# Storing Water Hoses - open or closed?



## andrewball1000 (Oct 16, 2009)

When storing a coil of hose some residual water will remain inside. It also tends to wet the garage area. 

If both ends have Hoselock connectors, I was wondering if it would be OK to clip them together in a continuous loop? 

Would this sealed environment be more or less hygienic for growth of bugs.


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## teemyob (Nov 22, 2005)

*Water*

Ours sits on a special drain pan.

But if we take an extension, we pop it on the bike rack and let it drain before storing.

Then flush well before use.

TM


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## levoyden (Feb 25, 2008)

Wouldn't have thought it would be air tight, connecting the two together, but will stop bugs entering the hose.
I tend to use the shortest hose permissible for the situation.

I carry 2 hoses, food Quality short hose and a wind up flat hose.

The shortest hose being used mostly and i always spin round over my head to drain as much as possible, when in a warmer climate I drape over the Awning to dry.

On using it the next time I always run water through, and in France always disinfect the tap first.

Some may say its OTT.

Dennis


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

levoyden said:


> Wouldn't have thought it would be air tight, connecting the two together, but will stop bugs entering the hose.


It will also stop the ones already in there from getting out. 8O

Dave


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

I always drain my hose as I roll it up. Ok! I may have a small spot of water come out onto the plastic floor of my garage area, which quickly dries but would not like to have a closed wet hose in a warm climate. That would be a bit like a petri dish growing a culture.
Alan


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## grizzlyj (Oct 14, 2008)

If you keep it closed up, and out of the sunlight, then why is it different to keeping water in a jerrycan type container, or indeed the camper tank???

You could even pour in a small amount of, for instance, Zappy/Milton solution premixed for that purpose to maintain the water quality, again, flushing before use?

Jason


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## rosalan (Aug 24, 2009)

Quite a big difference between a jerry can slopping around and washing all of its surfaces, to a hose with standing water I would have thought.
Please do not try the Milton cleaning solution. It sounds great and works but the taste is so hard to get rid of. A cup of tea made with water that only saw a Milton bottle in a shop window is still undrinkable. We used the tablets in our system one year and although flushed several times, even after six weeks touring and flushing; tea made with water from the system tasted bad.
Perhaps you have tried other methods of sterilisation that worked but for me this one did not.
Sorry to disagree with you grizzle, I am not usually that sort of person.
:wink: Alan


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## DJP (May 9, 2005)

> If you keep it closed up, and out of the sunlight, then why is it different to keeping water in a jerrycan type container, or indeed the camper tank???


These in fact are entirely different cases. If you are referring to a clear jerrycan then I do not consider those to be that safe UNLESS it is out of any form of daylight. The water tank under the van in my opinion is one of the safest places to store water. It is black, totally impervious to any sunlight and effectively sealed. For any bacteria to grow it needs some form of light. Just go into any underground cave and look for anything growing.


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

DJP said:


> Just go into any underground cave and look for anything growing.


Hmmmmmmm.

Not sure about that DJP.

Plants can't grow, but lots of other things can, including micro-organisms.

http://www.goodearthgraphics.com/virtcave/cave_life/cave_life.html

Dave :wink:


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## zappy61 (May 1, 2005)

*water hoses*

I would say keeping the hose closed is better than leaving it open as it reduces the risk of air or crawling insects entering the hose. I have a flat hose which I disinfect at the beginning of the season (done it last Thursday whilst away). I simply put half a tablet in the inlet connect it to the tap and dribble the water in until full turn the tap off give it a five minutes and thoroughly flush out. Then I follow my activity routine here as for tanks. It is all down to usage factors. Sunlight is a factor and so is temperature for instance legionella will grow most anywhere if the temperature is right and so will a lot of others (in the dark) and a lot are airborne so keeping it closed is a positive to prevent infection.
I don't think disinfecting the tap is OTT just precautionary you don't know what the last user connected to it.

Hope this helps

Graham


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

*Re: water hoses*



zappy61 said:


> I don't think disinfecting the tap is OTT just precautionary you don't know what the last user connected to it.
> Graham


Nor do I Graham - especially abroad, although I expect it happens here too. :roll:

On several occasions we have seem people holding the spout of their toilet cassette right up to the drinking water tap to rinse it out.

Brainless - or utterly self-centred bloody cretins!! 8O

We carry a disinfectant spray we got from the chemist and give the tap a blast before using it.

I'm usually a bit cavalier about such things, but I do draw the line at someone else's bodily wastes in my fresh water tank!! 8O

Dave


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## jocie (Dec 24, 2006)

I have to disagree with Graham as I would prefer fresh air inside an empty hose, and even the odd insect, to the possibility/probability of bacterial growth in a closed and possibly a bit damp hose.


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## zappy61 (May 1, 2005)

jocie said:


> I have to disagree with Graham as I would prefer fresh air inside an empty hose, and even the odd insect, to the possibility/probability of bacterial growth in a closed and possibly a bit damp hose.


Thats fine Jocie but I don't think an open hose will be perfectly dry but keeping airborne infection out IMHO is definitely a plus. We are probably splitting hairs, as if you flush it out and/or disinfect occasionally there should be no problem.

Graham


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## zappy61 (May 1, 2005)

*Re: water hoses*



Zebedee said:


> zappy61 said:
> 
> 
> > I don't think disinfecting the tap is OTT just precautionary you don't know what the last user connected to it.
> ...


Hi Dave,

A spray bleach is also useful for the job and then just wash the end of the tap. I have seen the drinking tap used to flush cassettes too.

Graham


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## BillCreer (Jan 23, 2010)

I just give my hosepipe a good shake, like my Mother taught me, before I put it away and put the long one in a Sainsburys carrier bag.
Those concerned about pipe cleanliness should take a look inside their water tanks sometime. I have kept mine flushed with all the usual stuff but after an internal tank pipe fell off recently I saw something that surprised me. All the pipes were covered in brown slime and the large filler pipe was covered in green stuff.
I'm not too concerned as 99.9% of the water I consume is boiled.


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## andrewball1000 (Oct 16, 2009)

BillCreer said:


> ....and the large filler pipe was covered in green stuff.


Mine was as well so I replaced it, see previous thread.
http://www.motorhomefacts.com/ftopic-83628-days0-orderasc-120.html

Boiling did not get rid if the taste. Grahams regime did and has changed my habit of emptying the tank and leaving it open, hence my question about storing hose pipes.

I think that it is easier to dry out a short length of hose but not a long one. Either way, what do you do then, closed it to the air or leave it open? Based on my experience with the tank I will now try a closed loop, although it goes against my natural instincts.

Clipping the ends together also makes it so damn easy to store a short length of hose!


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## 96299 (Sep 15, 2005)

Hi

We use two flat food grade hoses on a reel. Any water that is left lying used to be a problem when I just chucked them in a side locker, but now I keep them in a nice big plastic box (storage container) in the garage and so no more sopping floors  

Steve


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## zappy61 (May 1, 2005)

*water hoses*



BillCreer said:


> I just give my hosepipe a good shake, like my Mother taught me, before I put it away and put the long one in a Sainsburys carrier bag.
> Those concerned about pipe cleanliness should take a look inside their water tanks sometime. I have kept mine flushed with all the usual stuff but after an internal tank pipe fell off recently I saw something that surprised me. All the pipes were covered in brown slime and the large filler pipe was covered in green stuff.
> I'm not too concerned as 99.9% of the water I consume is boiled.


Hi Bill,

The brown/green slime is the bio film where bacteria grow create colonies which adds to the film thickness (Andy Coghlan in his article in 1996, called it Slime City). This will happen in all water storage tanks and pipes if not cleaned effectively and is sometimes indicated by an earthy vegetable smell/taste. How quickly microorganisms attach themselves to the walls of tanks or pipes can be anything between a few hours and a few weeks dependent upon the smoothness of the surface. This is why I recommend flushing out after 1 or two weeks but cleaning at a prescribed dose of chlorine after that. Chlorine is only one of the disinfectants that can be used but it has been found to be one of the most effective for removing bio film, low cost and relatively easy to do but it must be done properly. The dose rate and contact time is very important according to the amount of build up of film.
Although you only consume the water after it has been boiled there is food preparation, teeth cleaning and washing etc. and if not cleaned, will be a constant potential source of infection.

Regards,

Graham


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## drcotts (Feb 23, 2006)

If using a garden hose then dont worry about any microbes in there as the chlorine used in the materials will kill them

Food quality hoses used on a domestic supply in Europe will not contain any appreciable amount of harmful bacteria. You are more likely to pick something up from the tap itself rather than the water.

Kepping the ends closed in a loop is a good idea as it will prevent dirt ingress and insects etc crawling in after a drink. Flush through for 10-15 secons before filling the tank and you will be fine.

Phill


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## robelee (Apr 10, 2011)

We always fill a couple of bottles of water straight from the tap and only use tank water for washing. This usually avoids unpleasant tastes (depending on local water) especially if you've sterilized your system. 

Rob & Lee


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## rogerblack (May 1, 2005)

robelee said:


> We always fill a couple of bottles of water straight from the tap and only use tank water for washing. This usually avoids unpleasant tastes (depending on local water) especially if you've sterilized your system. Rob & Lee


Same here - for making hot drinks, we use a small (5l ?)water container with a tap on the filler, this fits nicely on the middle shelf in the cupboard under the sink, handy for the kettle/coffee maker. We also keep a refilled spring water bottle in the 'frig for cold drinks.

We found water from the onboard tank tended to have a plasticy taste anyway so is only used for washing, washing up, etc and the tank is disinfected with a Milton solution from time to time.

Never really thought about the hose, but since we don't drink the water that comes through it anyway, less of a concern.


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## zappy61 (May 1, 2005)

rogerblack said:


> robelee said:
> 
> 
> > We always fill a couple of bottles of water straight from the tap and only use tank water for washing. This usually avoids unpleasant tastes (depending on local water) especially if you've sterilized your system. Rob & Lee
> ...


Hi Roger,

Milton may be the source of the plasticy taste. The strength of the solution when disinfecting is all important which is not easy to do with Milton. Don't forget you may not drink from the tank but you do use it for domestic purposes and cleaning teeth etc. so if not treated is always a source of infection.

Regards,

Graham

Regards,

Graham


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## rogerblack (May 1, 2005)

Hi, Graham
Thanks for the tips.

The tank had a plasticy taste before we used the Milton, we've also since used sterilising tabs which are designed to allow you to drink the water. However, both of these result in a different more chlorine-like background taste. For brushing teeth, we only use water from the bottles. The other domestic purposes to which you refer presumably include washing ourselves, for which we use a liquid bacterial soap from a wall-mounted dispenser, and dish-washing where we also tend to use a brand of liquid with anti-bacterial properties. However, since we disinfect the on-board tank regularly anyway, that shouldn't be a source of problems.

I can't recall whether the hose we use is food grade or not - it is a blue colour on the outside and lined with black on the inside, so may well be. I always flush it through before use. I hadn't thought about spraying the tap, however, and that is a good point - thanks to Dennis and others who highlighted that.


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## rogerblack (May 1, 2005)

BillCreer said:


> I just give my hosepipe a good shake, like my Mother taught me . . .


 

:lol: :lol: :lol:


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Hose*

Hi

My hose lives on a reel and so even if I only need half of it's length, I unwind the whole lot. When winding it up, I shake it a bit to get excess water out. The hose then lives in a large plastic box.

When using again, I usually fil the loo flusher tank first and then the fresh, so any grubby water is flushed out. Not been poisoned yet.

Russell


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