These days, combi heating systems are most popular, and they are efficient, heating both the water and the internal space (hence the name) throughout the caravan. First trip of season, and found leak from Whale onboard pump. Using Whale Aquasource on serviced pitch at the time. Grey water – waste from the sink, handbasin and shower – leaves the caravan from two pipes located under the bottom edge of the van.

As internal tanks should ideally be empty when you’re on the road, the system needs to be primed when it is refilled. Ideally, an onboard water tank should also be drained down before driving. Each litre of water in the tank weighs 1kg, so a full 40-litre tank is the equivalent of a child passenger! Yes, you can continue to return items as normal as long as you follow the government guidelines about leaving your house. One problem with these submersible pumps on flexible rubber pipes is that they can often curl up inside the barrel, meaning that the pump on the end is not fully underwater.

Easy water connection from tap to caravan or motorhome for continuous water supply

Suitable for use with caravans and motorhomes with either microswitch or pressure switch systems. Regulates mains water pressure to nominal 1.5 bar (max. 1.8 bar). Ideal for use in UK and European Parks with mains water hook-up facilities. You have two options here: you can attach the standard short length of hose to direct the water into a grey-water carrier (which needs to be emptied every day); or you can fit a longer hose, which reaches all the way to your pitch drain. The second option is more convenient if you’re on a fully serviced pitch. Drinking water These days, efficient water supply makes a caravanning break even more relaxing Each to their own of course but what is going to go wrong with one method that couldn't equally go wrong with the other.

This is a simple procedure – fill the tank or plug in your water source (a water-carrier or waterline), then, with each hot-water tap open in turn (or mixer taps switched to the hot setting), turn on the water pump. The heater holds up to 15 litres of water, so might take a minute or so to fill. The heated water is mixed as it flows through the boiler to ensure an even temperature, rather than just bursts of very hot and very cool water – not much fun in the shower! Water is pumped in at one end, through the heating system and over the heat-exchanger fins, then out of the other end to your tap, when the required temperature is achieved. Hot water systems A smart fix for this, devised by DIY guru Rod Farrendon, makes use of a product called Pipesnaps. These are rigid, split plastic tubes, designed to be clipped on to household pipes for decorative purposes. Both of these solutions should also help to clear limescale from the hot-water pipes and boiler. Of course, you might need to run the taps for a minute or two with fresh water after cleaning, to get rid of any vinegar residue. Sarson’s-flavoured tea, anyone? Grey waste

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When all of the cold water has drained away, turn the taps to the hot setting; in this way, the maximum amount of water will be evacuated. While this might not save a lot of effort, having a secondary water tank can mean that one ‘water-filling’ session will last you the whole day, or perhaps even a weekend if you’re frugal. On one pitch, in France, we found that the water system was somewhat ‘industrial’ and the pressure so high, it kept blowing the pump connection out of the side of the van. In this case, turn the tap until the flow is reduced to a compatible level and all will be well. Water heating The Whale Easy Water Connectormeans there is no need to carry heavy water containers. It allows a reliable continuous supply of water and delivers water without using battery power. Thw Whale mains water connection is suitable for use with caravans and motorhomes with either microswitch or pressure switch systems. It regulates mains water pressure to nominal 1.5 bar (max. 1.8 bar) and is ideal for use in UK and European Parks with mains water hook-up facilities. Both have the potential to flood the caravan with unlimited volumes of water for which equally effective safeguards against flooding are easily to hand for when the caravan is unattended. ..

Alde wet systems are rather different. Where Truma and Whale use hot air to heat the vehicle, Alde uses a domestic-style radiator set-up – pumping hot liquid around the caravan to radiator panels that are hidden behind the furniture. Control panel for Alde heating system The boiler should also be drained, especially before any frosts are due. This is because freezing water in the pipes or boiler will expand and could cause expensive damage. Some luxury caravans have an onboard water tank, which needs to be filled with clean water. Depending on the size of the vehicle, these vary from around 40 litres upwards. To supplement these hot gases, many systems have additional electric elements, to boost the heating or provide electric-only heating for those who want to save gas.

Draining the internal tank is sufficient for towing, but for winter storage, you should consider draining down the entire system. These systems tend to be hidden away under a caravan sofa and look like a compact barrel or box, with pipes and wires going in and out. These systems are compact and relatively lightweight, and can be powered by gas, mains electricity, or a combination of the two. Truma’s Combi 4E system provides up to 4KW of power Every few years, the heating power of these devices has increased, from 2kW to 4kW to 6kW, and now there’s a high-powered 8.7kW system from Alde. The control panel allows you to select the power source, although the highest output usually requires both gas and electricity.

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Once filled, the water tank feeds fresh water to the water heater and the cold-water taps, when selected. To avoid it stagnating, water should not be left in any water tank for more than two or three days if it’s not being circulated, because there’s the potential for microbes to build up.