D
Jane
Jane & Scott
Currently have a 1989 TK  LD we did a lot of upgrades on.
Bigfoot 25RQ Twin on order with early summer 2024 ETA

Our smartphone autocorrects into very poor English.
 We disclaim the illusion of ignorance this creates as we have enough ignorance we rightly claim.
Re: Had my rig weighed today @ an Escapees SmartWeigh
Reply #9 –
<blush>  ..........

ok I confess I was using alternative facts.

A gallon of water at room temp weight about 8.34 pds.   And using a base 10 number of 50 gallons that would lead one to beleive it would weigh within spitting distance of 417 pds.   The weight of 1 1/2 adult Americans.

For those that like a more accurate explanation
How Much Does a Gallon of Water Weigh? Easy Calculation

glen
personal fine art photo stuff
TF Mack | Flickr
It's all good .......
2014 Twin King
Re: Had my rig weighed today @ an Escapees SmartWeigh
Reply #10 –
Glen, does elevation affect water weight?  :-\
Greg & Victoria
2017 Mid-Bath  “Nocona” towing a manual 2015 Forester
Previously a 1985 TK
SKP #61264
Re: Had my rig weighed today @ an Escapees SmartWeigh
Reply #11 –
Quote from: HiLola  - 
Glen, does elevation affect water weight?  :-\
Yes, according to the law of gravity  F = G*((m sub 1*m sub 2)/r^2),  where r is the distance between the center of two objects.
As elevation increases, so does 'r', albeit not by much.
Joel & Terry Wiley
2013  31 IB   ORWAN   / 2011 CRV Tow'd LWEROVE
Re: Had my rig weighed today @ an Escapees SmartWeigh
Reply #12 –
Quote from: joel wiley  - 
Yes, according to the law of gravity  F = G*((m sub 1*m sub 2)/r^2),  where r is the distance between the center of two objects.
As elevation increases, so does 'r', albeit not by much.
 
Took the words right out of my mouth.  

Soooo to answer you question directly water weight.  It is less in Portland, 750 ft above sea level, then San Fransisco, 52 feet above sea level

glen
personal fine art photo stuff
TF Mack | Flickr
It's all good .......
2014 Twin King
Re: Had my rig weighed today @ an Escapees SmartWeigh
Reply #13 –
That must be why I like high altitudes. Wait, do I have that backwards? Skinny jeans mountains, mom elastic waist jeans Death Valley?
2005 RK
 
Re: Had my rig weighed today @ an Escapees SmartWeigh
Reply #14 –
Quote from: joel wiley  - 
not by much.

Yes, it's not much at all.  Even in an extreme case, it's a non-issue.

Quote
Second, gravity does indeed change with altitude. The gravitational force above the Earth's surface is proportional to 1/R2, where R is your distance from the center of the Earth. The radius of the Earth at the equator is 6,378 kilometers, so let's say you were on a mountain at the equator that was 5 kilometers high (around 16,400 feet). You would then be 6,383 kilometers from the Earth's center, and the gravitational force would have decreased by a factor of (6,378 / 6,383)2 = 0.9984. So the difference is less than 0.2%

More: Does gravity vary across the surface of the Earth? (Intermediate) - Curious...


Rich
2003 MB