Hose length

As far as waste pipe is concerned I can recommend The Colapz system Here.

It's lightweight, compact and comes with its own storage bag etc.  I bought two of them so I have the capability of using up to 8m if I need it - which I sometimes do on CLs etc. I know it's comparatively expensive but it's so neat and tidy as compared with long lengths of ribbed hose.

Fresh water hose - I have about 20m or so - in different lengths with connectors.  On sites we regularly go to with serviced pitches, I tend to know what is required and chuck whatever I need in the van beforehand. I bought one 10m length from a club site when they were selling it for half the price I could get anywhere else!

Just make sure you buy the blue food-grade hose rather than using normal hose pipe.

On one CS we go to - which doesn't have serviced pitches as such - I also take a Hoselock doubler tap so that I can plumb into the water and still leave the tap for others to use.

Also another vote for the Colapz system.

When we had a caravan I carried 18 metres of the blue fresh water pipe in two lengths and 6 metres of the coiled waste, a 4 metre and 2 metre length, that could be joined if required. They were alway adequate on any service pitch we have used in this country but a stretch sometimes abroad. In fact i only bought the second length of blue hose after 8 years, from an affiliated site that had the tap well away from the pitch.

When we bought the MH a year ago our use of service pitches declined, however we still use them on occasions and have booked some in September to avoid using shared facilities. The waste on our MH wasn't compatible with the coiled waste, so I started looking for an adaptor and noticed the Colapz recommended on CT. It is so much easier, no more wrestling with a snake, particularly in the colder weather.

One issue we have found with the MH is the newer type of service pitch that have the drain and tap in the back corner. Most pitches don't need levelling ramps. As the van is front low, the gentle slope front / back or back / front can be used, by varying the vans direction on the pitch. This  can put the waste outlet furthest from the tap and as I only bought  4 metres of Colapz and have a 2 metre extension supplied with the van, it does not quite reach. We tend to look for a pitch that slopes the right way, so as to put the outlet closest to the drain. I could of course use levelling ramps but prefer not to bother.

As you are new to the club I should point out that there isn't any scope for putting your van closer to the drain / tap. They have to be lined up to a peg to maintain the 6 metre fire spacing.

Unfortunately there doesn't seem to be a common layout on Club service pitches so you probably have allow for a greater distance. Sometimes they are at the back of the pitch, unique to each pitch and sometimes they are shared between two pitches as we discovered at Seacroft last year which are not so convenient. I only carry a 7.5 metre hose which generally is OK (but not at Seacroft!) For waste I have strung a series of washing machine waste hoses together, not the most elegant but very flexible. The come in 2.5 metre and 1.5 metre lengths from the DIY sheds. I also carry a 10 litre watering can which I tend to use the most.

David

As i normally use standard pitches, I carry  2 10l fresh water containers.

for the odd occasion i have used service pitches (which will be more often from now) I carry 2m lengths of fresh water hose which can connect together so you can make up your own length on site to suit without having to much hose coiling around, I suggest enough hose to match the length of van plus 2 m should be enough (in  my case 8m)

i have also just purchased a 23ltr container, float valve and submersible pump so that this can be used as a fresh water accumilator similar to a caravan with a water hog(my internal tank is only 34ltr).

for drainage I started off using a collapsible 10ltr container to drain my small (24ltr) drain tank into. I then bought a larger 34ltr rolling waste tank which fills first, when full I switch to inboard while the portable tank is emptied, I am looking at a pipework solution but my discharge tap is quite low and the drains on some pitches are built up to prevent spillage so may try something similar to pumped fresh water method.

The other consideration is when we drive the van off pitch for dats out etc, to much stuff connected up means a bit more time needed to move off.

Absolutely agree with comments above about Colapz products.  Take a look at their website..

https://colapz.co.uk/collections/all-products

Their waste pipes are really good and saves the awkwardness of rolling up 'miles' of convoluted hose.  The diameter of the convoluted hose tens to be standard these days.  (Old caravans sometimes have a smaller diameter)

For fresh water hook up, I use the Colapz 'MiniFresh' unit, but I use a different  hose to connect from the Colapz unit to the tap.  For the hose, I use these....

https://www.care-avan.co.uk/shop#!/Food-Grade-Hoses/c/22088933

They fold flat and are much easier to cope with and store. (Note: make sure that the hose is foodgrade).  I use several 5m hoses and join them together - I just use as many or as few as I need to reach to the site tap as I'm not keen on having excess piping lying around.... and more to roll up at the end.

Consider having a variety of different tap fitments.  They tend to vary a little from site to site.... and have some spares, for when you accidentally leave one behind at the previous site.  Hozelock do a variety of sizes... available online or usually from the local garden centre.

David

.....one small point about the Colapz products.  On their website it says they are bringing out new 45l waste and fresh water collapsible containers.  I think they have now decided to bring out 2x20 little containers (of both) which will link together, to make them more manageable.

David

If going with Colapz CAMC members get 10 % discount. Just ordered my waste pipes and adaptor waiting for delivery. 

https://www.caravanclub.co.uk/membership/member-offers/colapz/

First, thanks to all who have responded, which is much appreciated.

I'm grateful for the information about the Colapz waste piping.  As it happens I'd already discovered this on the internet (as well as some other interesting Colapz products.)  Looks good but not cheap, so could be time for this Yorkshireman to take a very deep intake of breath ...

I'm still a tad unclear about hose lengths.  Am I right in assuming that the fresh water tap and the waste water inlet are usually near to each other, so that the same length of hose will be needed for both fresh and waste water?

Now to get down to the nitty-gritty: the actual length needed.  The small but beautifully formed van conversion is a mere 5.4 metres and has very limited storage. Volume is an issue - I hope to carry the minimum length of hoses needed.  Is the consensus that 10 metres would be enough, or should I go for more?  12 or 15 metres?  (Colapz hose is sold by the metre, and fresh water hose is easy enough to cut and fit connectors.) 

If it's any help I'm not planning to take the van overseas, and the van does have both a standard water inlet and a plug-in Whale system that can suck water up from a container.

So, gentlemen (and, of course,  any ladies who might be kind enough to join this discussion) how long is a piece of hose?

length of hose is purely gueswork as service pitches are all differant

My van is 5.25M long (it looks longer in the pic!) and as I said above I carry 4x 2m lengths, on occasion i have only needed 1x 2m hose on pitch or at a service point, any further and I use containers, one of which I turned into a home made whale system with float valve and manually operated submersible pump to top up the onboard tank.

my waste out and fresh water fill point  are on different sides of the van so you need to check before committing to lengths etc. or if you mean are they in the same place on the serviced pitch, then generally yes the waste water drain is normally the drip drain for the tap.

Black waste will still need taking to a chemical disposal point though.

Black waste will still need taking to a chemical disposal point though.

Although at Chatsworth only, you have your own CDP on your service pitch. When we had a caravan with the cassette opening on the back, it meant moving it all of 2 metres to empty.