RV Systems
Do you knows your RV hose?
By Russ and Tina DeMaris
Nov 24, 2010, 10:45

One of the first things a new RVer winds up shopping for is a water hose. Even if you only boondock away from utility sites, and so won't have a hose hooked up to your rig, you still need something to get water into your tanks. How do you know what kind of hose to use? Will any old garden variety garden hose do, or do you have to sink money into an RV water hose you may hate in the end?

We've written on this subject before, and the bottom line on drinking water hoses remains the same: Many vinyl garden hoses are made with a process that uses lead to stabilize the plastic. That lead can actually leach out into the water. Even in minute quantities, lead can have a debilitating effect on human health, particularly for children. The materials used in a "drinking water quality" hose should be clearly labeled as FDA approved.

That said, it would seem we're all steered over to the shelf at Camping World or Walmart to purchase one of those ubiquitous white "camping hoses," right? For a quick purchase, yes, it would seem that way. But those standard RV water hoses come with their own set of drawbacks. Talk to any RVer whose had his hose for a year or better, they'll soon be grumbling and spitting about water hoses that kink, and hoses that leak. It just seems inevitable.

NSF hose, courtesy www.plastixs.com

Is there another way? Sure enough, a trip to a well-fitted hardware store may find a way that gets a good quality, safe for drinking, doesn't kink, meets your personal needs, and doesn't require a printing press to print up new money to buy it, water hose. A trip down the plumbing row should take you to a line of polyester braided PVC hose that is approved for drinking water--look for an "NSF" certification.

The thickness of the braided hose is certainly better than that of the typical "RV" hose; hence, kinkage should be past history. The "funny taste" we often associate with water hoses is also a non-issue, as we've found the water coming out of these lines is fairly good. And since you're buying the hose in "cut" lengths, you can make up your own hoses. Some RVers say they carry several of their own hoses, 10' in length for easy storage. These can be rolled up and stored away in a sanitary fashion in a plastic gear box. Having more than one 'ten-footer' on hand helps them to make whatever length is needed without a lot of excess hanging around to trip over and fuss with with it's time to break camp.

Keep in mind the smaller the diameter of the hose, the greater the resistance to water flow--and hence a drop in pressure. If you're just filling your tanks with a hose, that might not make much difference to you. But if you do frequent campground hookups, a smaller hose restricting your water flow could make for a difference in your shower power. The longer the hose run, the greater the effect, so plan accordingly. Of course, the bigger the hose diameter, the greater the cost of the hose; and there are practical limits on the size of the fittings you'll also need to stick on the ends of your new hose.

Courtesy pvcfittings.com

After you've picked out the length (or lengths) you'll need, you'll need to get the appropriate fittings to put on the end of your new hoses. We've found that brass fittings tend to last longer, but are a bit more spendy than their plastic counterparts. Plastic seems to be more subject to UV radiation, and cracking or breaking when run over with the tow rig is a definite. Regardless of your choice, always keep a supply of hose washers with you--a leaking hose is a surefire nuisance that can be easily dealt with.

A couple of thoughts on hose use: We store our hoses with the ends screwed together; this keeps dirt, bugs, and other undesirable stuff out of the hose. Always drain your hose before storing it--that helps to keep bacterial growth down. Before hooking the hose up to the RV, or pumping water into your fresh water tank, let the hose run a few seconds to flush it out.

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