Mains water hose.

Granty · Senior Member

Mains water hose.

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

The white type is better . But I've used my house hose and servivied .. Just run water through hose before connecting ., in our case the fittings are the same as home tap . Just make sure you have both fittings adapter for tap size .,

Possum3 · Guru

To attach to water inlet most caravans use a non-standard connector - It is an American thread not always available at the Green Shed but readily available at all caravan suppliers

Peter_n_Margaret · Guru

I suggest you simply fill the tanks as you need to.
Lots of reports of HWS leaks that could be attributed to leaking pressure reducers that then over pressure the plumbing.

Cheers,
Peter

Aus-Kiwi · Guru

Yep that's what we do . We have a tap and fitting where garden type fits via fine filter fills tank only .

patrol03 · Senior Member

As a precaution take both 1/2" and 3/4" fittings for the tap in the caravan park.As a rule most parks in NSW use 3/4" taps and in QL 1/2".Don't recall the sizes for Vic SA etc.Someone may advise.Advisable to purchase special drinking water hose when van is connected to mains pressure.Garden hose water makes lousy tea.

KJB · Guru

I prefere to not risk problems with mains pressure , just fill the tank as needed - after all, the on board systems are built to be used and do the job.

KB

Bruce and Bev · Guru

we just bought a selection of tap and hose fittings from Bunnings of various sizes - the Nylex orange/black ones and carry them with us. CP taps vary in width so its important to have both sizes and carry spares in case you loose the tap connectors (usually by driving off and forgetting to take it off (cheap as, anyway)

We keep our hoses wound in a coil using Velcro strips to keep them in a coil and the little grey plastic connectors (also from Bunnings) to clip the two ends of the hose together to stop dust and rubbish going up inside the hose (and water leaking from the hose all over you as you put it away and get it out haha)

03_Troopy · Guru

And don't forget to put half a roll of thread tape on the C/P tap thread. Apparently this is something you have to do..... confuse wink

KJB · Guru

I think it is to do with taps and drips...........

KB

Delta18 · Guru

03_Troopy wrote:
And don't forget to put half a roll of thread tape on the C/P tap thread. Apparently this is something you have to do.....

I have never needed to do that.

PeterD · Guru

03_Troopy wrote:
And don't forget to put half a roll of thread tape on the C/P tap thread. Apparently this is something you have to do.....

Definitely not. That shows a lack of plumbing knowledge. Thread tape is used for fittings (joiners and elbows) on pipe where the only contact between the tow is the thread. The tap fittings seal on to the tap via the washer at the bottom of the female thread and not the thread sides. If the fitting does not seal on the tap then replace the washer, don't bodgy the fitting.

I am sick to death of having to remove thread tape from tap threads. I have seen plastic fittings split when they have been tightened onto thread tape.

PeterD · Guru

Possum3 wrote:
To attach to water inlet most caravans use a non-standard connector - It is an American thread not always available at the Green Shed but readily available at all caravan suppliers

All the through the wall water inlets are made in the USA or made for their market, hence the NPT thread. Go to this page, you need one of the bottom three items.

Granty · Senior Member

Thanks for all the help guys. Looks like I will take a hose with a selection of fittings and just top up the tank. Always good advise from those who are out there in their vans. Thanks again. Rod.

Gus1949 · Senior Member

We have been caravanning for 12 years and always connect to caravan park water. Why drag 160kgs of water around Australia burning up extra fuel when you don't have to. Never come across anyone who has had a problem with park water pressure causing damage to their vans. If you are mixing free camping with using parks then yes fill the tanks. Be wary of those "a mate of mine told me" stories that permeate caravan parks.

Geeco · Senior Member

I agree with Rowen if staying in a CP we always connect up to the water supply. We have 3/4 & 1/2inch connectors for the tap, a 3 way tee in case there is a shortage of taps. We have hoselink fittings on "human friendly" hose. In line is a Best filter and our MH has a 3/4 running female connector. I purchased a 90 degree elbow to keep the hose facing down from the connector on the side of the MH. My hose is stored in a bag designed for the purpose and I plug both ends of the hose and the filter for travelling.The system works a treat. Some caravans use the American NPT fitting to connect to the side of the van. From memory BSP & NPT are interchangeable if 1/2 however the 3/4 inch is different so you should check the fitting on the caravan before your leave.

-- Edited by Geeco on Tuesday 10th of May 2016 06:49:35 PM

-- Edited by Geeco on Tuesday 10th of May 2016 06:52:52 PM

PeterD · Guru

Geeco wrote:
Some caravans use the American NPT fitting to connect to the side of the van. From memory BSP & NPT are interchangeable if 1/2

Not so. I will spell it out again in more detail. The through the wall fittings are all American based and the thread in then is GHT (garden hose thread, incorrectly called NPT in Australian catalogues.) The HP water inlets below the floor level or on the chassis are generally Australian pipe fittings so they will be BSP thread. The two threads are no compatible.

From Wikipedia "Garden hose" page

The thread standard for garden hose connectors in the United States and its territories is known as "garden hose thread" (GHT), which is 3/4" diameter straight (non-tapered) thread with a pitch of 11.5 TPI (male part has an outer diameter of 1 ¹₁₆ inches (26.99 mm)). This fitting is used with 1/2", 5/8", and 3/4" hoses. Outside the United States, the more common BSP standard is used, which is 3/4" and 14 TPI (male part OD is 26.441 mm or 1.04 in). The GHT and BSP standards are not compatible, and attempting to connect a GHT hose to a BSP fitting will damage the threads, and vice versa.

You can see the GHT (incorrectly called NPT) is 11.5 TPI and the BSP fitting is 14 TPI.

It is possible to BFI a BSP sprinkler fitting into one of those GHT high pressure inputs if it is made of one of the softer plastics. Brass ones will tend to wreck the input ant this should not be attempted. However if you manage to get one of the plastic ones into the fitting it should not be removed and reinserted more than once or twice.

One source of the correct fitting is on this page. Scroll down to the last three items.

3/4" BSP and NPT are both 14 TPI, but remember that the Oz manufacturers and suppliers incorrectly label their GHT threads as NPT.

-- Edited by PeterD on Tuesday 10th of May 2016 09:29:25 PM

hako · Guru

03_Troopy wrote:
And don't forget to put half a roll of thread tape on the C/P tap thread. Apparently this is something you have to do.....

I think 03 Troopy is having a lend of you blokes.

Vince · Senior Member

Granty wrote:
Hi, as we have always bush camped we have never needed a hose to connect straight to the mains water. We are about to leave on a 2 week road trip and will need to use CP water some days. For the CP taps do you usually need a screw on fitting or do they have the cilp in type fittings ?.

Rod.

Caravan parks have either 1/2" or 3/4" male thread on the taps. Mostly 1/2" of the dozens we have been to

I have been using Hoselink fittings and never had an issue with connections or leaks yet. They fit either size

The washer in the fitting that screws to the tap is what makes the seal not the thread.

Bryan · Guru

hako wrote:
03_Troopy wrote:
And don't forget to put half a roll of thread tape on the C/P tap thread. Apparently this is something you have to do.....
I think 03 Troopy is having a lend of you blokes.

My thoughts too considering the smilies. Sometimes its fun to throw in a baited hook smile