Water usage, it’s the single most important thing that is taken for granted in a home. You may not think so but stop for a minute and think what activities use water and how much is used. In a motorhome your carrying capacity is very low so if it runs out pretty quick and when it does everything stops. Craig very careful with what we use but at best we can only manage a week before having to refill everything.

Consumption – To keep consumption down, turn off the tap when you are not using it.  May sound obvious but think about morning showers at home. You turn on the water, shower, turn off the water. If you did this in a motorhome you would probably run out of water just as started singing the chorus to your favourite song and bubbles everywhere. In a motorhome, you need to turn on the shower to get wet then turn off. Shampoo and wash. Turn on the shower to rinse.  This principal of turning on and off applies to everything you do with regards water usage in a motorhome.

Finding Water – All this water needs to come from somewhere and go somewhere too including the toilet. Some countries have water taps in all towns and villages so get it while you can. Other options include petrol stations, sports facilities and churches & cemeteries, no water means everything so get it when you see it.

• It takes a little getting used to but being more eco friendly benefits everyone.
• Use the water after washing your clothes to wash the van, it’s already got the soap in too.
• Use that initial cold water that comes through the shower to fill the kettle, every little helps!
• You can heat water to about 40 degrees by putting it in a bottle and leaving in the windscreen. (I don’t do it but some do)

Water Funnel

As you know, I am always commenting on people’s water filling techniques i.e. a watering can. Well this is how we do it. I would recommend going to a builders / plumbers merchants the make the following funnel.

• A 2” pipe (just a couple of inches needed)
• A 4” to 2” offset reducer
• A 45 degree 2” bend.
• Push the reducer on one end of the bend and the 2” pipe on to the other end of the bend.
• When pushed together you create a funnel.

Insert the funnel in to the motorhome water point and pour in your water. This contraption allows the water to swirl down the pipe allowing air in and out to stop it gluging and splashing. Much easier and faster than a watering can. Total cost around £2.

Belt n Tap

Operating an outside tap with no hands! Ever find those taps where you have to keep pressing the tap every 2 minutes to keep the water flowing. Well, I got sick of pressing the tap to fill the water containers, solution was around my waist, Just use your belt, you can also use cable ties but they are fiddly and slip off. A leather belt grips just fine and no need to add any extra holes as the buckle grips the belt even without using a hole.

Grey Water Tap Access

Next one up isn’t a repair but a little accessory of sorts for Vin. When we want to empty our grey water tank (water from the shower and sinks) we have to open the garage door to get at the handle that opens the waste tap. Not ‘easy’ access, so I called into a Bricoman (A foreign B&Q) to address the issue. Complete instructions for the outside tap are here.