Jason Betzing
There are several types of water hoses to choose from, just be sure they are drinking water safe.
Words by Jason Betzing
At first glance, RV water seems to be a simple subject matter and you probably wouldn't expect it to warrant an article. Don't you just connect the hose, turn on the faucet, have a drink? Surprisingly, a clean, water supply is one of the most important RV-related items to consider. How we treat and maintain our water systems impacts our health and enjoyment while living the RV life.
System Components
Most water systems consist of standard components which include: the water spigot at the site, the connection on your RV, the water pipes to all of your faucets, a water heater (various types), a water storage tank that holds your supply when not connected by hose, a water pump to pressurize the water being drawn out of your tank, and of course, the water hose connecting your RV to the water spigot at the site. While your water system will probably operate trouble-free most of the time, some parts of the system require routine maintenance.
Hot Water Heater
RV water heaters consist of either the tank style or the tankless "on-demand" style. The tank-style water heater uses propane, electric or both, and requires routine maintenance for peak performance. Mainly, they need an annual flush and a check/ replacement of the anode rod (if equipped). The anode rod, which can be either aluminum or magnesium, needs to be replaced once it's depleted to 75 percent or less. Aluminum is more effective in hard water, while magnesium tends to create less waste scale. We switched to magnesium once we installed a water softener.
Tank-style heaters are heavier because of the extra 6-10 gallons of water in the tank. However, if you are considering a tankless water heater there are some considerations. Even though there is no tank they still need to be winterized and regularly maintained. The cost will be more than a standard tank-style, but the water supply will be unlimited. If you have a tank-style water heater that runs on both propane and electric, and then switch to tankless, you'll have to choose one or the other, losing some flexibility.
Jason Betzing
There are several types of water hoses to choose from, just be sure they are drinking water safe.
Water Hoses
Your water hose must be rated for drinking water. I know that everyone "drank from a plain, old water hose as a kid and survived", but the difference is in the level of exposure. As hoses break down, chemicals leech into the water. Constant exposure while RVing is, in my opinion hardly worth the risk; especially since safe hoses rated for drinking water cost about the same.
There are many styles of water hoses you can use to provide water to your RV. We've tried several different styles from inexpensive to pricey and so far, we prefer the expanding style with the fabric jacket. They are inexpensive but high quality, don't kink and are very easy to handle.
We carry more hose than we think we'll need, and this has saved us when we've been further from the site connection than normal (this goes for sewage hose as well). Also, if you use a water hose for blackwater tank flushing, keep it separate and never use it for drinking water. If you coil your hoses and connect them end to end it will prevent outside contamination, debris, or creatures from getting in them. I also carry a large number of spare hose washers because it seems like they all fail at once, and it's frustrating to find a leak that spending five cents would have prevented.
Sanitize and Keep it Safe
It is a priority to keep your drinking water safe to drink by sanitizing. You can check your owner's manual to find specific steps for your RV model. Our manual recommends sanitizing the water storage tank annually or whenever water remains unused for "prolonged durations". It calls for a solution of ¼ cup bleach to 1 gallon of water, (per 15 gallons of capacity). We add the solution, fill the rest of the tank with water, and then using our water pump, turn on all faucets until we smell the chlorine. This lets us know the sanitizing solution is being distributed through all of the plumbing. Then, we let it sit throughout the system for four hours. At the same time, we also fill our water hoses with treated water and connect them end to end to sanitize them, as well. Finally, we run it through the various piping and outlets onboard the RV.
Sanitizing is important even if you don't use your onboard water tank for drinking water because it sanitizes the plumbing, and if you unexpectedly have to rely on tank water, you'll know it's safe.
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Jason Betzing
The front storage compartment was an ideal spot to install a water softener with dual filters. This set up gives us piece of mind and consistent taste wherever we are.
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Jason Betzing
The front storage compartment was an ideal spot to install a water softener with dual filters. This set up gives us piece of mind and consistent taste wherever we are.
Extras
In addition to the necessities, there are many extras you can add to your system, such as filtration, softening, and pressure regulation. Sometimes the water smells funky or appears discoloured coming from the site connection, and you wonder if it's safe to drink. Keep in mind that water can also look and smell fine, but still make you ill.
The best upgrade to my RV has been an onboard filtration and water softener system. Before RVing full-time, for convenience and simplicity, we used the common blue spin-on hose filters. However, since we began full-time RVing and traveling a lot more, we have found that a robust filtration system gives us protection and consistent taste, especially when we're getting water from different places across the country. We use a sediment filter and a carbon filter from the RV Water Filter Store, together with an On The Go “Double Standard” water softener. We change the sediment filter every six weeks and the carbon filter every two to three months. The water softener requires only two boxes of table salt to regenerate and we do this about once per month, based on the test strips that came with it. Both systems are designed to be portable, but I decided to permanently install them to make it easier to setup.
For many, a water pressure regulator is important to protect the RV's water system. You should always follow your owner's manual, but generally, older RVs should not exceed 50 psi while newer RVs shouldn't exceed 60 psi. A regulator will ensure you never exceed the recommendation, which could damage plumbing connections and systems. There are a couple of different styles - one is pre-set to a pressure (usually stamped on it) and you install it on your water hose, the other one is adjustable. Based on the reviews I have read the adjustable regulator is more preferred.
Some RVers have decided not to use their water systems for drinking but for us, that is not a viable option. First, we drink a lot of water and we'd need to bring several cases of it to keep us hydrated, which would use up valuable storage, weight, and expense. Second, the amount of waste the cases or bottles created, wouldn't be convenient or good for the environment. Third, if we don't trust that the water is safe to drink, we also wouldn't shower or use dishes that were washed in it.
The RV's water system is probably the most important yet least thought about structure until there's a problem. Of course, we can’t foresee or prevent all equipment failures, but through routine maintenance, carrying spare parts and having the right tools, we can strive to keep our systems functioning the way they should.
Actionable Steps
Determine how much hose you think you’ll need (we carry 45 m [150 ft]).
Develop a routine maintenance schedule. Include, at a minimum, sanitizing and checking your water heater anode. Appliances from ice makers to washing machines require routine maintenance.
Decide what spare parts to carry. An extra heating element will save you from some cold showers and ornery family. Have consumable items like a water heater anode, extra filters, lots of extra hose washers, and bleach to sanitize.
For the DIYer, do you have the tools to work on your system? The heater element removal tool is a must-have and is located next to the elements in big box stores. A multimeter is important to troubleshoot electrical components like pumps and water heaters.