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Old 01-30-2014, 08:16 AM   #1
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Adding shower wand: put it inside or outside the van?

One of the spring projects on my SMB to-do list is to add a shower wand to the van. I have a stock SMB water system, plumbed only to a sink. It's cold-water only (propane delete on the van).

I'm trying to decide between adding the wand and its control box just inside the back doors or cutting a hole in the van and putting it on the outside.

For simplicity's sake, putting it inside is certainly the easiest and least intrusive for the van. Downside is I have to open the rear door(s) whenever we want to use it. Functionally, though, I'm wondering if it would be more useful if it was directly accessible from the outside of the van. Downside to that, of course, is I have to cut a hole in my sheet metal!

I'd appreciate input from people who have it in either place. Pros/cons. What would you do differently if you had to spec it again?

I've considered SunShowers and other portable shower setups (we have one already), but would like the convenience of an on-board shower of some sort, even if it's only cold water.

Thanks!

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Old 01-30-2014, 08:18 AM   #2
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Re: Adding shower wand: put it inside or outside the van?

Is there a faucet adapter you could attach to the sink faucet, and run the hose out a window?


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Old 01-30-2014, 08:22 AM   #3
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Re: Adding shower wand: put it inside or outside the van?

I should have noted that part of the reason for this is that currently we have the sink and cabinet removed, as I used the space for a third captain's seat. The goal is to hook it back up, but I have to build a new cabinet and all that. This shower wand is kind of also a stop-gap measure to get us our on-board water back to some degree.
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Old 01-30-2014, 09:14 AM   #4
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Re: Adding shower wand: put it inside or outside the van?

If you have a "pass-through" interior design, having it inside near the back would let you open the rear doors, hang a curtain on a bar over the doors, and be able to shower and get directly back in the van. The downside is that you would also have a really good chance of spraying water into the van during your shower. Also, depending on the type of wand, you might have problems with water leaking onto the floor of the van when you disconnect the wand.

Ours is outside which is okay. If you decide to put it outside, just install it so that the hole you cut in the side of the van is low enough that any rain water which might get through past the gasket for the box will only run down the inside of the sheet metal to the ground and not end up trapped inside between the sheet metal and the interior walls. If you live where it freezes, you would also need a drain on that line.
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Old 01-30-2014, 12:38 PM   #5
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Re: Adding shower wand: put it inside or outside the van?

Cold water only? Can you just add a valve inside and tap off the pressure side of the water pump and route a water line to somewhere under the van like the gray water drain? Seems like you could use a drain valve like the gray water tank has, a quick release hose, or just a standard hose connector. Put a valve type shower wand on one of those coiled water hoses and screw it on when needed???
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Old 01-30-2014, 12:55 PM   #6
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Re: Adding shower wand: put it inside or outside the van?

Quote:
Originally Posted by daveb
Cold water only? Can you just add a valve inside and tap off the pressure side of the water pump and route a water line to somewhere under the van like the gray water drain? Seems like you could use a drain valve like the gray water tank has, a quick release hose, or just a standard hose connector. Put a valve type shower wand on one of those coiled water hoses and screw it on when needed???
Hmmm, hadn't thought of that! But it makes sense. I really don't need the full shower "box," per se. Was just doing it for cosmetics and convenience. Thanks!

A plus for having it out the back is the idea of having some sort of shower curtain rigged up. Yes, we have a pass-through design.
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Old 01-30-2014, 07:12 PM   #7
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Re: Adding shower wand: put it inside or outside the van?

I have no propane as well. I just put a quick release on the faucet and run a short hose out the side door on occasion. Don't use it enough to warrant all the bother of a box, etc. Just try a lengthy hose to see if it meets your needs, then modify if it doesn't.
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