How do you fill up fresh water tank at petrol station?

[Moped]

Just read an article in the telegraph about a couple who have decided to van full time in a self build as they can’t afford a house in London. They both have careers that they can continue in the van.

The van was purchased for £13000 and the self build cost £40000 as they wanted to be totally eco friendly and run everything on “free” electric with a large solar panel array on the roof, and appropriate batteries. They do admit to visiting the odd campsite to use hook up on days that are not solar friendly so not entirely “free” but almost.

Anyway to get to the point.

They claim that they obtain their fresh water supplies at service stations. No other source given. Now they do have a panel van conversion not a custom built motorhome so there is an element of stealth filling up I guess.

Now the only source of water at service stations that I am aware of is that small pipe that is used for filling the windscreen washer bottle. Not too sure that this is potable drinking water but assuming that it is how common is this practice for obtaining fresh water?

Now from experience the flow of water is a bit pedestrian to say the least so it could be some time before a tank is full.

This source is not shown on the POIs.

So if I turn up in my 8.5m motorhome, park next to the windscreen washer bottle filler hose, and start filling the fresh water tank, how are the service station staff going to react?

Would those who have done this please like to share their experience?

As a side note they may be members of this forum so if you are please tell us how you are getting on.

 

[Nabsim]

Quite a few garages have water taps located on the walls of the ‘shop’ building. I have asked at a few of these and been given toe ok to fill up with water. These are normal brass outside taps and not the ones for screen wash at the places I have done it.

There is a story that all Morrisons garages have a tap you can use but no idea if this is true or Facebook myth

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Used Morrisons petrol stations many times, sometimes the little grey box is locked and the tap turned off but on asking they have never refused to open it, we also use Garages the silly screen wash things are a waste of time and take forever, Skye Co-op garage has/had one but the toilet over the road has a proper tap if your hose is long enough or use a big watering can in just about any garage, the staff don't care, best to ask of course preferably before spending money in there, getting water is not really a problem just common sense and good manner, we've even filled up at fire stations and RNLI bases, with a donation of course, we even got a tour of a brand new lifeboat once.

 

[marchie]

Quite a few garages have water taps located on the walls of the ‘shop’ building. I have asked at a few of these and been given toe ok to fill up with water. These are normal brass outside taps and not the ones for screen wash at the places I have done it.

There is a story that all Morrisons garages have a tap you can use but no idea if this is true or Facebook myth

Morrisons announced the Free water around the time of the release from Covid lockdown, Neil

EDIT: Just found a Post from another Forrum [but not as we know it, Jim ...] dated Aug 2021 carrying the Press release from walesonline.co.uk from a M/Homer based in Swansea

Steve

 

[andyjanet]

We often use static caravan sites for water , always leave a charity box donation and sometimes a cheeky bottle of red if the person is really nice

 

[alcam]

Quite a few garages have water taps located on the walls of the ‘shop’ building. I have asked at a few of these and been given toe ok to fill up with water. These are normal brass outside taps and not the ones for screen wash at the places I have done it.

There is a story that all Morrisons garages have a tap you can use but no idea if this is true or Facebook myth

Don't know anything about all but used one in Edinburgh before coming away . Info on here as I remember.
Bought my diesel , asked permission.
After getting water I tried to leave a tip but , extremely helpful, woman on till wouldn't/couldn't take it . Against the rules , probably a camera at the till .

 

[n brown]

car washes have taps to fill buckets ,as do valeting places . if you're in Europe fire brigades are run on donations and will let you fill up .

 

[trevskoda]

You dont require a bucket, you can buy a tank cap with a push on hose connection, keep it in the van with about3mtrs of hose, all you do is remove your cap, fit this and connect other end to the garage tap,bingo.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

You dont require a bucket, you can buy a tank cap with a push on hose connection, keep it in the van with about3mtrs of hose, all you do is remove your cap, fit this and connect other end to the garage tap,bingo.View attachment 119008

Don't see the point of those a total barsturd to get a bucket or watering can to pour into them, and a hose just pushes into the hole.

 

[Boris7]

cemeteries, car washes, businesses in general and even private houses are all generally happy to help with water.

Just be polite and understand they dont have to help, never been turned away the adaptor Trev recomends is a good idea as its more hygeinic (although I done drink from the tank myself) but I only paid £5

 

[Tezza33]

I have one of those adaptors, I bought it because when I fill up at a tap where you have to push the button and hold it in for the water to flow you don't have to worry about the pipe coming out of the fill hole

 

[Pudsey Bear]

I have two, one came from Shaun at Tank.me when he fitted my self build tanks it has a meter of hose that goes down the filler tube, and another similar to the one Trev posted which came with one of the vans, I'm happy to post either of them to anyone in exchange for a donation to Children in need plus postage.

 

[trevskoda]

Don't see the point of those a total barsturd to get a bucket or watering can to pour into them, and a hose just pushes into the hole.

I give up.
They use a fast fit hose connection, silly blinkin bear.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

Gotcha

 

[trevskoda]

Gotcha

Im getting there, slow mind you.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

How are you?

 

[trevskoda]

How are you?

Still alive so far, no results as yet, anyway of today around maybe Enniskillen and south Donegal, the castle in Donegal town has been fixed up and now open, daughter wants to see it & so do I, have a good day chum.

 

[Pudsey Bear]

You too.

 

[GeoffL]

You dont require a bucket, you can buy a tank cap with a push on hose connection, keep it in the van with about3mtrs of hose, all you do is remove your cap, fit this and connect other end to the garage tap,bingo.View attachment 119008

I suspect these are very good. However, there's more than one size of motorhome filling point -- and we had to return the one we bought because it didn't fit our Fiamma branded filler. Still looking and haven't been able to find one that fits

 

[jann]

Always ask