I've had a search through th Forum for info about filling an onboard water tank and see there appear to be 2 options. Watering can or submersible pump. The watering can option is proving slow and requiring many trips to the tap, so I'm pondering what my options would be using a submersible pump as we don't have a power socket next to the water inlet. Has anyone worked round this already? Is it pushbike to extend the power cable on a pump and plug it in inside the van? Is there a simpler method?

We have the submersible pump and the power socket next to the water inlet. The couple of times we used it we found it to be fine.

But................it really depends how much water you use. A full tank lasts us at least 4 days , and nearly a whole week if we use site washing-up facilities. For the last year we've left the pump and aquaroll at home. It takes 5 trips to the tap with a 2 gallon watering can to completely fill the water system and it's job done.

Keith

I understand some of the new vans have an on board built in water tank, however most have one or two 20 L plastic containers like this.

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I guess if you want to pump water in you will need something like an aquaroll to get the water to the outside of the van, if you want to cart one of those around and have somewhere to connect a pump (usually 12 V) thats fine.

However a lot of people don't want the bother of carting one around so if you are not young and fit enough to carry a 20 L (20 Kg) container back and forth to the tap then the solution (for me anyway) is as you mention a watering can, two or three trips will get enough into the tank to get you started then every time you wander off to the site loo take the can with you and fill it up on the way back usually keeps it topped up for me.

Using a small piece of garden hose taped to the can spout makes it easier to pour into the container.

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A water tank does not need to be full to work, as long as there is enough in the tank for the pump to be in the water, I don't think mine has ever been more than half full, as long as its topped up regularly.

our container is fitted other way,to hobs first picture, the pipes were long enough on our eriba to have the opening t' the cupboard door, (can buy a length to suit from jandi Al and other places)
we normally put pump in sink and toddle off to tap with container.
although last year we just used a water filter jug and superkettle, leaving the water system free. The site had a kitchen sink outside with hot water. .
a sink area in toilets and a dedicated sink with a door for teeth ablutions..
having container other way allows for a shoe box for your tinned prunes, spuds, peas, tomato, peaches, dates, custard powder, jam,
sure covered everything lol
grabs coat and runs

Quote: Dispirito wrote in post #1

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Is it possible to extend the power cable on a pump and plug it in inside the van? Is there a simpler method?

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Yes, but then you have to cart along another tank like an aquaroll.

I don't think you have.
As for carrying the empty aqua roll ours fits nicely in the washroom.

We thought of having a permanent onboard tank fitted as an optional extra when we ordered our van, but decided against it for all the cons reasons given above. We had one on an earlier smaller van and thought it was a pain to have to tug along the Aquaroll as well. We use a blue Fiamma water carrier - smaller than the Aquaroll but it slides nicely under the caravan alongside the similar grey waste tank. (Actuall at the last site we stayed each pitch had an individual tap so it would have been possible to fill an onboard tank with a hose - when that happens on every site we visit maybe we'll have one fitted, but then I'll have to limit my selection of shoes!)

Here it might be useful to define what an on board tank is?

I understand there is an option for a built in tank under one of the seats? I have heard of them but never seen one or what is supposed to be the method of filling the tank.

The other (what I think of as a normal on board tank) is shown in my pic in an earlier post and I have two of them, one under the kitchen sink and another under the bathroom sink.

So not all installations are the same.

Zitat

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I'm sorry if I didn't make it clear in the post above

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I wasn't specifically aiming my post at you,just trying to clarify things in general.

I have as I said never seen a built in under seat type set-up so have no real idea of how it would work, with my 2 sink set-up it would I guess need a lot more pipework and as you speculate some sort of external filler cap?

I did have a quick conversation with someone who had one and commented on the loss of storage area under that seat but I guess you would gain more space under the sinks.

I don't know what the capacity of these is either? or if there is a drain facility to empty them or maybe just run the tap until its empty?