hose for drinking water

Submitted: Sunday, Mar 19, 2006 at 23:30

ThreadID: 31915 Views:8800 Replies:9 FollowUps:6

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outback epicurean

Hi all

We have been carrying a 10 m length of garden hose with fittings to fill the tank on the CT. Have seen several "flat" hoses in neat spools in various hardware shops lately. They would be a much easier thing to store in the CT. These flat lay hoses appear to be a type of waterproof material/canvas stuff.

My question is that the material these flat hoses is made from is obviously treated with some tye of waterproofing chemical. What do people think about using this for drinking water? I know you can get food grade hose. Should you go for this very expensive alternative.

Cheers

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Reply By: awill4x4 - Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 01:15

Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 01:15

Most caravanners go for the more expensive "food quality" hose, there's no appreciable plastic taste through these hoses and that's the way I've gone as well. I had a look at the flat hoses closely but I was advised against it by an older "vanner". As he explained to me the flat hoses have to be completely unwound from the reel to work and if your only 2 metres from the closest tap it's a lot of hose to run around and around your van. With my hose I actually made it into 2 different lengths, 1 short and 1 long with good quality brass connectors allowing them to be joined together and this combination gives 1 short, 1 long, and 1 longer again. It basically covers all the bases. I've also made it so the hoses can be coiled up and then another adaptor joins each hose to itself so it's totally sealed while not being used. Also carry the 2 screw on adaptors "small and large" which screw onto the taps, Murphy's law says if you've only got the 1 size it will be the other size you need for sure.
Regards Andrew.

AnswerID: 161603

Reply By: geocacher (djcache) - Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 01:25

Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 01:25

I carry a food grade Copelex flat hose. I've thought of shortening it but I've used the full length so I haven't done it.

Takes 30 seconds to wind back onto the spool so it's not an issue anyway.

Wasn't cheap but it's definately been worth it for the space saved.

Dave

AnswerID: 161604

Follow Up By: simple - Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 10:42

Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 10:42

whitworths (the boating shop) have food grade flat hose on rolls.

FollowupID: 416358

Follow Up By: geocacher (djcache) - Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 20:11

Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 20:11

That's handy to know. Thanks. I was scratching for somewhere to get it in Shep. The place I got it was as dear as poison or so I thought but it did come on a neat spooler.

I'm sure you could get it cheaper but knowing where at the time was the problem.

Has anyone ever tried using it to draw through for a Glind Shower or similar? I've been meaning to try over say 5 metres but I don't really want to cut my "gold plated" hose in case it just sucks down flat and seals off.

Dave

FollowupID: 416422

Follow Up By: outback epicurean - Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 21:28

Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 21:28

where is whitworths? How much and how to come by food grade hose/ Thanks all for the help so far, greatly appreciated.

FollowupID: 416440

Follow Up By: simple - Tuesday, Mar 21, 2006 at 08:05

Tuesday, Mar 21, 2006 at 08:05

www.whitworths.com.au

FollowupID: 416499

Reply By: Mike Harding - Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 07:14

Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 07:14

"Food grade hose"!?

When I go bush I take 40lt of drinking water and have always filled the (non food grade?) plastic containers from the outside tap using the garden hose - I just let it run for a minute or so first. When that runs out I take water from the creek.

When I lived in the Middle East in a trailer I filled the water tank using a garden hose for many months.

As you can see (and to the chagrin of some :) I'm still here. Still... it's your cash.

Mike Harding

AnswerID: 161610

Follow Up By: Member - Norm C (QLD) - Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 09:09

Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 09:09

Flushing the hose thoroughly before use probably does the trick Mike. This is from a US Govt web site.

WHEN I'M WORKING IN THE YARD, I'M TEMPTED TO TAKE A DRINK FROM MY GARDEN HOSE. IS THIS SAFE?
No. A standard vinyl garden hose has substances in it to keep the hose flexible. These chemicals, which get into the water as it goes through the hose, are not good for you. They are not good for animals or pets, either, so filling drinking containers for them out of a garden hose is not a good idea unless the water is allowed to run a while to flush the hose before using the water. However, one type of hose on the market is made with a "food-grade" plastic that is approved by the US Food and Drug Administration and will not contaminate the water. Campers with recreational vehicles should use this type of hose when hooking up to a drinking water tap at a campsite.

I needed to buy some new hose to carry in the CT. The food grade one was just a few $ more, so I bought it. I carry it in a canvas bag, but still flush it a bit in case any gremlins have got in.

I doubt that what you are doing is a problem, but 'Still being here' is not necessarily evidence of safety. Plenty of smokers 'still here'.

FollowupID: 416336

Reply By: Notso - Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 09:16

Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 09:16

Yep, OK to fill your tanks at home or on the road after flushing hose.

Leave it connected to your van in the sun for a while and it can be very unpleasant. And Vinyl Chloride is quite an unpleasant substance.

I use the food grade hose.

AnswerID: 161624

Reply By: Member - Doug T (QLD) - Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 10:35

Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 10:35

I've used normal garden hoses and also filled the water tank once from a new fire hose at the Shell truck port in Mt Isa [ 1980s] and it was awful, just could not drink coffee with it , tasted like ants...lol ,,,once a hose has been in use for about a year then the taste goes but these days there is a special hose for drinking water , get one at the local Mitre 10 ,thats where i got mine.

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AnswerID: 161636

Reply By: Member - Craig M (VIC) - Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 10:43

Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 10:43

Have been using garden hose for many years, but always thoroughly flushed first - however just wanted to reinforce one message earlier re having different sized connectors; can't count the number of times that's been useful.

cheers,
Craig.

AnswerID: 161637

Reply By: Wizard1 - Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 12:08

Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 12:08

Sorry, but I can't see how bore water, which is provided in some caravan parks, would taste any better from a nylex garden hose or food grade. I'll keep using my 6 year old garden hose....just have to keep remembering to put it back on the tap when I get home.

Food grade hose is much stiffer and therefore harder to roll up, if you ever had the uncooperative hose roll up fiasco you'll understand. This then provides the aditional problem if the hose taking more room than they should to store.

The flat roll ups seem a good idea, but take up just as much room as a rolled up garden hose! At least the garden hose can be squashed into small crevices when need be.

AnswerID: 161655

Reply By: Brian B (QLD) - Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 16:45

Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 16:45

Hi,

Food rgade hose is the way to go. It is a bit morre expensive but it will not taint the water.

As stated earlier some of the treatment applied to garden hoses to help maintain flexibility do mix with fresh water and put a taste through it.

Have a good one.

AnswerID: 161700

Reply By: awill4x4 - Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 19:46

Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 19:46

If it's just a fill of the water tank then flushing the standard hose thoroughly before filling the tank will probably be fine, but if you have a caravan where the hose is connected to the tap all the time you are at a caravan park that's where the major problems occur. The water sits in the hose picking up the chemicals in the hose manufacter and if left for any length of time it tastes bl@@dy awful. Try it with your own garden hose, leave it in the sun and take a mouthful without flushing it out, you'll see what I mean.
This doesn't happen with the correct "food grade" water hose, it may be warm but it doesn't taste like cr@p.
Regards Andrew.

AnswerID: 161742

Follow Up By: Member - Barry C (NT) - Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 23:50

Monday, Mar 20, 2006 at 23:50

Agree 100% Andrew, use the best you can and if it's not available take precautions,,,,ie flush hose at least,,,,a modicum of common sense goes a long way and 2 X modicums go further toward good health. Who wants to get crook, especially way out bush?

Barry

FollowupID: 416474