Shower system? (1 Viewer)

[Sac Cerevisiae]

Sorry but a hitch mounted water tank is not a great idea.

Check out this link to a DIY under-body / frame mounted water tank.

PVC Gray and Fresh Water Tanks for RVs and Vans- OurKaravan

We utilize PVC to build a custom water tank for our Sprinter van. PVC is easy to work with, durable and can be sized to your exact specification.

ourkaravan.com

This would keep the COG lower than a roof rack mounted setup. Since gravity would no longer work, you'd either need to pressurize it using an air compressor or rely on your city's pressure. The alternative would be to use a pump but that would seem to go against your preferences.

 

[rlynch356]

Interference with the tailgate, that tank does not say it is for potable water, its 3.8 gallons which you might be able to get a quick shower out of it but if your passing it though a heater you need a pump anyway..

No idea why one would want it on the hitch other than if you're using it to rinse off your boots.
I also don't understand the allure of the air pressurized systems since pumps are cheap and they work.

Why wouldn't you just put the water inside the truck in a tank in the back, Front runner makes great solutions for this in various sizes and configurations.
Off-Road Tough Vehicle Water Carrying Tanks | Front Runner or you can just buy a ready made tank from an RV supplier in the size and shape you need and mount it wherever is convent.

But hey its your truck, and your choices.

 

[linuxgod]

Interference with the tailgate, that tank does not say it is for potable water, its 3.8 gallons which you might be able to get a quick shower out of it but if your passing it though a heater you need a pump anyway..

No idea why one would want it on the hitch other than if you're using it to rinse off your boots.
I also don't understand the allure of the air pressurized systems since pumps are cheap and they work.

Why wouldn't you just put the water inside the truck in a tank in the back, Front runner makes great solutions for this in various sizes and configurations.
Off-Road Tough Vehicle Water Carrying Tanks | Front Runner or you can just buy a ready made tank from an RV supplier in the size and shape you need and mount it wherever is convent.

But hey its your truck, and your choices.

I can see wanting to keep it out of the cab, either for space reasons or because if it leaks it'll make a wet mess. That said just mount a plastic tank under the truck and like you said use a Shurflo pump. They are quiet, they only draw 5-6A while running, and will pressurize to 45psi.

 

[indycole]

@Sac Cerevisiae Everyone has their needs and prefs. In my case, I don't want any additional boxes/tubes hanging off the truck, especially when I can tuck them away in the engine bay. This vehicle is going to go a lot of places, cover a lot of varied terrain, and that includes the streets of New York, the wilderness, and everything in between. I want to keep the vehicle sleek on the inside and be able to press a button and go as much as possible. Also, this vehicle is mostly for work. I already use massive amounts of other gear unrelated to the vehicle--huge cases of stuff I need to load/unload/setup/and operate--so I don't want to pile more stuff on to manage. Press a power button in the dash, connect the hose, wait a bit for heat, and then go--that's what I need, and the spirit of what I need for everything on this vehicle, really.

Since it's not a family camping vehicle, I'm not going to be doing much cooking. I'm the guy with the empty fridge who forgot how to turn on his stove at home. In the exceptional cases of having a cookout, I'd just bring a portable stove.

If I were in your shoes, I'd explore and try to refine something like this (assuming you won't be traveling extensively in below-freezing weather... if you want this to work in cold weather then you are pretty much stuck with jerry cans and interior tanks) if you want to optimize usability and convenience at the sake of "behind the scenes" complexity and cost:

• Under-mounted 20 gallon-ish main tank (or whatever you think you need... I'd recommend discounting the total volume by 10-20% depending on shape to get the total usable water)
• Under-mounted 5 gallon-ish mixing tank
• 1 pump that sucks water through the heat exchanger into the mixing tank
• 1 solenoid valve that lets you direct water either through the heat exchange or into the mixing tank
• [some kind of valving/pumping system to mix and manage the water temperature and extract it from the tanks for showering, etc.]
• Accessible panel, perhaps cut into the quarter exterior quarter panel if you're considering major surgery, to manage the whole setup
  • Fill spout for the main tank
  • Fill level of main tank
  • Fill level of mixing tank
  • Temperature of mixing tank
  • Solenoid valve switch
  • Pump on/off switch
  • Entire system on/off (so you're not always reading your fill levels)
  • etc.

Once you factor in fittings, drains, vents, a likely accumulator, tank access points for cleaning, etc. you'll recognize that this gets complicated pretty fast. I've done a few different OBW setups in the 200 and have settled on what I've found to be a nice balance, but it's still hard to beat the simplicity of stuff like Nemo Solar Showers, Jerry Cans, simple propane/isobutane heaters, and sump pumps.

 

[rlynch356]

I can see wanting to keep it out of the cab, either for space reasons or because if it leaks it'll make a wet mess. That said just mount a plastic tank under the truck and like you said use a Shurflo pump. They are quiet, they only draw 5-6A while running, and will pressurize to 45psi.

that too.. a bit more fab involved with a tank mounted under the truck, but nothing special to get it in the spare tire well, but that of course requires a rear tire carrier bumper, usually. 10-12 gallons is a perfectly useable amount for 2-3 days of showing and camp duties. A decent shower takes about 4 gallons with an On/Off sprayer running though my heater.

My system fits in a wolf box minus the water tank, normally I just use a water jerry can as the supply with the pump (mounted) sucking directly out of it. Simple, and quick time to the shower.
.

 

[BloggerL]

Yes, inside the vehicle is a no-go to the gear in there. Don't want a water tank next to my lenses, microphones, electronic gimbals, and computer gear--most of which is custom and took months of custom fabrication to create. I also don't really have an available space for it inside the truck anyway, given my other plans for things that absolutely have to go inside the truck, like the Yeti power station. Plus, I intend to get skids, and I'm not sure I like the idea of a water tank I can't inspect. I also want to reserve the space there for a an aux gas tank in case I decide I need one. So a lot of reasons for me for mounting a tank on the hitch. But maybe the Waterport is not so great, and I need to consider other options.

With the Glind system, I don't think the water needs to be pressured. The pump in the engine bay just pulls out the water. Or could there be issues with a vacuum being created? Not sure how that works.

@indycole That seems like a lot, honestly. The Glind system with the thermostatic valve locates everything except the water source and water outlet into the engine and doesn't require "surgery," so that seems much preferable to me.

 

[linuxgod]

that too.. a bit more fab involved with a tank mounted under the truck, but nothing special to get it in the spare tire well, but that of course requires a rear tire carrier bumper, usually. 10-12 gallons is a perfectly useable amount for 2-3 days of showing and camp duties. A decent shower takes about 4 gallons with an On/Off sprayer running though my heater.

My system fits in a wolf box minus the water tank, normally I just use a water jerry can as the supply with the pump (mounted) sucking directly out of it. Simple, and quick time to the shower.

Given the smallest LRA tank fits between the tire and the trunk, I'm thinking you could leave the spare below and still mount a ~12 gallon tank under there. I'm not sure the effort to custom fab the dimensions though

My boys and I can quick shower in my trailer with less than 2 gallons. The girls need more like 5-6.

 

[pwag]

FWIW, we like the Geyser Systems portable shower. Each family member has their own sponge. Both kids can shower with 1gal total, wife needs about 1.25G due to long hair. When water is hard to come by in desert, it's especially ideal. Relatively compact and hassle-free. I keep 3-4 20L Scepters onboard for drink/cook/shower, depending on how little water I anticipate being able to pump from lakes/stream(via Katadyn) or fill while traveling through civilization. Generally only shower with filtered or potable fill water due to kids tendency to drink shower water, but occasionally use bucketed lake water + Ivation battery powered shower if it's a quality lake on a hot day. Will often get Geyser running between camps or pit stops to have it hot upon arrival. Or we jetboil a liter or so to mix in to get it going faster if in a rush. Unless on the road for more than a few months at a time, definitely an option to consider. We found it easy to do 1-5wk trips with this setup with two sub-4yr old children in a 200. Geyser + Ivation/collapsible bucket + body wipes/microfiber + dr bronners soap + deodorant goes a long way.

Geyser Systems Portable Shower with Heater | REI Co-op

Basecamp always running out of water? The Geyser Systems portable shower and cleaning system with built-in heating lets you wash your gear—or yourself—with less than 1 gallon of water.

www.rei.com

 

[BloggerL]

Update: I've pulled the trigger on the Glind system. Orders are in for parts. But still figuring out the tank. I'd love to find a bigger and better alt to the Waterport for hitch mounting. I will keep folks apprised of how this turns out for anyone interested on my build thread and crosslink here.

 

[wiseinvestor]

I messed around this year with building an on board water system for showers and spraying off gear. I went with a 15 gallon tank in the cargo area, a pump, and an on demand water heater. It works really well for long hot showers and it's great to have pressurized water at camp. However, this is a temporary experiment more than a suggestion for others. IMHO there are a lot of downsides to water inside the vehicle, potential leaks, space/weight, harder to refill when traveling to name a few. I'm already working on the replacement for this.

 

[bemerritt]

Ive been pondering a water setup. My idea revolves around mounting a water tank in my Jerry can basket on the rear bumper. Could easily get 15 gallons permanently plumbed to a pump mounted below it. Of course i need my long range fuel tank first so the fuel Jerry’s become obsolete.

 

[BloggerL]

Check this out, guys--a water tank that mimics the shape of the spare tire and mounts to the factory spare location: Shop | Trail'd. Each one holds 6 gallons, and you can stack up to 3 of them if you want, for 18 gallons total.

I like the stacking approach, because if you hit a rock and puncture the lowest container, you have a good chance of still being alright on the other containers.

I'm might get this product and relocate my spare tire to a swing-out hitch arm.

Edit: 3rd-party writeup with lots of pics here: Trailed 6-Gallon "Spare" Tank Overview & DIY Guide For 5th Gen 4Runner

 

[cboyd]

that’s clever for sure. Only problem - my spare hanger is long gone! I wonder if we’ll see a run on these in the junkyards now...

 

[rlynch356]

well I guess you would avoid having something custom made for the space.
Side note.. they do not seem to be vented and only have the one cap so plumbing them up to use in place could be problematic, the pump will create suction in the tank. I assume they are meant just as water storage tanks, so you would remove them to use them.

Its innovative though

something like this could be easier to use.. 25 Gallon Polyethylene Water/Waste Tank - Sprinter Van - really just doing one 1/2 this size would be enough for normal camping.

 

[BloggerL]

Side note.. they do not seem to be vented and only have the one cap so plumbing them up to use in place could be problematic, the pump will create suction in the tank. I assume they are meant just as water storage tanks, so you would remove them to use them.

I confess to not fully understanding these issues, but wouldn't having the shower nozzle open/spraying at the other end of the line create a reduction in pressure and allow the pump to pull water from the sealed tank? With a pressure-sensing pump, the pump would then only activate when the nozzle was being squeezed/used. Intuitively, it seems to me the vacuum issue would only apply to a closed loop.

 

[indycole]

I confess to not fully understanding these issues, but wouldn't having the shower nozzle open/spraying at the other end of the line create a reduction in pressure and allow the pump to pull water from the sealed tank? With a pressure-sensing pump, the pump would then only activate when the nozzle was being squeezed/used. Intuitively, it seems to me the vacuum issue would only apply to a closed loop.

Theoretically, if the pump is powerful enough and the connections are air-tight, then the tank would eventually collapse into itself from the vacuum without a vent. You need the vent to replace the displaced water with air to maintain the flow rate. Realistically, what'd you'd find is that the pump stops pulling water, the fittings start leaking, or the tubing collapses. The tubing would probably fail first unless it's reinforced.

 

[wiseinvestor]

I confess to not fully understanding these issues, but wouldn't having the shower nozzle open/spraying at the other end of the line create a reduction in pressure and allow the pump to pull water from the sealed tank? With a pressure-sensing pump, the pump would then only activate when the nozzle was being squeezed/used. Intuitively, it seems to me the vacuum issue would only apply to a closed loop.

Think about pouring liquid out of say a gas can without the air valve open to allow the pressure inside the can to equalize. That's all I think he saying. The pump would be working to suck the liquid out and the tank would want to collapse on itself. The tank I used had an opening in the top that can be closed, vented or, removed.

 

[wiseinvestor]

Theoretically, if the pump is powerful enough and the connections are air-tight, then the tank would eventually collapse into itself from the vacuum without a vent. You need the vent to replace the displaced water with air to maintain the flow rate. Realistically, what'd you'd find is that the pump stops pulling water, the fittings start leaking, or the tubing collapses. The tubing would probably fail first unless it's reinforced.

lol I think we were typing at the same time.

 

[BloggerL]

Okay. So could this "spare-tire" tank be modified with some sort of pressure release?

 

[indycole]

Okay. So could this "spare-tire" tank be modified with some sort of pressure release?

Sure, just install a vent line.