Yes it does depend on the transition of gradients and the length of the van but these would all be design considerations. It's not inconceivable for some designs to have a raised floor section at the rear to accomodate under slung storage.
I’m still here after 40 years of drinking water from the caravan taps. The entire water system is cleansed with either Milton or puriclean before each trip. I take the view that if you only caravan once or twice a year then JTQ’s advice is spot on. However people who use theirs frequently really shouldn’t have any problems. The U.K. and European water supplies are pretty robust. Also the water grade pipes used in caravans are supposed to be safe. Well that’s what the makers say🤔🤔The most important factor is do what you want to do , there is no right or wrong imo.
Probably local area water though and nothing to do with the site-different water areas have differing issues with their water, like hard or soft. As I've already said i really can't see an issue with water from the aquaroll/caravan system-certainly don't puriclean it more than once a year-and I'm very fussy with taste-and it doesn't if you drain down and flush through on first fill. Our immune systems need to do a bit of work!!! Keeps them happy and err, working.
Domestic tanks have been being phased out for many years for hygiene reasons. But even so. You should not be drinking from any cold tap except the one fed directly from the mains supply. Caravans do not conform to the normal water regulations.
And yes, I have seen some disgusting household storage tanks.
John
That your choice if you like a non service pitch but me i prefer service pitches because you have your own tap and drain and it a lot easier for me .
I very much prefer a Fully Serviced Pitch! Especially as we use the onboard shower and do washing up in the kitchen so the Wastemaster is always full/Aquaroll always empty.
My point was that an onboard tank is useless unless you have a FSP; they are not always available when your choice of location is the priority over pitch type. I concede an onboard tank would be useful, perhaps a trip to the M/H service point pre-pitching if you don't have an FSP could be done.
I think onboard Fresh water tanks would complemented by onboard Grey Tanks for off grid or non FSP's. But you still have the filling/emptying problem and then you have the Accessory Storage Issue™ which I originally moaned about.
Even on a fully serviced pitch, dont forget you still need a method of filling the onboard. mMy current caravan is a fairly recent one, and when the onboard inlet is connected via umbilical to the aquaroll, I have to pull it in using the onboard pump via the control panel, but it doesnt automatically fill. As the tank empties, you ahve to go back to the panel and rerun the filling sequence. Its a pain in the proverbial TBH. Also, as I undertand it, most, not all, dont work with an aqualine or similar.
If you're on a fully serviced pitch we don't have to fill the onboard tank-put the switch to mid mode and it comes straight from the tap-via the pressure limiting aquamaster. However we do choose to fill the onboard tank simply because water pressure is slightly better from the pump and we really don't find any hardship-simply move the switch to 'ext' then when full back to 'int' -on our Buc at least. Fantastic system.
When we use own our Elddis Crusader Super Sirocco caravan i think it had the same system because we did not have to fill the onboard tank , but this site where we were seasonal did not have a Toilet Block /showers so we use the onboard tank
Fully agree on the one in the loft, well two. The cold water feed is manky and unsealed . It only feeds the hot water tank and one of the toilet cisterns. Probably not a good comparison when you consider how often a lot of people sterilise their Aquarolls. Only ever use the mains fed water taps which are all of them.
It is not a perfect comparison, agreed. You would not normally sterilise the tank at home. Unless it was designed for potable water which is unusual. It then requires testing as well. However. Do people fully sterilise their systems, and as they are left empty and damp for weeks between trips, that’s the worst condition for breeding bacteria. Imho
For me, I don’t see the advantage. If the pitch has mains water there is still the option of Aquaroll and ball valve or pressure relief connection.
I just take two Aquarolls. That way I don’t loose internal storage space. When I did have an internal tank. The system then to fill the tank was time consuming and I still had to fetch the water anyway.
John
These are some of the saddest things I have witnessed whilst caravanning.
Arthur and Martha have only their onboard tank and mixer tap to supply them with water each day. Martha has to trek 2 metres over beige carpet just to fill the kettle, and Arthur has to fight his way to the mixer tap just to put a splash into his Glenmorangie.
But you can change all that. A donation of just 60 pence per day can supply them with a one litre bottle of Evian from the camp shop.
Will you sit back and do nothing. Together, we can end the misery on campsites all over the developed world.
Arthur and Martha have only their onboard tank and mixer tap to supply them with water each day. Martha has to trek 2 metres over beige carpet just to fill the kettle, and Arthur has to fight his way to the mixer tap just to put a splash into his Glenmorangie.
But you can change all that. A donation of just 60 pence per day can supply them with a one litre bottle of Evian from the camp shop.
Will you sit back and do nothing. Together, we can end the misery on campsites all over the developed world.
Last edited:
I usually put a few drops of Aquapure in each barrel of water - not enough to taste (at least compared to the water we have at home!) but it keeps everything clean.
Once the caravan gets back to the storage site from its last trip of the year, on my next Saturday morning tinkering session I run a full barrel of water through the system with a stronger Aquapure solution (the strength recommended for sterilising home brew kit), drain down but not rinse. Then before the first trip out next year, repeat the sterilise process and flush through with plain water.
Facebook
Twitter