"White" Hose gets Kink and is Hard to Handle

[lucytravel12]

The "white" hose we use for fresh water is so stiff it's hard to handle. We've used it for several years, so age hasn't made it more flexible. All those we've seen in the stores are about the same. Are they all that way?

[obgraham]

I use the white stiffy ones at home and leave them there.

On the road I use a compact roll-up fabric style hose. (Handy-Hose is mine). I accept that they are not as sturdy as the standard hoses, but space is at a premium in my RT, and these fit very well.

[candlback]

I always coil my hose in the same direction. My grandpa said coil a hose clockwise every time to avoid kinks.

[Travelin2]

When buying a hose to drink from just be sure it does not say "Made in China", as most of the hoses in the cut-rate stores are. The simple fact that it is white is no guarantee that it is safe to drink from. Any material coming from any Asian country is suspect to me. There have been too many examples brought to light about the unscrupulous manufacturing methods and advertising untruths by companies operating there.
Buy American!

[wsfurrie]

Some of the springy hose's are safe. Check RV stores. I was taught to pour a bleach solution into the hose, connect the ends and let it sit for a few hours. Then flush it well. I used to do that periodically as well as cleaning the holding tank.

[lucytravel12]

Thanks for your responses - will take a trip to the hardware store.

[rockhillmanor]

I threw out all I knew about the safety of hoses the first time I stayed in Florida.

I went to use the potable water hose at a friends where I was parked. Green specs came out. The owner said yup, that's what happens to the "inside" of a hose left outside in the sun. GREEN MOLD.

I cut open my hose that I had sitting outside from spigot to tank. The entire inside of the hose was coated with green slimy mold. Google it, it's not good. Yet another reason I don't drink from an enclosed holding tank that takes on the ambient temperature of the outside air for water.

[2oldman]

lucytravel12 wrote:
I thought we were supposed to have a special RV "White" hose - can we just buy any decent hose?

With any hose, if it's left out baking in the sun with water in it, the first water to come in will smell of hose. The white hoses just have less smell.

Personally I use my tank almost 100%, so no stinky hose water.

[Johno02]

Go to Walmart, to the RV section and pick up one of their white hoses marked "for Drinking water". Get one no more than 25 feet, as the longer it is the harder it is to handle. After each use, drain it as you coil it back up, there is a blue stripe that shows how it should be coiled. After draining and coiling, attach the two ends together to keep bugs and critters out, then just store it in one of your bins. I have a "Y" connector and a regulator on the end that attaches to the faucet, and that stays on the hose all the time.

[lucytravel12]

I have one of the coiled, springy hoses. It says Not Safe For Drinking Water, and I do drink the tap water. Does it really make a big difference???

[wsfurrie]

An easy answer is the coiled springy type. We have used one for years. Never kinks, coils itself and takes up little room. If you park in one spot for the summer it might not be as convenient as it does not lay flat on the ground.

[Tvov]

rockhillmanor wrote:

lucytravel12 wrote:
I thought we were supposed to have a special RV "White" hose - can we just buy any decent hose?

\

It's not so much an "RV" hose as it means any water hose marked for 'safe for drinking water'. And are usually white to denote that.

These hoses are 'supposed' to have no lead in them. Garden hoses are allowed to have lead.

If you don't drink from your RV fresh water tank (I do not) it doesn't make any difference what type of hose you use! :W

Never heard about lead in hoses before. I always thought the white drinking water hose was simply designed to avoid making the water taste like it came through a garden hose.

It is also nice to have white hose for drinking water, and green hose for other uses, such as washing or as a grey water hose. Even better if you can find grey colored hose!

[broken_axle]

We are seasonal campers and I find that when I buy a new hose I cut it to the length I need to reach my fittings and then there is no extra to kink. Our campground lease says it is state law in Mi. You must use a white hose to connect your camper to their taps. I just buy a cheap 5/8" hose (less water restriction) and replace it every year. We have very hard water in our campground and found that if i don't replace it yearly the rust that accumulates on the inside of the hose flakes off and gets into the faucet aireators.

[rockhillmanor]

lucytravel12 wrote:
I thought we were supposed to have a special RV "White" hose - can we just buy any decent hose?

\

It's not so much an "RV" hose as it means any water hose marked for 'safe for drinking water'. And are usually white to denote that.

These hoses are 'supposed' to have no lead in them. Garden hoses are allowed to have lead.

If you don't drink from your RV fresh water tank (I do not) it doesn't make any difference what type of hose you use! :W

[brirene]

In my experience the ones that are guaranteed to not kink are pretty stiff, and won't. Those that are not guaranteed are thin, and will. You want flexible and prone to kinks, or rigid and no kinks? My current no kink rolls pretty tightly and takes up little room.