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Classicvibe Samba Member
Joined: August 03, 2009 Posts: 743 Location: Salt Lake City
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Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2010 8:45 pm Post subject: How bad do I want that hot shower? |
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This guy has for the most part created what I have drawn up for my van. But, my god, seeing it all together like that, I think this just requires too much. Really this is for the fam, because I can surely get by with a fraction of this.
I don't mind toting around propane because there are many good uses. The hoses, meh, no big deal. Mounting a water pump and wiring it up...I think that could work fine. The 23"x6"x14" heater? Jeebus, that thing is huge.
Any ideas on reducing that clunky POS? _________________ On a mission, the destination is just an excuse.
Syncro Solstice 2022...see you there!
1986.5 Wolfsburg Syncro Westfalia Poptop Weekender Transporter |
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VisPacem Samba Member
Joined: July 15, 2007 Posts: 1143 Location: Las Vegas
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Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2010 8:54 pm Post subject: Re: How bad do I want that hot shower? |
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Classicvibe wrote: |
This guy has for the most part created what I have drawn up for my van. But, my god, seeing it all together like that, I think this just requires too much. Really this is for the fam, because I can surely get by with a fraction of this.
I don't mind toting around propane because there are many good uses. The hoses, meh, no big deal. Mounting a water pump and wiring it up...I think that could work fine. The 23"x6"x14" heater? Jeebus, that thing is huge.
Any ideas on reducing that clunky POS? |
Pilgrim you stutter _________________ LG aka VisPacemPB, *The* party Pooper
No Regrets (Nothing to do with Vanagons) |
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Classicvibe Samba Member
Joined: August 03, 2009 Posts: 743 Location: Salt Lake City
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Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2010 9:16 pm Post subject: Re: How bad do I want that hot shower? |
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VisPacem wrote: |
Pilgrim you stutter |
Huh?
I have been mulling this one over for a while, but the reviews make it sound like this things is a junker.
Link
The instant hot water for a cup of joe is awesome, and it is much smaller as well. Not sure if it stays hot enough for a shower, as it shows someone manually holding the hot setting. I like the fact that you can hook it up to a tank, but the fact that you have to use their water source is just LAME. _________________ On a mission, the destination is just an excuse.
Syncro Solstice 2022...see you there!
1986.5 Wolfsburg Syncro Westfalia Poptop Weekender Transporter |
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carterzest Samba Member
Joined: January 22, 2008 Posts: 3842 Location: Eagle, ID/Sun Valley, ID
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Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2010 9:50 pm Post subject: Re: How bad do I want that hot shower? |
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VisPacem wrote: |
Classicvibe wrote: |
This guy has for the most part created what I have drawn up for my van. But, my god, seeing it all together like that, I think this just requires too much. Really this is for the fam, because I can surely get by with a fraction of this.
I don't mind toting around propane because there are many good uses. The hoses, meh, no big deal. Mounting a water pump and wiring it up...I think that could work fine. The 23"x6"x14" heater? Jeebus, that thing is huge.
Any ideas on reducing that clunky POS? |
Pilgrim you stutter |
Oh, you are talking about the other exactly titled thread with a link to a shower instead of this one without a link? I confuse _________________ Happiness=Portland, Oregon in the rearview mirror! |
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kamzcab86 Samba Moderator
Joined: July 26, 2008 Posts: 7925 Location: Arizona
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Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2010 9:52 pm Post subject: Re: How bad do I want that hot shower? |
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"Vis" is probably referring to the fact you made two threads, except this one doesn't have the link.
Anyway, I prefer to haul around as little as possible and the smaller the items the better. My van came with the Zodi Hot Shower: http://www.zodi.com/Consumer/zodihottaptravelshower.html . I've yet to use it (hopefully will on an upcoming trip), but the reviews are pretty positive. It's compact, not heavy and costs less than that DIY version and the Coleman. It's not as "whiz-bang" as the Coleman, but "whiz-bang" isn't what gets this girl to buy a product. _________________ ~Kamz
1986 Cabriolet: www.Cabby-Info.com
1990 Vanagon Westfalia: Old Blue's Blog
2016 Golf GTI S
"Real knowledge is to know the extent of one's ignorance." - 孔子 |
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Corwyn Samba Member
Joined: December 29, 2009 Posts: 2239 Location: Olympia, Washington
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Classicvibe Samba Member
Joined: August 03, 2009 Posts: 743 Location: Salt Lake City
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Posted: Sun Sep 12, 2010 10:01 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks for the heads up...the other is deleted. I edited that post the minute after I submitted it. Not sure how that caused the 2X.
Anyway, here is that link:
http://www.campertrailers.org/water_heater.htm _________________ On a mission, the destination is just an excuse.
Syncro Solstice 2022...see you there!
1986.5 Wolfsburg Syncro Westfalia Poptop Weekender Transporter |
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Jon_slider Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2007 Posts: 5091 Location: Santa Cruz, Crowdifornia
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Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 6:55 am Post subject: |
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Hot shower on demand installation
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4057487#4057487
a hand pump shower, you have to heat the water first, or fill it from a hot faucet
http://www.wetsandsurfshop.com/product.asp?prodid=2928
a battery powered shower pump, drop it into a container with hot water and youre done
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=3337346#3337346
and here is a thread with a link to the $200 roadshower, and clear PVC pipe, if you want to make your own roadshower
http://www.thesamba.com/vw/forum/viewtopic.php?p=4760299#4760299
personally any shower that is solar, including the roadshower, is a non starter in most of the places I need hot water, which is, when I park in the shade, when I park in the fog, and when I park in the snow.. for me solar showers dont work in winter sun either.. |
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danfromsyr Samba Member
Joined: March 01, 2004 Posts: 15144 Location: Syracuse, NY
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Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 6:56 am Post subject: |
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a search on "Propane Shower"
Jon_slider wrote: |
> here is Bills shower and schematic
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Abscate wrote: |
These are the reasons we have words like “wanker” |
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Classicvibe Samba Member
Joined: August 03, 2009 Posts: 743 Location: Salt Lake City
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Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 7:50 am Post subject: |
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Regarding the above install:
That unit gets too dang hot IMHO, and off-gasses. I have been kicking around a swing-away adaption that would get that out of the cab when functioning, otherwise that schematic is helpful, thanks. _________________ On a mission, the destination is just an excuse.
Syncro Solstice 2022...see you there!
1986.5 Wolfsburg Syncro Westfalia Poptop Weekender Transporter |
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ranchero Samba Member
Joined: October 11, 2006 Posts: 359 Location: Salida, CO
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Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 8:26 am Post subject: |
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Classicvibe wrote: |
Regarding the above install:
That unit gets too dang hot IMHO, and off-gasses. I have been kicking around a swing-away adaption that would get that out of the cab when functioning, otherwise that schematic is helpful, thanks. |
I have that setup and can vouch for how hot it gets. I absolutely would not put it inside the cabinet like that. Vanagons spontaneously combust enough on their own. I had one hanging off a bike handlebar (there is a handle at the top that is removed in that picture - sits about where the top of the cabinet is) and it melted a perfectly good XTR shifter - that was, again, about the same distance to the top of the cabinet in the installation in the picture.
Having said that, it is absolutely worth it for long trips. Three of us had hot showers every single day for 23 days. It needs a good water supply though. Three quick showers uses about 7 gallons of water (one of those blue cube containers).
I have a wood fired hot tub and occasionally get the heater out of the van to bring the hot tub up to temp in short order. Works great! _________________ '90 Westy Syncro EJ25 (money pit #1)
'96 FZJ80 (cheap by comparison^^)
'13 Golf R. Daily driver. |
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ranchero Samba Member
Joined: October 11, 2006 Posts: 359 Location: Salida, CO
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Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 8:32 am Post subject: Re: How bad do I want that hot shower? |
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Classicvibe wrote: |
snip,snip
Any ideas on reducing that clunky POS? |
I mounted the pump on the face of the heater. That and all the hoses fit into a 22"*12"*15.5" rubbermaid container. Not terribly bulky. I hang it off a piece of pipe that stores inside the Yakima rack crossbar _________________ '90 Westy Syncro EJ25 (money pit #1)
'96 FZJ80 (cheap by comparison^^)
'13 Golf R. Daily driver. |
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914 mike Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2005 Posts: 431
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Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 8:36 am Post subject: |
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Get one of those Solar showers from Big-5. Instead of filling it up with water and then letting it warm up on the hood of your car/top of bus, heat up a kettle of water on the stove, pour it into the bag and you will have a warm, inexpensive, very portable shower. _________________ Mike
84 Westy
2.2 Suby
In a world full of ponies it's a thoroughbred horse....
Can ≠ Should |
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Classicvibe Samba Member
Joined: August 03, 2009 Posts: 743 Location: Salt Lake City
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Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 8:37 am Post subject: |
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This is going to seem off-topic, but seriously, does anyone know where you can source different kinds of cantilever arms? I have two van projects that could use a cantilever (this being on of them), but all I can find are TV mounts.
Imagine rolling up to camp, cantilevering this around the side of the van for a shower - now we are talking. I am also considering a mount on the new RMW bumper swing-away. But wow, 7 gallons for 3 quick showers?!?! Yikes, how about propane consumption. At that rate, how many showers to kill say, one of those small propane canisters? Knowing what you know, would you consider that Coleman unit mentioned above? _________________ On a mission, the destination is just an excuse.
Syncro Solstice 2022...see you there!
1986.5 Wolfsburg Syncro Westfalia Poptop Weekender Transporter |
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Classicvibe Samba Member
Joined: August 03, 2009 Posts: 743 Location: Salt Lake City
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Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 8:42 am Post subject: |
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914 mike wrote: |
Get one of those Solar showers from Big-5. Instead of filling it up with water and then letting it warm up on the hood of your car/top of bus, heat up a kettle of water on the stove, pour it into the bag and you will have a warm, inexpensive, very portable shower. |
Mike, I realize this sounds, well, suburban of me, but being a systems person, I would like to centralize a single water source and a single fuel source and work from there. This reduces accidents and failures and learning curve and pains. By the time a get my stove out and hook it up just to heat a shatdload of water to pour over my head, I will be loony. Now enter wives and daughters...SEPPUKU!!!!! _________________ On a mission, the destination is just an excuse.
Syncro Solstice 2022...see you there!
1986.5 Wolfsburg Syncro Westfalia Poptop Weekender Transporter |
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ranchero Samba Member
Joined: October 11, 2006 Posts: 359 Location: Salida, CO
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Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 8:54 am Post subject: |
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Classicvibe wrote: |
snip, snip...
But wow, 7 gallons for 3 quick showers?!?! Yikes, how about propane consumption. At that rate, how many showers to kill say, one of those small propane canisters? Knowing what you know, would you consider that Coleman unit mentioned above? |
But 3 very luxurious hot showers! I lug around one of those standard barbeque size ones. I can't say for sure how long it lasted, but I know I didn't fill it on that 23 day trip. I've been looking for a better shower head - a low flow kind. The ignitor on the shower needs flow to ignite though, so I don't know how that will react to flow constricted by the shower head.
I had originally had a Zodi that sat on a Coleman stove for heat and had a little battery-powered pump. It was a POS.
We still use a solar shower most of the time. The elaborate setup is for longer trips and trips where we have to mix in some work. _________________ '90 Westy Syncro EJ25 (money pit #1)
'96 FZJ80 (cheap by comparison^^)
'13 Golf R. Daily driver. |
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914 mike Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2005 Posts: 431
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Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 9:36 am Post subject: |
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Its all give and take. The expense, presious space lost and time to engineer a system that an onboard hot water set up can provide just doesn't seem to be worth it IMHO. You already have an on-board water and fuel source. Is heating up a kettle of water on a stove really that much of an effort? Pouring it into a bag might be a little tricky. Hanging it from the rear hatch pretty simple.
How often are you really going to use your shower? If you're living out of your rig, maybe a fancy system would be worth it, but I think the K.I.S.S. shower is a much more sensible solution....
Just my $.02 _________________ Mike
84 Westy
2.2 Suby
In a world full of ponies it's a thoroughbred horse....
Can ≠ Should |
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Classicvibe Samba Member
Joined: August 03, 2009 Posts: 743 Location: Salt Lake City
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Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 9:52 am Post subject: |
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Agreed, but I should have mentioned, I have a weekender. My water and fuel are likely to be in the rear somewhere, with a line to a stove that mounts on the rear swing away. _________________ On a mission, the destination is just an excuse.
Syncro Solstice 2022...see you there!
1986.5 Wolfsburg Syncro Westfalia Poptop Weekender Transporter |
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914 mike Samba Member
Joined: May 03, 2005 Posts: 431
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Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 9:58 am Post subject: |
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Ahh.....weekender = big difference.
Good luck.... _________________ Mike
84 Westy
2.2 Suby
In a world full of ponies it's a thoroughbred horse....
Can ≠ Should |
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PDXWesty Samba Member
Joined: April 11, 2006 Posts: 6247 Location: Portland OR
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Posted: Mon Sep 13, 2010 9:59 am Post subject: |
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I think the Zodi is the way to go if you want hot water for the Westy. It's smaller and more portable and can be located away from the van if desired. If I had the need, that would be the unit I would get. _________________ 89 Westy 2.1 Auto |
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