Best outdoor RV shower.

[Sasquatters]

Thanks to the people in this group we were able to find a very nice porcelain composting toilet which I doubt we would have been able to find on our own. We had been looking for months and months before we decided to post here and got the hell we were looking for.

The time has come again for more help! We’ve been looking for an outdoor RV shower that is nicer than the typical ones. I’ve searched and searched and found a few that are for boats that seem a bit nicer but are still cheap plastic.

This will be our only shower so it needs to last. I think a quick disconnect for the hose and shower head will be best since again, this will be our only shower and we don’t want any freezing problems. I’m not sure if a retractable hose is the best route since it will likely be wet after use, and shoving that down into the wall will turn into a mold issue fast.

Open to ideas and excited to get this water ran. It’s really been holding us up.

Thanks!
Holly & Dustin

[Danjo]

Here’s a video with a great outdoor shower idea

https://m.youtube.com/watch?index=74...&v=WtZzRW96aB0

And this guy has an interesting take that maybe could be scaled up.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=AZOlWc2ueGo

Maybe combined with a stair-shower?

[Danjo]

Also, what do you have in mind for a shower? Is it hooked up to a water heater? Does it have to be permanently installed?

One of those propane on demand water heaters could have a bracket where it could be hung when in use, with a hatch that has water supply and gas supply connections.

[Drew Bru]

I think the best bet for what you're looking for is to do a DIY shower using regular residential fixtures. Residential fixtures will ensure you get the quality that you're after. You'd need an enclosure, but it shouldn't be too much of a problem once you find one. You guys don't want the typical cheap RV stuff, and I can appreciate where you're coming from...I was looking for a nice outdoor shower system too, but I couldn't find anything that looked to be the quality that I wanted. I mean, we're really just talking about a mixing valve with a sprayer hose and shower head. All of which needs to be in a recessed box with a cover. Trick is to get a nice stainless steel box to mount in the side of the bus.
I wasn't able to find a fixture like you're looking for at the time I was searching.

[Sasquatters]

Danjo, thanks for the post, but those showers are way off the mark.

[Sasquatters]

Originally Posted by Drew Bru

I think the best bet for what you're looking for is to do a DIY shower using regular residential fixtures. Residential fixtures will ensure you get the quality that you're after. You'd need an enclosure, but it shouldn't be too much of a problem once you find one. You guys don't want the typical cheap RV stuff, and I can appreciate where you're coming from...I was looking for a nice outdoor shower system too, but I couldn't find anything that looked to be the quality that I wanted. I mean, we're really just talking about a mixing valve with a sprayer hose and shower head. All of which needs to be in a recessed box with a cover. Trick is to get a nice stainless steel box to mount in the side of the bus.
I wasn't able to find a fixture like you're looking for at the time I was searching.

I hear ya. I can’t even find a RV shower box that’s not made of plastic. It’s kind of frustrating to have to literally design everything we want because the products available are junk. This project would be much easier if I were to come across a nice enclosure. Having a custom fabricated one is an option, but not preferred.

[Frochevy]

I'm having the same issue. I settled and bought a plastic enclosure valve, but haven't put it in yet because it doesn't seem like it last long!?! I don't want to cut a hole in the side of my bus for junk! Let me know if you find anything!

As far as the shower curtain part... I'm planning on having something off of my back platform but haven't got that far...

[naes14]

Don't want to miss this.

[o1marc]

I'll mount a nozzle clamp on the outside of the window above the kitchen sink. The sink sprayer can pull out the window and mount in the clamp.

[TheArgobus]

I'm using the Eccotemp L5 tankless water heater as my shower. The heater itself is (soon to be) mounted in the bathroom, and the heater comes with its own shower head. When we shower, we'll just open the window and stick it outside.

[maddmaxx]

If you want something super Heavy Duty. You may have to make your own. I once saw a video of a small off-grid hunting cabin that repurposed a military "M17a3 Decontaminating Apparatus". It's a low pressure, high temp all in one unit that pumps water from a stream, lake, or a holding tank.... Heats it from diesel or kerosene and pumps/pressurizes it (by gasoline engine run pump). Comes with a pick-up hose to a water source, standard spray wand to wash your rig, pickup tube to a cleaning solution if ever needed), and shower heads for up to ten people if you wanna have a shower party, lol.

Military has bunches of them they sell off for cheap w/ less than 5 hours on them.

I've often thought about using the parts of one in some kinda application for hot water supply... But maybe use an electric pump rather than the gas engine pump. Done up right... You could be the envy of Burning Man!

Seen them sell for between $25 - $750 depending on if all the extra add-on accessories are there. Which seems like a great deal seeing how our super efficient govt paid $23,121.00 a piece for them !!!!

Food for thought..... Plus you could fight off the CoVid 19 virus AND get a Heavy Duty lockbox to mount on your rig to boot

https://www.govplanet.com/for-sale/T...30-01-346-3122

https://www.govplanet.com/for-sale/T...30-01-346-3122

https://www.ebay.com/i/283779249493?...26pg%3D2386202

[kidharris]

Originally Posted by maddmaxx

If you want something super Heavy Duty. You may have to make your own. I once saw a video of a small off-grid hunting cabin that repurposed a military "M17a3 Decontaminating Apparatus". It's a low pressure, high temp all in one unit that pumps water from a stream, lake, or a holding tank.... Heats it from diesel or kerosene and pumps/pressurizes it (by gasoline engine run pump). Comes with a pick-up hose to a water source, standard spray wand to wash your rig, pickup tube to a cleaning solution if ever needed), and shower heads for up to ten people if you wanna have a shower party, lol.

Military has bunches of them they sell off for cheap w/ less than 5 hours on them.

I've often thought about using the parts of one in some kinda application for hot water supply... But maybe use an electric pump rather than the gas engine pump. Done up right... You could be the envy of Burning Man!

Seen them sell for between $25 - $750 depending on if all the extra add-on accessories are there. Which seems like a great deal seeing how our super efficient govt paid $23,121.00 a piece for them !!!!

Food for thought..... Plus you could fight off the CoVid 19 virus AND get a Heavy Duty lockbox to mount on your rig to boot

https://www.govplanet.com/for-sale/T...30-01-346-3122

https://www.govplanet.com/for-sale/T...30-01-346-3122

https://www.ebay.com/i/283779249493?...26pg%3D2386202

For those contemplating these auctions - don't forget the usual problems with auctions still apply...payment on time plus fees, pickup deadlines, delivery is usually impossible you have to pickup or have an equipment hauler pick it up and deliver it to you. It is not unusual for pickup/delivery costs to be much more than the winning bid cost.

[Yardy]

Anyone ever put an instant hot water heater on their bus?

[o1marc]

Originally Posted by Yardy

Anyone ever put an instant hot water heater on their bus?

If you mean tankless water heaters, many of us have them. I have 3 on mine. One for the sink and shower and one for the heated flooring. I also have one on the back of the washing machine.

[Yardy]

Originally Posted by o1marc

If you mean tankless water heaters, many of us have them. I have 3 on mine. One for the sink and shower and one for the heated flooring. I also have one on the back of the washing machine.

Thanks! I appreciate the feedback. I guess that saves a ton of space correct?

[Beachvbguy]

Originally Posted by o1marc

If you mean tankless water heaters, many of us have them. I have 3 on mine. One for the sink and shower and one for the heated flooring. I also have one on the back of the washing machine.

Sorry, but isn't that 4?

[Sasquatters]

We have screens on all of our windows, and removing one of them to have a faucet hang out one of them in the middle of winter is not an option. Not to mention we’ve tiled over the windows where the sink is. That government monstrosity also isn’t an options since we would need to tow a short bus to accommodate it.

Originally Posted by Beachvbguy

Sorry, but isn't that 4?

I believe sink/shower was one unit.

I’ve brainstormed what could be a great shower setup, but I need to find a metal box with a lock, similar to the RV shower boxes. If anyone can help that would be great. I don’t even know what to search for. Everything that comes up is just the frame, and when I add “metal” to the search I start getting toolboxes.

[Tfanous]

We are currently looking for a good shower option. We plan to have a 2-room shower tent while in the early stages of building. I have to have long hot showers, so am looking for recommendations for great tankless water heaters that can be used off-grid of high enough quality to install on the bus when we are far enough along on the build (good quality shower head and other parts as well). So...hopefully something that can be used in a tent camping/shower tent situation first, and then be moved into the bus. Any suggestions? I need help regarding whether a separate pump is needed for water flow. Reviews on camping showers have been discouraging.

[Rucker]

Originally Posted by Sasquatters

Danjo, thanks for the post, but those showers are way off the mark.

Maybe you could provide details instead of just saying to Danjo the feedback is 'way off the mark'? It came across to me a little like he done something wrong, though I'm sure that was not your intent.

[Rucker]

Originally Posted by Tfanous

We are currently looking for a good shower option. We plan to have a 2-room shower tent while in the early stages of building. I have to have long hot showers, so am looking for recommendations for great tankless water heaters that can be used off-grid of high enough quality to install on the bus when we are far enough along on the build (good quality shower head and other parts as well). So...hopefully something that can be used in a tent camping/shower tent situation first, and then be moved into the bus. Any suggestions? I need help regarding whether a separate pump is needed for water flow. Reviews on camping showers have been discouraging.

Our setup is an CampLux 10L, pretty big one (2.64 GPM), with a Shurflo 3 GPM pump mounted inside the bus. The heater is advertised as something you can hang on a split rail fence connected to a 5 gallon propane tank. I'm not sure how practical that is and just looking at my unit I'd be a little worried about banging it around too much. I'm guessing that the 3 GPM pump will handle whatever load we put on the system since the only other fixture that would be used simultaneously is the kitchen faucet. I haven't tested the system yet so I can't say whether this all works well together.

I am a big fan of articulating the design requirements like you did - 'long hot showers'. I'm guessing they might only be available with huge freshwater and graywater storage, or only when you're at an RV park with a hookup. A eight minute shower will just about drain my freshwater tank, buy my criteria is a little different. We only need about 4 days of boondock time at a stretch, so I could go without. Still, I want to be able to take a shower, even if brief. I want hot water, and I want to do it inside. And, I don't want the shower stall to be dead space because I think it will be used infrequently.

We rented an RV and I found our RV experience was similar to camping-after about day three you just get used to being a little grungy, and wait for home or some friend's place if you are travelling distances.

The shower fixtures are purchased separately and so you can pretty much put in whatever you find at Home Depot. I'm retrofitting a brass tub/shower fixture I found for a steal in an antique store in Denver.

Hope this helps.