If you want to fully enjoy your trip in a motorhome, you must have fresh water supplies and dispose of used water. In this guide, we explain how to operate the water system in your motorhome.
The water in the motorhome comes from the tank, which we need to fill somehow. Unfortunately, finding a "tap" may not be so easy, especially in countries where caravanning is just beginning.
However, the first step will be to check the clear and gray water levels on the control panel. Thanks to it, we will learn that, for example, the dirty water tank (containing suds, food remnants, dishwashing liquid) should be emptied and the clean water tank should be filled.
Where to get clean water?
The second step is to find a place to refill the water tank. This should not be a problem in motorway car parks (sometimes marked with WC BUS). Often at gas stations, where a lot of trucks stop, we also find external hydrants. Just hook up with the hose and it's ready.
The problem arises when we are away from the main roads. You then have to look for water draw-off points in cities. Sometimes it happens that the shots "outside" have, for example, cemeteries. Usually, however, we can count on campsites and guesthouses that allow you to fill the tank for a fee. Sometimes gray water and waste can also be drained there.
It is best to find out in advance, even before the trip, about the places to draw water. As a last resort, you can always ask someone, e.g. in a roadside restaurant, for permission to refuel with cold water.
How to fill the tank?
Filling the tank is easy. Assess the distance you need to drive to the hydrant, taking into account the length of your hose. You will need various types of tips, reductions and accessories for garden hoses. As a last resort, have a watering can, a bucket with a spout or a canister with a funnel at your disposal.
Open the filler cap and insert the hose (or the end of the vessel) into it. Fill and close.
Remember not to drink raw, unboiled water or pour water from streams, rivers, etc., even the cleanest ones, into the tank. There are many living organisms in such water, and the container may become "clogged".
We get rid of gray water
Gray water is the water that remains after bathing and washing dishes. Do not confuse it with other waste (toilet waste). Gray water can be drained at special points on the highways. It should not be removed in the wild, as this can contaminate the soil with chemicals. The smell of dirty water may be an additional nuisance.
Underneath the motorhome there is a gray water outlet (marked with the picture). Once you have found a place where you can safely dispose of the gray water, open the tank. Let him get what's supposed to come off, close up, and that's it.
Operation of the valve in the boiler
A boiler is a tank for heating water in a motorhome. Each boiler has a drain valve. It is used to drain the boiler when there is a risk of frost or overpressure. When the pressure or temperature reaches dangerous values (e.g. the temperature drops to about 0 degrees Celsius), the valve opens automatically and drains the water content from the boiler through the draining connection to the outside of the vehicle. However, it can also be opened manually. To get to it, most often you need to open the large door on the left side of the vehicle. The valve is usually downstairs. The vertical position means that the valve is open, while the horizontal position means that the valve is closed.
Using water in a motorhome
To use the water in the motorhome, e.g. for washing, it is enough to turn on the water pump on the control panel. Remember that the pump must not run dry. When it is started, the water supply is turned on.
If possible, however, use the shower and the possibility of washing dishes on campsites or in other designated places. The water in the motorhome tends to disappear quickly and the gray water tanks fill up too quickly;). In addition, a motorhome is fully filled with water and fuel weighs its own (plus luggage and passengers). Better to avoid a surprise when weighing.
However, do not forget to constantly monitor the level of clean and gray water. No one would want to be in a lonely place without a drop of life-giving liquid.
The CarGO company is convincing in the next episode of the motorhome manual that the operation of the water system is not complicated. It is worth getting acquainted with it!
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A lawyer who loves traveling. Always with a book on the go. I collect memories of the color, taste and smell of every place I visit.
