Running water: It’s the sign of a developed civilization. Camping might be called “roughing it,” but that doesn’t mean you have to go without the basic necessities of modern life! Learning how to hook up a camper water line could make the difference between a comfortable, relaxing weekend away and a dry, dirty, and gritty time stuck in the woods. If you really want to enjoy your time away, here’s the proper way to hook up your RV or travel trailer’s water hose.
Step 1: Get the right equipment
If you want to do a job right, you first have to get the right equipment. There’s a bit more to hooking up your camper’s water line than just grabbing the nearest garden hose, attaching it to the camper, and turning on the faucet.
There are a few pieces of equipment you need to properly and safely send water into your RV or travel trailer:
- Water hose – Obviously… Make sure you choose a hose that’s certified for freshwater or drinking water use. PRO TIP: They’re usually white or blue.
- Filter – You don’t know how campgrounds take care of their water supply. Use a camper water line filter to get rid of all the nasty surprises that might be lurking in the well water. It also makes the water taste better.
- Pressure regulator – The water lines inside your camper aren’t built to withstand immense pressure. Keep water pressure below 40psi (the standard limit for camper water lines) with a pressure regulator to prevent burst water lines and messy surprises inside your unit.
- Splitter – You can never have enough water faucets. Use a splitter, so you can still use the water faucet outside to wash dishes, rinse your feet, or whatever else you might need without unhooking your camper every time.
- Angled hose fitting (if needed) – Some RVs and travel trailers (like ours) have the water hookup fitting in a weird place. You might need an angled hose fitting to make it easier to attach the hose and eliminate kinks in the line.
It might seem like a lot, but having the right equipment to connect your camper’s water line will make life a lot easier in the campsite.
Step 2: Put the pieces in the right order
Once you have the right tools for the job, it’s time to connect your RV or travel trailer’s water hose.
Starting at the faucet, the pieces should go in this order:
- Splitter
- Pressure regulator
- Water hose
- Filter
- Angled hose fitting (if necessary)
The idea is that you want the filter to be as close to your camper as possible. That way, it can get rid of all the dirt and grime that might have accumulated in the hose during the off season.
Some campers aren’t very friendly when it comes to the water connection. Our camper, for example, has the water connection inside the driver’s side storage compartment, with the hose coming up through the floor. There’s not much space in there for a pressure regulator or a filter, so I usually put the filter and pressure regulator directly following the splitter (in that order). That way, the water hose can finagle its way up through the floor, into the 90-degree hose fitting, and into the trailer. It’s not ideal, but it works!
Step 3: Flush the line
Before you actually screw your water hose into your RV or travel trailer, it’s always a good idea to flush the line. You never know what might be in the faucet, your water hose, or any of the other components. It’s best to flush it all out, so you can start your camping weekend fresh!
This step is especially important if you’re using a filter. Most RV water line filters use charcoal to clean the water. If it’s brand new, or if it has been sitting a while, the charcoal can clump up. When you run water through the filter, the stream will come out solid black. If you connect the hose to your camper first, all that lovely black sludge will fill your RV or trailer’s pipes and shoot out through the faucets.
A little extra charcoal won’t cause any damage to your camper or pipes, but you’ll have to run your faucets for a while and fill your gray water tank to get the excess charcoal out. Believe me; it’s much better to flush the line first.
Step 4: Connect hose to your RV or travel trailer
Are all your camper water line parts in the right positions? Is your line nice and clean after a good flush? Good! NOW you can connect the hose to your camper (or the angled hose fitting, if you’re like us).
When you’ve got all the fittings nice and snug, you can turn the faucet on and enjoy fresh, running water throughout your camping trip. You shouldn’t have any issues with dirt and debris in the line or pressure buildup.
Water lines can by finnicky. Things leak, fittings don’t fit, and hose kinks can be frustrating. It’s always a good idea to carry a few extra supplies to avoid any extra headaches.
One of our favorite camper water line accessories to bring along on the road are some extra hose gaskets. They’re just little rubber washers that sit inside the hose fittings and prevent leaks. You’d be surprised at how fast your original ones get lost after a few times hooking up and unhooking your trailer or RV’s water lines, and there’s a gasket in every piece of the line! Have a few extra handy so you don’t have to worry about leaks.
How to unhook your camper water line
Unhooking your camper water line is a little bit easier, as you don’t have to worry about pieces or putting them in the right order. Basically, just make sure the water is turned off at the facet (yes, I’ve done that…), and unscrew the hose from the side of your camper.
That being said, there is one little trick that’ll make things a bit easier. With the line pressurized, it’s pretty hard to unscrew it. And, when you do finally get the thing loose, it usually sprays you all over. Remember that splitter you put on the faucet? Well, it has a second purpose besides making it easy to do your dishes outside.
Before you unhook the water line from your camper, turn on the empty side of the splitter. That’ll release some of the pressure built up in the hose and make it easier for you to unscrew. Plus, when the line does get loose, all the water will come out at the splitter and not all over your face, shoes, pants, and anything else that might be in the way.
You can also open a faucet or two inside your unit once you turn off the faucet. It essentially does the same thing as opening the splitter, just at the other end. It’s also good for depressurizing your interior lines before you hit the highway.
Enjoy running water in your camper with confidence
Learning how to hook up a camper water line isn’t rocket science, but it’s also not quite as simple as connecting a garden hose to the side of your rig. When you use the right equipment in the right order, you can enjoy your time traveling without worrying about dirty water, leaks, or pressure breaks.
This setup has certainly worked for us over the years, but are there any gizmos or gadgets that have made your experiences with camper water lines a breeze? Let us know in the comments below! We’re always looking for helpful gear to add to our collection.