Water tank Help

G

Goingontour

Messages
2
Location
Gwynedd
Vehicle
T6.1 Ocean 204
Hi. We’re heading off on our first camping trip tomorrow and have yet to fill the water tank. We’re going give it a clean today but have no idea how much we will need for a couple of days away. Don’t wait until arrival at the I met a couple who had a camper (transporter) and they said they never use the water tank at all. Do you use it for making tea/coffee etc or just for washing up? I will take bottled water for general water drinking.
We’re looking forward to staying in the Cali, bought way too much stuff but we’ve no idea what we will need until we try it out, but windy weather on the way may not make it the best experience!
 
Whenever I go away, I fill it. I’d rather have too much and why not?
We use it for hot drinks, cooking and brushing teeth but not for drinking (just not keen on flavour).
 
As above.

We always fill it before setting off and then use it for hot drinks and washing up.
We also take a 5 litre bottle of our own spring water for cold drinks as we too don't like the taste of chlorinated mains water.

When we get home, I drain down the tank, run the tap until it just runs dry and then leave the drain tap open until after the next drive to let any remaining traces of water slosh around and find its way out.
 
Depends for us. If it’s just a night away it’s too much faff so we just fill a 10L collapsable container we have. More than one we use the tank. We paid for it, so why not. Works fine.

We rarely wash up with it, site facilities better and water hotter, but use for tea, coffee, cooking and general. We have no issue “drinking” it if we have to as we disinfect the tank annually but generally use our own water bottles when out and about.
 
My advice is to use the California app as you fill the tank, it is nearly real time. I tend to put 20 litres in.
I like the option of having water for hosing down boots, dog etc. as others have said if I’m on a campsite I’ll use their facilities. I take water bottles for drinking water, which I keep in the fridge.
When you head home I pop some disinfectant into the main tank and let it slosh around when driving and then pull a litre through to the sink.
I then drain off the main tank and run the sink tap until it’s no longer pulling any water (apparently the water pump can be run dry briefly) and then I’ll empty the waste tank knowing that both have been disinfected.
 
Goingontour said:
Hi. We’re heading off on our first camping trip tomorrow and have yet to fill the water tank. We’re going give it a clean today but have no idea how much we will need for a couple of days away. Don’t wait until arrival at the I met a couple who had a camper (transporter) and they said they never use the water tank at all. Do you use it for making tea/coffee etc or just for washing up? I will take bottled water for general water drinking.
We’re looking forward to staying in the Cali, bought way too much stuff but we’ve no idea what we will need until we try it out, but windy weather on the way may not make it the best experience!
Click to expand...
Owned our California for 16 years. Family of 4. Have always drank water from the tank. Clean it with a liquid cleaner every two years. Empty it at the end of summer.

That’s what it’s for. UK drinking water is excellent and won’t make you ill.
 
Lambeth Cali said:
Owned our California for 16 years. Family of 4. Have always drank water from the tank. Clean it with a liquid cleaner every two years. Empty it at the end of summer.

That’s what it’s for. UK drinking water is excellent and won’t make you ill.
Click to expand...
It sounds like I may be paranoid as I clean and disinfect my tank far more regularly than others appear to.
My logic is that if water sits for a couple of weeks in a warm plastic container there’s a risk after a couple of weeks. The tank isn’t properly sealed as I think the blue lid acts as a breather to release air pressure.
 
sticky1 said:
It sounds like I may be paranoid as I clean and disinfect my tank far more regularly than others appear to.
My logic is that if water sits for a couple of weeks in a warm plastic container there’s a risk after a couple of weeks. The tank isn’t properly sealed as I think the blue lid acts as a breather to release air pressure.
Click to expand...
There has been an awful lot of discussion about this. I can only recall one person ever claiming to have been ill after drinking old water and I don't think it was even Cali related. Warm plastic container?? The one with an ice cold gas canister in the middle?? It is paranoia.

Most people complaining of odd taste I think are complaining about the taste of the tank cleaner.
 
It amazes me that people are fearful of using domestic tap water in the California tank but happy to drink commercial bottled water that may be days/weeks/months old and being eau naturelle has a higher bacterial count than domestic tap water.
 
WelshGas said:
It amazes me that people are fearful of using domestic tap water in the California tank but happy to drink commercial bottled water that may be days/weeks/months old and being eau naturelle has a higher bacterial count than domestic tap water.
Click to expand...
Welshgas we agree on so many things!
I treat water in the water tank as I would standing water in an open container.
I’ll see if I can find an image from my endoscope of a friends fresh water tank, admittedly he would leave his water in all year and just top it up, but the black sludge around the bottom of the tank and pipework may convince you that tap water ages.
 
The black sludge to which you refer occurs in all water mains pipework also.

This is why after the water company has done work they tell you to run the tap until the water flows clear.

In an old house with a header tank do you drink the water from the tap in the bathroom upstairs? Do you clean your teeth with that water? How often have you flushed and cleaned that header tank?

The black sludge comes from the muddy bottom of the local reservoir!
 
sticky1 said:
Welshgas we agree on so many things!
I treat water in the water tank as I would standing water in an open container.
I’ll see if I can find an image from my endoscope of a friends fresh water tank, admittedly he would leave his water in all year and just top it up, but the black sludge around the bottom of the tank and pipework may convince you that tap water ages.
Click to expand...
I have nothing against emptying the tank between journeys, cleaning it, sterilising it as often as owners want, but refusing to use the water from the tank which has been filled from a domestic water supply is not based on any scientific reasoning. Bottled water in the fridge is a valid reason, but you could refill bottles from your tap.
If the water tastes then you are using the wrong cleaning agent or using it incorrectly.
 
sticky1 said:
Welshgas we agree on so many things!
I treat water in the water tank as I would standing water in an open container.
I’ll see if I can find an image from my endoscope of a friends fresh water tank, admittedly he would leave his water in all year and just top it up, but the black sludge around the bottom of the tank and pipework may convince you that tap water ages.
Click to expand...
In the Cali the pump is clicked in place at the bottom of the tank. That’s where the water comes from!
I suppose if I was buying a ten year old Cali and it was a bit shabby, I would worry about the tank and want to look inside as well as clean it.
I am fortunate that I bought a 1yr old Cali.

There has been a lot written about this. Enjoy your Cali!
 
Lambeth Cali said:
In the Cali the pump is clicked in place at the bottom of the tank. That’s where the water comes from!
I suppose if I was buying a ten year old Cali and it was a bit shabby, I would worry about the tank and want to look inside as well as clean it.
I am fortunate that I bought a 1yr old Cali.

There has been a lot written about this. Enjoy your Cali!
Click to expand...
You’ve motivated me to stick the scope in the tank and see if all the water drains out when you open the tap. If the pump is mounted at the bottom I’m hopeful it fully drains out.
 
Goingontour said:
Hi. We’re heading off on our first camping trip tomorrow and have yet to fill the water tank. We’re going give it a clean today but have no idea how much we will need for a couple of days away. Don’t wait until arrival at the I met a couple who had a camper (transporter) and they said they never use the water tank at all. Do you use it for making tea/coffee etc or just for washing up? I hwill take bottled water for general water drinking.
We’re looking forward to staying in the Cali, bought way too much stuff but we’ve no idea what we will need until we try it out, but windy weather on the way may not make it the best experience!
Click to expand...

Goingontour said:
Hi. We’re heading off on our first camping trip tomorrow and have yet to fill the water tank. We’re going give it a clean today but have no idea how much we will need for a couple of days away. Don’t wait until arrival at the I met a couple who had a camper (transporter) and they said they never use the water tank at all. Do you use it for making tea/coffee etc or just for washing up? I will take bottled water for general water drinking.
We’re looking forward to staying in the Cali, bought way too much stuff but we’ve no idea what we will need until we try it out, but windy weather on the way may not make it the best experience!
Click to expand...
Hi we never fill water tank take a water container and fill on sites makes teas coffee etc and use bottled water as well in the fridge .
As we always use campsites it's never been a problem. Fine the sink fiddly.
 
Always use the water tank for everything. Always tastes nice, mind we have nice tasting water in the Dales
 
Once in a while I might put some sterilizing tablets in the tank, otherwise I always have water in there for general use whenever I need it, I have been away for months on end and never had a problem, I sometimes boil a kettle of water at bedtime then in the morning decant to a water bottle for drinking out of the fridge this is because in the summer it gets too warm for drinking, hope this helps?
 
I always drink from the tank - clean it once a year with some cleaning drops.

I'm more worried about PFAS - but as it's everywhere and in every source - there's not a lot you can do about it.

At least water companies are supposed to remove it to a safe level from tap water... but I doubt its actually gone.


....

Long-lasting toxins known as “forever chemicals” have been found in samples of drinking water from across the world, a new study has revealed.

Scientists discovered PFAS (perfluoroalkyl substances), chemicals that do not break down in nature, in more than 99 per cent of bottled water samples sourced from 15 countries around the globe, with 10 “target” PFAS detected in tap and bottled water in major UK and Chinese cities.

More good news here:

www.independent.co.uk

‘Forever chemicals’ that don’t break down naturally found in 99% of drinking water

Scientists discover 10 PFAS in tap and bottled water in major UK and Chinese cities
www.independent.co.uk www.independent.co.uk
www.fda.gov

FDA Shares Testing Results for PFAS in Bottled Water

FDA Shares Testing Results for PFAS in Bottled Water
www.fda.gov www.fda.gov
www.theguardian.com

‘Forever chemical’ found in mineral water from several European countries

Contamination thought to stem from the heavy application of pesticides containing TFA, a type of PFAS
www.theguardian.com www.theguardian.com
 
sticky1 said:
It sounds like I may be paranoid as I clean and disinfect my tank far more regularly than others appear to.
My logic is that if water sits for a couple of weeks in a warm plastic container there’s a risk after a couple of weeks. The tank isn’t properly sealed as I think the blue lid acts as a breather to release air pressure.
Click to expand...
Exactly the same here... if its longer than wo weeks, it gets a filled up with liquid cleaner, taken for a spin to slosh it around, and then left for 3 hours and then drained into the waste tank - well you ay as well clean that out too right?
Another couple of hours or so and that gets dumped.
 
We never fill before we go, why would you want to carry 25 litres of extra weight?
We buy the cheapest 500ml (enough for two cups of coffee/tee) bottled water. keep 4 in the fridge just in case a drink stop is needed en route.
Once on site we put 20 litres in which sees us 3 days easily.
 
I'm on my second California, now 11 years of ownership. We have always drank water from the tank and never cleaned it out with any special fluids, and we never buy water in plastic bottles.

My view is if you fill with a domestic water supply that already contains some chlorine there is no need for special cleaning. I never leave the tank empty.

I see people in Europe buying lots of plastic water bottles, that to me is such a waste and very bad for our environment.
 
AdamsFamily said:
We never fill before we go, why would you want to carry 25 litres of extra weight?
We buy the cheapest 500ml (enough for two cups of coffee/tee) bottled water. keep 4 in the fridge just in case a drink stop is needed en route.
Once on site we put 20 litres in which sees us 3 days easily.
Click to expand...

Why would you buy plastic bottles of water - when you can fill a metal water bottle up at home?

I don't understand this logic - and the waste we all create needlessly. Not just blaming you, I do it too - but one thing I never do unless forced, is to buy water in a plastic bottle. I wish they would just outright ban them.
 
Had our Cali for 5 years, filled up water tank before every trip, used it for everything including drinks, mainly coffee and tea to be fair so it was being boiled, at the end of the trip before the drive home open the drain on the tank so whatever’s left drains out completely on the way home! Then close the drain when you’re home. Never cleaned it with additives. When filling it the next time start off with the drain open so it runs through and flushes the system a bit before closing it to fill. Never had any issues…….
 
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