Your caravan’s plumbing system is crucial if you want to have a nice and pleasant trip. It provides the most essential thing you need in life, and you need to keep it clean and maintained at all times. This is not just a system of pipes, hoses and taps. It’s a much more complicated structure that requires a lot of attention. The pump, heaters, filters and other components work together to get fresh and clean water to you.
Water Pump
Your caravan is a portable home you live in for a certain amount of time. And just like any other home, it needs to have stable water pressure whenever you need it. You should have enough water when you cook, clean, wash the dishes or have a shower. That’s why you need to have a water pump. It will deliver water to your kitchen tap, shower and toilet.
The easiest way to do it is by buying a high-quality 12-volt fresh water pump. There are plenty of choices on the market and it can get overwhelming when you’re trying to choose one. When it comes to voltage, the best choice is a 12V one. It’s designed to give you maximum performance. One of the best things is that this pump isn’t noisy. You can turn it on without waking up everyone.
The number of taps in the caravan is very important when choosing a pump. If you need the kitchen and shower tap to function simultaneously without becoming a dribble, you need a pump that can handle this task. But if you have just a sink, there’s no need to buy a more powerful pump. To choose the right pump, you’ll need to look at the flow rate. This is measured as litres per minute.
A higher pump flow rate means a higher water volume comes out of the tap in a minute. If you think you need a higher-pressure pump for a single tap, think twice. The powerful pressure might cause damage to the system and cause problems. A single-tap system will work perfectly with a flow rate of 9L/min. With 2 taps, you’ll benefit the most from a 9-12L/min. And 3-4 taps work perfectly with a 15-17 L/min flow rate.
Pressure is another important element to consider. It’s rated as PSI (pounds per square inch). The hot water system has a pressure allowance. So, when choosing a pump make sure it doesn’t surpass it. Is your hot water system powered by gas? If it is, check the specifications on how much the PSI should be in order for the pump to function properly.
Water Filter
No matter where you travel, you should always have easy access to clean and drinkable water. To get this at all times, you’ll need a water filter. The main faction of this filter is to provide you with clean water by deactivating and removing harmful viruses and bacteria from it. In the recent past, campers didn’t have a lot of options. But nowadays the choices of a water filter are plenty.
You can find 2 types of filters. The first one is permanent, and it gets installed under the sink. It cleans and filters the water just before it comes out of the tap. This is a very effective purification process, and these filters are easy to install and very lightweight.
The second one is a portable filter. This one connects to a water hose on the outside. The water travels through the hose and inside the caravan. If you’re sensitive to the smell of chlorine, this filter is the one because it gets rid of this smell. Just like with the 12-volt fresh water pump, you’ll need to consider a few things before deciding which filter to buy.
First, choose a filter that’s easy to install. For most of the time, this is not a complicated process because the instructions are very clear. You can even do it by yourself. Another crucial element is the filtration performance. The filter should have a smaller micron filtration. Look for a filter that can deal with particles as small as 1 micron.
Also, keep an eye on the temperatures the filter can handle. If you’re travelling to a colder area, you might want to change your filter if it can’t handle the low temperatures. The water pressure in the caravan can also have a big impact on the filter. If it’s too much, the filter might stop working. So, make sure you synchronise the two before installing the filter.
Water Heater
Water heaters can be a very practical addition to your caravan. They may not be as essential as the 12v pump but are a good way to make your trip much more comfortable. There are 4 types of heaters. The propane heater is the simplest type. Newer models have a DIS (direct spark ignition) which makes them easy to turn on. Plus, they’re cheap and easy to replace if they get damaged.
The second type are gas and electric heaters. They combine these two power sources and can turn on 120-volt electricity or an LP gas. They can be turned on by manual ignition or have a DSI. The third type is tankless water heaters. They’re the most efficient type and can give you an almost endless supply of hot water. As long as you’re connected to the water source, you’re good to go.
To get your water, you simply turn on the faucet and adjust the temperature to your needs. These heaters are the priciest because of how simple and convenient they are to use. Keep in mind that they may also require more upkeep than the rest of them. And last but not least, are portable heaters. They can be powered by liquid propane or electricity. They’re budget-friendly but you need some storage space for them in the caravan.
No matter which one you choose you should take good care of it. These systems require some regular upkeep. Always use a filter to get rid of the small particles that can damage the heater. When you get the caravan out for the first time after a while, sanitise the water tank. Regularly check the anode rod if the system has one because the rod can corrode. And before you store the caravan in the garage, always drain the water. This can prevent a lot of damage.
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