What did you do to your van today?

[GeoffL]

I'm a watering can man and have been for years.

It gives me the chance to wander over to a tap and have a natter with other folk to see what's occurring. Possibly two cans a day, with a top up for the night/morning, and left in front of the passenger seat overnight. (It lives empty in the loo when travelling.)

I'm not keen on plastic bottles of water, probably because PVCs don't have too much spare space.

I used to carry a watering can but now have a better solution IMO. I have a funnel with a flexible spout and a loop of string through the handle. I've attached a "Command" hook to the side of the van above the water filling port so I can hang the funnel from that with the spout going into the filling port and then use the 10-litre container that I have anyway for potable water to transport water from the tap to the van. The "Command" hook can be easily removed without damaging the van...

 

[wildebus]

Many years ago I almost forgot to disconnect my power hookup, and was so shocked at my stupidity that since that day I always walk around the van before setting off, and finish off by having a look underneath.

I've driven off a few times with it plugged in The way I fitted the plug, no damage ever occured to the van and the cable would just pull out the flying socket and would just have to remake it.
The last time I was around a hundred miles from home and suddenly remembered I had not unplugged it! So a quick phone call home to say to pull out the plug from the outdoor socket as the bare wire ends laying on the driveway were live

 

[HurricaneSmith]

That beats my story hands down, David.

 

[HTF]

For water container, I use a collapsible one I bought at Lidl like this one. Takes almost no space when empty

 

[Pudsey Bear]

We have carried a 10 L watering can for a while now, it has a meter of hose with a Hozelock end and tap connector poked down the spout, as we use it at garages, and it is just easier sometimes to do it if you can get close to a tap, We do have a hose now, but it's is a pain to have to go to the other side of the van, open the locker, drag the hose out, uncoil it, make sure the end is clean before using it, then drain it and attempt to coil it back up again, put it away, lock the locker, then lock the water cover. PITA unless you need to fully fill it.

 

[wildebus]

We have carried a 10 L watering can for a while now, it has a meter of hose with a Hozelock end and tap connector poked down the spout, as we use it at garages, and it is just easier sometimes to do it if you can get close to a tap, We do have a hose now, but it's is a pain to have to go to the other side of the van, open the locker, drag the hose out, uncoil it, make sure the end is clean before using it, then drain it and attempt to coil it back up again, put it away, lock the locker, then lock the water cover. PITA unless you need to fully fill it.

Step 1. Get one of the "Magic" expanding hoses. Use it and then when you turn the supply off it just gathers itself into a bundle and you don't have to mess around with it and coil it up or uncoil it to start with.
Step 2. Get a Hozelock joiner adapter and use it on both ends and that ensures the hose ends stay clean from muck and beasties.
Step 3. It takes a lot less room up so if it really is that much of a chore to get a hose out a locker, put it somewhere more convenient. (you could actually store it inside the watering can, eh? there's a thought )

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I did have one, it was an X hose, I gave it away.
I usually don't let the water get so low that I need a hose, so the WC is good enough, it lives in a useless bit of space behind the loo in the bathroom.

 

[HTF]

We have carried a 10 L watering can for a while now, it has a meter of hose with a Hozelock end and tap connector poked down the spout, as we use it at garages, and it is just easier sometimes to do it if you can get close to a tap, We do have a hose now, but it's is a pain to have to go to the other side of the van, open the locker, drag the hose out, uncoil it, make sure the end is clean before using it, then drain it and attempt to coil it back up again, put it away, lock the locker, then lock the water cover. PITA unless you need to fully fill it.

For that reason I created my system. It will reach left or right and I unreel just enough. Since I also fill at work where I park the van I even have a Storz fire hydrant adapter

 

[marchie]

We have carried a 10 L watering can for a while now, it has a meter of hose with a Hozelock end and tap connector poked down the spout, as we use it at garages, and it is just easier sometimes to do it if you can get close to a tap, We do have a hose now, but it's is a pain to have to go to the other side of the van, open the locker, drag the hose out, uncoil it, make sure the end is clean before using it, then drain it and attempt to coil it back up again, put it away, lock the locker, then lock the water cover. PITA unless you need to fully fill it.

A pack of disinfectant wipes to give the tap and connector a quick wipe over keeps us away from the Delhi Belly 2 Step ...

Steve

 

[HTF]

A pack of disinfectant wipes to give the tap and connector a quick wipe over keeps us away from the Delhi Belly 2 Step ...

Steve

Funny thing on many of our aires is that they have 2 taps labeled potable and non potable water (they come from the same source) with the intent of separating the cassette rinse. The intelligence of the guys that install these taps makes them install the threaded one on the non potable side and a plain tap on the side intended to fill the tank. In my case, I have a Gardena rubber grommet type adapter that many many campers don't know exist so, they use the threaded tap instead.