MUST HAVE FREE CAMPING OFFGRID CARAVAN MOD! WATER DIVERTER VALVE

Want to save water when off grid? We work out how much water we really save by installing our water diverter valve! Don't forget to subscribe if you found this useful and to find out more tips when travelling in a caravan.
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[@slowboat6021]

thanks for the good video with straight forward installation. your lucky you had so much space to work with. I'll have grovel around under mine to put it near the sink and shower.

[@FamilyEscapeAustralia]

Yes, it's not the ideal location, but it made it very easy to install.

[@rich9903]

I stumbled across your video purely by accident and I’m so glad I did. I have been doing various mods on my caravan since I took delivery of it about 8mths ago specifically aimed at maximising the ‘free camping/offgrid’ timeframes I am able to have with my family so I REALLY appreciate your video. My onboard freshwater tanks only total (less than) 200L which with two small kids and a missus, gets used up very quickly despite utilising every other trick in the water saving book. I just subscribed to your channel and also put myself on the waiting list for a diverter valve from Redwater. As suggested in a couple of the comments below, I shall look at possibly installing the valve close to the shower to gain maximum water savings 👍

[@FamilyEscapeAustralia]

Hey Rich. It's great to hear you liked the video. There are other companies that build a similar valve as well. Here is the link for another company. www.enviro.net.au/. Thanks for watching.

[@rich9903]

@@FamilyEscapeAustralia Thanks for that Myles. I might touch base with Enviro to see if they've got stock and go ahead and purchase that one instead of the Redwater version. Also, watching a couple more of your videos on your channel, I've realised that we're both current serving RAAF'ies (I'm an ex-troop blackhander) and you also used to drive a Prado when you had your Jayco - looks like you've got a 79 now. I bought a new Prado last year and tow a 15ft hybrid. Looking forward to watching more of your videos and following your travel adventures.

[@FamilyEscapeAustralia]

No worries. Hopefully, they have stock. The prado and jayco were great together, but we out grew them as we wanted to be able to travel further and longer. They were at their limts with weights. Sounds like you guys like to get out and do a bit of camping as well. Hopefully, we will see you on the tracks.

[@rich9903]

@@FamilyEscapeAustralia Hey Myles. It turns out that Redwater may not be around anymore. I tried calling them numerous times (they're supposedly based only a few suburbs away from where I live) as well as emailing them and forwarding an online enquiry .... but nothing. I'm glad you sent the Enviro link. I will be installing their valve onto my caravan tomorrow. Hopefully, my on board pump will have enough mumbo to push through the water through the diverter valve.

[@FamilyEscapeAustralia]

Hey Rich. That's no good lucky there are others on the market. I'm sure it will be fine as others are using that valve in their vans. Good luck with the installation.

[@user-gz6ws7bh7u]

Looking at doing this. Thanks for the video. If on mains water at a caravan park, how does it go with regards to over flowing the water tank?

[@scottrupil]

Very nice I like this idea we struggle with water off grid. Are you able to list the parts you used including sizes? my setup is almost identical and I would be able to install under the lounge just like yours. Would be handy to know what you have used cheers!

[@FamilyEscapeAustralia]

Hey Scott. Send us a DM on facebook or instagram and will help you out.

[@ImDarylSimmons]

Do you have a link for where you can get the valve?

[@liviocaiolfa5374]

Hey mate, great vid. I also watched the one you did on your old Jayco. Noticed you went back to tank on this install but back to the cold water line on the Jayco. Was this just a "horses for courses" due to the location or is one better than the other.. Thanks again

[@FamilyEscapeAustralia]

Hey Mate. 🍻 for watching along. Going back to the tank is better for when you are connected to mains pressure. If you were doing it, I would try going back to tanks if possible and put it to the tank you use first when off the grid.

[@liviocaiolfa5374]

awesome, thanks for coming back to me and safe travels...@@FamilyEscapeAustralia

[@christinewatson5493]

Hi, I’ve had the water saver installed on my motorhome. Do you get a small amount of water coming out of water overflow on the outside of your van? Thank you.

[@jessedowling]

Hi dose your water pump stay on because it’s stuck on a continuous loop? Great video Thanks

[@FamilyEscapeAustralia]

Hey jesse. No it doesn't. The van water system works as normal just diverting the redwater. Thanks for watching.

[@NickNick708]

Great video, just installed one and it works great when the pump is on. Only tricky problem I have had is when connected to mains the hot water won’t come through. Have you experienced this?

[@FamilyEscapeAustralia]

Hey, yes, we did just turn the flow rate down on the hws and it should fix your issue. It was only really an issue in the colder areas for us.

[@NickNick708]

Hi, thanks for your reply however even with turning the hws flow rate down still no luck. Might need to bypass the valve when we’re at caravan parks. It seems strange as we are currently travelling along the coast of nsw with 30 degree days.

[@macleancherry5702]

Presumably this would allow you to fill up your tanks without using the external filling inlet as well? Our fresh water tanks are joined and self levelling so if I'm hooked up to mains, turned the hot water system off, and opened all of the faucets this would divert all water and automatically fill up my tanks?

[@FamilyEscapeAustralia]

Yes, this is a side effect. Ours slowly fills when hooked up to mains.

[@kyferbushejones]

Hey mate have you had any issues with the valve working as it should when connected to home water supply? I’ve recently installed one and when using the pump it works as it should each time. Whereas when connected to the house water supply it doesn’t. I’m thinking it’s a water pressure problem resulting in the instantaneous hotty not engaging and turning on. Any thoughts on this are appreciated 😀

[@FamilyEscapeAustralia]

We did have some issues in the colder weather. But it always work's and that was more the hot water system. I would check your hws first and slow the flow down if you are in colder weather. Hopefully, that helps. 👍

[@brendannolan847]

Do you have a part or model number for the water saver valve. Did you purchase from local plumber or online. If online, do you have a link?

[@FamilyEscapeAustralia]

Hey Brendan we got it online. This is where we go ours from. www.redwater.net.au/index.php/distributors.html. Hopefully, you can get your hands on one.

[@brendannolan847]

@@FamilyEscapeAustralia Thanks for that😀

[@georgethomas6541]

Did you purchase that recently from the red water website? They have been out of stock and unable to supply (according to their website) for a year or more.

[@FamilyEscapeAustralia]

Hey George. Had it for a while. I did here they were struggling for stock. There are similar brands out there as well. Can't remember the name. I will have a look and put it up if I find it.

[@kyferbushejones]

Envirosaver is another brand :) @@FamilyEscapeAustralia

[@stuartluckie43]

You really need to have the dirverter valve as close to the taps as possible as having it next to the hot water system Dosent take very long to get hot water their

[@FamilyEscapeAustralia]

Yes, but caravan plumbing isn't very long, and this was the easiest point to ensure it worked with all taps. The purpose is to ensure minimal wasted water while offgrid. Thanks for watching.

[@dirtrider8866]

This makes no sense. I am a licensed plumber and have installed hundreds of these. There is no point installing it next to the hot water service it defeats the purpose. These vavles are designed to be installed at each appliance. So you need one under your sink in the kitchen and then install one under the van to pick up shower and basin. I understand what your doing and great vid but location of these vavles are critical for maximum performance.

[@macleancherry5702]

Any chance you're near Exmouth and can do an install? It would work, caravan instant hot water services are not very fast and the plumbing is very short. But I'd love to have a plumber do a really efficient install for me!

[@FamilyEscapeAustralia]

Spot on. They are worthwhile and are not that hard to do if you can't find anyone.

[@FamilyEscapeAustralia]

Caravan plumbing is very short. Yes, you could install 3, but at almost $200 a pop the cost is not worth it. The main reason is to prevent the waste while the unit heats up as this takes 30 seconds to a minute depending on temperatures. The valve only opens once the unit hits around 38 to 40 degrees. Saves heaps of water in this configuration. Yes, it could be more efficient, but at that point it would not be worth the cost. Thanks for watching. Hopefully, that explains it a bit more.

[@georgethomas6541]

Definitely not optimal water saving in that position. The valve is going to open very quickly being next to the HWS and the cold water already in your pipes is not going to be diverted. Manufacturer instructions and every install I have seen in a caravan put it as close as possible to the shower or sink.

[@FamilyEscapeAustralia]

Yes, but also ease of installation and being able to tap into all of the hotwater lines at one point is also a consideration. The redwater still trickles through the piping as the unit heats up, therefore pushing that cold water sitting in the lines through. We haven't had any issues with it this way, and we all shower after each other so the lines dont cool down either. The main aim of this is to prevent water wastage as the hot water system heats up.

[@georgethomas6541]

@@FamilyEscapeAustralia if it works great. You are better off putting it close to the appliance that actually wastes the most water ie. the shower and kitchen sink. Pretty easy to mount it under van in the hot water line just before it goes into the shower/kitchen. Don’t worry about the bathroom sink.