very nice i am going to build my own soon as for the water i want to be able to run without electric so i bought a bottle of roundup empty of course and i get a full shower all i do is pump it a few times and it continues to spray i ve read of other sorces that are made but they were more costly and could only be ordered i enjoy watching your video ty
what i wold do to heat the water in the shower is run a black tube up onto the roof and run it back on forth like in a curved xigzag patern and then run it back into the van into the shower head or even a T firing on the pump and a shower valve/handel to controle the amount of hot water (frome the black tubing) and cold wate (right out of the jug) just an idea
Hey Rick what you could have done for the water drainage was stick a triangle pice of wood in the corner where the drain is in under the floor liner and that would help direct most of the water into the drain. :o)
many narrow boats, including live aboards use vinyl flooring to line showers and I personally have not seen any leaking problems apart from bad joint sealing
Regarding your shower room, what kind of material did you use for the wall that runs up the van's side panel (not the 2 freestanding walls or the door)?
I was thinking about possibly using 4 mil plywood to curve up the side panel, then 1/2" inch thick plywood for the 2 freestanding walls, and finally just a simple shower curtain (instead of a door) to close off the shower room.
A local home center salesperson told me that vinyl flooring is not good for "wet" applications because it is not waterproof. Have you had any issues with water leaks (or anything else) with your lino wall liner? Thanks.
@yamsack1 Had no issues at all. Ordinarily i'll only be using the shower in nice warm weather, so any unknown leaks will quickly dry - bearing in mind how hot the van gets when the sun bakes it.
I just tested out my portable shower using a 5 gallon (18 liter) shower bag. I barely was able to finish a shower using all of the the water. May I ask how you're able to take a good shower with only 10 liters of water? Thanks.
@yamsack1 I invented this great technique: Get yourself soaking wet then turn off the water. Apply shampoo, rinse quickly, then turn off water again. Apply shampoo again plus shower gel all over your body, then turn on the water and rinse with the remiander you have left. 10 liters gives me about 3 1/2 minutes total of water flow. Of course the flow-rate of the shower head will influence this considerably, so if you have different settings on it, use the one that consumes least water
Very interesting idea with the solar heated unit. I use a solar shower I bought commercially although your idea seems to be much more practicle. It does get very hot - in fact too hot to wash normally sometimes and cold water is needed!
Can you please tell me what the model number is to your pump & also what type of switch would I have to wire it to ? thanks!!! blessings!!! keep up the gr8 work!!!
Rick thanks for the great videos man, givin me loads of ideas. I would like to ask, what is the measurements for your shower/toilet room? I see you have it behind the drivers seat if I am not mistaken, thats where I was thinking of puting mine, wasnt sure of space as I still want a walkway to the back of the van.
@Puelof Not sure what you mean by 'shocking'? The grey water collects in the grey water tanks underneath the van - you can then empty them at a suitable disposal point or into a drain.
So glad found your videos. Incredibly staightforward advice on self builds!!
One thing that i am having difficulty with is knowing what kind of wires to use to set up zig units, 12v lighting and such as well as which fuses, if any, to have in place.
Can you suggest a definitive site to explain clearly? Or a book or PDF or something?
Once again, thanks a load for a great set of videos!!
@youbryandarragh Thanks - also got a new self-build video going up tomorrow. I'm not sure about the wiring, soory. I used 13 amp 2-core household wire! - much cheaper than automotive. Used it for 7 years so far with no worries.
@sikesterone Yes, small gap at the top of the door, plus a 12v DC computer fan plumbed onto the wall at the top R/H corner - facing forward into the cab area.
Hey Rick, I would like to know how you get privacy In your van Whean you get out of the shower, What do you use to cover the windows? I Need some idea Because a little Car Window sheald wont work because the window being twice the size Of a sadans Window/Windsheld
@OKnight1Roger I use silver screens specially designed for the van - they use suckers to stick to the inside of the windscreen. Google "silver screens"
@OKnight1Roger i used conti- board which is 1/2 inch thick chipboard laminated with a wood effect. the only downside is the weight - its quite heavy. the proper stuff to use is called something like 'voringher board' but it's ridiculously expensive.
Hey man, love your videos. Hope you had a great Christmas! I particularly like these caravan videos, but was wondering how you arrange the 3 waste tanks. Are you stationary when you use them? How are they arranged? Why 3?
I couldn't find much on google about them you see.
@eze2007showzen Thanks. the waste tank system was completely home made purely for the purposes of saving a ton of cash. I used 3 plastic jerry cans and linked them together with pipes and fibre glass. They are strapped to the botton of the van on a sheet of weatherproof plywood and galvenised steel banding. You can buy a single tank designed for your van but it will cost at least 20x as much as I paid for DIY. You can use the waste (grey water) tanks when stationary or on the move.
Hello Rick, from the looks of what I can see of your van I can see it is bigger then mine, I am limited on space and was wondering if you can give me a good guess about the dimensions of your shower LxWxH. I am like you, building it from scratch and trying to save some money in the process. Any info would be great, your video sure did set me off in the right direction, valuable info in the vid nice job and thanks, Joe.
@rickvanman Thanks Rick, this will give me a good idea of how much room I will actually need. I didn't think of putting the pot in the same area until I seen your vid so that is going to consolidate the project and maybe save me a bit of room. I have a 1982 Dodge Camper Maxi Van and I am the original owner. For the most part it has been in storage and now that I am driving it around people still give me complements. Its just time to remodel the inside which never had a bath. Thks again Rick
@MrExcogitate I did look into an Eiberspatcher system, but decided I just didn't need it - definitely not worth paying £500+for something I've already got sussed out and working perfectly well. .
thank you for understanding the importance of having a shower/toliet in a camper! it seems pretty obvious to me but people are buying/making campers without one which makes no sense!
@senseofstile Drain tank was made up of 3 smaller 10L water containers linked together and strapped to the underside of the van with galvanised builders band. The door was a sheet of conti-board. The pump came from a local caravan accessory shop.
I was thinking about using West Marine epoxy over plywood with fiberglass tape in the corners like stitch and glue boats. Your way looks quick and easy . Zodi makes an inexpensive portable water heater. You can drop the intake into a bucket or istall it.
very nice i am going to build my own soon as for the water i want to be able to run without electric so i bought a bottle of roundup empty of course and i get a full shower all i do is pump it a few times and it continues to spray i ve read of other sorces that are made but they were more costly and could only be ordered i enjoy watching your video ty
Dynapro100 3 months ago
hey Rick
what i wold do to heat the water in the shower is run a black tube up onto the roof and run it back on forth like in a curved xigzag patern and then run it back into the van into the shower head or even a T firing on the pump and a shower valve/handel to controle the amount of hot water (frome the black tubing) and cold wate (right out of the jug) just an idea
alec4672 3 months ago
What is that round thing in your shower beside your mirror?
OKnight1Roger 3 months ago
@OKnight1Roger its a small 12v fan (PC fan) used as an extractor - works well too :o)
rickvanman 3 months ago
What song is this and where can i get it?
OKnight1Roger 3 months ago
Hey Rick what you could have done for the water drainage was stick a triangle pice of wood in the corner where the drain is in under the floor liner and that would help direct most of the water into the drain. :o)
OKnight1Roger 3 months ago
many narrow boats, including live aboards use vinyl flooring to line showers and I personally have not seen any leaking problems apart from bad joint sealing
sailerman1951 4 months ago
Just wanted to say that I really like your videos. Clear consise and very cost affective solutions. I like it.
gcc420 5 months ago
Hi Rick,
Regarding your shower room, what kind of material did you use for the wall that runs up the van's side panel (not the 2 freestanding walls or the door)?
I was thinking about possibly using 4 mil plywood to curve up the side panel, then 1/2" inch thick plywood for the 2 freestanding walls, and finally just a simple shower curtain (instead of a door) to close off the shower room.
yamsack1 5 months ago
@yamsack1 The van came with a plywood inner skin throughout - i just attached the lino to that using contact adhesive.
rickvanman 5 months ago
hi, where did you get your self-priming pump from? I've looked everywhere and cant find one like yours. thanks
ooosaeed 6 months ago
@ooosaeed eBay
rickvanman 5 months ago
Hi Rick,
A local home center salesperson told me that vinyl flooring is not good for "wet" applications because it is not waterproof. Have you had any issues with water leaks (or anything else) with your lino wall liner? Thanks.
yamsack1 6 months ago
@yamsack1 Had no issues at all. Ordinarily i'll only be using the shower in nice warm weather, so any unknown leaks will quickly dry - bearing in mind how hot the van gets when the sun bakes it.
rickvanman 6 months ago
Hi Rick,
I just tested out my portable shower using a 5 gallon (18 liter) shower bag. I barely was able to finish a shower using all of the the water. May I ask how you're able to take a good shower with only 10 liters of water? Thanks.
yamsack1 6 months ago
@yamsack1 I invented this great technique: Get yourself soaking wet then turn off the water. Apply shampoo, rinse quickly, then turn off water again. Apply shampoo again plus shower gel all over your body, then turn on the water and rinse with the remiander you have left. 10 liters gives me about 3 1/2 minutes total of water flow. Of course the flow-rate of the shower head will influence this considerably, so if you have different settings on it, use the one that consumes least water
rickvanman 6 months ago
Very interesting idea with the solar heated unit. I use a solar shower I bought commercially although your idea seems to be much more practicle. It does get very hot - in fact too hot to wash normally sometimes and cold water is needed!
alanheath 6 months ago
Can you please tell me what the model number is to your pump & also what type of switch would I have to wire it to ? thanks!!! blessings!!! keep up the gr8 work!!!
melanie91344 7 months ago
This has been flagged as spam show
Hi Rick how many donkeys would i need to pull that thing? And how small does the chicken coop have to be to fit in there,
MrCriticize 7 months ago
Rick thanks for the great videos man, givin me loads of ideas. I would like to ask, what is the measurements for your shower/toilet room? I see you have it behind the drivers seat if I am not mistaken, thats where I was thinking of puting mine, wasnt sure of space as I still want a walkway to the back of the van.
rowdyrhodie 8 months ago
@rowdyrhodie Glad u like the vids :o)
From memory it's about 24-26in wide and about 40in long, so not much room, but i still manage to pull a wetsuit on and off in there!
rickvanman 8 months ago
@rickvanman Thanks Rick, whats the chances you are local to Hampshire?
rowdyrhodie 8 months ago
Great vid Rick, thx for posting it.
You posted this Dec '09 - have you noticed the lino wall liner peeling up along the bottom edge ?
I usually cover those sorts of seams with a strip of aluminum trim to stick 'em down and dress them up a bit.
Not saying you should have, just adding to the 'knowledge pool'
Again , thx for posting this.
Subbed
DeadeyeLefty 8 months ago
how do you prevent it from shocking you when the self priming pump on. also what do you do with the used water? thanks for these videos
Puelof 9 months ago
@Puelof Not sure what you mean by 'shocking'? The grey water collects in the grey water tanks underneath the van - you can then empty them at a suitable disposal point or into a drain.
rickvanman 9 months ago
@rickvanman by shocking i meant that, when the shower is going wont the water come in contact to the pumps wire and electrocute you?
Puelof 9 months ago
@Puelof No, the pump is designed to be submersible - all the wiring is sealed. Plus it's only 12v DC - not really electrocution teritory :o)
rickvanman 9 months ago
I was gonna like it but i noticed the number is at 69 so i'm not gonna spoil it !!
8tgr 10 months ago
Great video...
smokies2789 1 year ago
Hey Rick
So glad found your videos. Incredibly staightforward advice on self builds!!
One thing that i am having difficulty with is knowing what kind of wires to use to set up zig units, 12v lighting and such as well as which fuses, if any, to have in place.
Can you suggest a definitive site to explain clearly? Or a book or PDF or something?
Once again, thanks a load for a great set of videos!!
youbryandarragh 1 year ago
@youbryandarragh Thanks - also got a new self-build video going up tomorrow. I'm not sure about the wiring, soory. I used 13 amp 2-core household wire! - much cheaper than automotive. Used it for 7 years so far with no worries.
rickvanman 1 year ago
@youbryandarragh do you have any ventalation for shower
sikesterone 9 months ago
@sikesterone Yes, small gap at the top of the door, plus a 12v DC computer fan plumbed onto the wall at the top R/H corner - facing forward into the cab area.
rickvanman 9 months ago
Hey Rick, I would like to know how you get privacy In your van Whean you get out of the shower, What do you use to cover the windows? I Need some idea Because a little Car Window sheald wont work because the window being twice the size Of a sadans Window/Windsheld
OKnight1Roger 1 year ago
@OKnight1Roger I use silver screens specially designed for the van - they use suckers to stick to the inside of the windscreen. Google "silver screens"
rickvanman 1 year ago
FANTASTIC!!!!!
SurvivingTheNWO 1 year ago
Im intrested In the Frame work in building the shower, How thick is the wood or whatever you used for the walls beside the lineo ?
OKnight1Roger 1 year ago
@OKnight1Roger i used conti- board which is 1/2 inch thick chipboard laminated with a wood effect. the only downside is the weight - its quite heavy. the proper stuff to use is called something like 'voringher board' but it's ridiculously expensive.
rickvanman 1 year ago
you rock
queen3616 1 year ago
nice
MrRazvanG 1 year ago
Hey man, love your videos. Hope you had a great Christmas! I particularly like these caravan videos, but was wondering how you arrange the 3 waste tanks. Are you stationary when you use them? How are they arranged? Why 3?
I couldn't find much on google about them you see.
eze2007showzen 1 year ago
@eze2007showzen Thanks. the waste tank system was completely home made purely for the purposes of saving a ton of cash. I used 3 plastic jerry cans and linked them together with pipes and fibre glass. They are strapped to the botton of the van on a sheet of weatherproof plywood and galvenised steel banding. You can buy a single tank designed for your van but it will cost at least 20x as much as I paid for DIY. You can use the waste (grey water) tanks when stationary or on the move.
rickvanman 1 year ago
You are full of ingenious ideas Rick! :-)
ThereAreNoSides 1 year ago
@ThereAreNoSides thanks :o)
rickvanman 1 year ago
What a fantastic idea to warm the water for the shower!
Morningsidenursery 1 year ago
Great video! thanks for sharing!
yinghonghaohan319 1 year ago
What brand is that little pump?
mrmikerotch 1 year ago
@mrmikerotch Whale
rickvanman 1 year ago
Hello Rick, from the looks of what I can see of your van I can see it is bigger then mine, I am limited on space and was wondering if you can give me a good guess about the dimensions of your shower LxWxH. I am like you, building it from scratch and trying to save some money in the process. Any info would be great, your video sure did set me off in the right direction, valuable info in the vid nice job and thanks, Joe.
SendinK9 1 year ago
@SendinK9 Hi Joe, glad the video was useful. Just measured the shower - 25inches wide by 35inches long by 66in tall.
cheers.
rickvanman 1 year ago
@rickvanman Thanks Rick, this will give me a good idea of how much room I will actually need. I didn't think of putting the pot in the same area until I seen your vid so that is going to consolidate the project and maybe save me a bit of room. I have a 1982 Dodge Camper Maxi Van and I am the original owner. For the most part it has been in storage and now that I am driving it around people still give me complements. Its just time to remodel the inside which never had a bath. Thks again Rick
SendinK9 1 year ago
@SendinK9 no probs ;o)
rickvanman 1 year ago
@SuperSexyBoiGod have u tryed this?
crappymeal 1 year ago
Where do you or may I get these SAME pumps? Im in the US so.. The name may be diffferent..Thanks!
855h0le 1 year ago
Have you looked into tankless on demand hot water heaters? I believe you can find both propane and electric models.
MrExcogitate 1 year ago
@MrExcogitate I did look into an Eiberspatcher system, but decided I just didn't need it - definitely not worth paying £500+for something I've already got sussed out and working perfectly well. .
rickvanman 1 year ago
thank you for understanding the importance of having a shower/toliet in a camper! it seems pretty obvious to me but people are buying/making campers without one which makes no sense!
persebra 1 year ago
when do you have to chage the drain tanks every time or sometimes
JJSFREETIME 1 year ago
@JJSFREETIME I leave the drain taps open all the time unless I'm on a site where I close them and empty the tanks at the earliest oppertunity.
rickvanman 1 year ago
Where did you get the pump, door, and drain tank?
senseofstile 1 year ago
@senseofstile Drain tank was made up of 3 smaller 10L water containers linked together and strapped to the underside of the van with galvanised builders band. The door was a sheet of conti-board. The pump came from a local caravan accessory shop.
rickvanman 1 year ago
I was thinking about using West Marine epoxy over plywood with fiberglass tape in the corners like stitch and glue boats. Your way looks quick and easy . Zodi makes an inexpensive portable water heater. You can drop the intake into a bucket or istall it.
carolinatinpan 1 year ago
interesting idea - not sure i can construct a box that wouldnt self destruct at 90mph
rickvanman 2 years ago
I knew you would use one of those pumps but I thought you would have opted for a fixed storage tank though.
Zeamus634 2 years ago
A mobile tank is 100% more versatile and easier to add hot water to (or leave in the sun to warm up)
rickvanman 2 years ago
What's with the A1 printer in the background, are you a self employed canvasser or something?
Zeamus634 2 years ago
indeed I am :o)
rickvanman 2 years ago
mastic or however you spell that...we call caulk!
MicheleMidnight 2 years ago
Caulk sounds so chalky!
rickvanman 2 years ago
it is what is is yo...lol
MicheleMidnight 2 years ago
d:o)
rickvanman 2 years ago
How much money do you think you saved by making it yourself?
baddogonline 2 years ago
about £20k
rickvanman 2 years ago
Whoa, this was really cool.
RagingConflagration 2 years ago
thanks
rickvanman 2 years ago
Homebuilt solar heated shower, very clever, and economical. I'm actually surprised you had room for a shower.
FenderGibsonWashburn 2 years ago
Cheers Paul. Yes having a shower in such a small van surprises many people.
rickvanman 2 years ago
great idea for the shower, i'd have never thought of that!
abraxxus27315 2 years ago
wow thats so cool
want2bes 2 years ago
That sorted a major problem for me ... thanks
dobe762 2 years ago
Thats cool but I think i would need about a 200 gallon water tank hahhaha
MrHollick 2 years ago
Indeed the water can run out quickly if not used conservatively - could be disasterous if you are still covered in shower gel! LOL!
rickvanman 2 years ago
@rickvanman I keep a second 40 litre tank to avoid that problem.
alanheath 6 months ago
Peace and Love!
CanadianBeaver 2 years ago
cool :)
goldenjabba 2 years ago
Wow.. I admire your ablilty to keep up so many interests going.. and document them.
JamesMRaymond 2 years ago 4