AlanP Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 Having a very delicate stomach and planning to tour Eastern Europe, I am advised to install an ANTI BACTERIAL WATER FILTER in my Motorhome. I have been on the web and found suppliers who quote various claims as to what they will do. Any one out there got any knowledge or know where I can obtain independent advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Champstar Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 Why not just use aqua cleanse tablets...I am a microbiologist and I use them with every tank full of water. Also carry alcohol wipes to give the tap a quick clean before I attach my hose...dont want any lurking bugs..do I :D :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David B Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 Hi Campstar Could you be a bit more specific re "aqua cleanse tablets". I did a Google search and failed to find a relevant link. Where can you buy them? Thanks David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
libby Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 Champstar, There was a feature on hospital cleanliness recently on TV, where it was said that alchohol wipes didn't do what they were supposed to? This was referring in specific detail to the super bug in Maidstone and area hospitals, I'm not suggesting that alchohol wipes are not usueful, perhaps the super bug is a 'bug apart' and needs more remedial measures than everyday commonplace treatment? In that particular case I believe it was said that only soap and water was the answer. Any thoughts? On a similar veign of thought I'm a great believer in not being 'too clean' by allowing the body look after itself (within reason of course). LB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stelynn Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 'Aqua Tabs' can be bought from most camping / caravan shops.http://marinestore.co.uk/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/MD051805.jpgSteve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J9withdogs Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 David B - 2008-04-29 1:28 PM Hi Campstar Could you be a bit more specific re "aqua cleanse tablets". I did a Google search and failed to find a relevant link. Where can you buy them? Thanks David I Googled 'Aqua Clean' to find them at many online camping shops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MandyAndy Posted April 29, 2008 Share Posted April 29, 2008 We have the Nature Pure system, with the seperate tank and love it, the water tastes great and we can fill up from anywhere without fear of taste or bugs. Andy (not a DIYer) fitted this in our van himself and it works fine, took him around 1/2 hour, they can take a bit longer if you need to fit the micro switch with it, full instructions are given and are clear to follow. Hope this helps, Mandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David B Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 Presumably Aqua Tabs and similar water purifying tablets are based on chlorine. I thought that chlorine based tank cleaning products are not recommended for stainless steel components, such as those in the Truma water heater. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Basil Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 David B - 2008-04-30 1:53 PM Presumably Aqua Tabs and similar water purifying tablets are based on chlorine. I thought that chlorine based tank cleaning products are not recommended for stainless steel components, such as those in the Truma water heater. David That was certainly my understanding and also affects aluminium I believe, which is why Carver state not to use it in their instructions and recommend SDP Chempro which is no longer made and has been replaced by VWP which is food safe and will not harm any of the metal componants and is used to clean brewing equipment. Bas Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
J9withdogs Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 The active ingredient appears to be sodium dichloroisocyanurate. There seem to be a lot of leisure companies selling them for Motorhome/Caravan use. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel E Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 Why not simply take a Brita Jug and a couple of Brita filters with you. Available at all good supermarkets, etc. Mel E ==== Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trigrem Posted April 30, 2008 Share Posted April 30, 2008 I think A Btita Jug is just a taste filter and will not remove some nasties. We fitted a Naturepure Filter they claim you can filter canal water, needless to say I have not tried it. Expensive initially, but so is a spoilt holiday. Doug Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Champstar Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 I might have got the name slightly wrong.....the tablets should not be chlorine based as it is not a good idea to drink bleach 8-) 8-) 8-) even dilute forms. I am pretty sure that these tablets will kill off most of the tummy bugs...better safe than sorry. I use an alcohol wipe on the water tap purely as a precaution as you never know who has had their mucky paws all over it. In answer to libby the wipes will kill off most bugs but not spoer formers such as C. diff but then you are unlikey to come across this on a campsite and it only really attacks people who have a predisposing condition. Whatever anyone chooses to use be it a filter or tablets or even bottled water then be happy in your choice :-D :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 Champstar - 2008-04-29 1:14 PM Also carry alcohol .... Now there's an idea! :D :D (Apols to Champstar for the selective quote) In Biblical times they found it safer to drink wine than water, and in medieval times here in Britain it was ale. I understand the Scots have a useful thing they do to water as well - something involving copper vats and pipes. Probably a bit OTT to carry in a MH though. On a more serious note, when we had the old van we always carried separate drinking water in one of those plastic containers with a tap, as we'd no idea who'd had the van before us, or how fussy they'd been about what went in it (plus the filler was under the bonnet - don't go there!) Haven't bothered in the new van so far, as we're the only ones who've used it, but as the tank gets a bit older we might want to do something like Mandy & Andy have installed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catinou Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 We have Nature Pure filters - both at home and in MH - plus a "travelling" one which my son tested for us in South America whilst trekking. The leader suggested they could test it with water from a particularly "muddy" source - using the special drops supplied youngest son obliged and survived (lol) PHEW! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
phantom Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 Hi all we use the tablets and they seem good. Do you all change your filters annually as some books recommend. This is out first season sincce getting our van in August - should we change the filter? And advice? Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catinou Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 Our filter gets changed when the water flow slows down - Advised by guy who sold our original filter to us, but don't know about other makes. :-S Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trigrem Posted May 1, 2008 Share Posted May 1, 2008 Ours gets replaced the same as Catinou's, same filter same advice. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin weston Posted May 3, 2008 Share Posted May 3, 2008 We have been travelling for 7 years in UK and mainland Europe and drink water straight from our van tap. However, I always ensure that the filling tap connection is given a wash prior to filling my tank. I also use the appropriate domestic quality hose when filling and I know my van is fitted with domestic quality hose. When abroad we refill the tank every 2 days or so therefore the water stays fairly fresh. When we return home I always drain the fresh water tank at the last site and then leave the drain open so any remnants drain during the trip home. We have never suffered any problems. I do know of complaints of bad tasting water but often this is due to the van manufacturer not using a tank and associated pipework of the correct materials, i.e. cost cutting. Thinking about it further we probably drink more wine than water when abroad! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Usinmyknaus Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 For a variety of reasons - not wanting to put a hole in the worktop/split pipes/to maximise portability and fexibility and especially the very high ability to remove parasitic cysts, bacteria, viruses, chemicals of all types, taints and odours, I opted for the stand-alone General Ecology First Need Deluxe HB110 filter kit when I researched the market last year. 10 months since purchase I am still delighted with it. It works by filtering just the drinking/veg washing/cooking/teeth brushing water from the van's tank as and when we need it. I fill Zig bottles and keep them in the 'fridge. This suits us travelling solo or two up but would be a chore for a family. It has the great advantage (for me) that it can be used on non-motorhome trips at home or abroad. In an (unlikely) emergency it is claimed to be able to render even pond or ditch water safe to drink. Current cost is £116.99 from travelwithcare.com, which includes a replacement cartridge. (My original cartridge is still fine after 68 nights away in the van and the supplied test kit allows me to check it's performance regularly.) Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colin weston Posted May 5, 2008 Share Posted May 5, 2008 Usinmyknaus I guess you are worried about all the nasties in drinking water. However, if you travel in mainland Europe I believe that all water should, hopefully, meet European standards. Therefore it should be of drinking quality. I can understand that if you travel to North Africa or some Eastern European countries, or regularly drink water from ditches or canals whilst wild camping, you would like to treat the water. Joking apart, I think your solution, no pun intended, is probably the best as you can use the unit at home as well as when travelling. I must say I find the taste of chlorine a bit off-putting, so I just add some orange concentrate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MandyAndy Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 Hi, For me its not the quality of the water coming out, it is the quality of the poo in the tank that the last person had the hose poked down, we have only been doing this 2 years but have seen it happen 3 or 4 times when black waste tanks are swilled out which is then followed by unsuspecting person filling what they think is there nice clean fresh water tank. But there are 4 of us in our van and the thought of dicky tummy and the runs with one toilet that I have to empty (with or without dicky tummy) would be no fun. :-S Mandy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Usinmyknaus Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 Colin, yes, I absolutely would not go back to Egypt without one, even staying in 4/5 star hotels! Remember the "Cambridge" diet books? The Cairo diet beats it hands down, you lose 12 lbs in 8 days............. The kit is great for backpacking and can be used in mountain stream water for example. (How often have experienced hill walkers found dead sheep in streams?) Mandy's point is one of the key reasons I use the General Ecology kit. I regularly treat my on-board tank when the van is parked at home but it is only certain to be clean until the first away from home fill-up. Like Mandy, I have seen similar horrors. Only last weekend on a CS, in the first warm, tummy-bug friendly weather of the year, I was appalled to find that the water supply to the chemical loo disposal point which was a normal toilet bowl, placed 2 metres from the drinking water tap was not connected. So I saw several people empty their cassette down the "loo" then put the cassette emptying spout hard up to the drinking water tap in order to wash out the cassette. On a CL earlier this year, the drinking water tap and hose was in a stable yard knee deep in horse excreta and mud, and used by the stable girls to fill buckets which seconds before had horses' (runny) noses in them. On another CL a few weeks ago, the drinking water tap was in a cattle yard ankle deep in bovine slurry, and worse still, as the water dripped from the leaking tap, the farm dogs licked at it. So whether in-line or free standing, I reckon a good quality filter is a must have accessory! Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Usinmyknaus Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 phantom - 2008-05-01 2:00 PM Hi all we use the tablets and they seem good. Do you all change your filters annually as some books recommend. This is out first season sincce getting our van in August - should we change the filter? And advice? Thanks The General Ecology kit I mentioned comes with a dye and a written test procedure which I use every 6 months. The manufacturer says that the dirtier the water source the shorter the life of the filter but so far it's going strong after almost a year on the original cartridge. The test seems to work well. The water from the fllter tastes completely neutral and with no hint of taint. I am delighted with the filter but accept its limitations - I think it is impractical for more than 2 adults. Bob Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spospe Posted May 6, 2008 Share Posted May 6, 2008 Since we started motorcaravanning in 2001, we have visited: Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Belgium, Netherlands, France, Andorra, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Austria, Luxembourg and of course the UK. In total over 910 nights away in the van (an Autosleeper Duetto). We have no filter. We do not carry separate water bottles / tanks, we drink from the site water supply exactly as it issues from the tap. We have never been ill. Have we been lucky? Michael PS we have never been gassed either. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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