Water, electricity, and campsites: the real autonomy of a motorhome
Motorhome autonomy: everything about water, electricity, gas, and heating
Our motorhomes have a 140-litre fresh water tank.
In my experience, that's usually enough for two people for around 4 days. For a family of four, around 3 days. That's with normal use — showering, washing dishes, and using water as you normally would.
You can shower every day without any issue. There's hot water too — enough for a family of four to shower. If it runs out, it only takes about 10 minutes to heat back up.
For drinking, I'd recommend using bottled water. The motorhome has separate containers for drinking water, with their own pump and tap. Water from the main tank can be used for cooking, washing dishes, showering, and everything else you need day to day.
Topping up water in Spain is very easy. You'll find a water point at almost any petrol station, and there are also dedicated service areas for motorhomes. Filling the tank completely usually takes about 10 minutes.
What to do if the water point doesn't fit
In that case, there's a really simple fix: open the service door, remove the tank cap, and fill the water directly into the tank, bypassing the outer fill pipe.
In that case, there's a really simple fix: open the service door, remove the tank cap, and fill the water directly into the tank, bypassing the outer fill pipe.
In the video below, I show exactly how to do it step by step.
I often use a fuel or rest stop to top up the tank myself, even if there's still water left. That way I always have plenty and don't need to worry about it later.
If you're spending several days in the mountains or somewhere remote, you can always cut down on water use a bit — using wet wipes for some utensils, washing fruit and veg ahead of time, or using disposable plates. Though honestly, most travellers never need to.
What is grey water?
Grey water is the water that drains from the shower, the bathroom sink, and the kitchen sink.
A lot of people hear this term for the first time when renting a motorhome and assume it's related to the toilet. It isn't.
The motorhome has a separate 120-litre tank for grey water. The toilet has its own separate cassette.
If you'd like more detail on how the grey water tank works, where it's located, how to empty it properly, and how often you should do it, check out our full guide on the grey water tank in a motorhome. grey water in a motorhome.
How do you empty the grey water tank?
It's very simple.
You pull into a motorhome service area, position the vehicle over the drainage point, press the corresponding control, and everything drains out.
While the grey water drains, you can fill up the fresh water tank or do anything else — the whole thing only takes a few minutes.
How the toilet works in a motorhome
The toilet has its own cassette and isn't connected to the grey water tank.
When you need to empty the cassette, you can do it at petrol stations, campsites, or motorhome service areas.
Usually it's all done in the same stop: empty the grey water, empty the cassette if needed, top up the fresh water, and carry on with your trip.
When you pick up the motorhome, you'll get a video where I explain step by step how to use the toilet, how to add the chemical fluid, and how to empty the cassette properly.
Electricity in a motorhome
All our motorhomes are fitted with around 450 W solar panels. Battery capacity depends on the model and ranges from 150 Ah to 400 Ah.
All our motorhomes are fitted with solar panels of about 450 W. Battery capacity depends on the model and ranges from 150 Ah to 400 Ah.
If there's sun, the batteries keep charging continuously.
If you drive at least once a day, the batteries also recharge while you're on the move. So there's no need to go to a campsite just for electricity.
The motorhome has 220V sockets. You can use a hairdryer, charge a laptop, or plug in other electrical devices.
You don't need to switch anything on or change any settings — it all works automatically.
If you're going to be out for several hours, I'd recommend turning off the water heater — there's no point keeping the water hot all day. When you get back, just switch it on about 10 minutes before showering or washing dishes, and you'll have hot water again.
If you stay in the same spot for several days and it's cloudy, the batteries will gradually drain.
In that case, just start the engine for a bit, or take a short drive to the supermarket, a restaurant, or the beach. That's usually enough to top the charge back up.
The rest of the time, the electricity works just like it does at home.
Heating and cooking in a motorhome
A lot of people are surprised at how quickly a motorhome heats up.
I'd recommend switching the heating on shortly before you get back. Even if it's only 10 degrees inside, within 10 to 15 minutes the temperature rises and the motorhome is already warm.
If you're up in the mountains and it's below freezing outside, you can set the thermostat to 17 or 18 degrees and head out for a walk or a ski without worrying — the heating will hold that temperature.
At night, I'd also recommend around 18 degrees. When I first started travelling by motorhome, I used to set it to 22 or 23, but I found that too warm for sleeping.
Depending on the model, the heating runs on either diesel or gas. Consumption is very low, so you'll barely notice it on the fuel tank.
Cooking in a motorhome is also very straightforward. Depending on the model, you'll have either a two-burner gas or induction hob. Explaining how it works usually takes less than a minute.
In all my years renting motorhomes, I've never had a client run out of gas during a trip.
Before every handover, I check the gas level and swap the bottle if needed — so it's honestly not something you'll usually even have to think about.
The heating is distributed throughout the motorhome — the living area, the bathroom, and the sleeping area. So even in winter, the interior stays warm and comfortable.
My tips for stretching a motorhome's autonomy
After all these years travelling by motorhome, I've realised most people don't actually need these tips. But if you're planning to stay in one spot for several days and want to top up water less often or rely less on service areas, these might come in handy.
If you want to save water, you can wash your fruit and veg ahead of time. I often do this before setting off or during a stop along the way — it cuts down water use inside the motorhome quite a bit.
For longer stays, you can also use disposable plates and cutlery. That way you won't need to use water washing up plates, cups, or cutlery — once you're done eating, you just throw it all away.
Wet wipes help a lot too. They're handy for a quick clean of some utensils, or just to freshen up. If you haven't been sweating or doing anything too strenuous, they're often more than enough.
If you know you'll be several days away from any services, you can bring extra drinking water. I sometimes use collapsible containers and jerry cans that let me carry a few extra litres.
In autumn and winter, I try to park the motorhome somewhere it'll get sun for most of the day. When the weather's good, that helps keep a comfortable temperature inside and means using less heating.
Another simple trick for a bit of extra warmth is cooking dinner or making coffee in the morning — the inside of the motorhome heats up quickly while you're cooking.
An emergency tip I hope you'll never need
If the toilet cassette becomes full and you have nowhere nearby to empty it, you can temporarily use a normal bin bag. It is placed inside the toilet bowl and, once used, it is tied up and thrown away.
And if you're wondering where to spend the night during your trip, you can also check out our guide on where to sleep with a motorhome in Spain.
What now?
Now you know how the water, electricity, heating and chemical toilet work in a motorhome.
If it's your first time, I'd also recommend reading our guide on renting a motorhome for the first time, where I explain step by step how the vehicle handover works, what you should bring, and what to expect during the first days of the trip.
If you're already packing, our guide on what to pack for a week in a motorhome might also be useful, where I share practical tips based on my own experience travelling by motorhome.
And if you already know what type of vehicle you need for your trip, you can check out our catalogue of available motorhomes and campervans.
And if you are wondering where to spend the night during the trip, you can also check our guide on where to sleep in a motorhome in Spain.