Tiger2103 Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Hi all, we're complete newbies to caravanning, in fact we haven't picked up our purchase yet, I've read a lot about noseweight while towing, am I right in thinking that too little noseweight is as bad as too much ? The tow hitch I've had fitted states a maximum of 85kg noseweight, is this average ? Any tips on balancing a single axle van would be greatly appreciated. On a separate note, we've been looking at sites to tour and some are showing, super pitches, premium or fully serviced, I'm assuming this means they have a permanent connection to electric and water, with regard to water I've seen devices that fit to an aqua roll that act as a ball valve to stop water once it's full, other devices that allow water to be taken from a drum and others I assume that allow direct connection to mains with an anti flood device . Any tips on which is better / more efficient ? Thanks in advance Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WispMan Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Permanent electrical hook up called EHU is normal. Super or fully serviced pitches allow connection from a tap to the aquaroll as descibed. Don't have to refill the aquaroll. You need the ballcock thingy and a hose to connect from the tap to the aquaroll. You also need a long length of waste pipe to go from your van to a drain. Quote Graham Unless otherwise stated all posts are my personal opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gumdrop Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 Your tow car has a weight limit on the towbar, the caravan has a noseweight that allows correct and stable towing, neither should be exceeded. The term super pitch varies but generally means you have your own freshwater tap and greywater drainage (and EHU) Mine is a hose from the tap via food grade hose, to an Aquaroll fitted with a torbeck valve this maintains a level as water is used. My wastewater is taken from the caravan via your own aux. pipes to a provided drain, Toilet waste must still be emptied in a purpose built chemical disposal area. http://www. care-avan. co. uk/superpitch. html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BryanS Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 On noseweight, 7% of the max weight of the caravan used to be the ball-park figure. With a fully-loaded 1200kg caravan this would be at your towing bracket limit, so don't exceed that. Too little noseweight can make the van unstable I believe, but around 70kg should be OK for small to medium vans. To balance the van, concentrate weight close to the axle as far as practicable but move stuff forward or backward to get the noseweight you want. Serviced pitches - always seem fully booked months in advance. And you might think it's an unnecessary complication for your first trips. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tiger2103 Posted August 19, 2014 Author Share Posted August 19, 2014 Thanks as usual guys, very helpful, just 1 querie on the wastewater pipe on a fully serviced Pitch, is a normal hose sufficient or does it have to be a certain width Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Technician 07 Posted August 19, 2014 Share Posted August 19, 2014 You will need something like this http://www. ebay. co. uk/itm/like/380403957093?limghlpsr=true&hlpv=2&ops=true&viphx=1&hlpht=true&lpid=108&device=t&adtype=pla&crdt=0&ff3=1&ff11=ICEP3. 0. 0&ff12=67&ff13=80&ff14=108 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gumdrop Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 Thanks as usual guys, very helpful, just 1 querie on the wastewater pipe on a fully serviced Pitch, is a normal hose sufficient or does it have to be a certain width 32mm grey hose fits recent caravans or a 19mm to 28mm reducer plus hose sleeve seals for older Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WispMan Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 Until you get there, you don't know what length of waste hose to take. So take it too long and cut it to suit - its not that expensive. But tis great not to have to fill Aquaroll and empty the waste. Quote Graham Unless otherwise stated all posts are my personal opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easy T Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 (edited) I have on occasion used a serviced pitch. However on many CC sites that I use there is either no serviced pitch or the serviced pitches are not where I wish to be on site. As I normally use between 6 and 8 sites when I go caravanning I don't want to carry the kit to use say 5 nights out of 40 when I still have to carry wastemaster and aquaroll for other sites. I have no problem taking the wastemaster 8 feet to empty and use a a small collapsible water carrier to top up the aquaroll. Noseweight is usually suggested as between 5% and 7% Edited August 20, 2014 by Easy T Quote Alan 2005 Nissan X-trail 4WD diesel and Swift Charisma 540 2012 Lunar Clubman ES 2018 Lunar Clubman ES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OWOMW Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 Ideally you will need a noseweight gauge (Milenco do a good one) or you can use bathroom scales and a suitable length of timber. 85kg is a fairly normal car towhitch limit. Quote Land Rover is now back towing. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hawkaye Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 . ..direct connection to mains with an anti flood device . Any tips on which is better / more efficient ? Never come across an anti flood device. Usually the mains is fed directly into the caravan with a mechanism to reduce the pressure. If anything goes wrong, water could enter the caravan unchecked. I use a float valve in one of the water bottles and keep the electric pump so if anything goes wrong, the pitch floods, not the caravan. Certainly in my case the float valve and bottle system worked out at about £20 wereas a mains connecting hose for my system was nearly £90 at a local caravan dealers. Quote hawkaye Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WispMan Posted August 20, 2014 Share Posted August 20, 2014 Never ever attach the mains water to the caravan direct. Only connect the main to the aquaroll. The risk of flooding your caravan is one risk too far. Quote Graham Unless otherwise stated all posts are my personal opinion Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Supertractorman Posted August 22, 2014 Share Posted August 22, 2014 I recently installed service pitches on our CL and have had some instances where the hose has come off the connections due to pressure on the pipes and flooded the pitches due to taps being fully turned on when the tap needs only to be slightly on when water pressure is high. You only need to gently top up the water in your Aquaroll as you can't pump it out fast anyway. David Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CommanderDave Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 (edited) Until you get there, you don't know what length of waste hose to take. So take it too long and cut it to suit - its not that expensive. But tis great not to have to fill Aquaroll and empty the waste. Simply buy a about a 9m length and then cut it to 5,3 and 1m and few straight couplings then you just join the lengths you need to suit the pitch . You might need a y connector and couple of short lengths if you have two outlets. My can came with a Mains connector but never used or will the risk of flooding is to high Dave Edited August 23, 2014 by CommanderDave Quote Jeep Commander 3. 0 V6 CRD Isuzu D- Max Utah Auto Elddis Crusader Storm 2000 Kgs, Unipart Royal Atlas Mover . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Easy T Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 Mine came with a mains connector and I wouldn't use it either. Also, on a similar vein; I have twice in the last few years walked past a caravan where the pump is running and nobody in. On one occasion the chap had just returned home in the car and pulled the pump out as soon as I mentioned it. On another occasion the auaroll was empty and the pump still running and I disconnected it so as to not burn the pump out. There was water dripping out under the 'van. I try to remember to switch the pump of when we go out. Quote Alan 2005 Nissan X-trail 4WD diesel and Swift Charisma 540 2012 Lunar Clubman ES 2018 Lunar Clubman ES Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t5van Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 I personally have never used a Super Pitch as a Super Pitch, one of the joys of getting away is getting your water. May as well stay at home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gumdrop Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 I can't lift too much with my poor old back so a serviced pitch is very nice when I can get one, otherwise its the Lioness that does most of the fetching and carrying. Poor old duffers Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clears Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 I used one of those ballcock type fitments to my aquaroll for the first time this summer (care-a-van, about 25 quid) and it was superb, so handy. Allows frequent water use in the van particularaly with 4 of us in there, where I would be back and forth filling aquaroll otherwise. love it, highly recommend it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
seesaw Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 Yes, happy to use all the services they can offer. In France this year we parked as close to the tap and drain as we could. Why make it difficult for yourself? Back in UK and we did the same. Have to say though that the UK site made it difficult to get the water as you had to ascend about 15 steps to get to the water- the easy bit - and then get an aquaroll full of water down the same way. The nearest other tap was 150 metres away and uphill when full. Would always go for the full service pitch - I'm on holiday. Quote 2012 Swift Conqueror 630 towed by Toyota Hilux Invincible Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tandem Man Posted August 23, 2014 Share Posted August 23, 2014 Never ever attach the mains water to the caravan direct. Only connect the main to the aquaroll. The risk of flooding your caravan is one risk too far. Just out of interest has anyone ever had a flooded van from a direct connection apparatus ? It is always mentioned in relation to super pitches but I have yet to read of anyone suffering from a malfunction. Ian Quote The Bailey Unicorn Cadiz 3 Blog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t5van Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 Just out of interest has anyone ever had a flooded van from a direct connection apparatus ? It is always mentioned in relation to super pitches but I have yet to read of anyone suffering from a malfunction. Ian Ian, what make of Tandem have you got there, and do you cover much milage and take it away with the Caravan/camper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tandem Man Posted August 24, 2014 Share Posted August 24, 2014 Ian, what make of Tandem have you got there, and do you cover much milage and take it away with the Caravan/camper. The make of tandem is an Orbit from JD Tandems in Gargrave,North Yorkshire. http://www. tandems. co. uk/ It is a replacement for our original Landescape tandem which got written off in a crash with a car. Sadly we don't do a lot of miles on it as around here is not too clever for cycling in general but we do take it caravanning from time to time,we last took it to Sandringham CC site earlier in the year. Ian Quote The Bailey Unicorn Cadiz 3 Blog Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Malc Edge Posted August 25, 2014 Share Posted August 25, 2014 I personally have never used a Super Pitch as a Super Pitch, one of the joys of getting away is getting your water. May as well stay at home. Amazing how we all differ, for me anything to make my life easier. So its raining hard and your water runs out, you would be waiting at the water filling point filling your aquaroll while I sit in my caravan looking out of the window thinking that poor person getting soaking wet while my aqual roll gets topped up every time I use it. No brainer to me. Love all the things to make my caravan indeed a home away from home,fixed bed,micro wave, satalite tv with dvds,george forman grill, electric frying pan,slow cooker,vacum cleaner you name if we can carry it, we take it, none of that back to nature stuff for us,left all that behind when we had a ( nightmare) tent !! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t5van Posted August 26, 2014 Share Posted August 26, 2014 The make of tandem is an Orbit from JD Tandems in Gargrave,North Yorkshire. http://www. tandems. co. uk/ It is a replacement for our original Landescape tandem which got written off in a crash with a car. Sadly we don't do a lot of miles on it as around here is not too clever for cycling in general but we do take it caravanning from time to time,we last took it to Sandringham CC site earlier in the year. Ian Nice 1 Ian, we have a Dawes Galaxy, dont use it enough though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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