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Water treatment guide
How can water be kept fresh in motorhomes and caravans?
This is a question that every camping enthusiast asks themselves before setting off on four wheels at home. Because one thing is clear: nobody can do without hygienically pure water for drinking, cooking or showering while travelling. Almost all camping vehicles are therefore equipped with water tanks that can hold 80 litres or significantly more. But how do you keep your water tank clean? And how do you ensure that the water in the tank is safe to use? After all, the quality of the water can hardly be assessed with the naked eye, let alone reliably checked. Especially in faraway countries, this can quickly become a health risk due to the heat, for example, as dangerous germs can multiply quickly. However, careful water treatment is also essential at taps on campsites or when filling up with water in the great outdoors. We will show you what options are available and what is important - so that you can start your next adventure relaxed and full of freshness.
What does a water system in a camping vehicle consist of?
First things first: when it comes to a self-sufficient and germ-free supply of drinking water, you should always keep an eye on your vehicle's entire water system. After all, this is a system in which all elements are interconnected. In other words, the cleanest water is useless if it ends up in a dirty tank - and vice versa. The water system of a motorhome includes
- Fresh water tank
- Grey water tank
- Water pump
- Water pipes / hoses
- Fittings
The water tank ...
... serves as a mobile or permanently installed storage tank for cool water. Depending on the motorhome, the capacity of such a tank can be up to several hundred litres of water. A permanently installed water tank is usually filled via a water inlet on the outside of the vehicle. It is important to clean and disinfect the fresh water tank regularly - at least twice a year.
The grey water tank ...
... collects the waste water that flows through the sink, washbasin or shower drain. Even if it is emptied regularly, it tends to develop unpleasant odours - which is why it makes sense acht auch hier eine to freshen it up regularly.
Water pipes ...
... provide the necessary connection between the tank and the tap or drain. Pipe systems, fresh water distributors, siphons etc. usually do their work out of sight - but that's precisely why you shouldn't lose sight of them when cleaning.
A Water pump ...
... ensures that the water from the tank flows through the pipe. Submersible pumps are usually used for this purpose. Such a submersible pump is simply hooked into the motorhome's water tank. It then uses a 12 V motor to pump the water towards the tap as soon as the tap is opened. Some pumps have built-in filters that prevent coarse particles from entering the water system.
Water fittings ...
... are the last stop for drinking water on its way through your motorhome's water system. Whether as a tap at the sink and washbasin or as a shower in the bathroom: the stylish water dispensers give you convenient access to fresh drinking water when you're on the road - which should, of course, be optimally treated in advance.
The water system in the mobile travelling companion
1
Hand showers
Shower time is feel-good time. This makes it all the more important that the water flows reliably and pleasantly from the shower head. With our large selection of elegant and functional hand showers, you are sure to find exactly the right one to suit your taste and requirements. Of course, we also have the matching shower hose in high-gloss chrome or matt black for you.
Water fittings
Elegant, durable and functional - these three characteristics make our mixer taps your ideal companions in the mobile home. As much as necessary, as little as possible: our mixer taps dispense the main protagonist, water, sparingly and at the same time ensure an optimum spray pattern. This leaves nothing to be desired, even when travelling!
Water fittings
Elegant, durable and functional - these three characteristics make our mixer taps your ideal companions in the mobile home. As much as necessary, as little as possible: our mixer taps dispense the main protagonist, water, sparingly and at the same time ensure an optimum spray pattern. This leaves nothing to be desired, even when travelling!
Pipe systems
Our pipe systems are made of high-quality, robust materials so that water only runs where you want it to. Our UniQuick installation hero can be easily assembled, disassembled and reused according to the Lego principle. Thanks to the large selection of fittings and matching installation material, even complicated pipe runs can be realised without any problems.
Particularly practical: the opaque pipes inhibit the formation of algae.
Water filter
No chance of stowaways in your mobile water supply: Our clever water filters and UV immersion heaters ensure carefree and safe water enjoyment on the go.
Integrated directly into the mains, connected upstream of the tank or immersed in the tank, our water sterilisation helpers ensure a hygienic and safe water supply when you're on the move.
Water pumps
With their special high-tech seal with grease reservoir, our lightweight water pumps accompany you for many kilometres and are tough - they don't mind a short dry run. Their particularly quiet running makes them pleasantly unobtrusive riders.
Supply connections
With the right accessories, you can feel at home wherever you are. Our supply connections give you easy access to the local infrastructure at your location. You can easily connect water, gas and electricity to your mobile home and ensure even more convenience for your mobile four walls.
Drinking water treatment when camping: which chemical-free options are there?
Chemical additives such as chlorine or silver ions are among the various methods of keeping drinking water in motorhomes germ-free. However, more and more campers are consciously deciding against the use of such substances. After all, it is not always easy to find the right dosage that is safe for health, and the flavour of the water can also be severely affected. The situation is different with chemical-free alternatives for safe water enjoyment.
Activated carbon filter
Filters are powerful helpers in the fight against germs & co. Activated carbon filters can be used, for example, to filter chlorine, ozone, colouring substances and impurities, other taste- and odour-impairing substances and bacteria from the water. However, this does not achieve complete purification of the water, which is why activated carbon filters are usually installed upstream and combined with other methods.
UV desinfection
A technique that has been tried and tested for many years in medicine, the food industry and public water suppliers is also gaining more and more fans among campers: water treatment using UV light. Its special wavelength of 254 nm has a damaging effect on the DNA of germs, causing them to die. Bacteria such as legionella or E. coli bacteria don't stand a chance. Viruses, fungi and yeasts are also killed in seconds by the energy of the UV rays alone - without any chemical additives.
To utilise the power of UV light, immersion lamps such as the UV CLEAN from REICH Water Solutions are used in motorhomes. These can be easily installed in the water tank and are automatically activated via an associated ballast. In the case of the UV CLEAN, 15 minutes every 4 hours is enough to reliably keep the water in the motorhome fresh.
Hollow fibre membrane filter
Hollow fibre membrane filters ensure the micro-fine filtration of water - especially in mobile drinking water supplies. The myclean®water sterile water filter system, which we at REICH Water Solutions have developed together with the filter specialist Aquafree, also falls into this category. Whether bacteria such as legionella, E. coli and pseudomonads, protozoa or fungi: the unique, micro-fine membrane reliably retains germs and other harmful substances.
The reduction of germs is indicated in various log levels. As the log level increases, the number of pathogens decreases significantly. As we at REICH Water Solutions make no compromises when it comes to safety and hygiene, myclean®water sterile reduces the germ load by a full 7 log levels - and is therefore a highly effective filter that has been tested in accordance with the international standard for sterile filtration (ASTM F838-20).
Water filter before or after the tank?
If you decide to use filters for water treatment in your motorhome, the next question is: Should the filter be used before or after the tank? Both are possible - and can also be combined if required. But what are the individual advantages and disadvantages?
Water filter before the tank
The advantage of filtering the water before you fill it into the tank is obvious: you only let fresh water into your motorhome's water system from the outset. This significantly reduces the formation of a biofilm in the water tank due to deposits and also prevents technical defects caused by residues in the water.
Another plus point: you are flexible in the use of the filter and can, for example, also fill canisters directly with freshly treated water in addition to your water tank. Fitting such a filling filter is more than simple: the myclean®water sterile filling set, for example, can be easily connected to the end of the filling hose using Gardena-compatible quick-release couplings. Then it's just a case of: water on! And myclean®water sterile does the rest.
However, filtering naturally affects the flow rate of the water. If in doubt, you should therefore allow sufficient time to fill your tank.
Water filter after the tank
The water reserves are topped up more quickly if the filter is permanently installed in the interior of the motorhome - i.e. as an installation kit after the tank. In this case, the water is only filtered immediately before the tap. This means you can be sure that fresh water always ends up in your glass or cooking pot - even if you don't have enough time for tank hygiene when you're travelling.
With
Beim the myclean®water sterile installation set, the filter is integrated into the pipe system after the tank using clever quick-release couplings. This allows the filter to be inserted and changed quickly - without getting your feet wet.
Can you drink the water from the water tank?
Let's be clear: If you follow a few basic rules when it comes to water treatment in your motorhome, you can answer this question with a resounding yes. In addition to careful drinking water treatment when camping, these basic rules also include regular cleaning of the water tank. Because, as emphasised at the beginning, even the cleanest water is useless if it ends up in a dirty tank - and vice versa. You should therefore give your motorhome's water system a thorough clean, especially at the start of the new season or after a long period of storage.
Cleaning the water tank
Our water system cleaner myclean®tank, for example, quickly revitalises tired pipes by reliably removing organic soiling and deposits with 3 % stable hydrogen peroxide. And it's that simple:
1. Emptying the fresh water tank
Empty the fresh water tank, add 0.5 litres of our blue-coloured myclean®tank cleaning agent and then fill up with water.
2. Turn on all taps
Turn on all taps. As soon as blue water flows out of the pipes: close everything again and leave to take effect. Depending on the size of the tank, the reaction time is between 1 and 4 hours. For heavily soiled tanks, the cleaning agent can also be left to work overnight.
3. Rinsing
After it has taken effect, it is time to rinse. To do this, turn all taps back on and let the tank run completely empty first. Then rinse the water tank thoroughly and fill it with fresh water. Now it's time to turn on all taps etc. one last time. As soon as no more blue water flows, you're done - and the fresh water tank, taps and pumps are sparkling clean again.
4. Our tip
When rinsing, simply fill a glass with water and place it on a white sheet of paper. This way you can see at a glance whether everything is clear.
Keeping the water tank fresh
myclean®tank also reliably keeps your waste water tank clean. However, despite regular emptying and cleaning, unpleasant odours quickly build up there. This is because the combination of soap residue, food and grease sticks to the inner walls of the pipes. Although the musty smell of grey water does not pose a health hazard, it is worth taking action here too to ensure that you can enjoy your trip to the fullest.
With myfresh®tank, we at REICH Water Solutions have therefore developed an environmentally friendly solution that uses natural microorganisms to break down even stubborn soiling. The deposits dissolve and the unpleasant odours disappear. Simply pour the biodegradable tank freshener directly into the sink or shower drain - 10 ml of myfresh®tank is sufficient for every 10 litres of tank capacity. This means that one bottle is enough for many applications - and the waste water tank and pipework remain clean.
Q&A - The most frequently asked questions
The water from the water tank in your home on wheels can be drunk without hesitation if you pay attention to careful drinking water treatment when camping and regularly clean the water tank of your mobile travelling companion.
In addition to chemical additives such as chlorine or silver ions, there are also chemical-free alternatives to keep the drinking water in your caravan, motorhome or van fresh: Among other things, you can treat the water with UV light - the automatically controlled, regular irradiation destroys the genetic information in the cell division of bacteria, such as with our UV CLEAN immersion emitter. Hollow fibre membrane filters, such as our myclean®water sterile water filter, also ensure fresh and germ-free drinking water on the go.
There are many water tank cleaners on the market and the application differs depending on the product. Please always follow the instructions for use and the recommended contact time of the cleaning agent.
With our award-winning water system cleaner myclean®tank, you can easily remove organic dirt and deposits and get your fresh water tank, fittings, pumps and waste water tank back in shape before your next trip on wheels.
You can find the step-by-step instructions including information on the application time here.
You should thoroughly clean the entire water system of your mobile travelling companion, especially at the start of the new season or generally after a long period of inactivity - but at least twice a year.
Um hartnäckige und unangenehme Gerüche wirksam zu neutralisieren solltest du Deinen Abwassertank regelmäßig leeren und reinigen. Trotz regelmäßiger Entleerung des Abwassertanks kann sich der Geruch von modrigem Grauwasser im Tank festsetzen. Denn die Kombination aus Seifenlauge, Essensresten und Fetten bleibt an den Innenwänden der Rohre haften.
Unser Abwassertankerfrischer myfresh®tank enthält natürliche Mikroorganismen, die auch hartnäckige Verschmutzungen zersetzen. Die Ablagerungen lösen sich auf und die üblen Gerüche verschwinden. Der Tank und die Rohrleitungen bleiben sauber.
Der biologisch abbaubare Tankerfrischer wird direkt in den Abfluss des Spülbeckens und der Dusche geschüttet. Pro 10 Liter Tankinhalt benötigst Du nur 10 ml myfresh®tank.
![[Translate to English:]](/fileadmin/user_upload/easydriver/Produkte/Produktbilder/Reinigungsmittel/easydriver_myfreshtank_web.png "[Translate to English:]")
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