When you visit a caravan or motorhome site or if you have looked at the details online for one, you will have come across a range of different pitches. These vary in terms of what they offer you and the best of the best is the fully serviced pitch. The name makes it sound very special, but what does it actually mean and what facilities are generally included in this type of pitch?
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What Fully Serviced Means
Each caravan site will probably have a slightly different take on the finer details of their fully serviced pitches if they offer them. However, there are some standards you should expect. Therefore, a fully serviced pitch will normally feature a wastewater (greywater) connection, freshwater connection and an electrical connection. Depending on the pitch design, you may need to have a drain adaptor, mains water connection directly running to your tourer or a float valve or mains water Aquaroll adaptor.
One thing that’s not standard, but worth looking out for is fully serviced pitches on hardstanding spots. These are obviously more stable and offer a cleaner pitch than those in a, potentially, muddy and wet field.
In the following post, we will look at each feature and facility you should expect from what is referred to as a fully serviced pitch. But we also would recommend that you check the details with the owners of the caravan site, just in case they have a different definition of what counts as fully serviced.
Water hog or Aquaroll Mains Water Adaptor
One of the key facilities all fully serviced pitched feature is a dedicated supply of mains water on tap. Some even offer two options – a tap for filling up drinking water containers so it doesn’t need to be disconnected from the main connection into the Water hog or Aquaroll and one connected to the Water hog or Aquaroll you are using for your motorhome or caravan.
To get the full benefit of the water supply offered at a fully serviced pitch you need a mains water adaptor kit. This will stop you needing to move the Water hog/Aquaroll to the mains tap when it is empty. In these kinds of kits, you get a variety of tap connections, a float valve and a food-grade hose.
Although you can get them just about anywhere, it is best to avoid the very low-price kits as the quality won’t be great and you should look for the options that offer a decent length of hose, approximately 5 to 10-metres.
What to Expect for Wastewater at a Fully Serviced Pitch?
One of the main joys of using a fully serviced pitch is not having to deal with the wastewater from your tourer. Depending on the facilities offered, you may not even need to take along your Wastewater, meaning you get to save some space.
Obviously, you should check, as some sites offer a drain to connect to the Wastewater in your tourer, but no actual connection.
Is a 16A Electrical Connection Standard for a Fully Serviced Pitch?
While it is normally standard for motorhome and caravan sites to provide electrical connections with their fully serviced pitches, it is not always standard that you will get the benefit of a 16A connection. You need to check the details of what they offer or speak to the owners. Generally, lots of sites in Europe have 10A or 6A. As the number of amps offered by an electrical connection determines how much of your electrical appliances you can use simultaneously, it is obviously very important.
Some sites offer 16A, which is ideal, as you can use a variety of different appliances and gadgets at the same time without shorting it.
What is a Superpitch? Is it Basically a Fully Serviced Pitch With a Different Name?
In general, the two names are used interchangeably to describe the same kind of pitch. There are always exceptions, though. Some caravan and motorhome sites may refer to a Superpitch as one that offers the same facilities as their fully serviced pitches with the addition of either a satellite or terrestrial TV connection and possibly even Wi-Fi too.
There may be other facilities and extras that a particular site offers as part of a Superpitch package, but to find that out you’d have to speak to them directly or check the information on their website.
Types of Mains Water Connections
As the freshwater supply offered on a fully serviced pitch is one of the most important, we are going to look at some of the different connection options out there. The most common is the Direct Connection Kit and the Float Value Kit. Both have their own unique pros and cons, which we will look at in greater detail below.
Direct Connection Freshwater Kits
If a caravan and motorhome site offer a fully serviced direct connection freshwater supply, you don’t need an Aquaroll. This means you have the benefit of some extra space on your tourer that would be taken up by the Aquaroll.
One of the major downsides to this option, however, is that there is a risk, even if it’s slight, of flooding your touring vehicle. If you do not use a direct freshwater connection with a regulator or the regulator stops working properly, the water may be allowed to enter your home at full pressure.
That is why many people prefer a float value freshwater supply connection when they benefit from a fully serviced pitch.
Float Valve Freshwater Connection Kits
You will find that most commonly fully serviced pitches offer you the option to use a float valve kit to connect to the mains supply of water. This means you can take along and use an Aquaroll in conjunction with a float valve that you then fit into the caravan or motorhome side port. This functions in the same way a toilet cistern operates within your home. If the water level is low, the float will be low too which then causes the valve to open and let water flow in. Once the appropriate volume of water has entered into the Aquaroll this lifts the float up, which closes the valve and stops the water from entering into your Aquaroll.
How to Improve the Kits You Use For Mains Water Connections
One of the problems you will face with mains water connections is leaks. Leaks are often caused by ineffective and bad quality plastic fixtures and fittings. We have two options that you can use to improve your mains water connection kit.
PTFE Tape
You will find with some fittings; it can be hard to achieve a good and reliable leak-free seal. This is particularly the case with an Aquaroll and its float valve. As the tolerance the thread faces is too high it makes it hard for there to be a reliable seal. The best solution to this kind of problem is to find high-quality PTFE tape rated for use with drinking water applications and then wrap it around the threads of the valve several times. When you do this, you will make it a harder to screw fittings in place, but it will make the seal a lot more effective for stopping leaks.
Hozelock Fittings
In our experience and from conducting research online and talking to many caravanners and motorhome enthusiasts and experts in the industry, we have found that the most reliable and best option for stopping leaks in mains water connections is Hozelock fittings. We would recommend that you swap the traditional tap fittings on the mains water connection kit you use with a Hozelock fitting.
Summary About Fully Serviced Pitches
Although it may not always be possible to avail yourself of a fully serviced pitch, we would highly recommend them if you are looking for an even easier and hassle-free experience in your touring vehicle. Depending on the amenities and facilities a particular caravan and motorhome site offers as part of a fully serviced pitch, you won’t need to worry about the wastewater or freshwater. You may even be able to leave your Aquaroll and Wastemaster at home, saving some space in your tourer.
If you love a nice hot shower first thing in the morning, using the available facilities on site is nice enough…when the weather is agreeable and pleasant. However, if it is raining or cold and windy, do you really want to face heading out of your motorhome or caravan and over to the shower block?
Wouldn’t you rather just have the luxury of using the shower in your caravan or motorhome instead. That is one of the biggest advantages of paying a little extra for a fully serviced pitch.
Always check before you book what you will need to bring along to benefit fully from all the connections, though and make sure you are fully aware of the amp rating for the pitch because the last thing you want to do is try and use too many appliances at once and cause problems.