Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×


Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 09-08-2019, 02:07 PM   #1
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Asheville, NC
Posts: 347
Year: 1999
Coachwork: American Cargo 14'L x 7'8"W x 7'H Box
Chassis: Ford E350 Cutaway
Engine: 7.3L Powerstroke
Rated Cap: 11500 lbs
Alternatives for shower pan?

I want to install a toilet/shower combo in my 14' box van. There will be a 24" x 32" space in front of the toilet that serves as shower with a curtain draped over the toilet when the shower is in use. Entry is through a door that acts as one of the 24" walls of the shower.

The shower pan I ordered was very flimsy and would not hold up to walking on it for accessing the toilet; I returned it.

Here is what I came up with as an alternative so far:
Click image for larger version

Name:	Bath.jpg
Views:	79
Size:	24.5 KB
ID:	37268
I plan to use a linear drain like this one under the door. Any water running down the door or trying to leave the room has no choice but going into the drain.

Has anyone used a linear drain? Pros/cons? Other ideas?

alpine44 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-08-2019, 03:04 PM   #2
Bus Crazy
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Orange County, CA
Posts: 1,358
Year: 1990
Coachwork: Crown, integral. (With 2kW of tiltable solar)
Chassis: Crown Supercoach II (rear engine)
Engine: Detroit 6V92TAC, DDEC 2, Jake brake, Allison HT740
Rated Cap: 37,400 lbs GVWR
I thought about using a linear drain when I was making my shower, but I ended up making my own drain cover out of 6061 aluminum instead. My shower pan is custom-made from stainless steel by a local sheet metal shop, with a 1" OD spigot for the drain that connects to the 1" hose connection to the grey tank. I'm also going to have a bi-fold door, probably frameless using 3/8" glass with fittings from C.R.Lawrence, but mine will hinge inwards to prevent drips on the floor outside; you may want to think about having yours open inwards for this reason.

John
Iceni John is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-08-2019, 03:18 PM   #3
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Asheville, NC
Posts: 347
Year: 1999
Coachwork: American Cargo 14'L x 7'8"W x 7'H Box
Chassis: Ford E350 Cutaway
Engine: 7.3L Powerstroke
Rated Cap: 11500 lbs
Quote:
Originally Posted by Iceni John View Post
I thought about using a linear drain when I was making my shower, but I ended up making my own drain cover out of 6061 aluminum instead. My shower pan is custom-made from stainless steel by a local sheet metal shop, with a 1" OD spigot for the drain that connects to the 1" hose connection to the grey tank. I'm also going to have a bi-fold door, probably frameless using 3/8" glass with fittings from C.R.Lawrence, but mine will hinge inwards to prevent drips on the floor outside; you may want to think about having yours open inwards for this reason.

John
Thanks for the suggestion. The bi-fold door needs to be hinged on the other side in my drawing and fold to the inside.

Do you have any photos of your shower pan? Does it also serve as the floor for the toilet area or is the shower separate?
alpine44 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-08-2019, 04:02 PM   #4
Bus Geek
 
ol trunt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: So Cal
Posts: 3,227
Year: 1935
Coachwork: Superior
Chassis: Chevy
Engine: 317 ci/tid / Isuzu
I expect your plan will work just fine. I don't know if you are using black and grey tanks but since I was I simply adapted a single piece fiberglass sink, toilet and shower combination from a defunct 5 th wheel. I use a clear plastic shower curtain which I shake off, wad up and stuff out of sight behind the toilet. Lots of ways to skin a cat.
Jack
ol trunt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-08-2019, 04:25 PM   #5
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Asheville, NC
Posts: 347
Year: 1999
Coachwork: American Cargo 14'L x 7'8"W x 7'H Box
Chassis: Ford E350 Cutaway
Engine: 7.3L Powerstroke
Rated Cap: 11500 lbs
Quote:
Originally Posted by ol trunt View Post
I expect your plan will work just fine. I don't know if you are using black and grey tanks but since I was I simply adapted a single piece fiberglass sink, toilet and shower combination from a defunct 5 th wheel. I use a clear plastic shower curtain which I shake off, wad up and stuff out of sight behind the toilet. Lots of ways to skin a cat.
Jack
I am still looking for a complete shower/toilet unit from a retired RV or 5th wheel near Asheville, NC or Elkton, MD.

One advantage of the linear drain at the door sill is that it would sit right on top of a 21 gal grey tank, mounted between the frame rails. Toilet will drain into the 24 gal black tank under-mounted outside of the frame rail. A center-drain shower would require routing the drain from the outside to the inside of the frame rails.

I plan to use an existing marine head/toilet that will pump grey water from the shower (plus a few drops of bleach) for flushing. If the grey water flush proves to be a bad idea I can always change over to an RV toilet that flushes with fresh water.

The kitchen on the opposite side of the vehicle will have a separate 23 gal grey tank, also outside of the frame rails behind a set of under-mount toolboxes.

Fresh water capacity is 63 gal in insulated and heated underfloor tanks between the frame rails.
alpine44 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-08-2019, 04:32 PM   #6
Bus Geek
 
musigenesis's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 6,995
Year: 2003
Coachwork: International
Chassis: CE 300
Engine: DT466e
Rated Cap: 65C-43A
I'm planning on putting in a step tub like this one: https://www.campingworld.com/sit-in-...iABEgILnfD_BwE with a hole in the floor on the side so that the bottom of the tub part is below the floor (giving me more headroom in the shower). I'm mainly considering this because I already have the hole, but I think it could work for anybody not doing a roof raise.
__________________
Rusty 87 build thread
musigenesis is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-08-2019, 05:54 PM   #7
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Asheville, NC
Posts: 347
Year: 1999
Coachwork: American Cargo 14'L x 7'8"W x 7'H Box
Chassis: Ford E350 Cutaway
Engine: 7.3L Powerstroke
Rated Cap: 11500 lbs
Quote:
Originally Posted by musigenesis View Post
I'm planning on putting in a step tub like this one: https://www.campingworld.com/sit-in-...iABEgILnfD_BwE with a hole in the floor on the side so that the bottom of the tub part is below the floor (giving me more headroom in the shower). I'm mainly considering this because I already have the hole, but I think it could work for anybody not doing a roof raise.
...and then cover it with a plywood lid if you need the floor space while the shower is idle?

Since the tub is made from thermo-formed ABS you may have to back it with a couple layers of fiberglass or rest the bottom of the tub on a sunken, solid surface.
alpine44 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-08-2019, 06:02 PM   #8
Bus Geek
 
musigenesis's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2019
Location: Philadelphia
Posts: 6,995
Year: 2003
Coachwork: International
Chassis: CE 300
Engine: DT466e
Rated Cap: 65C-43A
Quote:
Originally Posted by alpine44 View Post
...and then cover it with a plywood lid if you need the floor space while the shower is idle?

Since the tub is made from thermo-formed ABS you may have to back it with a couple layers of fiberglass or rest the bottom of the tub on a sunken, solid surface.
Yes, exactly - I'm planning on having the cat litter box on top of the shower lid. If I were doing a shorty, I might put the composting toilet on top of the tub on a sort of rolling panel.

I'll be adding framing underneath the tub - I would not want to fall through that thing.
__________________
Rusty 87 build thread
musigenesis is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-08-2019, 06:42 PM   #9
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Asheville, NC
Posts: 347
Year: 1999
Coachwork: American Cargo 14'L x 7'8"W x 7'H Box
Chassis: Ford E350 Cutaway
Engine: 7.3L Powerstroke
Rated Cap: 11500 lbs
My first thought was to tile the inclined shower floor. After watching a video of someone making a mortar bed for a tiled shower I wonder whether the shower floor could be made simply from epoxy mortar on top of plywood. The epoxy mortar could be carried a few inches up the walls to form a seamless 'pan'.
alpine44 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-08-2019, 06:47 PM   #10
New Member
 
Join Date: May 2018
Posts: 4
Year: 2003
Coachwork: International
Chassis: Corbeil 3800
Engine: T444E
Rated Cap: 54 passenger
My shower floor i'm doing custom. I have a subfloor down (insulation and 2x2's with no plywood on top) in the shower area. i'm thinking about putting down some Blueskin waterproof membrane on top of that to water proof it then using cement board (won't mold) then putting orange kerdi waterproofing membrane on top of that then tiling it out.
RVWorldTraveler is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-08-2019, 06:57 PM   #11
Bus Crazy
 
plfking's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: N.C.
Posts: 1,136
Year: 1997
Coachwork: Bluebird
Engine: DT466E
Rated Cap: 34
Quote:
Originally Posted by alpine44 View Post
My first thought was to tile the inclined shower floor. After watching a video of someone making a mortar bed for a tiled shower I wonder whether the shower floor could be made simply from epoxy mortar on top of plywood. The epoxy mortar could be carried a few inches up the walls to form a seamless 'pan'.
That's how I'm doing mine.......tilted piece of plywood, mortar, then an extremely thick rubber mat extending a couple of inches up the wall......then plywood walls overlapping the rubber. I was planning on two drains (one at each low corner), but I like your linear drain idea better....will be looking into that.
__________________
Don

The Busted Flush
plfking is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-08-2019, 07:09 PM   #12
Bus Geek
 
o1marc's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2017
Location: Dawsonville, Ga.
Posts: 10,482
Year: 1999
Coachwork: Genesis
Chassis: International
Engine: DT466/3060
Rated Cap: 77
Quote:
Originally Posted by alpine44 View Post
My first thought was to tile the inclined shower floor. After watching a video of someone making a mortar bed for a tiled shower I wonder whether the shower floor could be made simply from epoxy mortar on top of plywood. The epoxy mortar could be carried a few inches up the walls to form a seamless 'pan'.
As long as it was lined with a rubber shower membrane it would work.
The linear drain is cosmetic, it still drains into a single round drain.
o1marc is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-08-2019, 07:51 PM   #13
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Asheville, NC
Posts: 347
Year: 1999
Coachwork: American Cargo 14'L x 7'8"W x 7'H Box
Chassis: Ford E350 Cutaway
Engine: 7.3L Powerstroke
Rated Cap: 11500 lbs
Quote:
Originally Posted by o1marc View Post
...
The linear drain is cosmetic, it still drains into a single round drain.
The linear drain terminates into a round pipe but it creates a hidden 'ditch' along the entire width of the door opening that water cannot get across (unless the drain is totally clogged).

Before the idea with the linear drain I had to slope the floor away from the door
or have a ledge there to prevent the water from leaving the bathroom.
alpine44 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-08-2019, 08:10 PM   #14
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Asheville, NC
Posts: 347
Year: 1999
Coachwork: American Cargo 14'L x 7'8"W x 7'H Box
Chassis: Ford E350 Cutaway
Engine: 7.3L Powerstroke
Rated Cap: 11500 lbs
Quote:
Originally Posted by o1marc View Post
As long as it was lined with a rubber shower membrane it would work.
...
I am going to frame the whole bathroom in plywood and fair the sharp floor to wall corners into a radius with epoxy putty and sand that smooth.

Then laminate the floor, a few inches up the walls, and the raised toilet ledge with a few, thin layers of epoxy/fiberglass.

The toilet ledge will be sprayed with automotive primer/filler and sanded/blocked smooth.

Now, the floor area and wall cove will be covered with flooring epoxy and broadcast with black and white quartz grain. That means, throwing the coarse sand mix on the wet epoxy and vacuuming the excess of after cure. That is followed by another layer of epoxy, another broadcast, and an epoxy topcoat.

After finishing the toilet ledge with a battleship grey marine topcoat, white FRP bathroom panels will be glued to the remaining bare plywood walls and caulked in the corners. Luan (or Lauan) sheets between the FRP panels and the plywood will make up the thickness of the epoxy wall cove.

Ceiling will be clear coated pine T&G boards with white LEDs embedded from the backside to form a random, celestial pattern.

Basically, I am building in situ the one-piece FRP bathroom from an old camper that I could not find. Just not as dingy.
alpine44 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-15-2019, 08:53 AM   #15
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: May 2015
Posts: 271
Go with a large shower pan and mount the toilet in the edge of the shower pan - you’ll never need them both at the same time, and it saves a ton of space. Just remember to secure the loo properly not depending on the fiberglass pan to hold it solid. Reinforce the pan floor. Cheers.
Dirtdoctor is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-15-2019, 09:03 AM   #16
Bus Nut
 
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Asheville, NC
Posts: 347
Year: 1999
Coachwork: American Cargo 14'L x 7'8"W x 7'H Box
Chassis: Ford E350 Cutaway
Engine: 7.3L Powerstroke
Rated Cap: 11500 lbs
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dirtdoctor View Post
Go with a large shower pan and mount the toilet in the edge of the shower pan - you’ll never need them both at the same time, and it saves a ton of space. Just remember to secure the loo properly not depending on the fiberglass pan to hold it solid. Reinforce the pan floor. Cheers.
My concerns is how the ABS pan will will look after walking in it with inevitably dirty shoes.

After doing more research, I'll go with a broadcast epoxy mortar floor that slopes towards a linear drain at the door sill.

Space requirement will be the same as your excellent suggestion, but someone has to take the road less traveled.
alpine44 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-15-2019, 10:26 AM   #17
Mini-Skoolie
 
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 24
TO the person wanting their folding door to fold inwards...Draw an arc for the door travel. Make sure you can get the door open afterwards!
rtdillon1960 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-15-2019, 10:48 AM   #18
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 2,831
Year: 2007
Coachwork: Thomas Built
Chassis: Minotour
Engine: Chevy Express 3500 6.6l
What shower pan did you think was too flimsy?

I read through all the replies to this thread. Here are my thoughts:

A mortar bed will have a shortened life because it is in a moving object with vibration and jarring. As any concrete guy will tell you; if you pour it, it will crack.

Why the ledge for the toilet? I saw this style pan on the RV equipment sites. I don’t understand why you would need that step. I also don’t understand the sloped floor. The problem with a motorhome or a skoolie is that unless you have leveling jacks or blocks you’re a slave to the slope you parked on. Maybe you get level all the time. More likely, you’ll have a big sponge and a little bucket to dry the pan.

Is the intent of having a linear drain to not have a dam at the door? I don’t think I would do that. If you back up or if you make too big of demands of your drain, you could end up with a flood into your space.

I really like your idea of using grey water to flush. I like it a lot. I’m going to research filters. Grey tanks get junk in them, so it’s important that a serviceable coarse filter, like a strainer, gets installed in the line of your pump. And of course you will need two pumps with this setup.

There are shower bases for residential construction with right and left drains.

I’m planning a wet bath too. I was going to use one of those residential shower bases with a Dometic 300 series toilet.

I have the same concern about shower base strength, especially when I cut a waste drain into it. I figured that if it was too soft I would lay up some fiberglass on the underside to provide strength if necessary.
Danjo is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-15-2019, 11:08 AM   #19
Bus Geek
 
ol trunt's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: So Cal
Posts: 3,227
Year: 1935
Coachwork: Superior
Chassis: Chevy
Engine: 317 ci/tid / Isuzu
Depending on what the pan is made of you may find that "fiberglass" won't adhere --It will seem to at first and then after a short while it will delaminate.
Jack
ol trunt is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-15-2019, 11:26 AM   #20
Bus Geek
 
Join Date: Sep 2018
Posts: 2,831
Year: 2007
Coachwork: Thomas Built
Chassis: Minotour
Engine: Chevy Express 3500 6.6l
Quote:
Originally Posted by ol trunt View Post
Depending on what the pan is made of you may find that "fiberglass" won't adhere --It will seem to at first and then after a short while it will delaminate.
Jack
Agreed. I’m referring to the fiberglass pans. Of course there are a lot more thermoformed ABS pans and even HDPE pans out there now, so some research is warranted for sure.
Danjo is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 05:52 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.