Service Pitch Virgin

[Fithawk]

Hi all. I’ll be on my first Service Pitch on Monday. I know I need an Aquaroll mains adaptor kit and a longer waste pipe, not sure how long though? That’s my first question. Is there anything else I need? Or need to know? And any advice welcomed. Thanks.

 

[Niall_McIntosh]

It appears that there has been a previous thread on here about this: https://www.practicalcaravan.com/forum/equipment-accessories/36804-fully-serviced-pitch-whats-needed . I hadn't seen this when we first used one, but found the following couple helpful. Caravan Chronicles is good (https://caravanchronicles.com/2013/05/26/connecting-your-drainage-on-serviced-pitches/), there is also a video from The Trudgians which leans heavily on this, and does acknowledge it: (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hPnD69UjkBk).

 

[Raywood]

There is no actual definition of a serviced pitch so any answer has to be a little guarded. In most cases you will find a tap and waste water point at the rear of the pitch. For that you need drinking water standard pipe to reach the aquaroll and waste pipe both to get to the rear of the caravan plus a bit more. I cannot give you a length as this needs to be checked against the caravan itself.

 

[Woodentop]

If you buy the Aquaroll float valve kit it comes with 7m of blue food-grade water hose terminated in Gardena 'hoselock' connectors one of which is a stop unit.
As it is likely the tap and drain will be adjacent, 7m of grey 32mm drain hose should do. I say 32mm as that is the norm but do measure the size of your outlets before buying. As you will be using your shower you will still need the drain hose combiner so that you only need/carry one drain hose.
It is also a good idea to carry a double adapter* with valves for the tap so that you can draw fresh water - as distinct from that that has been through the caravan water system - for drinking or making tea/coffee.
*I read somewhere recently that it is preferable not to use the yellow type as the colourant may contaminate the water but I have not been able to verify same. I suggest you do not get the brass type as an alternative as IME they are prone to the hose end connector bursting off under pressure.

 

[Anseo]

Hi Woodentop,

I do not at all disagree with what you say, I've not had a brass type burst under pressure, but I have had them burstsplit in icy conditions.

I avoid them now.

 

[Mel]

Hi. We have a tap splitter on our serviced pitch. Screw this on the tap first, then you can do hose to aqua roll on one side, and get water from the other side without having to disconnect the hose. (We fill the kettle and a jug for drinking water from the site tap, not via the aqua roll.). Tap splitters are only a few quid and well worth it if you want easy access to the tap.
Mel

 

[Hutch]

We use the water from the caravan all the time for drinking and tea/coffee making, why not we use almost 1 1/2 aqua rolls aday with showers etc, but love the serviced pitches.

 

[Robtel]

I would suggest you also consider getting an extension food grade hose for your aquaroll adaptor. The last couple of sites I’ve been on and used a service pitch have had the fresh water stand (two separate taps but on one stand ) between two pitches. Fine if you happen to be pitched with the water tap next to your van’s offside, but you would need the extension hose if not. Seen a couple of folk get caught out with this at the Caravan Club’s Southport site earlier this month.

 

[Hutch]

I would suggest you also consider getting an extension food grade hose for your aquaroll adaptor. The last couple of sites I’ve been on and used a service pitch have had the fresh water stand (two separate taps but on one stand ) between two pitches. Fine if you happen to be pitched with the water tap next to your van’s offside, but you would need the extension hose if not. Seen a couple of folk get caught out with this at the Caravan Club’s Southport site earlier this month.

Rob so were you expecting them to supply the hose pipe,? we carry the aqua roll heavy one and a lightweight roll flat one that connect together, also two 3 metre flexy waste hoses, in case we are lucky enough that the site says put your grey waste into the hedgerow, which it this time of year is great. Hedges get watered and the wildlife get a small amount of food debris.

 

[otherclive]

I would suggest you also consider getting an extension food grade hose for your aquaroll adaptor. The last couple of sites I’ve been on and used a service pitch have had the fresh water stand (two separate taps but on one stand ) between two pitches. Fine if you happen to be pitched with the water tap next to your van’s offside, but you would need the extension hose if not. Seen a couple of folk get caught out with this at the Caravan Club’s Southport site earlier this month.

Rob so were you expecting them to supply the hose pipe,? we carry the aqua roll heavy one and a lightweight roll flat one that connect together, also two 3 metre flexy waste hoses, in case we are lucky enough that the site says put your grey waste into the hedgerow, which it this time of year is great. Hedges get watered and the wildlife get a small amount of food debris.

We recently stayed at a site in Leicestershire where they had planted some new trees and they asked fir any grey water or final aquaroll emptying to go around the saplings as it was so dry. Draining to the hedges was their normal approach as well. I am now even using washing up water at home to use on garden plants.

 

[Robtel]

I would suggest you also consider getting an extension food grade hose for your aquaroll adaptor. The last couple of sites I’ve been on and used a service pitch have had the fresh water stand (two separate taps but on one stand ) between two pitches. Fine if you happen to be pitched with the water tap next to your van’s offside, but you would need the extension hose if not. Seen a couple of folk get caught out with this at the Caravan Club’s Southport site earlier this month.

Rob so were you expecting them to supply the hose pipe,? we carry the aqua roll heavy one and a lightweight roll flat one that connect together, also two 3 metre flexy waste hoses, in case we are lucky enough that the site says put your grey waste into the hedgerow, which it this time of year is great. Hedges get watered and the wildlife get a small amount of food debris.

No, I have an extension to suit these situations. At least two other outfits that arrived during our stay didn’t have enough hose to reach their aqua roll so had to do without the mains water connection. I posted my comments as a suggestion to the OP following a comment that the one length of hose supplied with the aqua roll valve would likely be sufficient.
Not sure how you came up with the idea I was expecting the site to supply the hose???

 

[Dustydog]

Interesting.
Two weeks ago on a fully Serviced pitch the owners leant me an extension water pipe. Next day looking closer I was able to re run my own hose direct from the tap to the aqua roll. Like the EHU cable most sites design their infrastructure to fit our needs

 

[Robtel]

On the last three service pitches I’ve been on I’ve needed to use the extension to my fresh water hose on two occasions. Both of these being Caravan Club sites with the double tap placed at the rear in the middle of two pitches. The third where I didn’t need the extension was a non Club site. The one point between two pitches might just be a CC thing,.

 

[Woodentop]

Hi. We have a tap splitter on our serviced pitch. Screw this on the tap first, then you can do hose to aqua roll on one side, and get water from the other side without having to disconnect the hose. (We fill the kettle and a jug for drinking water from the site tap, not via the aqua roll.). Tap splitters are only a few quid and well worth it if you want easy access to the tap.
Mel

+1 definitely - exactly how we like our water, not tasting of something not nice from the barrel or water system!
Note my earlier comment that there allegations around that the yellow splitters should be avoided as there is a question of carcinogenic materials in the colouring. You can get green or grey ones quite easily.

 

[Dustydog]

On the last three service pitches I’ve been on I’ve needed to use the extension to my fresh water hose on two occasions. Both of these being Caravan Club sites with the double tap placed at the rear in the middle of two pitches. The third where I didn’t need the extension was a non Club site. The one point between two pitches might just be a CC thing,.

Good points. Best carry two food grade hoses with the correct connections. Just ordered another. More erosion of my load margin

 

[Fithawk]

Many thanks for all the, as norm, helpful replies. Much appreciated.

 

[SteveW77]

We just drink bottled water.

 

[Anseo]

We just drink bottled water.

The only times I really need bottled water is when I am in the car or out for a walk

I fill a bottle from the tap, works for me .

 

[otherclive]

We just drink bottled water.

The only times I really need bottled water is when I am in the car or out for a walk

I fill a bottle from the tap, works for me .

We’ve virtually stopped using bottled water and use drinking bottles filled from a tap. For years I’ve been trying to get my family to recognise that paying good money for water that is filled into plastic bottles and then transported from who knows where is a nonsense. But it wasn’t until Blue Planet that they changed their views. But mine were financial not environmental. I’ve still got a twenty year old Sigg bottle that I use. I generally carry two bottles alongside me in the car central console.

 

[Dustydog]

And there’s me thinking the Sigg was a caravanners version of the old hip flask, hic

 

[otherclive]

And there’s me thinking the Sigg was a caravanners version of the old hip flask, hic

Yep, it has been used for such duties at times. But must admit it is looking a bit battered from its lifetime of use. Being aluminium it can be recycled so my credentials with the family can be maintained

 

[Dustydog]

And there’s me thinking the Sigg was a caravanners version of the old hip flask, hic

Yep, it has been used for such duties at times. But must admit it is looking a bit battered from its lifetime of use. Being aluminium it can be recycled so my credentials with the family can be maintained

B)

 

[Hutch]

At Lincon farm park, on serviced pitches they supply a hose and water butt.

 

[SteveW77]

We just drink bottled water.

The only times I really need bottled water is when I am in the car or out for a walk

I fill a bottle from the tap, works for me .

We’ve virtually stopped using bottled water and use drinking bottles filled from a tap. For years I’ve been trying to get my family to recognise that paying good money for water that is filled into plastic bottles and then transported from who knows where is a nonsense. But it wasn’t until Blue Planet that they changed their views. But mine were financial not environmental. I’ve still got a twenty year old Sigg bottle that I use. I generally carry two bottles alongside me in the car central console.

I hardly think 40p a day will break the bank

 

[otherclive]

We just drink bottled water.

The only times I really need bottled water is when I am in the car or out for a walk

I fill a bottle from the tap, works for me .

We’ve virtually stopped using bottled water and use drinking bottles filled from a tap. For years I’ve been trying to get my family to recognise that paying good money for water that is filled into plastic bottles and then transported from who knows where is a nonsense. But it wasn’t until Blue Planet that they changed their views. But mine were financial not environmental. I’ve still got a twenty year old Sigg bottle that I use. I generally carry two bottles alongside me in the car central console.

I hardly think 40p a day will break the bank

Two people at 40p per day is £292 per year. Car tax plus tv licence paid courtesy of my local water board without bothering my bank.