Caravan Showers - is this normal?

[CluelessNewbies]

Afternoon all. We picked up our new (and first) caravan last week. Spent this weekend living in it testing everything out.

Im not sure if this is normal, or its a problem somewhere but the shower is dreadful. if you hold it at waste height, with the head at 90 degrees, it works, as soon as you lift it to head height, the water just stops coming through the head and it seeps through a couple of little holes at the base of the handle.
Actually, if you tilt the head at any height. the water stops and trickles through these holes. (I was told that the holes are there delibratly to drain the water from the shower head!?

Im not sure if its a pressure problem? (Its a 24 foot van but the shower is located at the mid point)

As it currently stands, its pretty unusable as a shower. (You cant even wash the shower with it) Tried it on electrical mains hookup. The water makes it way by virtue of a 'Truma' water pump. that pulls through from the barrel outside.

I was just wondering:
Is this is normal?
Do I need a stronger pump?
Is there is a leak somewhere in the system thats dropping the pressure? (How would i know?)

Your feedback i most welcomed!

 

[Martin24]

The holes are there to help the aeration of the water in order to save water consumption and nothing to do with draining water from the shower head. Well that's my understanding anyway, I could easily be wrong!

I don't think poor performance is normal and certainly hasn't been the case in any of our vans since showers and hot water first came into the world of caravans. Certainly the dealer needs to be looking at it for you.

 

[Dodger524]

No it most certainly isn't normal. You should get a good flow when the shower is at maximum height.
The hole is for aeriation and not drainage. Take it back to the dealer and get it fixed.

 

[CluelessNewbies]

Thanks Both, I was expecting it to be a little wimpy but its clear from your answers it needs looking at! I will call them and get back to them.

 

[ProfJohnL]

It could be a pressure switch setting problem. Check your instructions on how to adjust the pressure switch if you have one.

 

[camel]

Could it not be another kink in the pipe problem somewhere along the line,

 

[MichaelE]

I presume the shower head is a ecocamel. The holes at the base are dual purpose, yes they introduce air into the water to increase flow etc but they do have the added advantage to drain the shower head when you stop pumping water.
There is something wrong with the flow defiantly, what is the flow like on the taps etc?
What is the make and model of your van , this will help with the replies?

 

[KeefySher]

Is your AquaRoll / waterhog etc full? Is the pump submersed? Are you drawing water into the 'van?

The ecocamel shower works better than the gravity system shower at home.

 

[CluelessNewbies]

Thanks for the feedback so far, Its a Lunar clubman SR.

The rest of taps appear to work ok, there is obviously no comparison to the house taps, they tend to pulse as the pump works. Hot and cold both seem to push the same pressure.

I will read the paperwork to see of there is a way to adjust the pressure, I know there is an electronic pump at the end of the Truma pipe that goes into the water barrel. Would be there be anything on the water boiler that heats the water, or would it all be pumped fro the truma pipe?

 

[CluelessNewbies]

@Keefy - thats a useful comparison. I have a gravity shower and home and it no where near that. When the shower head is above head height, it wont even stray water! It just dribbles out of those holes in the neck of the shower head.

I will be taking back in this week to get them to have a look at it.

 

[Hutch]

On My Coachman 560 I changed the Shower head to the Camel head which gives a wider shower spray. And its fine, you might find that previous owner has had the water pump wear out and used the pump that is for the toilet filling , looks the same, has used as replacment and that pump is half the power of the original. Ok for the sink but not the shower.
Just a thought.

 

[camel]

Im not sure if this is normal, or its a problem somewhere but the shower is dreadful. if you hold it at waste height, with the head at 90 degrees, it works, as soon as you lift it to head height, the water just stops coming through

If all your other taps are working fine and also your shower head when you hold it at 90 degrees at waist height, but at head height the shower is dreadful, that would indicate to me that because at head height the shower head is going to want to draw more water through the pipe feeding the shower head, a kink in the water supply pipe would not allow this because if the pipe is kinked on the shower side of the supply you just would not get the amount of water to the shower head, I can't see it being your water pump pressure because your other taps are ok,

 

[Hutch]

CN, just re read your post if your van is new, or at least from a dealer, then straight back and get it sorted out The showernis a powerfull 5hing , not just a dribble, ok its only 12 to 15 psi but it gives a good supply, call the dealer and then get it sorted.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Im not sure if this is normal, or its a problem somewhere but the shower is dreadful. if you hold it at waste height, with the head at 90 degrees, it works, as soon as you lift it to head height, the water just stops coming through

If all your other taps are working fine and also your shower head when you hold it at 90 degrees at waist height, but at head height the shower is dreadful, that would indicate to me that because at head height the shower head is going to want to draw more water through the pipe feeding the shower head, a kink in the water supply pipe would not allow this because if the pipe is kinked on the shower side of the supply you just would not get the amount of water to the shower head, I can't see it being your water pump pressure because your other taps are ok,

Hello Camel,
It certainly can be the pressure switch, if its set at a too lower pressure, it may be enough to feed water to the taps and teh shower at waist level, but as you lift the shower head you are increasing the vertical height the water needs to climb with requires a higher pressure setting.

In this instance we know the OP has a pressurised system because he describes the pump pulsing. and becasue he has a Truma submersible pump, it means there must be a pressure switch near the cold water inlet inside the caravan. Before incurring the inconvenience of taking the van back to the dealer, for teh time and effort it must be worth trying the pressure switch adjustment procedure in the instruction manual for the caravan.

If that doesn't improve things, then its time to consider involving the dealer.

 

[Hutch]

Prof, the OP , says nothing about pulsing, have you been on the a Drambuie ?.
Re read the Request. Normally me that gets it wrong.
Hutch

Edit, ok saw it the later posting. Yes i got it wrong.

 

[MichaelE]

If your pressure looks/seems ok at all the taps including the bathroom you are find of ruling out the pump so it sounds like its just the shower which is the only issue?
I would remove the shower head and hold the shower hose up and see if if the flow decreases, if if does see what the flow is from the shower outlet so remove the hose? Simple to do and just unscrew, but don't loose the black sealing washers.
My thinking at the moment is the hose is kinking when you move it so restricting flow?

 

[Raywood]

Given that the taps works normally but the shower does not at waist level it seems to me the problem hasto be in tbe plumbing between the junction to the shower and the shower itself. The most likely culprit must be a kink in the pipe although there might just be a foreign body in the line. My feeling is the piping needs to be exposed and checked and the answer wil be there somewhere. If it was the pressure switch the taps would suffer too.

 

[ProfJohnL]

Given that the taps works normally but the shower does not at waist level it seems to me the problem hasto be in tbe plumbing between the junction to the shower and the shower itself. The most likely culprit must be a kink in the pipe although there might just be a foreign body in the line. My feeling is the piping needs to be exposed and checked and the answer wil be there somewhere. If it was the pressure switch the taps would suffer too.

Why? The additional height between the taps and the shower at working height needs more pressure to drive the water up hill. If the pressure switch has been set to a too lower pressure, it may feed water at a reasonable rate to the taps but have a much poorer flow to the shower.

My own home bathroom shower exhibits this very same characteristic - which is why I have a power shower pump fitted. Bear in mind the OP has stated the water pulses through the taps, which means it could be set too low.

 

[Gabsgrandad]

On our domestic shower we had a similar problem, turned out to be the inner pipe in the flexible pipe perished and restricting the flow.

 

[audiorob]

Sounds from your description of 'pulsing' water that the pressure switch needs adjustment. The pump should switch on when a tap is opened and run until the tap is closed, then after a brief run-on stop as the water pressure in the system is re-established. If you cannot find adjustment instruction in the manuals then google the question. The pressure action is also voltage determined - you may have to re-adjust if it was set up for battery voltage when EHU is in use, rather than the possible lower voltage when battery only in use.
Also is there any air-lock? when commissioning the system close all taps, with the aquaroll full open the HOT in the tap furthest from the pump. You should hear some gurgling and a bit of gushing until the water runs smoothly. Then repeat for each outlet moving back towards the inlet. This fills the hot water tank first, then the pipework to each outlet. Then repeat with each tap turned to COLD side until it runs smoothly. Then as described any outlet should provide a smooth stream of water at the desired temperature.
Also once the water is heated beware of running the very hot water into plastic basins. Only run water into them that is hand comfortable.
The eco-camel head (with the air inlets) should give better water pressure in the shower while using less water, although you might be aware of hearing the air inlet in use.
Hope your dealer has come up trumps if the forum hasn't beaten them to it!

 

[CluelessNewbies]

Thanks all. It is sounding more like the pressure switch. I've looked it the manual. It may as well be in Chinese for what sense it made.!! I'm taking it in tomorrow to get it checked over and they show me how to play with the pressure switch.

I will let you know how it goes and what the issue is.

 

[ValA.]

Is this any help? It shows both types of pressure switch, and to me (a simple woman) it seems easy enough.

Truma pressure switch adjustment

Whale pressure switch adjustment

 

[CluelessNewbies]

Indeed it was the pressure switch! Thanks for your help all. I know have a functioning shower!

 

[camel]

Glad to hear that, just shows what I know about pipes having kinks in them ,