Avondale Dart 556/6 2008 Water In Connection

[andrewelwood]

Hi All,

 

I recently bought a used Avondale Dart 556/6. The guy who sold it to me has fashioned a DIY hose from the external water inlet to a aquaroll butt, which has a float mechanism and is connected to site mains.

 

I'm not happy with the DIY hose, there's a fish tank filter on the end and nothing about it suggests the water will be adequate for drinking through it. I would like to either replace it with the proper van to butt hose or get a hose from the mains straight into the van. The van appears to have a city water inlet connection from some googling and can apparently handle mains water pressure, although I'm not sure i trust mains pressure into the van. The water pump inside is a shurflo if that helps.

 

I'd be willing to replace the heap with something modern if prices aren't too high.

 

Thanks in advance for any advice you have

[Stevan]

I am not sure what sort of advice are you looking for? You seem to have assessed your current position clearly and understand the solutions quite well. Any decent caravan accessory/spares shop will happily sell you a commercial kit to replace the DIY one.

[Guest]

Hi Andrew,

You may like to try one of these using food grade hose:-

http://www. care-avan. co. uk/shop#!/Universal-Mains-Water-Adaptor-Kit-with-7-5m-food-grade-hose/p/77314216/category=22088933

http://www. care-avan. co. uk/shop#!/Water-Mains-Kit-for-Aquaroll-40-ltr-with-10-Mtr-Flat-Food-Grade-Hose/p/77314142/category=22088933

http://www. care-avan. co. uk/shop#!/Water-Mains-Kit-for-Aquaroll-40-ltr-with-10-Mtr-Flat-Food-Grade-Hose-on-UKs-Smallest-Reel/p/81559993/category=22088933

While not strictly essential you could optionally include an inline water filter:-

12mm - http://www. ebay. co. uk/itm/Caravan-Whale-12mm-Aquasource-Inline-Clear-Water-Filter-WF1230-/201877775976?hash=item2f00da6668:g:dPAAAMXQE9hSBN4k

15mm - http://www. ebay. co. uk/itm/Caravan-Whale-Inline-15mm-Aqua-Source-Clear-Water-Filter-WF1530-/201881378732?hash=item2f01115fac:g:4NIAAOxyPc5SBPU5

Whatever you choose do not connect full pressure mains water directly to your caravan as the pipework is only designed for low pressure water.

Gordon.

[andrewelwood]

To be clear, it's the hose from the butt to the van i need, not mains to the butt.

 

Steven, i know what i want, but no caravan shop I've been to knows what a city water connection is or sticks a hose compatible with it. They just keep showing me to the Whale water pumps and wandering off.

[andrewelwood]

http://cdn. csuk-solutions. net/uploads/eb/5717658-guide-to-caravan-water-pipes-and-pumps-2. jpg

 

This blue hose is what i need. Preferably with some sort of filter

Edited April 8, 2017 by andrewelwood

[WispMan]

Don't be too fixated on a filter. I don't use one.

 

 

I have never heard of a city connection.

[JTQ]

As Gordon has said the van's water system is not designed to withstand utility mains water pressures, and blowing a fitting or inducing a leak could lead to untold degrees of damage.

 

Regulating valves are offered that reduce the mains pressure before it reaches the van, one is offered by Truma.

However, any malfunction in these valves leaves the possibility of mains pressure reaching the van, with its associated damaging risks. Such malfunction can result from debris entering the supply hose, and as this is made and unmade everytime this kit is deployed, unlike in a permanent supply system, there is a risk of picking up some contamination.

 

By far the least risk solution could be what you found with the van, a ball/float cock unit that is placed in the wall of the barrel, regulating a topped up source of water to draw on. There are commercial units of this type and many users do DIY versions. If this malfunctions then the pitch gets soggy, a lot less of an issue than the van getting soggy, IMO.

 

Filters are next to useless in caravan systems and can be in themselves a health hazard unless used on a once only basis, so never left damp between outings. That is unless the filter is one featuring some biocide type role, like those containing the natural biocide, silver, or silver ions.

An inlet pipe "strainer", as opposed to a filter is on the other hand needed with Sureflow and other valve dependent pumps, to stop flies, spiders etc getting stuck across the pump's valves. These are often stainless steel wire or nylon mesh gauzes.

Edited April 8, 2017 by JTQ

[Guest]

http://cdn. csuk-solutions. net/uploads/eb/5717658-guide-to-caravan-water-pipes-and-pumps-2. jpg

 

This blue hose is what i need. Preferably with some sort of filter

As I said in my previous posting an inline water filter can be added within the caravan if you so wish. Personally I wouldn't bother.

The "Shurflo" connection you have on your Avondale Dart 556/6 has an integral gauze strainer and is fitted with a standard brass thread so if your dealer cannot supply a fitting the local plumber should be able to help. The blue hose is normal food grade hose and should be available from any caravan dealer together with the connection for your Aquaroll.

The open end of the food hose fits inside this connection that is intended to hold the flexible water hose close to the bottom of the Aquaroll as it can curl back on itself within the Aquaroll above the water surface without it.

 

I have never heard of a city connection.

A city connection is the term used for a water inlet that is designed to take full mains water pressure, often found on American RVs but rarely seen on UK touring caravans.

In this image, the top white cap covers the onboard water tank filler point, the connection below it is the "city water" inlet (with a hozelock adaptor fitted), and the cover to the left is a modification to accept a 16A UK mains power inlet. When the city water is connected the diaphragm water pump is disabled and water fed directly to the taps at full mains pressure.

[andrewelwood]

I've tracked it down myself; the connection is a 'garden hose thread' and is American. Hozelock use the same connection in the UK, so I'll try that with some food grade hose.