Greasy water pipe

[Ju.Ca]

Hi everyone. 2nd post here as a ‘newbie’ Motor-homer. Took delivery of our MH this week & now trying to get to grips with what need in it for our first adventure on a site ( locally first & then plan setting of to Europe end of Feb). First its what everyone recommends as to the length of pipe needed to connect to fresh water on a site & also what ‘connectors’ likely needed (eg hozelock in UK or something more basic?). One of those fabric collapsable hoses or rigid plastic pipe?
So far we have:
-X2 electric hook up cables 50m long in total - dealer supplied
- Getting a tyre sealant for tyre inflator (Fiat Ducato base vehicle) & on advice of more experienced others at NEC show am leaving the heavy & bulky spare wheel & relying on the inflator
-Very small 500w oil heater time leave on over night (we have Truma Combi but believe having a small heater better & advice was it saves the motor on the Truma)
- Going to Vanbitz for a Growler
- Thinking of getting an external ‘hook up’ to connect a small 100w solar panel that can move & point at sun ( we have 130w solar panel fixed on roof but advice was its not obviously always pointing at the sun & so not maximising it’s full potential. We have only one leisure battery & but worried we need to keep it topped up
- not getting an inverter at the moment. Believe can get a ‘converter’ to charge laptops from 12v socket when not on a site with EHU.
-We have made a 1st purchase that is our kettle to use on the gas as the first major purchase after the other major purchase that was buying the MH! Ha!
Any thoughts/ advice guys ?
Thanks

 

[Cheshirecat57]

Water; most sites. You pull up to the side of a MHS ( motorhome service point) so 10 m hose more than enough, carry your own tap fittings in a bag with your hose though. Also a watering can, for when you only need a few mire litres near the end of a stay and cant be arsed moving the van

Electric: you dont need 50 m of hook up cable take the spare wheel instead ?

Heat: buy a (cheap) fan heater, for the time your heating “fails” through either operator error ( common at first) or the system does something unexpected that you haven't seen before
Forget the oil heater

Solar: I would get a 2nd leisure battery to start with. 130w on the roof and 2x decent leisures is plenty at first

Laptops/Phones when wilding .just my opinion....turn em off ?

Sundries: (INPO) Collapsable bowl/bucket , pack of cards, walking boots, REMOSKA

Above all use it and enjoy it

 

[Richard n Ann]

Agree with the above, take a lightweight fan heater, this is ours:

Pro Breeze® Mini Heater - Ceramic Fan Heater perfect for Desks and Tables - Personal PTC Heater, White Amazon product ASIN B0778ZK42G

I would also take the spare wheel.
Most sites if not all have hoses at the service point so you don't necessarily need to take one. Tesco sell slimline 5L watering cans. See how you get on with the solar, we've got 150w and it's way over the top in summer, we'd manage with 50w.

 

[clanjones]

As newbies 4 years ago we had similar questions in particular about hosepipes.

I duly bought 10 metres of food grade hosepipe and used it once!

I find a 10litre watering can does the job. We have enough payload to travel with a full water tank and just top up every day or so.

I can appreciate that if you have payload issues and can't travel with much water that a hosepipe would be useful but be aware that if you are traveling in February and using Aires a lot have the water turned off.

 

[Ju.Ca]

Wow... thanks for these immediate replies. It’s why I joined motor home fun. You guys have the experience & so will look now at a revised list. One matter is why some would take the spare wheel & not rely on the inflator. Had any issues with flats abroad? We do not have an enourmous payload ( I must check it out & was advised to get all set up & go to a local weigh bridge).
Thanks

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[WillH]

Watering can (pound shop) , Kindle ebook, wife, my essentials.

 

[Richard n Ann]

Wow... thanks for these immediate replies. It’s why I joined motor home fun. You guys have the experience & so will look now at a revised list. One matter is why some would take the spare wheel & not rely on the inflator. Had any issues with flats abroad? We do not have an enourmous payload ( I must check it out & was advised to get all set up & go to a local weigh bridge).
Thanks

We had a flat on the M6 once, the tyre was knackered by the time I stopped the car. The inflator kits are useless, can't believe they've allowed these days, didn't a spare used to be a legal requirement? ?

 

[Stealaway]

You don't need to take a full tank of water between campsites or home. Split the EHU cable into two, you might not need the full length.

 

[Lenny HB]

In mainland Europe you often need 40 - 50 m to connect to an EHU, so take both cables if you are going to use EHU.

I would never go anywhere without a spare wheel, usually when you get a puncture with the weight of the van it wrecks the sidewalls and sealant will be useless, Also some breakdown companies won't come out to you if you haven't got a spare.

Portable Solar panels are only really any good if you are going to be around all day to keep moving them, also not practical for wild camping or using on a lot of Aires.
Better to start with a 2nd battery and add more panels on the roof if needed.

Water hoses best to carry a selection plus loads of adaptors. I have a 3m & 7m that can be coupled together & a 20m roll flat (taken off the cassette to save space (only used twice in 11 years). Unless a real emergency like getting water from a cemetery in the winter I can't be bothered with lugging containers.
My vans got an engine & wheels so I use it to get to the tap.

My hose collection.

 

[clanjones]

A good compromise for a spare wheel is a spare tyre. They weigh a lot less and removes the issue, if you happen to wreck your tyre, of not being able to a get a matched pair on the same axle, which is required in a lot of countries.

If you don't have trye pressure monitoring that would be very high on my must have list.

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[Mike800966]

Fully agree with Lenny on the hose adaptors, especially the one in the midde with a jubilee clip around it. Most of the time you will find a 3/4"bsp threaded tap( it is a euro standard) but occasionally the 1/2" or 1" so have the hozelock inserts. You will find them on UK market stalls. Sometimes just a basin type hence the middle one. Oh and look up my tip about the milk bottle!
I've never needed 50m cable, prefer to move nearer to hookup but do take the spare wheel and dont forget to be able to check its pressure. You can get extended tube to check pressure from the wheel arch.
Glad you got the gas kettle,
Enjoy
Mike
PS also agree re the TPMS system

 

[Ingwe]

We're relative newbies and our views are as follows:
Power cables: 50m seems excessive and quite heavy to carry. We had the 25m supplied with the van but never needed the full 25m. We have since made up a 10m lead which we use most of the time and is much more wieldly especially when out in cold or freezing weather.
Water: we have a collection of various Hozelock (or similar) connectors which we have found we needed due to the variety of taps/threads encountered in Europe. We have to use the Whale type connector to fill up but, if you don't, a short length of food grade hosepipe and a watering can should be fine.
Heating: I'd ditch the oil heater and get a small fan heater like others have suggested.
Spare wheel: I'd take it if payload isn't an issue.

Things we've found useful:
Collapsible bucket, collapsible washing up bowl, large packs of antibacterial wipes (cheap from Lidl and Aldi), a 700w travel kettle, external windscreen cover that has totally eliminated condensation in the cab/windscreen.

Have fun, be safe and be sure to ask on this forum, which we have found invaluable and full of knowledgable, friendly people.

 

[Riverbankannie]

Ditto what everyone else has said. No need for all that cable, your current solar panel is sufficient, carry a collapsible bucket and watering can. The collapsible watering can works better with a short length of pond pipe attached. We don’t carry a hose but do have a 5 litre fresh water container for drinking which we fill every day. This can be regularly sterilised and saves buying bottled water which I hate doing.
The bucket can be used for all sorts of things including taking some water from your grey waste tank if you don’t want to move pitches, taking to campsite sinks (no plugs in Europe) for a bit of hand smalls washing,
if you intend wilding for a few days, you may find your toilet cassette too small. We use a spray bottle filled with diluted pink flush to save filling the cassette up with flush water.

Europe is well populated with shops that sell all you need, it’s fun to go somewhere different for a browse around so don’t worry about having everything before you go.

 

[Emmit]

I appreciate that carrying 50M of cables might seem excessive
50M of cable only = 9Kgs. That's 2 galls. of Fuel. Hardly a massive amount.
Does anyone only carry half a tank of diesel because the rest is excessive?

OR;

On the assumption that you will carry one cable anyway then;
Is One more cable which = 1 gall. of fuel even worth worrying about.

 

[Landy Andy]

I carry

10m electric cable, and use that at least 75%of the time, nice and easy to use and pack, also carry a 25m just incase. Bit more of a pain to pack away.

10m, and a 15m water hose, both flat food grade. Also a HEOS connector so that I can get on with other jobs whilst the water tank fills.
BROKEN LINK

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[HandyAndy]

A good compromise for a spare wheel is a spare tyre. They weigh a lot less and removes the issue, if you happen to wreck your tyre, of not being able to a get a matched pair on the same axle, which is required in a lot of countries.

If you don't have trye pressure monitoring that would be very high on my must have list.

I'd like to see a pensioner fight with a high ply wall van tyre getting it off and back on the rim By hand!!!!! ?
Those things make me sweat when I have a machine helping me, let alone doing it manually.
I was brought up as a kid doing it the manual way with no machinery at all, just a couple of tyre levers and a sledge hammer... bugger trying to do that on the side of the M6.

 

[Mark McG]

Regarding the heating. We used an electric heater one col evening and then it got colder (below 5deg) outside and the Truma valve opened and let all the water out. So now we use the truma heating which blows also blows warm air around the tanks. Yours maybe different but thats how it was for us!

 

[Geo]

I'd like to see a pensioner fight with a high ply wall van tyre getting it off and back on the rim By hand!!!!! ?
Those things make me sweat when I have a machine helping me, let alone doing it manually.
I was brought up as a kid doing it the manual way with no machinery at all, just a couple of tyre levers and a sledge hammer... bugger trying to do that on the side of the M6.

Check recovery small print,AA and RAC in particular I remember reading.
No Spare No Assistance
Lost Keys also not considered a break down. lock outs yes, lost completely NO.

 

[Duck Truck]

Hi
what you take dpends a little on how you intend using the van and where, If you go in Feb
take the two electric leads everyone wants electric and you may not get close to an electric point.
If you move every couple of days any hose pipe if you plan on staying a week in one spot
a watering can saves moving to get water
and a bucket to drain waste.

Best suggestion live in your van on the drive for a few days
that helps figure things out
Northern Europe in Feb can be very cold

 

[Cheshirecat57]

Wow... thanks for these immediate replies. It’s why I joined motor home fun. You guys have the experience & so will look now at a revised list. One matter is why some would take the spare wheel & not rely on the inflator. Had any issues with flats abroad? We do not have an enourmous payload ( I must check it out & was advised to get all set up & go to a local weigh bridge).
Thanks

Well your Benimar is not renowned for a huge payload, i would be tempted to weigh it NOW, empty and see what your base figure is

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[Duck Truck]

Buy a cheap £3 external temp sensor and hang the sensor in the coldest part of your van with water supply pipe work in our case the pump is in a cold spot. If the temp drop to near freezing around the pipe the alarm sounds
very handy if gas runs out overnight when you are asleep

 

[TerryL]

Take the spare wheel and cut down on other stuff. In many years of motoring I've never had to use it, but the hassle of NOT having one to me makes it worthwhile. Having to wait ages for a breakdown truck, probably in an unsafe position, only to be told "no spare Gov? Can't help", having to buy two tyres 'cos you can't get the originals (I use winter tyres all year round so it would be four!). Knowing that I could change it myself if I had to is peace of mind for me and mine.

IMO any manufacturer/converter who leaves out the spare wheel for payload purposes is almost criminal. There's going to be a big blowup in the near future, I believe, when the whole question of payload is properly examined.

(I've even been known to carry a spare tyre carcass as well!)

Sorry about the rant but I do feel strongly about this.

 

[RubyOptics]

Buy a cheap £3 external temp sensor and hang the sensor in the coldest part of your van with water supply pipe work in our case the pump is in a cold spot. If the temp drop to near freezing around the pipe the alarm sounds
very handy if gas runs out overnight when you are asleep

As someone looking for their first van right now and also living in Poland (where it does get rather chilly) this just blew my mind! I've been worrying about water tanks and freezing and this is just such an effective, simple and cheap solution. Thank you so much!!!

 

[pappajohn]

One matter is why some would take the spare wheel & not rely on the inflator.

Will a tyre sealer aerosol seal and inflate an 8" split in a sidewall after a blowout?

If its a payload issue just take the tyre and if necessary have that fitted plus you can store stuff inside the tyre if space is an issue.

 

[autorouter]

- not getting an inverter at the moment. Believe can get a ‘converter’ to charge laptops from 12v socket when not on a site with EHU.

Yes you can get a car charger for a laptop, depends a bit on which laptop. Macs need a special charger, some newer laptops charge from a high-power USB-C (PD type), and some can use a 'universal' type with interchangable sockets that put out 19V. The label on the mains charger will show the voltage/power required.

Best to disconnect them when not in use, they slightly drain the power if left connected over a long period. You need to avoid wasting power if you're not on hookup.

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[autorouter]

-X2 electric hook up cables 50m long in total - dealer supplied

I presume these cables have the round blue 3-pin connectors on both ends. Many sites have blue sockets, but some have the ordinary domestic type. I'd take a domestic to blue plug adaptor. One for UK if you want to plug in on your drive or visiting friends, one '2-pin' continental type, which will do for France, Germany, Spain and a few others.
Broken Link Removed

 

[EX51SSS]

I'm surprised nobody has suggested refillable gas cylinders.
Definitely wouldn't move without a spare. When I recently changed my tyres all round, I also changed the unused spare as the tyre has to be the same on the same axle otherwise you'll have to buy 2 tyres and then you've got a good spare that can't be used except for the ones it matches on the same axle.
Flat pack water hose and it's only food grade until the first use.
Collapsible bucket and carrier are excellent ideas up to date sat navs and maps. All the Aires , on mobile is good but I use books as saves phone and signal/internet signal. My sat nav has sites downloaded too. ACSI is also a good option. Gas kettle. Emergency supplies of food etc (pot noodles in case of breakdowns or stuck)

 

[Burgo]

Remoska.
A small circular or "tee" spirit level that will show level in two planes which help you get the van level (helps fridge efficiency, shower to drain, and stop you rolling out of bed / sleeping head down).
A new, clean watering can to use just for drinking water (we probably use ours as much or even more than the hose).
A good corkscrew.

 

[Reallyretired]

Definitely take the spare wheel, or at least he tyre. I have had a sidewall rip in France and its no end of a hassle if no spare. I wouldn't bother with the electric heaters, They won't heat the whole van and could lead to dumping your water if the weather turns cold. A short hose is useful to carry, along with a longer one, but the one we use most is just about 6ft long ideal for when you drive to the tap. We normally fill when we leave so we don't have a problem if the next stop has no water. This is common in the winter as it's often turned off to prevent freezing. If you are always staying on sites then you won't need solar as your batteries will charge from ehu, but again in the winter many sites, most in France, are closed. Mains cables, we carry a 10m which is usually long enough and a 25m. They can be plugged into each other if necessary but I've only twice had to do this. once in Netherlands and once in Cornwall.
Refillable gas is worth considering, Calor is only available in the UK. Get a refillable set up and you can fill up at any garage with a autogas pump.
Some here swear by a Remoska, I wouldn't have one as a gift. To us an oven is an essential but some would rather have the space.

Don't be tempted to use the hose attached to some water points, some people do unspeakable things with them. If one is attached we always remove it.

Definitely the corkscrew and beer bottle opener, Twist off caps aren't common on the continent. Wine in 3l or 5l boxes are good as lighter than bottles and a 3l will fit in most mh fridges.