Showers in caravans

[nelmo]

Hi,

We're probably annoying you regulars with our inane questions but anyway...

We're trying to choose our first caravan and we really think we need a seperate shower cubicle in the washroom because we don't want to use site facilities - I'm sure they're fine but we just like having a shower and jumping into bed, not having to get dressed again and wander across a dark field...

However, are we expecting too much? How long a shower can you get out of a standard water tank? Is the power any good (especially for people with lots of hair like my wife)?

Many thanks (again) for your opinions...

 

[Lara_374353049]

Hi Neil,

If your wife is anything like me, one top priority when away is having a decent shower to wash hair in!! We also decided a separate shower cubicle was better, i didn't like the idea of a "wetroom", we had one in our last van, and it was impossible to shower in.

Our current 'van is a series 5 Bailey Senator Wyoming, and i LOVE the shower cubicle!! The hot water heater holds about 10 litres of water, and the on board tank approx 40 litres. This is more than enough for a decent shower, including hair wash. All i do is turn the shower off while i put shampoo on, rinse off, then turn off again while i put conditoner on, in order to save the hot water. I'm still left with enough to wash with. The hot water tends to run out just as i finish.

I've filled the on board tank just before showering, and still have about half left when i'm done.

I'm also very impressed with the power of it, considering it's in a 'van. I'm used to a powerful shower at home. Quite often i've found it better than those on site, and as you say, it's nice not to have to get dressed again and run across a field, especially if it's cold and dark!

Hope this helps,

Lara.

 

[DanPaula]

We had this dilema when choosing our first van last year. We chose end washroom with separate shower cubicle (bailey ranger 470/4). Use our shower all the time, it isn't a powershower by a long shot but after a couple of times of using your shower you will get into a routine and work out how much water you have. I do like others and switch off when washing and lathering up. Use the water to rinse. The temperatures are great. Did try going into the washrooms once for a shower but walked back to the van and used our shower, however it was a Haven site! Much prefer own washroom.

 

[nelmo]

Thanks for the excellent responses...so these showers have hot water tanks? I assumed they would all be of the type that heat the water on demand - or is that depending on the van?

 

[Chrissylizzie]

Hi Neil

Lara is absolutely correct - separate shower every time. The secret is as she says, turn the water off when soaping and washing and then just use it for rinsing. The pressure and heat is constant and excellent and the shower is, for me, an important part of my caravan.

 

[Lara_374353049]

Hi again!

I'm no expert when it comes to the technical side of caravanning, but i presume it is quite similar for other modern vans. The hot water heater in our van is turned on by a switch, and supplies hot water to all the taps, ie kitchen and bathroom sinks, and shower. We usually find that 30 - 45 mins is sufficient to allow the water to heat up for the shower. If both of you need showers, you would have to wait a further 30 - 45 mins for the water to re-heat. The hot water container refills automatically as you use it through the taps, as long as you have sufficient in your on-board tank and/or aqua roll. It's not like a combi -boiler, where you have constant hot water.

Best thing to do is to leave it switched on after your first shower, for it to heat next lot of water.

Lara.

 

[LesleyRussell]

Hi again!

I'm no expert when it comes to the technical side of caravanning, but i presume it is quite similar for other modern vans. The hot water heater in our van is turned on by a switch, and supplies hot water to all the taps, ie kitchen and bathroom sinks, and shower. We usually find that 30 - 45 mins is sufficient to allow the water to heat up for the shower. If both of you need showers, you would have to wait a further 30 - 45 mins for the water to re-heat. The hot water container refills automatically as you use it through the taps, as long as you have sufficient in your on-board tank and/or aqua roll. It's not like a combi -boiler, where you have constant hot water.

Best thing to do is to leave it switched on after your first shower, for it to heat next lot of water.

Lara.

Just a small point - if you need to re-heat quickly between showers then put the water heater on gas AND electric - it heats up a lot quicker.

 

[LesleyRussell]

Just a small point - if you need to re-heat quickly between showers then put the water heater on gas AND electric - it heats up twice as quick.

 

[MrsMothy]

Just had a wonderful weekend in the Yorkshire Dales with lovely clean hair and wonderful showers!!! Our Bailey has an onboard tank and a sensible sized water heater. If the tank is filled before hand the water gets to room temp and then takes less time to heat. I've trained my husband to wake up 30 mins before me to put on the electric water heater and then, just before I decide to shower, he will switch on the gas water heater as well. As others have suggested, I turn off the water whilst shampooing, conditioning, lathering etc, but I have a wonderful shower without the need for looking a fool in a fluffy pink dressing gown (not that I would ever be seen dead in one anyway)wandering across the site to the communal showers. The only thing that has ever taken any effort was the initial training of my H to make sure the aquaroll was filled after we had washed up after supper and before we retired at night, ensuring adequate water supplies for my shower in the morning. This however took very little effort!!!

Happy showering.

Denise

 

[nick_374224697]

Just to add to Lesley's point about the gas heater. If you put that on initially alongside the electric it heats the water hotter than the electric heater does - therefore your water when mixed with cold goes further for a longer shower.

 

[wombat1]

And just to make sure, ensure your aqua roll is full before you start, and if you have a couple of kids to bathe as well as yoursleves, equip yourself with two aqua rolls - beats walking a few hundred yards in the dark to fill up just so that you can have a shower too.

 

[IanMc]

Tried our shower out for first time last weekend and was disappointed by the pressure. We had to take the shower head off it's holder on the wall and hold above the head. Also it took about twenty minutes before next person could have a shower. With 4 of us in the caravan this is not an option so for me it will have to be the shower blocks. It would be OK for the odd shower rather than walking out in the rain.

Regards

Ian

 

[ThePlotter]

Why do you get hubby up half hour early to switch on the water heater do as we do leave it on all the time,its on a thermostat so will switch itself on and off.

 

[tangophil]

When we arrive on site, the wife and daughter (providing she isn't texting her boyfriend) will go and fill up the two aquarolls whilst I connect up the electricity and check the fridge is cooling my Stella sufficiently.

As soon as the water is connected we turn on the electric water heater and then leave it on until we drain down when we leave.

That way we always have hot water, sometimes we may switch the gas heater on as well to boost it so that we can all take showers quicker if we need too.

A little bit of thought and you cvan come up with a rota so that you don't all need showers at the same time.

We love our separate shower cubicle and always make use of it. The daughter hates using the shower blocks as no matter how clean they are she always manages to spot a 'money spider' above her head which sends her screaming back to the van.

The vans water is always piping hot, runs long enough to have a really good shower and the pressure isn't much less than we have at home, oh and there are definately no spiders!!

 

[colin-yorkshire]

hi neil

the average tourer hot water tank holds 10LTRs of water and the average shower uses 1Ltr of water per min, so a shower will last about 10mins.

however this can be extended slightly by about 4mins by :- first boosting the heat by turning the temp up to max and running on gas and electric for 10mins beforehand (electric is on 24/7 anyway so the water is allways hot)don't have the shower too hot by mixing with cold and use the "wet turn off soap up turn on rinse off method" in this way we find both of us can shower on one tank full.

oh and dont forget to turn the gas off and reduce the water temp afterwards.

hope this helps

colin