I’ve recently been looking at VW campers of various types, and was surprised, as a recent caravanner, none seemed to have a water heater for the sink. I then came across a comment somewhere that German caravans, too, often seem not to have this equipment. Is there something about the German approach to outdoor culture that would lead to this omission, or is it that they tend to stay on sites with washrooms?
Is this also true for the other great camping nations? It’s never crossed my mind before. I’d particularly like to hear from Dutch campers, if anyone would know they will!
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Europeans tend to use the 'facilities' more than people from the UK - both the shower blocks, and the washing up facilities. Rather than try to wash up in a tiny caravan or campervan sink, they can spread out over the rather more roomy sinks in the washing up area. We have adopted this approach too and rarely use our caravan water heater, except for the last interior clean before going back from a holiday.
Space is at a premium in a small campervan so no room to put a water heater & most users probably wouldn’t want one.
You are somewhat wrong about German caravans. The high spec vans will have water heaters & lower spec vans will have water heaters as factory option. My Caravelair which is French built could have had a water heater as factory option but I didn’t want one. Not did I want the shower option so no point in water heater.
Keep things simple in my view. I can’t even see the point of alloy wheels on caravans either. This is why UK built caravans are so unfit for my purpose. I would end up with the dead weight of oven & water heater I don’t want & no onboard water tank which I do want.
We use campsite facilities when on holiday.
When OH is away on his hobby weekends he takes a large gas hob kettle and a plastic bowl that fits into the sink, which he uses to wash and shave. He boils the kettle for washing up too.
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
I seldom use my own sink to do washing up when I stay at a site with facilities; otherwise I would need to empty the grey waste tank or the Wastemaster.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Same here, it's a must for us. Can't see the point of lugging a bowlful of washing up across a site. Not that we often use sites like that anyway. And then you forget the fairy liquid..
Don't forget to leave a review of the French and other European campsites you have visited!
In addition to what I had already mentioned for not using my own sink in the van:
1) it is small compared with a normal sink
2) more importantly, with the glass lid down, I use it as a worktop, which means I have to clear it before I can do the washing up!
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
Providing the facilities are ok; hot water & clean, we always use them. If it’s raining hard or there’s only cold water, we boil the kettle & use the van sink. Don’t use the water heater at all really
We have a small coachbuilt motorhome and only wash up in the sink if essential- if no site facilities available and raining too much to wash up outside, but it’s useful to have the option. We do use the shower though- husband is disabled so site showers don’t work for him, so a good supply of hot water is esssential.
No hot water in our small campervan. If we're on site we'll use the potwash facilities. More often we're not & a kettle of water suffices.
I'm drafting the spec for our next, bigger, custom build. Planning hot water for shower but not for kitchen. Shower will run off underslung tank. Kitchen pumped from plastic jerrycan.
My diesel heater and hot water system seldom came on unless the interior temperature dropped below 14degC in the evenings in early as in Easter and late as in October season.
If I needed hot water when the weather was reasonably warm, I would need to use the immersion heater or boil a kettle.
For my trip over the New Year weekend this year, no doubt I shall have the heating on, which means I shall have hot water available from the taps.
If the weather is wet and horrible outside, then I shall do the washing up in the van.
I shall still use the sites showers and toilets though as they are nice, and the pitch I have chosen is the closest to the facilities block. Probably not very late at night, if you know what I mean.
DK
------------- Apple The Campervan - A Van For Work, Rest & Play!
- 2027: ? NL+DE+FR
- 2026: FR+DE
- 2025: 17/77
'24: 10/49; '23: 9/47;'22: 8/46; '21: 9/34
* Ex-tenter
* Treat life events like a dog: if you can't eat it, play with it or hump it, p1$$ on it and walk away!
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: Hot water in vans
via mobile 21/11/2023 at 12:18pm
