Water, along with energy, is what determines how many days you can stay away from services. Understanding how your motorhome's water system works and learning to save water will give you more runtime and more freedom. Here's a clear explanation, plus tricks to stretch the tank.
How the system works
- Fresh water tank: the drinking water you fill at water points.
- Water pump: when you open a tap, an electric pump (which draws on the battery) delivers water under pressure. There are pressure-switch types (they come on by themselves) and microswitch types.
- Water heater (boiler): heats the water with gas, diesel or electricity for the shower and the sink.
- Grey water tank: collects what comes out of the sink and the shower (see grey water).
Why water limits your runtime
The water tank has a limited capacity (often between 70 and 120 litres), and between drinking, cooking, washing up and showering it goes sooner than you'd think. When it runs out (or the grey tank fills up), you have to find a service point. So saving water extends your days of freedom just as much as saving energy does.
Tricks to make the water last
- Short "camper" showers: wet, turn off, soap up, turn on and rinse. You save a great deal.
- A tap with a good adjustable flow or a restrictor helps.
- Wash up with little water: scrape off the leftovers first, use a bowl.
- Reuse sensibly where it makes sense.
- Bottled water for drinking if you have doubts about a source being potable.
Maintaining the system
- Disinfect the tank periodically (with dedicated products) to avoid bacteria and bad tastes.
- Drain and purge before winter so nothing bursts when it freezes (see winter layup).
- Check the pump and the connections for leaks.
In short
The water system (tank, pump, heater, grey water) limits your runtime as much as energy does, so saving water extends your days of freedom. The step you can take today: adopt "camper" showers and wash up with little water; you'll notice the tank lasting considerably longer. And disinfect the tank now and then for healthy water. Combine it with the runtime calculator.