Fresh Water Taps

[wotme]

Generally what type of coupling will I need for fresh water connections, especially on French Aires
Would you recommend a 12v submersible pump for filling the tank from a carrier and keep a watering can as a standby.

 

[Camping Gaza]

 

[Camping Gaza]

Take a watering can as well, but the rubber push on is useful to have

 

[Camping Gaza]

Some aire points and a lot of the newer service points only have a socket that you plug in your hose so this is handy to have

 

[Simon Meadwell]

I have a 10 ltr watering can keep on top of filling up everyday if i can 10 minute job to much faff getting hose out used it once in four years

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[Lenny HB]

This is what we carry.

 

[Reallyretired]

I find a hose useful when moving every day or so to fill up before leaving an aire or whatever . A watering can is very useful if staying in one place fir a few days though as it saves moving and possibly losing ones spot.
Paid for water connections are usually timed so a hose is really needed for these. We mainly use a short one, about 6ft, which is plenty when you can drive up next to the tap, though do carry a couple of extending hoses which can be joined together if necessary

 

[Reallyretired]

Always worth carrying several tap adapters for when you forget and leave it on the tap, as I have several times

 

[denisejoe]

Always worth carrying several tap adapters for when you forget and leave it on the tap, as I have several times

Did this a couple of days ago. Bought a couple more from Bricomarche yesterday.

Denise

 

[wotme]

Simon I'll be 79 in two months time and my poor old knees would buckle lifting 10kg for any length of time although having said that I do use a watering can to rinse off the car with rain water but I'm sure its nowhere near 10lts.
I do have 4 x 5lt water carriers that fit nicely on a shopping trolley which I guess could be used with an adapted funnel or they may not need a funnel, I'll give it a go when the rain stops.
I've been looking at a submersible working off the cigarette lighter, flow rate 10lt in 4min or a rechargeable pump giving similar flow rate for max 60min before recharging.

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[WillH]

As one of the replies above we use a watering can, much less faff and it fits everything, always, and reaches further than any hose.

 

[peterc10]

Get some hoses along with screw on tap adaptors and hozelock type fittings, which are universal across Europe. French Aires have motorhome points that enable you to easily fill up with a hose and dump straight down a drain. Much easier.

 

[Southdowners]

We take two hoses of different lengths and assorted connectors.

 

[Minxy]

We use 2 x 5lt water carriers, easier to carry and keep you 'balanced' than a single 10lt one too, it means that whilst one of us is pouring one into the camper the other can be refilling, works a treat. We also have a couple of different length hoses which I've adapted so they hook onto the camper filler meaning it only takes one of us to do it.

This is my kit (its a old photo but most of it is still used):

 

[138go]

Couple of plastic watering cans. They fit all known taps and can be used in places where its impossible to get near a tap ( Beach Tap ) Two are easier to carry than one and you only have half the distance to walk

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[Guigsy]

Get some hoses along with screw on tap adaptors and hozelock type fittings, which are universal across Europe. French Aires have motorhome points that enable you to easily fill up with a hose and dump straight down a drain. Much easier.

We've been traveling Europe since February, moving most days. A fair number of sites have a hose... although you may wish to use your own in occasion.

As @peterc10 said, the vast majority either have a threaded screw connection, or a hozelock fitting.

For added convenience, the other end of our hose locks into the fill point, so you don't need one person to hold the hose and the other at the tap. It also reduces the chance of getting soaked.

And we have a collapsible watering can for the odd occasion that the tap is inconvenient.

 

[denisejoe]

I have a couple of different lengths of hose but have a male connector on one end and a female on the other on both so no water leaking in garage and don’t need a double male for the new push connector

 

[Camping Gaza]

You might find this useful for the end of the hose that goes into your motorhome... Can get a universal one on ebay for about 11 quid. Especially good if you are solo and have to hold a button in on service point and you are just that bit too far away.... (why does it always happen to me?)

 

[Minxy]

Whilst some love the Heosafe hose filler thing above, our camper did NOT like it due to it not having a separate overflow pipe, so when it got full it would come back out via the filler but the Heosafe didn't let enough out, so we ended up with it forcing it's way through one of the internal hatches ... it didn't half make a mess by the time we realised ... hence why we ditched the Heosafe and I adapted my hose pipes so they just hook on.

 

[peterc10]

A fair number of sites have a hose... although you may wish to use your own in occasion.

My only absolute rule is to never trust a campsite or Aire hose. I have seen what people do to them and where they put them. Always take it off and put my own one on.

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[GAVLAD]

I have a blue hose about 20ft long plus I have one of those self extending hoses which minus any water, takes up the size of an average pirex bowl bundle, but with water, extends out to about 30 metres long. Handy if on a pitch and the tap is way off.
I also have a watering can and an assortment of fixtures.
I found that some Aires are fitted with a female connector, so the double male connector shown previous is worth buying. They sell them in two sizes.
The worst is the push down tap which has no thread. I bought a device that screws over the tap which holds down the button but it’s crap.
If all else fails, buy a bottle of Evian

 

[pappajohn]

Some aire points and a lot of the newer service points only have a socket that you plug in your hose so this is handy to have

Just got a plastic one from Wilco.... A quid.
The Hose lock metal ones are around £8.
The wilco one works fine with hose lock fittings, no leaks.

 

[pappajohn]

We use 2 x 5lt water carriers, easier to carry and keep you 'balanced' than a single 10lt one too, it means that whilst one of us is pouring one into the camper the other can be refilling,

So the 'balance' aspect is only a theory then if one is pouring and one filling.

 

[pappajohn]

23 posts and nobody mentioned 'foodsafe' once.
Must be going out of favour.

 

[Minxy]

So the 'balance' aspect is only a theory then if one is pouring and one filling.

I was 'talking' in relation to the OP's situation as I assume he will be doing it on his own so having 2 x 5lt ones will keep him balanced ... for us it's quite often my 'job' whilst hubby does some lunch etc, so that keeps me balanced - we tend to only share the task if we're in a rush or it's hissing it down!

2 x 5lt ones are easier to store than a single 10lt one and the smaller ones are much easier to pour into our tank especially as our filler is quite high in comparison to most coachbuilt MHs.

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[tonyidle]

Simon I'll be 79 in two months time and my poor old knees would buckle lifting 10kg for any length of time although having said that I do use a watering can to rinse off the car with rain water but I'm sure its nowhere near 10lts.
I do have 4 x 5lt water carriers that fit nicely on a shopping trolley which I guess could be used with an adapted funnel or they may not need a funnel, I'll give it a go when the rain stops.
I've been looking at a submersible working off the cigarette lighter, flow rate 10lt in 4min or a rechargeable pump giving similar flow rate for max 60min before recharging.

I have used a submersible pump for years. I've always fitted a Hella marine socket on the outside of the van near to the filler point. I have always carried an Aquaroll to carry water. They hold 40 litres and roll effortlessly. But then I'm an ex-tugger and even now, several times each year, spend time on Caravan Sites with tugger friends and don't want to keep moving to a tap. Less of a problem with current van that lasts 6 days without filling up.

 

[Camping Gaza]

Just got a plastic one from Wilco.... A quid.
The Hose lock metal ones are around £8.
The wilco one works fine with hose lock fittings, no leaks.

Yeah, I know it was just an illustration of the type of fitting. I just got a 3 way tap BSP thread for 75p in asda.... go check it out for your tool box Cant remember the fittings, inch 3/4 to half something like that, 3 in one really handy, all plastic but all ok with rubber seals

 

[Guigsy]

My only absolute rule is to never trust a campsite or Aire hose. I have seen what people do to them and where they put them. Always take it off and put my own one on.

If the hose looks really bad, I tend to avoid filling there altogether of I can. If bacterial nasties are in the hose, they can migrate up to the tap... paranoia much?

 

[Minxy]

If the hose looks really bad, I tend to avoid filling there altogether of I can. If bacterial nasties are in the hose, they can migrate up to the tap... paranoia much?

Which is why we always disinfect the tap, outer and inner, before using it.

 

[wotme]

I was going to replace the hose I salvaged from my caravan but having read an article about the poor quality of tap water in rural France I don't think I'll bother. Apparently the main problem areas are in the south west and north east and anywhere else that has a heavy farming industry which I imagine is most of France. That's exactly the sort of areas I prefer to travel and as much as it goes against the grain I shall be drinking bottled water. Chances are if you get the runs on holiday its probably down to contaminated drinking water, -- just saying.