How much water and diesel do I really need?

[ramblinChet]

Since we have quite a bit of specialized knowledge here in this forum I am really interested in hearing opinions on how much water and diesel I really need for full time travel. Keep in mind that my RAM is gasoline so the diesel will only be used to power my stove, heater and water heater.

Here are some details regarding my initial plans:

Diesel: my first though was to install a 30-gallon TITAN tank where my spare tire is. It's a $2k part which isn't bad but when I calculate the numbers I am now capable of running my heater for approximately one month straight, 24 hours per day. To me that sounds somewhat excessive. I figured one to two weeks of intermittent use would be sufficient so five or maybe ten gallons?

Water: I drink lots of milk and even more Coke, although I have been working to reduce the Coke side. So drinking water is low on the list but I use it for cleaning plates and showering. The heating system I am in the process of designing will already hold five gallons so that is separate. Most folks seem to opt for around twenty gallons of potable water which seems fine to me. Although most of my water will be filled from a tap I am designing my system so I can pull from a stream, push it though a filter, and store.

While in the military, a fair amount of my training was centered on survival so that part of my brain says go for the maximum with reason. I am in my mid-50s now, I enjoy harsh climates, and I go places most don't so if I have a mechanical failure or become stuck I can relax in freezing weather for approximately one month before I even begin to worry.

Basic system - 10 gallons of diesel and 20 gallons of potable water.

Optional system - 30 gallons of diesel and 30 gallons of potable water.

Your thoughts?

 

[OverlandNA]

I can carry 20 gal of water but rarely carry more than 14. I have no intention of staying back country for more than 10 days at a time.
Now diet Dr pepper I need a bigger tank for...
30 each water/diesel is a lot of weight.

 

[NatersXJ6]

I usually carry 40-50 gallons of water but I tend to go into the desert with 3-4 people, so a long term breakdown could be life threatening without a few days of water.

Carrying 30 gallons of heating and cooking fuel seems excessive to me, mostly because it isn’t also vehicle fuel, but if you have the weight and space, no real issue in my mind. I would configure it in Jerry can holders so that you can adjust per trip type. Going to Alaska or the far north, water is easier to find than fuel, so carry fuel. Going to the southwest deserts… carry water… in between? Find your own balance.

 

[phsycle]

I always say, try a temporary measure before committing to an expensive/permanent mod.

How about a 5 gallon jerry can for diesel and 10 gallon water jug and try it for a few outings to see if that works.

 

[BrittanyHighland]

I always say, try a temporary measure before committing to an expensive/permanent mod.

This is exactly what I was going to suggest. Try a multi-day trip, trying to simulate the type of travel you envision yourself experiencing full-time. We traveled full-time as a family of three in our Wrangler from March to June of this year, and we never got through more than one Rotopax of water before having a chance to refill. I know it sounds crazy, but it's true given the type of travel WE were doing (moving daily, mix of totally off-grid, dispersed camping, with military/national park/state park campgrounds). We never showered out of our Jeep, so water was only needed for dishes, cooking, and drinking.

We ended up getting a petrol heater for our Gladiator, so we're tapped into our stock tank. But for a while we were looking at a diesel heater with a separate tank, and the experienced overlanders we were talking to said a two-gallon tank would last us a long time because of the high-efficiency of the heater.

Both water and fuel are heavy and that weight can creep up on you, so I think this is an important conversation. Getting advice from others is good, but at the end of the day the answer depends entirely on YOUR style of travel. The only way to really know is to get out there and test.

 

[Betarocker]

Recommended to drink 4-5 litres of water every day. Strenuous activity, especially as temperatures increase, require more hydration.

As for the fuel volume, figure out the range your vehicle can get on a tank, and then determine your route. If there are no filling stations within the range of the planned route, do the math and take enough extra.

 

[billiebob]

I'd base drinking water and heating fuel on the range of the vehicle, time between gas stops. You can often fill all three together so why carry 10 days of heating oil, 2 weeks of water if you need gas every 3 days. Admottedly there might not be great water at every gas stop.

 

[ramblinChet]

Wow, so much useful information from a multitude of angles - thanks everyone. And yes, I travel solo so I am building this rig for singular use. And since I am single money is no object.

Weight is a minor concern of mine since this is a RAM 3500 with 4k payload and the majority of the roads I have experienced over the past several years are maintained trails with some unmaintained ones. Since the early 90s I have been building and wheeling Jeeps on some pretty extreme trails so my focus now has been more on back country exploration versus let's see if I can make it over that obstacle. All that being said weight is still a concern so I am not reckless regarding piling on pounds.

Great points regarding temporary and permanent solutions. When I envision a temporary solution I see two Jerry cans for diesel and four for water which is fine but I am not really keen on storing diesel inside the FWC. Many I have talked to say it is a non-issue but I have no first hand experience so by default, my desire is to store the diesel externally.

If I am going to store the diesel externally this is easiest accomplished with the thirty gallon tank under the bed - problem solved. Now that leaves me with two additional slots internally for water so six Jerry cans instead of four. And yes, I can keep weight down and leave several of the empty - same with the diesel storage under the bed.

I also like the idea of relating the storage capacity to the range of the vehicle although my plan is to spend at least two or three days in a particular area, move a bit, spend a few more, etc. I believe my goal is to spend 10-15 days out in the forest or mountains until I stop back into town to refresh, resupply, etc. Then again, these are just plans and ideas for me at this point.

I guess ten gallons of diesel and twenty gallons of water inside would be a good place to begin - I am just concerned with the smell of diesel.

Does anyone have experience or knowledge related to the SCEPTER or WAVIAN five gallon fuel cans?

 

[NatersXJ6]

I’ve carried gasoline in wavian steel cans both inside and out of my Jeep, from below sea level to over 10k feet and temperatures from well below freezing to well over 120F. I’ve never had a leak. I’ve never smelled anything. I have replaced the gaskets every few years, they are about $1 each IIRC.

My water cans are LCI and seem to leak all the time. They are tough to tighten to a true seal, but I would describe the leak as a weep or dribble, essentially inconsequential if you don’t store them right next to your critical document collection.