What’s the Difference Between a Garden Hose and RV Drinking Water Hoses? - DECATUR TX RV PARKS DOUBLE DUTY RV PARK

  

Is Using a Garden Hose for RV Drinking Water Safe?

A hose is a hose … or is it? Before you’re tempted to save a buck by connecting a garden hose to your RV freshwater tank, stop and read this article. There are good reasons why RV supply stores want to sell you a real RV freshwater hose instead.

What’s the Difference Between a Garden Hose and RV Drinking Water Hoses?

On the surface you might think that all water hoses are the same. And RV drinking water hoses cost at least twice as much as a garden hose. If you’ve ever wondered if putting an “RV water hose” label onto a hose is just a marketing ploy, you’re not alone. Unfortunately, the truth is, RV drinking water hoses are not just a gimmick.

Connecting a garden hose for RV drinking water purposes puts you at great risk of health issues now and in the future. Is your life worth saving a few pennies? What about your loved ones? Don’t answer until you review the chart below comparing garden hose materials with RV drinking water hose material.

Garden Hose

• Often made from unregulated e-waste materials
• Usually contain unregulated amounts of lead, BPA, and phthalates
• Another toxic “plasticizer” used to make garden hoses includes polyvinyl chloride, a substance connected to various cancers and health problems.
• Other harmful substances include organotin and antimony
• Brass fittings transfer lead into water
• Water tastes terrible when taken from a garden hose

RV Drinking Water Hose

• Must meet a set of federal standards
• Drinking water hoses must comply with the 2014 Federal Safe Drinking Water Act
• Materials can withstand UV breakdown and chemical leakage into water.
• RV drinking water hose materials don’t have BPA or phthalate toxins
• A “DWS” Drinking Water Safe hose is NSF certified and FDA approved.
• Water tastes better.

Still not convinced? Maybe the experts from the Healthy Stuff research center can change your mind. “Gardening hoses appear to be a dumping ground for highly contaminated e-waste. Over one-third [38%] of the hoses have the fingerprint of recycled e-waste being used,” said Jeff Gearhart, Research Director, HealthyStuff.org. “Products designed to handle water should never have e-waste material used as filler just to save a dime.”

The only surefire way to know your hose is safe is if it does NOT have the California Prop. 65 warning that says “this product contains a chemical known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects and other reproductive harm.” Buy an RV water hose without that warning and you can prevent health problems. For extra safety, add a high quality RV water filter system for a higher level of protection.

What to Look for in an RV Water Hose

It’s just not safe to use a garden hose for your RV water supply. Don’t fill your freshwater tank with it, and don’t connect a garden hose to an RV water hookup either. Now it’s time to consider what to look for in an RV hose.

Choose a white or blue drinking water hose.

These colors make them easy to tell apart from an ordinary garden hose. Carry a short hose length and a longer one in your RV.

Avoid cheap RV drinking water hoses.

In my experience, a cheap RV water hose is exactly that: cheap! I’ve tried low-cost standard RV drinking water hoses, and cheap flexible hoses. Neither one lasted more than a year. Inexpensive RV water hoses may not cost a lot of money up front, but they don’t last long either. However, if you only RV occasionally, a low-cost hose might be a reasonable option.

If you are a full-time RVer or plan to become one, invest in a better quality drinking water hose. They’re just like RV sewer hoses, and other must-have full-time RV supplies. You get what you pay for. Rene Agredano

DOUBLE DUTY RV RANCH PARK

Wise County's Best Kept Secret!

How to Extend RV Battery Life

 our RV “house” batteries (the ones powering the 12 volt systems throughout your rig) are the heart of your home-on-wheels. Depending on their type, size, and age, your house batteries will have a finite lifespan. So, let’s explore how to extend RV battery life to avoid being powerless and having to buy new batteries any sooner than necessary.

Your RV Batteries Are The Heart of Your Rig

“If you take good care of your RV, your RV will take good care of you!” You rely on your batteries whenever you are using or living in your RV. As full-time RV travelers, you will depend on our batteries 24/7/365.

With proper care and usage, your RV batteries will perform at their best and last several years. 

What Type of House Batteries Do You Have?

Source: Erik Anderson

LiFePO4 lithium RV batteries (Image: Erik Anderson)

There are several types of batteries typically used in RVs. Each battery type performs differently and they all require proper care and maintenance.

Each of these general RV battery types has it’s pros and cons:

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• 12v Deep Cycle Flooded Lead Acid (FLA or “Wet Cell): These are a common battery type supplied in a majority of RVs coming out of the factory. This is primarily due to cost as FLA batteries are the least expensive choice.
• Pros: Least cost; Easily obtainable
• Cons: Heavy; Must remain in a vertical position; Contain caustic acid; Require regular checking/filling of battery cell water; Can vent harmful gasses known as “battery gassing”, so must be in an outside, ventilated space; Very deep discharges (> 50%) can cause irreparable harm. Typically they last around 400-500+ discharge/charge cycles.
• 6v Flooded Wet Cell “Golf Cart” Batteries (also available as lithium):
  Pros: Durable, vibration-resistant, and longer-lasting, 500-1,000+ cycles; Usually higher capacity; Less costly than AGM or lithium batteries.
• Cons: Required in pairs and wired in “series” to have 12v output; When one malfunctions, the other can’t be used for the RV’s 12v system; Require regular cell water checking/filling. 
• 12v Deep Cycle AGM Batteries (Absorbent Glass Mat; also available in “gel” type):

• Pros: Sealed/Maintenance-free; No battery gassing or leaking; Longer lasting, about 500-1,000 cycles;
• Cons: More expensive than FLA batteries; Heavy; Very deep discharges can cause damage affecting charging and performance.
• 
  
• 12v Lithium Ion Battery (LiFePO4):
• Pros: Lightweight, roughly 65% less heavy than flooded lead acid; Maintenance free/sealed; Can be mounted in any position; Safe for enclosed spaces; Longest lasting: 3,000+ cycles and 10+ years; Deeper discharges – ability to use nearly all of rated capacity making them a good option for boondocking.
• Cons: Most expensive; Some cold-weather limitations for safe charging.

RV Battery Care and Maintenance

Regular care will help extend RV battery life and they will perform better. Make sure to charge them regularly and fully according to your battery type’s optimal charging requirements. For example, flooded lead acid batteries charge differently than lithium batteries, which usually require a specific lithium-optimized setting on the converter/charger, plus higher voltage.

Avoid overcharging RV batteries as that can also adversely affect their lifespan. Carefully review the manufacturer’s specific recommendations on proper charging for your battery type.

Check your battery terminals and clean them periodically. A battery terminal protection spray can prevent unwanted corrosion which can negatively affect performance.

Inspect the battery housings for any signs of corrosion or damage, such as cracking or bulging of the casing. You’ll also want to ensure that they are not too warm, or even hot, to the touch. Any of these issues could indicate internal damage.

FLA/Wet Cell Batteries Get Thirsty For Water!

If you have flooded lead acid (wet cell) house batteries, you should check their cell water levels monthly to make sure they have enough water. Refill each cell as needed up to the “fill indicators” using only distilled water. Allowing battery water levels to remain too low can cause serious damage, such as sulfation, acid corrosion, overheating, lead plate warping, and decreased capacity. These issues can be permanent and shorten the life of your batteries.

by Erik Anderson

DOUBLE DUTY RV PARK

DDRV.co

Decatur TX RV Park - DOUBLE DUTY RV PARK - Gated RV Parking Details

 

Decatur Texas 76234

Location
Located at the intersections of U.S. Hwy 287 and U.S. Hwy 380, Decatur has become a great destination for all walks of life.  We pride ourselves in being a friendly "down-home" city.

Population & Business
Our city is bustling with energy.  Our population continues to steadily increase year after year due to the increase of businesses coming here.  Our downtown area (the city square) is vibrant with shops, eateries, and is the center of operations for the county and city.

Features
Alth

ough we are a small city, we offer all of the amenities of a larger city.  We have 6 parks, a regional hospital, tons of shopping and eateries, a large library....the list goes on and on.  Even if we don't have it, it's always in reach.  Fort Worth, Grapevine, Keller, and Denton are all 45 minutes or under away.

Please feel free to browse around the website.  If you have any questions about the city, or if you have any needs from the city, feel free to call us.  We are here to serve you!

Map & Location

The city of Decatur is located 45 minutes northwest of Fort Worth.  It is in the middle between Fort Worth and Wichita Falls.  For further directions view a map of Decatur.

How To Get Here
From Dallas: Take State Hwy. 114 until it runs into U.S. Hwy. 287.  Take U.S. Hwy 287 until you run into Decatur.

From Fort Worth: Take U.S. Hwy 287 until you run into Decatur.

From Denton: Take U.S. Hwy 380 until you run into Decatur.

DOUBLE DUTY RV RANCH

Wise County Texas' Best Kept Secret!

 JUST SAY NO!

Just say no to:

Property Taxes
School Taxes
Property Insurance
Property Maintenance

SAY YES TO:

Gated Country Living only minutes from town. Come enjoy country living with beautiful rolling hills, wild life, turkey, deer, and gorgeous views of sunrise and sunsets. DOUBLE DUTY RV Park is located slightly off the beaten path yet only one and a half miles outside the city limits and just minutes from  dining, shopping,  medical district, entertainment,  and much, much more. 

Enjoy the Wise County historic town square and beautiful courthouse just 4 miles from RV park.  If you like to Golf, DOUBLE DUTY RV Park is only a mile and half from the country Club. You may enjoy hiking, horse back riding,  fishing,  just minutes away at either Black Creek Lake or  LBJ National Grasslands.

DOUBLE DUTY RV Park offers 30 and 50 amp service at all sites as well as water and sewer. Each site has it's own meter so that you pay for only the electric that you use.  Full-time RV sites in  small gated RV community Retirement -type Village 

The story behind Eighter from Decatur, County Seat of Wise (one version anyway)

  Here at Double Duty RV Ranch Park 

in Decatur TX Wise County, Texas

we love our history.

Here is one version of how the saying came about.

THE LEGEND OF ADA

Do ya feel lucky? Well Do ya ...

As is often the case with historical “facts,” there are several versions of how the saying “Eighter From Decatur, County Seat of Wise” came about. The two things that are certain is that it started out as “Ada From Decatur,” and that the story revolved around shooting dice. The most credible version of the story comes from Dr. Ira E. Nash, who grew up in Decatur in the late 1800’s.

As Dr. Nash later recalled, Will Cooper was a laborer and holder of odd jobs around town, who often worked in a barn that adjoined Dr. Nash’s boyhood home. Will was described as a good worker with a love for both rolling dice and a local servant girl named Ada. As his lucky point, Will would say “Ada From Decatur, County Seat of Wise” when rolling the dice, and this saying became popular in the local area. The spread (and alteration) of Will Cooper’s lucky point began when a group of Home Guards and Army Regulars traveled by train to Virginia about 1900 to participate in a reenactment of the battle of Manassas.

As luck would have it, Will Cooper had been hired as the cook for the Decatur participants, and during the long train ride, the troops entertained themselves with a number of pastimes, including playing dice. This spread the phrase to a wider range of Texas Troops, and when they reached the huge tent city set up at Manassas to house reenactors from across the nation, the phrase spread, and went from being a general call for good luck to a plea for a Hard Eight. After the “Battle” the troops returned to their home states, and the phrase “Eighter From Decatur, County Seat of Wise,” became known to entire generations of Americans who had no idea what an “Eighter” was, or where exactly to find Decatur or Wise County.

Soon after the phrase caught on, it was incorporated in local signs, businesses and even became the name of the local Navy Band, seen here posing in front of the local