water hookup question

[DavidSo]

I have almost no experience with RV parks and the hookups. I rarely stay in them. Still. I would like to carry enough water hose to reach the connection. I'd like to keep it to a minimum though because most of the time it will just be taking up space. My question is, how many feet of hose should I carry to reach most of the hookups? The few that I have seen seem very close.

Also related, my hookup is on the street side of the trailer. Are all the RV hookups on that side too, or does that vary?

Thanks,
David

[Donna D.]

David, I carry a 25' white hose. Sometimes only need half of that, other times wished it was a few feet longer. I prefer to back into a site as far back as I can get to get away from the road. There doesn't seem to be any "standard" where the hookups are located... at least in the Oregon State Parks. The hookup on my trailer is on the door side. I also purchased an elbowconnector so the hose runs down the side of the trailer instead of sticking straight out. That connector stays hooked up to the hose and I screw the two ends together for leak-free storage.

[cpaharley2008]

Practically all cg hookups are on the street side and I'd carry about the same length water as your electric. Most are within 25' which should be your electric length. You can get collapsible hoses that do not take that much space. I'd also get a pressure reducer to keep it below 50 psi.

[honda03842]

I normally carry one 25 and one 10 foot hose. This year we're carrying two 25s. It's rare when we nedd more than 25 feet but it happens a couple of times a year.

[DavidSo]

thanks everyone!
I have the 90 degreee doodad, but no regulator. I was planning on waiting till something burst like most people . I've actually never used the water hookup, but I'd like to be able to. I bought a standard 25' fresh water hose, and I've been dragging that around. Sounds like I'd better stick with 25' at least. I hadn't considered Donna's comment about freedom of placement.
I don't know why I never thought of a collapsing hose . That solves the problem right there. I've seen them in garden centers, but never for fresh water. Sure enough a quick search found them. Even the 50' collapsing hose is smaller than the one I have. Sounds like the perfect option for me.

So I ordered the 25' handi-hose on the reel and a Valterra regulator.

David

[Casita Greg]

You may also want to research getting an in-line hose filter to put on the water spigot, (before your hose.) Many places, particularly most parks, have a lot of silt and crap in their water systems. You'll be amazed how much they trap in just a short time. Otherwise all that crud winds up in your trailer plumbing, water tank and HWH.

[DavidSo]

Originally Posted by Casita Greg

You may also want to research getting an in-line hose filter to put on the water spigot, (before your hose.) Many places, particularly most parks, have a lot of silt and crap in their water systems. You'll be amazed how much they trap in just a short time. Otherwise all that crud winds up in your trailer plumbing, water tank and HWH.

Greg, the regulator has a filter screen. Do you think a more elaborate filter is needed? It will be rarely used most likely, but if I ever find myself on a longer term hookup maybe I need something better. I don't have any filter inside the trailer except the sediment trap on the pump.

David

[Jon Vermilye]

I also carry a 25' & 10' and on a few occasions, needed both together. Usually in "Resort" campgrounds where they always seem to put the hookups on the wrong side...

[Byron Kinnaman]

I carry one 25' hose and a filter. I have used the "city water" connection twice in 6 years. I always use the fresh water tank. At a place where there's city hookups I fill the fresh water tank via the filter. When leaving I often dump the gray water tank and refill the fresh water tank. I do have a water pressure regulator that I have used once. A very useful item is the the water thief which allows for filling the fresh water tank at places that don't have threaded faucets.

[floyd]

We use a filter and a pressure regulator every time to protect our trailer from dirt and over pressure. also I carry a "Y" fitting in order to share water or to have an outside source.

I love the little brass quick connects. I screw one end to the trailer inlet and the other to the end of the hose. This way you can connect the hose at the spigot, turn it on, then take the charged hose to the trailer, saving a trip. It also allows you to clear the hose of air as you connect. Simply push it on half way while holding the collar, wait for water then finish the connection..
If you don't have one of these, it is best to have someone turn on a faucet inside the trailer to relieve the air pressure then shut it off. This protects the plumbing from excessive pressure and water hammercaused by the trapped air.

[Kevin A]

I must be extreme, but I usually carry about 110 feet of water hose (1 x 10', 2 x 25' and 1 x 50'). We have a couple campgrounds in Iowa that have limited water faucets quite a ways from the camping pads, so I just carry plenty. I also have a pressure regulator and a blue water filter (from WalMart). All this stuff fits in the underneath storage area under my back space shelf in our VW Eurovan. Oh, yes, our water hookup is on the street side. I also carry an external water tank and water pump for places without city water easily accessible and a 3 gallon water jug for over night stops without water access. (We don't have a fresh water tank or pump on-board since a PO removed them years ago.)

I also carry 150' of electric cord! We have been squeezed into spots at some campgrounds even when they are "full" since we don't take up much space and can be parked on the interior areas on the grass. The electrical hookups are a long ways away!

We travel prepared!

[Donna D.]

David, I thought your collapsible hose sounded familiar... I searched and came up with these topics. You may want to read them before using the hose:
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...-tv-34279.html

http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...ose-43983.html

[DavidSo]

Thanks Donna, and everyone for the info. Based on the comments here I plan to keep 10' - 12' of the regular hose for those times when water is close. I'll use the flat hose for longer runs. I've only used a water hookup once, and I don't see that changing much. I have 3 water jugs that I use to transport water to the manual fill spout. I don't have a shower, toilet or any other heavy water draw, so I can make that work. The hoses I carry are for rare occasions. If I used them alot I would just use regular hoses I think.

David

[Lynn Musgrave]

We use a filter and a pressure regulator every time to protect our trailer from dirt and over pressure. also I carry a "Y" fitting in order to share water or to have an outside source also. The last time we camped there was so much sand in our filter we had to throw it away. I can only guess what damage all that would have done to our system This next year we plan to have 2 filters one on the hook up and one going into the camper.

As far using a regular water hose ,you should re think that idea...as they are Not safe for drinking or cooking water. Reason being they are made from the wrong kind of rubber or plastics.

Happy Camping

[Ron F]

I bought a flat hose, used it once, then left it in the campground dumpster.

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Ron F

I bought a flat hose, used it once, then left it in the campground dumpster.

You got further than I. I bought one and tested it at home, it came apart the first time it was pressured up.

[Frederick L. Simson]

Originally Posted by Kevin A

I must be extreme, but I usually carry about 110 feet of water hose (1 x 10', 2 x 25' and 1 x 50').

I also carry 150' of electric cord!

We travel prepared!

We have 1 x 10', 2 x 25', and 1 x 50' of water hose, and 100' of heavy duty electric extension cord. While not necessary most of the time, the extra is very handy to have at least once each year.

At the Lake Casitas Rally each October, we try to get the same spot each year, #B14, which is a pull-through. The site is designed to have your door side (and awning) face the large central lawn with the street side facing the access road. The Fiber Stream is perfectly level without leveling blocks in that site IF we park it backwards! It is 3" out-of-level from side-to-side parked the "correct" way. I would much rather face the street and be social with everybody!


This puts the parks electric/water/cable hook-ups far enough away to need the 50' water hose and the 100' electric and cable TV cords.

[Roger C H]

We also did the standard thing and bought a 25' drinking water quality hose. We used it a couple of times. At our first Taidnapam rally, we were sitting outside the trailer, luckily, when we heard water running. Seems a fitting inside let loose. After that, we bought a pressure regulator, but we still turned the water off when not using it.

Then, up on the Hood Canal, before hooking the hose up, I drew some water into a ½ gallon water jug. What was that in the water? Looking closer, there were several insects swimming, I think one was doing the backstroke. Seems that bugs like the water left in the fittings and it is always a good idea to run some water before hooking to it. Also there is a possibility of local critters, racoons, deer, etc licking the bib for the residual water. And we all know what male dogs do to things sticking up out of the ground... I heard some RV'ers pour a little bleach water into a cup and submerge the bib fitting in this.

Then a fellow I worked with had problems with his hoses at his house. He bought new ones but they always sprung a leak. Then he happened to see that the local racoons had learned that there was a drink to be had just by biting into this long thing!

Anyway, I decided to avoid the whole problem, and we carry two one gallon former apple juice jugs with home water, and fill at filtered water vending machines as required. For dish washing, we get some potable water from the site in our biggest pot, heat it on the stove, put a little dish detergent in the sink, pour a little of the heated water in and do it, using the water left in the pot for rinsing. This avoids the dangers of the rig springing a leak while we are gone or having critters in our plumbing.

[Noreen Bradshaw]

I LOVE this site!! Although I had my little 13' Trillium for about 15 years, I used it basically like a tent......meaning I towed it to wherever and used it mostly for sleeping in. Less than two years ago I 'found' this site. My goodness! The things I've learned since then!

Now I own a 4500 Trillium.....with many more luxuries than my 13' Trill.

All this information about using city water and hooking into the campground water suppy has helped me so much. Information that I didn't even know the questions to ask.......

[ThomasE]

I use a single 25' self coiling white RV hose. I also have a regular (non-coiling) RV hose which I stopped using, it was hard to drain out all the water and rolled up for traveling without getting my hands and arms dirty, or dropping the ends on the ground making them dirty.

I also carry a self coiling non-drinking water green hose for rinsing off in general, like feet, the sewer hose, etc...