When you’re out on the open road, watching the scenery roll by, there’s one thing you’re likely always keeping an eye on—the fuel gauge. Just how low are you comfortable letting your tank go before you make that next stop? For some RVers, topping off at every quarter tank is a hard-and-fast rule, while others are willing to push their limits and wait for the low fuel light before pulling over. We want to know: How low will you let your fuel tank go before refilling?
For many, it comes down to a balance of comfort and the terrain they’re traveling through. If you’re out in the middle of nowhere, those gas stations can feel few and far between, making a quarter-tank threshold feel like the safe bet. In contrast, on well-traveled highways with more frequent stops, it’s easier to risk going a little lower. And then, of course, there are the adventurers who thrive on the thrill of stretching it as far as they can, aiming to get every last mile from a tank.
So, what’s your fuel strategy? Do you find yourself refueling at the first sign of a half tank, or are you one of the brave who waits until the needle dips close to “E”?
Oh, and we know your answer can change sometimes (maybe there’s not a gas station for another 100 miles or so), but we’re talking generally here.
After you vote, please feel free to leave a comment and explain your answer.
##RVDT2510
I added a 46 gallon auxiliary tank for a total 78 gallon. I use RV Trip Wizard to plan trips which has a reserve fuel function I set at 10 gallon. That’s roughly 1/3 (not 1/4 or 1/2) a tank. At 11.4 mpg average when towing, I can drive 775 miles on that 68 gallons before needing to fill up. I use Mudflap to plan diesel stations that are much lower cost & RV friendly (large nozzle, fast fill). The fuel savings from not having to stop more often has paid for the auxiliary tank. As a bonus, this system and setup reduced the stress and worry about finding fuel before running on fumes.
We typically try to top up near the end of the day’s drive. That way if something happens after we get to the campground it is one less thing to worry about. And we can start the next days travel with a full tank. It has paid off a couple of times. Once weather moved in and killed power to the entire area. We were able to use our generator for a couple of days. The people across from us had to drive nearly a 100 miles round trip to refuel so they could use theirs. By filling up at the 1/2 tank range we have more of a cushion if anything happens.
I frequently go below a 1/4 because I watch the Range of Miles more than the fuel gauge. I keep track of the MPG since my last fill up, based on how far it is to the next fuel stop will dictate how far I’ll let it go. I now have a diesel, back when I had a gas powered vehicle, I tried to fill up at a Costco so I may fill up more often depending on how far it is to the next Costco.
Normally we fill where we can use our diesel fuel discount card and find that stopping at 1/2 tank is pretty much the right time to get out of the coach, get some exercise and a snack. If we have to go below 1/2 tank we still do the break at a rest stop and do not go below 1/4 as the generator will cut out (residential fridge and we run the air condioners).
I am a Gas Buddy fan. I watch fuel prices, they vary from state to state. If our gauge reads 1/2 tank and there are low prices, I fill up. Another factor is rest room stops. To limit stops, do both at once. I try to never exit in large cities where traffic is an issue. Stay close to interstates when possible. It’s not easy using limited space to fuel towing a 5th wheel.
If I refueled as soon as I got to 3/4s of a tank, I’d never reach my destination.
We ran ours pretty low once on a 90 degree summer day, and got caught in a 4 hour traffic jam a few miles before the targeted fuel exit. Plenty of fuel around, but we couldn’t get to it. Finally made it in on fumes, but were not able to run the air conditioner during the wait.
Our van’s fuel capacity is 24 gallons, and it (conservatively) uses 1 gallon/hour at idle with the air conditioner, so now I plan on always having a bare minimum of 4 +2 (buffer) gallons or 1/4 tank (6/24).
Depends where I am. If in a remote area with few towns, I will try to fill up when the gauge dips below 1/2 tank. If in populated areas, 1/4 tank or even lower.
I try to stay above 3/4 tank just in case I need to run the old Belchfire 4000 (Onan).
I don’t like to go below 1/4 tank because at that point the generator will not get any fuel and I will not be able to make coffee.
I have to say I used to like to push it. I would look at the avg mpg the truck was getting and the mileage left and determine how far to stretch. Then, one time in a very isolated area, we arrived with the truck registering very empty and I filled the tank beyond its supposed capacity. My wife was none too happy and I vowed from that point forward to adhere to marriage 101 rule #1: happy wife, happy life. That and it was pretty dumb to push it to the point of maybe having to walk to get gas! 🙂
Try to not go below 1/2 tank if it gets below that it costs a boat load of $$ to fill up 100 gal tank lol
I fuel up at a 1/2 tank even if I only have a short distance to go. I once had 3/4 tank and because of hills and strong head winds I run out of fuel just 2 miles out of town. I normal always fuel up before I check into a campground never know when an emergency will happen
Along with running out of gas/fuel, everyone seems to have missed a very important point. Can we altogether say “fuel pump”. I don’t know about motorhomes, but the majority, if not all, trucks have the fuel pump in the tank. The fuel helps to keep the fuel pump cool and prevent it from burning out. Getting below 1/4 tank is a risk. To replace a fuel pump you’re looking at $700 to $1,000 or more to say nothing of the inconvenience of being stranded somewhere.
I usually fill around a 1/4 tank. We have a 150 gallon tank, so a 1/4 tank is still 250 miles of travel.
Using my Open Roads app, I scan way ahead on our route and determine my next fuel stop the evening before. This year, even though it was at a half tank, we fueled in Post Falls, ID just before crossing into Washington state. I topped it up some near Redmond, OR. That let us travel a loop in Washington and coastal Oregon and not have to fuel again until we got into Boise, ID with significantly lower fuel cost.
Same here. 150 gals, 1/4 tank is about the bottom of my comfort level especially if the Genset is running.
I almost never let it get to 1/4 tank. I fill up between 1/2 and 1/4. That’s normally around three hours driving. My truck has a 26 gallon tank.
Time for a stretch and mother nature break.
I’m an OCD planner. I even plan fuel stops. I like to fill up before stopping for the night so I don’t need to refill when leaving or, if we need to run the generator or furnace overnight, I have plenty of fuel. We have a large DP..
After the first half of the tank, about 4 – 4 1/2 hours, it’s time to get out and stretch, let the dog unload his cargo and get a snack or drink. Love’s generally have pretty good dog parks.
I’ll run one tank empty and refuel when the second tank dips below half.
I live in AZ. I fuel before I get to CA, WA or OR no matter the level of fuel in the tank. Then it’s price, Never the less 1/4 tank is the minimum, gotta have reasonable gen power if needed.
Usually, just below 1/2 I start looking. The generator stops around 1/4, so I keep that in mind depending on our plans. Also I don’t completely trust the fuel gauge. I’ve seen it vary 1/8 tank if I’m running with lights on. Better since I improved the grounding wires in the dash, but still…
Exactly!
Generally not lower than 1/4 tank, but when towing, I am more likely to look for fuel and rest breaks around 1/2 tank. We have been caught running on fumes when I thought I could get fuel at the 1/4 tank level and could not.
1/3 of a tank is when we stop. It still takes a long time and usually means we have to reset the pump after it reaches 100 bucks or so. My wife has plenty of time to go inside and get some jerky and chips.
Got tired of that song and dance! Installed a second gas tank and now we carry 85 gallons. It’s plenty for a travel day.
I don’t go below a 1/4 but I do have a 50 gal tank (diesel)
Best advice…drive on the top half of your tank.
Agree.
I have a 78 gal. gas tank and I refuel at about 1/4 remaining; mostly because I haven’t run it down to empty to know where empty is. (The most unreliable gauge in an airplane is the fuel gauge!). Also, it is very important to keep cool fuel around the in-tank fuel pump!). I also refuel in the morning after an over nite stop when the fresh fuel is cooler and expands some-what with the heat of the day. Every little bit helps! At about 7.8 mpg, depending on wind and terrain, that is a good days trip.
At a 1/4 tank, we start researching gas prices. I know that 1/4 tank will still get me over 100 miles, so we look for places around 50 miles down the road. That usually means that we will stop 1 time every travel day. I certainly don’t want to be stopping 2 or 3 times when it is unnecessary.
We try to fill between 3/4 and 1/2 tank. We have a 150 gallon tank, my wife collects fuel points at the grocery store so we want to get at least 35 gallons to maximize that savings. As mentioned, we don’t want to worry about running the generator out of fuel if we need it. And, when my wife had her hip replaced the RV sat for about 2 months in high heat and humidity and grew algae which clogged the fuel filter, so we try to top off before getting to the campground.
Since I pull a trailer, I always fill my truck the day before a travel day. I then estimate where I’ll be 200 miles down the road and look on my Google maps for a fuel station. I then Google Earth the stations to see what they look like for entry and exit. All of this takes me less than 5 minutes to do. Takes the guess work out of it. I rather stop 10 15 miles early and have plenty of room than try and stretch it and get stuck in a small tight station.
These smart phones and internet make things alot easier than they were 30 years ago.
Between 1/2 and 1/4 we start researching stops for fuel. Of course this also depends on the area such as SW.
Always fill up between 1/2 and 1/4. Never know if you are going to be stopped because of accidents, weather,etc.
Have 100 gallon tank.
We plan our trips with every 2.5 – 3 a break. Walk around” and fuel.
We’re not in a rush. We plan to fuel up after 1/2 tank.
Mikej
We determine the next fuel stop as we get on the road from the last one.
Our normal target is roughly half a tank, but our search for the next planned stop really determines the planned stop location. So far this has worked out really well.
Also prevents panic fuel stop searches.
Our coach is a 50+yo gasser, and with fuel being a primary expense to us. So, with the help of both accurate (rebuilt) tank gauges and Gas Buddy, we carefully plan fuel stops to take advantage of prices that can vary a lot by state. There are two tanks controlled from the cab, I we have run to worryingly low levels. We try to not make that a habit. Matt_C
Thank you, RV Travel! Not below 1/4 was my answer, but it depends on whether we are running the generator while driving, or not. If so, then I want DW to find a truck stop that takes our Open Roads card once the gauge falls below 3/8. If not using the generator, then I will wait until the gauge is nearing 1/8. Have a great day and safe travels.
It depends. Many places I go, there aren’t many choices, so one must stop whenever there is any to get.
On trips taking us through Nevada or Arizona, 1/4 tank low is maximum, unless the next town is less than 50 miles away. We also fill up, before heading into the RV park/campground. Especially if we are hitting the road early the next morning.