kayakthecoast Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 I'm thinking of installing an outside shower http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=301660868331&globalID=EBAY-US Anyone done this? I'd like to wash off sandy kayak gear, shoes and have an outdoor shower on hot days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail powered Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 They are good, many thousands of boats and RVs have them. Don't install it the way it is shown in the photo as the photo is upside down. The outlet for the shower hose has to point down in order for the vacuum breaker to work. If you are going to get an add-a-room you might need to install it on the other side over by the bathroom so you don't get water inside the add-a-room. You could put an access panel for it inside the closet next to the bathroom. As those boxes are not insulated you will need to figure out how to add it since you do a lot of winter camping. Looking forward to seeing the photos of your new outdoor shower installation project Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back East Don Posted June 14, 2015 Share Posted June 14, 2015 I have one on my seemingly never ending wish list. There are some reviews over at Amazon. Biggest knock on some are the cheap hose and shower head. Prices vary. Been looking at this one at Amazon We are mainly beach goers so eventually I'll get this done. Thinking I'll likely end up replacing the hose and head so thinking maybe not worth the extra money as I'm not seeing any material differences in the various ones on the web. Just prices. Anyone who has experience and wants to chime in, I am curious as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayakthecoast Posted June 14, 2015 Author Share Posted June 14, 2015 Thanks. Yes that's the big 2 questions: where 2 add it and winter camping. I don't think I'll do the add a room so I'm thinking of adding it on the awning side where all the plumbing and pump is. I also want to add a battery box on the drivers side. They have great plumbing quick connects now too so I might redo my existing plumbing while I'm at it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail powered Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 Thanks. Yes that's the big 2 questions: where 2 add it and winter camping. I don't think I'll do the add a room so I'm thinking of adding it on the awning side where all the plumbing and pump is. I also want to add a battery box on the drivers side. They have great plumbing quick connects now too so I might redo my existing plumbing while I'm at it. You have to watch out for those quick and easy plumbing jobs or you could end up with a whole new interior because you can't figure out where to quit There was an Americana around a couple of years ago that had a custom interior in it and he did something I liked. He put a really long kitchen sprayer in at the kitchen sink and stuck it out the window for use as an outdoor shower or wash-up hose. I am thinking I will do something similar but with a different setup. I will screw a quick disconnect fitting into the kitchen faucet, like the ones used for portable dishwashers. Then put an adapter on the end of the shower hose that normally lives in the bathroom that uses the same quick disconnect. So one extra long shower hose but two locations to use it. No worries about putting holes in your rig or needing to add insulation. The exterior shower boxes are more convenient when you come in wet and dirty but unless you leave the pump on or are hooked to city water you have to go inside to turn on the pump. Of course you can create your own variation on the same theme of the kitchen faucet controlling an outdoor shower hose head by using one of the flexible expanding hoses and an adapter for the faucet threaded to fit it. It can even double as a car wash hose. But you can't use really hot water in those hoses or they won't contract back after a while. They do have the adapter fittings for that setup for kitchen faucets at plumbing stores. . Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayakthecoast Posted June 15, 2015 Author Share Posted June 15, 2015 I try to keep my projects contained and during week nights so I can still enjoy weekend camping. Not going to rip all my plumbing out at once. Always puzzled me why we can't invent winter plumbing that will resist freezing temps but we can put a man on the moon! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 I have a faucet to hose adapter. Screws into the faucet and then I attach my water hose and put it out the window. Adapter cost about 50 cents and takes up no room. I always carry the hose anyway. Less is more Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail powered Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 Or you can do the KISS principle and get an adapter for the kitchen faucet that lets you hook a hose up to it and put a shower like nozzle with flow control at the end of the hose. Connect, stick the hose out the door or window, turn on the faucet and take your outdoor shower or do your equipment wash or give the dog a bath. You control the volume of water while outside with the ability to shut the flow off or on. No new holes in the RV are needed, only a small fitting to buy at a plumbing supply store. When finished turn off the faucet, empty the hose and stow it in back in the luggage compartment. The fitting can stay screwed into the kitchen faucet. No worries about insulation or location or the quality of the shower boxes. You very likely already have the hose and a sprayer end for it and already travel with them. This example is on the pricey side at this particular website but it does show you an example with good photos of what to look for at your local plumbing supply store or elsewhere on the internet. http://www.livingdirect.com/ADAPTER-Standard-Quick-Connect-Faucet-Adapter/ADAPTER,default,pd.html Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shibs Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 I try to keep my projects contained and during week nights so I can still enjoy weekend camping. Not going to rip all my plumbing out at once. Always puzzled me why we can't invent winter plumbing that will resist freezing temps but we can put a man on the moon! I wonder if they make self draining valves for regular plumbing pipes? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail powered Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 I wonder if they make self draining valves for regular plumbing pipes? . Suitable for irrigation lines but not for toyhomes as they are not made up of simple water line situations. Your fresh water tank would become self draining. You can't have self draining holding tanks. Well of course actually you could since you have valves gates on those that can be made constant self draining but then that would defeat their purpose. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToyoGuy Posted June 15, 2015 Share Posted June 15, 2015 Like you, I was mostly thinking beach and I hate sandy floors and sleeping bags . Some great workarounds have been mentioned here, but I do not regret installing mine, which, to be fair, was done during a total re-do. In fact. I used it last time the wtr-htr in the house was on the fritz.. .. I just wash with a plastic tub to catch the sand etc. On mine the shower-head bracket is held in place with 2 "super-magnets" epoxied to the inside of the coach wall. It stores in the same box. The install was pretty straight forward and I do plan to insulate the box from the interior of the coach. Also,.. just me, but I always back any flange screwed to the outside of my coach with 1/8" aluminum on the inside, so it can be tapped and I can use stainless machine screws. Not everyone's cup of tea, I know, but pretty much EVERY wood-screw on the outside of my rig was stripped when I got it and I just roll that way now. Cheers, TG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayakthecoast Posted June 16, 2015 Author Share Posted June 16, 2015 I had that setup on my Sportsmobile but I found it was a pain to setup and stow, faucet leaked after awhile and you have to have the door or window open. I want to roll up to camper and open an access door and spray off. Think it will add value to my rig too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayakthecoast Posted June 16, 2015 Author Share Posted June 16, 2015 Very cool thanks toyoguy!! Going to steal your ideas. So your instal is reachable behind your kitchen cabinet below your oven? Or maybe you didn't put your oven back in. I see you T, off of your sink hot and cold, that's what I had in mind. How deep does it reach inside the rv? " Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToyoGuy Posted June 16, 2015 Share Posted June 16, 2015 Yeah, the oven/range weighed about 48 lbs, if I recall correctly, and I replaced it w/a 2-burner stainless cooktop to get more storage. As for measurements -the unit on mine extends 3 3/8" to the back end of the box from the interior F/G wall, but because of the nipples projecting out the back, you need at least another 2 1/4" for a 90 deg makeup like the hot side in my picture. So. 5 5/8" total projection at least. I plan on putting some ledger blocks and 1/4" paneling to cover it and the back wall under there, but one of my goals w/ the re-do was to maintain good accessability to all h2o and electrical. I may even set the paneling in w/ some sort of industrial velcro stuff. BR, TG Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayakthecoast Posted June 17, 2015 Author Share Posted June 17, 2015 Thanks TG. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail powered Posted June 17, 2015 Share Posted June 17, 2015 You could make a foam clamshell and put a velcro strap around that comes off from the wall. Ridged foam glues nicely with PVA Elmers or wood glue and you can easily carve and shape it. Weighs next to nothing, it could be made from recycled material from inside of packages. It looks acceptable inside a cabinet, there is nothing all that attractive looking about plastic P traps and plumbing lines so its just one more utilitarian looking object in a utility cabinet area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bob C Posted June 19, 2015 Share Posted June 19, 2015 I am going to add an outdoor shower to my Escaper. You have to check your local regulations about using the outdoor shower because in places such as Yellowstone, Badlands, and Glacier, you are not allowed to dump any water in your campsite, including dishwater. Yellowstone and Glacier do it to keep bears from looking for an easy meal when they smell the food scraps. In Wisconsin State parks it is not allowed but I have never seen a park ranger give anybody any grief over dumping water. I will be primarily using it on my own property to clean up after working in the woods. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayakthecoast Posted June 28, 2015 Author Share Posted June 28, 2015 I mostly boondock camp so regs don't apply! If I'm at a state park I use their showers. Shower kit just arrived so I'm about to get stuck in. I'm hoping I can keep my oven in place and simply shorten my under oven draw and have shower access box right behind it. Hard part will be attaching plumbing with cabinet still in. Think it's possible though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted June 28, 2015 Share Posted June 28, 2015 I mostly boondock camp so regs don't apply! If I'm at a state park I use their showers. Shower kit just arrived so I'm about to get stuck in. I'm hoping I can keep my oven in place and simply shorten my under oven draw and have shower access box right behind it. Hard part will be attaching plumbing with cabinet still in. Think it's possible though. Pretty sure that will work. This is probably the wrong part but if you could attach something like this to your sink pipes and then hook it to your outside shower with flexible hose http://www.rvupgradestore.com/Tees-p/88-8701.htm http://www.ebay.com/itm/like/391103885475?lpid=82&chn=ps Yes everyone I know they are all the wrong sizes. This is just an example Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail powered Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 I mostly boondock camp so regs don't apply! If I'm at a state park I use their showers. Shower kit just arrived so I'm about to get stuck in. I'm hoping I can keep my oven in place and simply shorten my under oven draw and have shower access box right behind it. Hard part will be attaching plumbing with cabinet still in. Think it's possible though. You will have a good sized space to work in if you take the stove out during the project. Propane line to unscrew plus a few screws holding the cabinet in. Essentially that opens the cabinet up without removing the cabinet itself. Removing the stove was not all that bad. It will easily fit through the passenger door in the cab with that seat removed. I was able to handle the stove removal by myself as it is not very heavy. I did not put mine back in as I found upon removal the backside of it was rusted out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayakthecoast Posted June 30, 2015 Author Share Posted June 30, 2015 Decided to put mine on other side after all. Behind closet drawers and just above the access to electrical hookup. Used 2 dremel tools to cut access hole and had to cut some of the drawer frame back a bit. It will be easy to t connect to my shower plumbing too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToyoGuy Posted July 11, 2015 Share Posted July 11, 2015 Nice looking install! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whyverne14 Posted July 11, 2015 Share Posted July 11, 2015 I have a faucet to hose adapter. Screws into the faucet and then I attach my water hose and put it out the window. Adapter cost about 50 cents and takes up no room. I always carry the hose anyway. Less is more Linda S Oh boy, you come up with the best ideas! I like that, I'm going to do that. I seldom use the shower, I'm too big. I mostly use it for storage. Even at public showers I usually wash down in my swimsuit because the public showers are often wet everywhere and sometimes not so clean. That way I go back to the Dolphin and change clothes in dryness and comfort. I could do the same outside the sink window if there is no public shower. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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