# water



## Paul1234 (Nov 7, 2006)

Probably a very basic question but going through our list of things to buy for our new and first ever motorhome how do we deal with fresh and waste water if we do not want to move off the pitch.

Generally I do not see us stopping for more than 3 nights so I guess fill up on the site on arrival and empty on departure. But there will be times say on our panned trip to France when we will stop longer. It seems a lot of work to move the van when pitched with awning up etc so do people carry portable containers to deal with this?

Another basic question, I guess its OK to carry a small amount of water in the inboard tanks for travelling?

Regards

Paul


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## JockandRita (Jun 1, 2005)

Hi Gurt,

It doesn't matter how basic you feel that the question is, it needs to be asked, especially if you are new to it all.

We always leave home with about 5 galls (22.5 litres) of fresh, if it is a long journey, and fill up when we get there. That is enough for 24 hours, should we overnight somewhere, or breakdown.

With regards to a long stay, it depends on how big your fresh water tank is.
Waste water can always be decanted into your fire bucket, or your cassette if stuck, and poured down the toilet.

All, our water containers went with the caravan, as we didnt want to take up unnecessary room in the MH lockers.

Hope this helps,

Jock.


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## Rapide561 (Oct 1, 2005)

*Water*

Hi

I travel with quite a lot of fresh water on board - rightly or wrongly!

As I now fulltime, the van is pitched up and the last thing I want to do is move every other day to drain water etc.

THe fresh water tank is supposed to hold 125 litres plus another 12 in the boiler. After filling it manually with a 10 litre jerrican, I think it holds about 150 plus the 12. I use water as and when needed and need to refill every third day.

I have a standard garden hose about 25 metres long - simply attach to the tap and hey - full again. Obviously, you need to pitch fairly close to a tap, but a 50 metre hose takes up barely any more space.

For the waste - the dirty water goes into the grey water tank but I leave the drain tap open. Under the van is one of those waste water hog things - it is like a box on wheels. It takes about 45 litres when full, and I empty it every day. A bucket would do the same job, but I bought the water hog as it was half price at £24 and it fitted neatly in the "boot". I do however have to give the thing a good rinse out - even though it gets filled with bubble bath and washing up liquid, it don't half pong!

I use quite a lot of water - but I use the van for showering etc etc.

Russell


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

I guess it all boils down to what available space you have for carrying containers or you may have to make do with ideas jock puts forward. 

I certainly agree about only carrying an overnight supply of water and emptying all waste before you leave a site. I just don't have the payload to carry a full tank of everything. 

For fresh drinking water I carry a 2 litre plastic bottle filled directly from a tap and stored in the fridge. 

To get water whilst on a pitch I have two collapsible 4 gals containers purchased from a motorist centre for about £3 each. These don't take up too much room and, for balance, I find it easier to carry two at a time. Less trips to the tap too. 

To dispose of waste I have a flat tank which just slips under the van and will take upto 6 gals. This stores in my shower in a waterproof bag so that dirt ect is kept out of the van. When this is full it can be rather heavy so I have a lightweight aluminium trolley stored in my top box for the occasions when the disposal point is a long way off. These items were inherited from my caravanning days but make life easy. 

peedee


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## Paul1234 (Nov 7, 2006)

Thanks to everybody for the response.

I think I will add two containers one for fresh and one for waste and a trolley to my already very long Towsure list.

My new Hymer will have a garage so space should not be a major problem

Expect more basic questions as I get close to delivery on the 1st March!

Regards

Paul


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

Fiamma do nice compact fresh and waste water containers. They each hold about 20 litres, and have wheels and a folding handle. I use the waste water version and find them easy to stow when on the move. If you check your max weight at a weighbridge ( always a good thing with a new van) you may well be able to take a full tank of fresh water with you. always a good idea if the filling up location has a good soft water supply.


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## JockandRita (Jun 1, 2005)

Gurt,

Our Hymer has a fresh water tank capacity of 140 litres (30 ish galls).
This can last approximately six days, but even longer if we are using site showers, and drinking water from the site taps, in bottles.

Before sailing to Eire, we filled up at Freshwater East CC site near Fishguard. We didn't top up again until we returned to Scotland about ten days later, and no, we are not a pair of smelly so and so's either. :lol: :lol: :lol: 

Any idea what your tank capacity will be on your model?

Jock.


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## Mikemoss (Sep 5, 2005)

Paul, as a convert from caravans (those drum-shaped aquarolls for fresh, and wedge-shaped wastemasters for grey) I wondered exactly what you were wondering when I made the switch. 

I read (somewhere on here I think) that someone used a garden watering can for topping up when not near a tap. What a daft idea, thought I - until I actually tried it! The open top of a watering can makes it dead easy to fill, and the spout makes it equally easy to deposit its contents through the normal filling-up hole in the side of the 'van. 

The I read (again on this site) that there were some collapsible buckets going cheap at Woolworths, and they were perfect for emptying the grey water when not near a drain. Too right - they're just the job as they pack away to next to no size for storage, then open up into a decent-sized bucket when you need it.

We also travel with fresh water in the tank for use on the road, and usually empty the grey tank a bit at a time (with that bucket) until we get to a proper point.

Now this is where I'm probably going to get a string of complaints, but on CLs and CSs (five-van sites in fields, orchards etc) I usually empty the grey water along a hedgerow, around trees and bushes etc - in fact many owners specifically ask you to do this, particularly in summer when the ground is parched. Any food particles will soon be eaten by birds etc, and the remaining water will give the hedges and trees a bit of a boost. Some may frown on this but it is, I believe, the most environmentally-friendly way of dealing with waste washing/washing up water.


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## Spacerunner (Mar 18, 2006)

I agree....as long as the waste water is spread thinly and away from any likely pitches and away from any water courses. I've never seen any damage caused by this method of water disposal.


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## chapter (May 1, 2005)

we always carry f/water we some times stay at a site for up to 8 days but we don't stay on site we tour the area so we empty the g/water on the way out and fill with f/water on the way in 
a lot of the sites in france have drive over w/water dumps so we just open the tap and also empty the loo at the same time


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## Goldwinger (May 10, 2005)

We carry 2 plastic watering cans with removable spout easy to carry and to pour into the water inlet very light weight.


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## teensvan (May 9, 2005)

Hi gurt.

We always travel with the water tank about a quarter full, and always try to pitch up near to a water supply. We have three flat hoses of twenty meters each which couple together, which makes it easier to get water, also have a two gallon collapsible water container. The grey water we collect in a three gallon bucket under the van and empty when full. The grey water main tank we flush out once every six to eight weeks to stop a build up of sludge. This has worked for us well since we started fulltiming.

steve & ann. ---- teensvan.


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## 101368 (Oct 12, 2006)

More and more sites are providing water and greywater points to all or at least a lot of pitches. That makes life easy. We normally carry a couple of old five litre minral water bottles for fresh water for cooking drinking cos despite trying most things the water from the tank still has a slight but noticeable taste. If we run out of water on site then use these to fill up. If grey water fills up there's a hose to dump it on the grass away from the van if appropriate or
another old mineral water bottle that lives in the gas locker just for grey water. As far as smelly greywater goes only had a problem in really hot weather but Thetford do an additive for the greywater tank that seems to work. Normally like to travel greywater tank empty freshwater full that way if anything goes wrong you're set up. Reckon the van handles marginally better with a bit more weight on the back wheels and low down.


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## 96105 (Aug 23, 2005)

hi gurt
I travel with it empty because of the weight and fill up on site :wink: but i carry a 10 lt jerry can from halfords 4.99 , for tea etc. water usualy
lasts 3 days depends on your needs 

ray


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