Using Sites without facillities... advice please.

[TheTravelMan]

Hi, we are off to Englethwaite Hall CC site next week for a few days and will be our 1st time using a sight without toilet and shower block.

We have a nice modern 5 berth caravan, however it has a very compact washroom where the toilet and shower are together, and so far have never used the shower.

We only have one aquaroll which is an older version with only a 30 litres capacity, will this be adequate or should I be investing in a new one before we go??

We are a family of 2 adults and 2 children, I am generaly after comments and advice on using your own facilities and drying down the shower so people can use the loo soon after someone has used the shower, etc, etc ?

Any advice and general comments much appreciated.

Many Thanks

Andrew.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

I heard a lovely story about Englethwaite Hall

It used to be an orphanage before it was pulled down and when we stayed there we were told of a man who visited the site and said that he had been one of the orphans

It had been a dry summer and the old building foundations could be seen in the grass

He went and lay down on the grass saying that that was where his bed had been!

I would just keep on filling and emptying with great reularity and use public loos before returning to the site!

 

[Val & Frank]

Would agree with John,

Engthwaite is a nice site plenty of water points etc.Lots of trees and nice walks.

Frank

 

[WatsonJohnG]

Would agree with John,

Engthwaite is a nice site plenty of water points etc.Lots of trees and nice walks.

Frank

Plenty of bushes!!

 

[Fourtrack]

Hi Andrew

Nothing wrong with your own facilities! However you will find that the 29 litre aquaroll only just enough for a shower! Usuall after washing up the night before it is depleted anyway. The secret is to remember to leave it full before you go to bed! it is a real pain getting dressed to trail to a water point on a chilly morning before showering. I have the smaller one which we got when sttarting to caravan but I quickly added a 40 litre one as well. I use the smaller one in the evening for the usual water requirements and then swap it over before retiring so I know there is a full one first thing in morning. I am usually the first in the shower so then when I am dressed I can refill as necessary while the water heats up again for madam!

To be honest if I were you I would get a new one before you go. They are very useful anyway. Get the larger one because if you are ever on a site with individual water connections you can use the adapter and pipe to have a permanent supply and save all the filling. So that's another 50 quid of your money I just spent!

BTW Englethwaite is a lovely site. Enjoy it

DavidC

Lancs

 

[JeremyClarksson]

Use the get wet, turn the water off, soap up and then rinse off method and you should get 2 or 3 showers out of the aquaroll easily.

Use a squeegy and one of those microfibre clothes to dry the shower area.

If you do get another aqua roll put them side by side and use your filling hose as a syphon between the 2, this will give you appx 60 litres before you run out and that is enough for our family of 4.

You need a waste hog to take the waste water from that as a waste master will overflow.

 

[Pat_374304630]

Definately invest in a 2nd aquaroll.Just make sure that you have a full one before you retire to bed

 

[WatsonJohnG]

Also make sure the loo is empty before retiring

 

[JeremyClarksson]

John

Not sure about the loo - we are a family of four and the loo can last for a weekend rally.

I would always make sure that there is plenty of space though, it can take a heavy toll come morning!

 

[TheTravelMan]

Thanks for your comments everyone. Much appreciated.

I'm realy looking forward to getting away for a few days.

Garry - your comment about putting two aqua rolls side by side, putting the filling hose between them, well how does this work, does one aquaroll need to be higher than the other or do I need to start the syphon flow between the two, or will it start automatically??? Sounds a good idea though!

 

[JeremyClarksson]

Andrew

I usually pull the bit of the pipe that goes on the tap off, stick one end in the small aquaroll (small neck will not take our pump anyway).

I lift the small aqua roll so it is resting on the other, give the other end of the pipe a good swift suck, wait until the water is running out and pop it into the larger aquaroll.

On ours you need the pump in the larger aquaroll otherwise I can not get the pump in with the pipe in place.

I put the tap end of the pipe alongside the pipe in the neck of the smaller aquaroll and rest the screwcap on top of it to stop any heavenly objects falling in. The pump gaiter covers the neck on the other roll.

The syphon will then work until the air gets to the end of the pipe a few litres from the bottom.

I then take the pipe out, pour the smaller roll into the bigger one and refill the smaller one.

If you do find you are using lots of water you may need to refill both, but I have never had to do it.

We usually find the initial 2 barrels will just about do a weekend rally, although I top up once just to make sure we have enough for the last morning.

If you take relatives or friends away with you who have not caravanned expect to be topping up the water every 5 minutes until you make them do the water run!

 

[RayS]

If you van has combined loo and shower room, thne it may rely on a curtain to keep the walls relatively dry. You may find this curtain clings to you when showering.

To get round this, either get some clipon weights meant for picnic table cloths and put at the bottom of the curtain, or (better) get some velcro patches (Homebase) stick on part to the wall and sew the other onto the curtain - trial and error will show you the best places, but you should only need about 4 pairs (top and bottom) This way maximises the available room and avoids the nasty clammy feeling of the curtain sticking to you

 

[Daniel_374322765]

hi,

My wife and i have just got back from Low moor near Whitby, and had a fantastic weekend. It was our first time using the shower in the van. I was a little unsure as i have memories of my mum forcing me to take a cold shower in her old Abbey Piper when i was a kid. I must say i was very suprised. It was as good as our shower at home. As it is fitted with a mixer tap i feel i wasted a lot of hot water getting the temp right. So i would suggest going from cold to hot rather than hot to cold when adjusting temp. Also make sure you have plenty of water. if its like ours it belted it out.

I did expect the hot water to last a little longer than it did, which after the first try was about two showers although we did use Garry's turn off soap up method as mentioned above.

Our shower cubicle is acrylic so we just used a squeegy and a towel to dry it off. Much easier than i thought. Will def use it again.

Does anyone know if any manufacturer fits an electricly heated shower to their vans? It seems a much better idea to me!

 

[peteh1]

hi Andrew,

We go out with our cc&c d.a. most week ends often in a field with only a water tap and septic tank. we invested in a solar panel and an extra aquaroll, the (water hog holds 50lt) we have made lots of freinds doing this and it only cost,s

 

[Rioja]

When you have to fetch and carry it's amazing how careful you can be with water usage ! Same applies to battery power too.

We can make a 40 litre aquaroll go to 4 showers at a push but usually we would have two in the evening before dinner, wash up then change to a full one for the next day.

As for the loo, well we normally empty about every 2-3 days but we do tend to drink a fair amount of fluid which makes a big difference !!

We don't have to cater for children but, with education, and the instruction to go and fetch water, your's will soon catch on !

Should be a great family experience.Instaed of using precious battery power for a TV you can play a game or something instead!

I would cartainly get an extra aquaroll anyway.

 

[Moth_5041363]

we mostly use sites without facilties, and have no problems, we had a 470/4 Bailey Ranger and could do 12 days on a 85 amp battery and about the same on a 6kg bottle of gas,dont turn the fridge up to high ,about number 2 was fine on ours, if you turn the shower on get wet switch off soap up and rinse its about 15lts of water.there is 4 of us 2 adults and to children.

I always emtey the loo everyday and fill up the water we have two 40 lt aqua rolls (we all shower everyday), there is some good offers on these at the moment.

We do have a little b/w tv that we watch sometimes , but mostly play games with the children.

 

[JTQ]

Concerning drying out the shower, we hang the curtain out of loo window when the weather is suitable to help that dry. Also leave the window and door open as long as possible to get a through draught to help things dry. Generally it's not much of a problem unless it's a damp autumnal day.

 

[WatsonJohnG]

When you have to fetch and carry it's amazing how careful you can be with water usage ! Same applies to battery power too.

We can make a 40 litre aquaroll go to 4 showers at a push but usually we would have two in the evening before dinner, wash up then change to a full one for the next day.

As for the loo, well we normally empty about every 2-3 days but we do tend to drink a fair amount of fluid which makes a big difference !!

We don't have to cater for children but, with education, and the instruction to go and fetch water, your's will soon catch on !

Should be a great family experience.Instaed of using precious battery power for a TV you can play a game or something instead!

I would cartainly get an extra aquaroll anyway.

There is electric hook up on the site in question