Mel B Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Not THAT sort of shower question! :D I'm considering putting in an external shower connection to rinse off the dogs, us, canoes etc, although I know which housing etc I need, at the moment I've got my 'thick' head on and can't remember the answer to this question: How do I know if we have a microswitch system that requires a switch installing to turn the pump on and off, or whether we don't need one if the system is an 'on demand' pressurised one so just pressing the lever on the shower head will suffice. *-) Help me out guys ... my brain is numb today! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Probably Mel - and just a guess - if there are wires going to your taps it is a microswitch system and if no wires it is a pressure sensitive switch in the pump. Now go and have a nice shower and cool off! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ian81 Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Hi Mel As I recall you have a Chausson 04 -we have the same Challenger model and it is a presurissed system -so the pump starts to work as soon as the tap is turned on. Ian Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted July 20, 2011 Author Share Posted July 20, 2011 Thanks guys - that makes it easier to identify! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawcara Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Why not just hang the shower out of the washroom window. Appreciate one of you has to stand by the tap but it might make it more fun and it gives one of you a good excuse not to get wet! B-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted July 20, 2011 Author Share Posted July 20, 2011 I don't think trying to man- or woman-handle a wet dog or inflatable up to the window to be able to rinse them off is such a great idea!!! I think fitting a shower point is gonna be much easier in the long run. But thinking on though, I wonder if I can put something in the locker itself rather than install a 'through the side point' as the water pipes run through the locker anyway near the corner of the door and are easily accessible .... hmmmm ... might see if I can find something for that instead. I already have an external shower head with a connector and hose on which came from our Rapido (forgot to put them in when we sold it *-) ) so just need a way of connecting it to the cold water ... ... any ideas anyone? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tonyishuk Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Plan B (Might save some hassle ?) http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/CAMPING-SHOWER-12V-PORTABLE-PET-CARAVAN-OUTDOOR-BARGAIN-/150560010626 Rgds Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 Mel - if you get a shower head with a trigger operated valve on it and another length of shower hose with a joining coupling the open window idea might not be quite so bad? The thread is standard one so a threaded (but nutless!) 15mm compression fitting from Screwfix or any of the sheds ought to do the job? Or - if you bought a ball valved stop coupling similar to the one below it would also work and be a lot less hassle than a fitted shower point? http://www.screwfix.com/p/pegler-t-ball-valve-15mm-yellow/63367?_requestid=162330 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Randonneur Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 We have an external shower already fitted in our present motorhome. It is fixed in a bed locker. I will try to take a photo tomorrow when it is light. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cheetahdavie Posted July 20, 2011 Share Posted July 20, 2011 similar to tonishuk and plan B..there is an external shower in the Towsure catalogue Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jhorsf Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 Mel have you considered a solar shower? http://www.google.co.uk/products/catalog?hl=en&cp=8&gs_id=u&xhr=t&q=solar+shower&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.&biw=1366&bih=643&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=shop&cid=13992312724413418125&sa=X&ei=tWMnTvXuNc-DhQfkh8zmCQ&sqi=2&ved=0CDYQ8wIwAQ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chas Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 Hi- A few years ago I purchased a portable shower unit from Maplins. It comprises of a pump which is placed in a bucket of warm water, power unit which will accept batterys or plugs into 12v, and the showerhead on about 5ft of hose. It all packs away in a nice zip up bag. Ideal for pets or humans, if you dont fancy cleaning out the shower compartment. Advantage with it , allowing the water and mud washed off a pet to be kept away from the motorhome area. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 Tracker - 2011-07-20 6:17 PM ...if there are wires going to your taps it is a microswitch system and if no wires it is a pressure sensitive switch in the pump... A reasonable rule-of -thumb, but not 100% reliable. While it's true that wires leading from water taps will indicate that the taps have micro-switches, those micro-switches may operate a pressure-sensitive water pump. That's the 'hybrid' arrangement on my Hobby. It's certainly the norm to have either a system with no tap micro-switches + a pressure-sensitive pump, or a system with tap micro-switches + a non-pressure-sensitive submerged pump, but there are exceptions. In Mel's case it's been confirmed that Chausson uses the former arrangement, so adding an external shower should be straightforward: with my Hobby (or with any tap micro-switch-based system) it would be trickier. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crinklystarfish Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 Tend to agree that a self-contained portable kit is better, it doesn't tap into your own water supply (handy if not on sites) plus you could use warm water in one rather than freezing pooch / hairy husband etc. Of course external shower points could be rigged up with a mixer facility but I think all the standard external point kits are just designed for cold water extraction?It's a lot of faff and arguably inferior in every way to a dedicated portable kit. I've discounted the idea on my own self-build and will be using the CAK marketed portable. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 Since our old van (Hannibal - remember him?) didn't have a shower or bathroom, and only a cold water tap, I rigged up an outside shower for after-beach use (wearing cozzies OF COURSE). I used one of those hair-washing shower thingys you buy in pound shops - you know, two rubber bits to push onto the taps (although we adapted it for just the one), and a length of white pipe ending in a shower head. Because the one we got came with a little bracket to fit to the wall (which the shower head slotted into), I screwed the bracket onto the outside of the van, next ot the window nearest the sink. So maybe the "pipe through the window" approach is worth another look, if you can get the right bits. PS - thinking about thread title: have you noticed Mel, that people only mock you when you DON'T invite them to? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Tracker Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 crinklystarfish - 2011-07-21 9:10 AMTend to agree that a self-contained portable kit is better, it doesn't tap into your own water supply (handy if not on sites) plus you could use warm water in one rather than freezing pooch / hairy husband etc. Of course external shower points could be rigged up with a mixer facility but I think all the standard external point kits are just designed for cold water extraction?It's a lot of faff and arguably inferior in every way to a dedicated portable kit. I've discounted the idea on my own self-build and will be using the CAK marketed portable.Sorry to disagree - what a lot of faffing about with storage, filling, emptying and setting up - just to wash the dog off!Much easier to simply open the window and pass the shower head outside in my view?Not right or wrong - just different ways! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ips Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 Mel I am 95% certain that its a presurised system therefore you could tap into any water pipe for the shower, may I suggest that the easiest place would be from the boiler feed which as you know you can access very easily from the garage (its the lift out panel on the right as you open the door) you could then mount your shower in the garage on the right. Sounds like a good idea to me and pretty straightforward job. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Corky 8 Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 Hi Mel,Our Autotrail has an external shower point already fitted ,supplied by this firm, hope its of Help.http://www.bullfinch-gas.co.uk/index.php?page=shop.browse&category_id=16&option=com_virtuemart&Itemid=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted July 21, 2011 Author Share Posted July 21, 2011 ips - 2011-07-21 3:31 PM Mel I am 95% certain that its a presurised system therefore you could tap into any water pipe for the shower, may I suggest that the easiest place would be from the boiler feed which as you know you can access very easily from the garage (its the lift out panel on the right as you open the door) you could then mount your shower in the garage on the right. Sounds like a good idea to me and pretty straightforward job. Yup, that's exactly where I was thinking of putting it and tapping into (no pun intended!). I've just remembered that we've already got one of those 'ball joints' that Richard is on about as we bought it to replace another camper's waste valve but didn't use it ... where the heck it is though I'm not sure! We've already got one of the solar shower things but they don't hold much water or give much pressure, which is what we need for the canoes. Still not sure the hose out of the window would work as it would need to be quite long and messing about connecting and disconnecting it would be a pain. I did see the independent 12v kits (stick it in a bucket of water) jobbies at the show, going for £15 and we were tempted, but if we decided to go down that round, we'd make one up as we've already got various bits and pieces in our little "Aladin's cave" workshop to be able to do so ... ahhhhhh ... that's probably where the ball joint thing is! :-D The external shower connections do normally have hot/cold feeds on them - that's always been our experience anyway. I'll let you know what I decide to do in the end ... must dash, time to go cook fish and chips with mushy peas and bread & butter for tea ... yummie!!!!! :D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tony Jones Posted July 21, 2011 Share Posted July 21, 2011 Mel B - 2011-07-21 6:45 PM I'll let you know what I decide to do in the end ... must dash, time to go cook fish and chips with mushy peas and bread & butter for tea ... yummie!!!!! :D Is there time for me to get up there from Essex? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted July 21, 2011 Author Share Posted July 21, 2011 Sorry Tony, all scoffed now!!! :D It was scrumptious though - I do a nice bit of batter if I do say so myself - I use self-raising flour and put in a bit of baking powder too for good measure, a bit of salt and pepper then mix it to a stiff paste with some vinegar, finishing it off with cold tap water to a 'double cream' consistency, if you have time to leave it for 5 mins or more it really starts to bubble! Makes cracking (literally!) batter - really crunchy and tasty .... mmmmmmm. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 Mel B - 2011-07-21 6:45 PM ...The external shower connections do normally have hot/cold feeds on them - that's always been our experience anyway... Some do, but many don't. The Bullfinch 6088/1 fitting mentioned by Corky 8 has hot/cold delivery and is probably as good as anything else on the market. It's sold by CAK Tanks as DLTEXS688 and was priced at £43.99 in my 2008 catalogue. CAK also offers the "Swim 'n' Rinse" external shower-point, but that's much bulkier and was £106.78 in 2008. If the external shower is to be used a lot, installing a purpose-designed fitting like the Bullfinch product would be sensible, rather than DIY lashing together something from plumbing bits & bobs. If it won't be used a great deal, then the though-the-window ploy is an obvious KISS solution - at least with that idea there will be no need to address the possibility of frost-damage that an external shower-point (or an outlet in an unheated storage-locker) might be vulnerable to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hughmer Posted July 22, 2011 Share Posted July 22, 2011 To anyone reading this thread & contemplating something similar, if you have a switched sytem, consider if you would go for an external shower tap with or without an integral switch? If the former, - and depending where you put it, consider if it might move during transit enough to trigger the micro switch and turn the pump on. Our "external shower" with integral switch, is in the garage and it crossed my mind that if it turned itself on in transit, I'd have a swimming pool rather than a garage, so I fitted an extra switch in series with the micro switch cables. Then when additional switch is on, tap behaves like normal tap. With safety switch off ..."nothing can go wrong" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted July 23, 2011 Share Posted July 23, 2011 Hughmer - 2011-07-22 11:23 PM To anyone reading this thread & contemplating something similar, if you have a switched sytem, consider if you would go for an external shower tap with or without an integral switch? If the former, - and depending where you put it, consider if it might move during transit enough to trigger the micro switch and turn the pump on. Our "external shower" with integral switch, is in the garage and it crossed my mind that if it turned itself on in transit, I'd have a swimming pool rather than a garage, so I fitted an extra switch in series with the micro switch cables. Then when additional switch is on, tap behaves like normal tap. With safety switch off ..."nothing can go wrong" Good thinking, but the Prudent Motorcaravanner will, of course, ALWAYS turn off the water-pump before his/her motorhome is driven. ;-) :-D (?) (?) :D :-> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted July 23, 2011 Author Share Posted July 23, 2011 Having a mooch on Ebay, I came across this .... http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Chrome-2-Way-Sink-Faucet-Lavatory-Water-Diverter-Valve-/180574766582?pt=UK_Home_Garden_Bathroom_Taps_PP&hash=item2a0b1845f6 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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