Hot water + shower. Worthwhile investment?

[interbear]

One of the decisions I’ve yet to take on my conversion is whether or not to add a hot water capability plus shower attachment at the rear of the van. The option I’m considering is a Whale Expanse which uses gas to heat the water. Over £1k fitted so not to be taken lightly in terms of cost. The shower attachment is a couple of hundred quid.

Our van usage is going to be a mix of off-grid and campsites. For off grid I reckon 2 or 3 nights max over a weekend, for longer stays campsites are more likely. My current thinking (and that of my wife, I should add) is that we are not yet convinced on the value of this hot water investment. Our logic being that we‘ll be able to cope just fine without a shower for short periods of off grid camping, and on campsites hot showers should be available. Boiling a kettle on the hob for hot water should suffice. On the shower attachment itself, we may add this for the simple reason it may be handy to clean boots and the dog after a muddy walk. He can cope with a cold water shower.

Interested in hearing anyone’s insight or comments on our current logic and your opinion on the value of adding hot water to a conversion. Do you use it regularly? Is it worth it? Does it take up too much valuable space? Or does it just use too much gas? (We will have a Campingaz 907 cylinder which is currently set to only provide gas to the hob and bbq point). Are there recommended alternatives, for example I was looking at Colapz portable showers yesterday, which could be an option. Thanks.

 

[VanDamMan]

Hi.. We camp a lot at campsites that 99% of the time have all facilities…so we don’t carry water other than food prep/drinking….additional water will add weight to your vehicle that’s already converted….if you go off grid and travel many service stations have showers for the driver community….if no access to showers we have used the old strip wash or carry those big wet wipes for hospitals….camping should be a minimalistic thing…only carry the essentials…Food water and enough cooking gas for survival if off grid for a few nights…..Water ..Hot/cold is heavy in the quantities for showering and if you have to heat it ….how is that done you either run the engine of carry more gas to heat it……is it really worth all that hassle for a few nights …also stored water has to be looked after as it degrades…Enjoy camping Stay dirty

ps .. we use the bigger calor lite gas bottle 6kg..but are looking to the smaller Patio gas container and carry a spare..our gas is not fixed to the vehicle but with all Vans where do you store half the stuff you carry…it’s always a Trade off

 

[interbear]

Hi.. We camp a lot at campsites that 99% of the time have all facilities…so we don’t carry water other than food prep/drinking….additional water will add weight to your vehicle that’s already converted….if you go off grid and travel many service stations have showers for the driver community….if no access to showers we have used the old strip wash or carry those big wet wipes for hospitals….camping should be a minimalistic thing…only carry the essentials…Food water and enough cooking gas for survival if off grid for a few nights…..Water ..Hot/cold is heavy in the quantities for showering and if you have to heat it ….how is that done you either run the engine of carry more gas to heat it……is it really worth all that hassle for a few nights …also stored water has to be looked after as it degrades…Enjoy camping Stay dirty

ps .. we use the bigger calor lite gas bottle 6kg..but are looking to the smaller Patio gas container and carry a spare..our gas is not fixed to the vehicle but with all Vans where do you store half the stuff you carry…it’s always a Trade off

Good point on the weight of another water tank, I hadn't thought of that aspect. I do also think that the whole water heating set-up may take up valuable space in the van, space that we would use for other things. Agree with the need to focus on essentials.

 

[DXX]

No is my short answer.
I’ve spent months travelling and only heated water for some stubborn dishes and a shower. The kettle or pot does the boiling by itself, it just needs human input to put it on the hob, not exactly a chore just simple advanced planning.
I’m actually converted to cold water now, my oil fired boiler at home is only switched on for the same reasons. It’s amazing how much energy is used to maintain a tank of hot water.

 

[Pedros85]

One of the decisions I’ve yet to take on my conversion is whether or not to add a hot water capability plus shower attachment at the rear of the van. The option I’m considering is a Whale Expanse which uses gas to heat the water. Over £1k fitted so not to be taken lightly in terms of cost. The shower attachment is a couple of hundred quid.

Our van usage is going to be a mix of off-grid and campsites. For off grid I reckon 2 or 3 nights max over a weekend, for longer stays campsites are more likely. My current thinking (and that of my wife, I should add) is that we are not yet convinced on the value of this hot water investment. Our logic being that we‘ll be able to cope just fine without a shower for short periods of off grid camping, and on campsites hot showers should be available. Boiling a kettle on the hob for hot water should suffice. On the shower attachment itself, we may add this for the simple reason it may be handy to clean boots and the dog after a muddy walk. He can cope with a cold water shower.

Interested in hearing anyone’s insight or comments on our current logic and your opinion on the value of adding hot water to a conversion. Do you use it regularly? Is it worth it? Does it take up too much valuable space? Or does it just use too much gas? (We will have a Campingaz 907 cylinder which is currently set to only provide gas to the hob and bbq point). Are there recommended alternatives, for example I was looking at Colapz portable showers yesterday, which could be an option. Thanks.

We considered it but it’s a lot of money when there are showers available at most campsites. Depends how often you go ‘off grid’ and if you’re not happy with a warm wash down.

I’ve got the cold water shower and it is useful for muddy boots etc and was nice for a cold shower running the hot summer

 

[DXX]

Depends how often you go ‘off grid’ and if you’re not happy with a warm wash down.

I can have a hot as you can bear shower ready for two people (individually) in 25-30 minutes, that includes heating the water while putting up the shower tent.
Being off grid doesn’t have to make life grim.

 

[interbear]

We considered it but it’s a lot of money when there are showers available at most campsites. Depends how often you go ‘off grid’ and if you’re not happy with a warm wash down.

I’ve got the cold water shower and it is useful for muddy boots etc and was nice for a cold shower running the hot summer

Happy with a warm wash down, so the boil a kettle method for a wash is fine when off grid. We can definitely cope with that. Spending over £1k on the on board hot water is a hell of an expense, hence why we are debating the value of it. At the moment our position is no to the hot water and yes to the shower attachment, for exactly the reasons you cite. I'm prepared to be persuaded otherwise though hence why I asked the question originally.

 

[interbear]

I can have a hot as you can bear shower ready for two people (individually) in 25-30 minutes, that includes heating the water while putting up the shower tent.
Being off grid doesn’t have to make life grim.

I know you boil the water on your Wallas hob. What do you use for the shower then? One of those pump showers that you drop into the water container?

 

[Pedros85]

Happy with a warm wash down, so the boil a kettle method for a wash is fine when off grid. We can definitely cope with that. Spending over £1k on the on board hot water is a hell of an expense, hence why we are debating the value of it. At the moment our position is no to the hot water and yes to the shower attachment, for exactly the reasons you cite. I'm prepared to be persuaded otherwise though hence why I asked the question originally.

I think you’re better off spending the grand on booze!

 

[Pedros85]

I can have a hot as you can bear shower ready for two people (individually) in 25-30 minutes, that includes heating the water while putting up the shower tent.
Being off grid doesn’t have to make life grim.

I nearly added I’m sure you can get portable shower attachments that you fill up..what do you use?

 

[DXX]

I know you boil the water on your Wallas hob. What do you use for the shower then? One of those pump showers that you drop into the water container?

I did use the generic Ebay pump/shower head kit to start with but they are very poor quality, went through two in no time.
I now use a Whale GP1002 pump, standard reinforced poly hose, shower head from dead Ebay kit with a remote IP67 illuminated electrical switch.
If in the middle of nowhere there’s no need for a shower tent IMO, otherwise I use a Kyham Privvy Bivvy with the switch and shower head fed in through the top vent.
The water pot with the pump normally stays in the van, if it’s raining I route the hose and cable through a front window using the wind deflector to keep the rain out.
If it’s blowing a hooley I tie the tent to the wing mirror.
The tent has been modified with some additional quick clip on poles at the base to make it rigid without pegging to the ground.
I found the bottom of the tent got muddy, not a big deal but rather than waste water cleaning it I made some legs for each corner from sealant nozzles to keep it off the ground.
Works well for us and even in sub-zero temperatures soon gets hot and steamy inside.
Recently I bought a 1m diameter dog bath for inside the van, it fits nicely. Still awaiting a trial run…..woof!

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B08V5CD517/ref=ppx_od_tab_ap_asin_title_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

https://www.t6forum.com/threads/what-external-showers-are-you-using.19768/reply?quote=383427

 

[GeekGrimmy]

One of the decisions I’ve yet to take on my conversion is whether or not to add a hot water capability plus shower attachment at the rear of the van. The option I’m considering is a Whale Expanse which uses gas to heat the water. Over £1k fitted so not to be taken lightly in terms of cost. The shower attachment is a couple of hundred quid.

Our van usage is going to be a mix of off-grid and campsites. For off grid I reckon 2 or 3 nights max over a weekend, for longer stays campsites are more likely. My current thinking (and that of my wife, I should add) is that we are not yet convinced on the value of this hot water investment. Our logic being that we‘ll be able to cope just fine without a shower for short periods of off grid camping, and on campsites hot showers should be available. Boiling a kettle on the hob for hot water should suffice. On the shower attachment itself, we may add this for the simple reason it may be handy to clean boots and the dog after a muddy walk. He can cope with a cold water shower.

Interested in hearing anyone’s insight or comments on our current logic and your opinion on the value of adding hot water to a conversion. Do you use it regularly? Is it worth it? Does it take up too much valuable space? Or does it just use too much gas? (We will have a Campingaz 907 cylinder which is currently set to only provide gas to the hob and bbq point). Are there recommended alternatives, for example I was looking at Colapz portable showers yesterday, which could be an option. Thanks.

I spec'd the whale expanse and had the converters install it in ours - they'd never come across it but were happy to figure it out and talked us through where we could put it. I got the impression from speaking to the guys that Whale/propex themselves hadn't seen someone squeeze it into a T6 yet as they were asking whereabouts they put it. Its fed off the underslung water and LPG tanks, the unit itself is 4.5kg and holds 8 liters so thats 12.5kg extra weight if you're driving around with it filled with water.

The unit itself works a treat, 8 litres of scalding hot water in 11 mins and the tank itself seems to retain the heat well so you don't need it on all the time. Just 10 mins when we park up, again before bed and maybe one in between when in use for longer periods.

The shower attachment at the back is a must with or without hot water - rinsing down our dogs and muddy boots keeps the van itself much cleaner.

We knew we wanted hot water 'on demand' from the tap after renting a bigger van in 2020 - No one else can really tell you if its worth it to you as your use case will be unique. I'm just surprised no one has yet said to spend the money on LED headlights

 

[interbear]

I spec'd the whale expanse and had the converters install it in ours - they'd never come across it but were happy to figure it out and talked us through where we could put it. I got the impression from speaking to the guys that Whale/propex themselves hadn't seen someone squeeze it into a T6 yet as they were asking whereabouts they put it. Its fed off the underslung water and LPG tanks, the unit itself is 4.5kg and holds 8 liters so thats 12.5kg extra weight if you're driving around with it filled with water.

The unit itself works a treat, 8 litres of scalding hot water in 11 mins and the tank itself seems to retain the heat well so you don't need it on all the time. Just 10 mins when we park up, again before bed and maybe one in between when in use for longer periods.

The shower attachment at the back is a must with or without hot water - rinsing down our dogs and muddy boots keeps the van itself much cleaner.

We knew we wanted hot water 'on demand' from the tap after renting a bigger van in 2020 - No one else can really tell you if its worth it to you as your use case will be unique. I'm just surprised no one has yet said to spend the money on LED headlights

Thanks for the insight on your experience. The shower is definite yes, I agree. Hot water still being debated. LED lights already specified

 

[JBR80]

I've yet to install it, but I've bought a Joolca hot water shower. This will be homed in the rear top cupboard by the driver side barn door. I have. 57l wheel arch tank. There'll be tap and expanding hose pipe on the same cupboard. When I want to use the shower, I take it outside, put in on its stands and connect up to the rear bbq LPG fitting at the back (I have a propex underslung LPG tank). The water hose stays permanently attached and is isolated at the tap. Pressure comes from a shurflo pump.

For me, being able to hose down myself/ a dirty bike/ wetsuit is worth the £230 expense. Obv if you're not planning on going LPG then the investment decision is not so clear cut.

 

[interbear]

I've yet to install it, but I've bought a Joolca hot water shower. This will be homed in the rear top cupboard by the driver side barn door. I have. 57l wheel arch tank. There'll be tap and expanding hose pipe on the same cupboard. When I want to use the shower, I take it outside, put in on its stands and connect up to the rear bbq LPG fitting at the back (I have a propex underslung LPG tank). The water hose stays permanently attached and is isolated at the tap. Pressure comes from a shurflo pump.

For me, being able to hose down myself/ a dirty bike/ wetsuit is worth the £230 expense. Obv if you're not planning on going LPG then the investment decision is not so clear cut.

Interesting device, I looked at a video for it, but a little too big for our liking. Would take up a lot of space I think. Looks capable of delivering a very decent shower right enough. But I think it would use a too much gas (we have 907 cylinder rather than underslung LPG tank, although that’s still a separate debate we are having). And water, 6L flow per minute would quickly expire the water tank, which on our conversion is 30L.

 

[Ricardo T]

Haven't researched it but Websato do the Thermotop Evo RV hot air and hot water heater....thinking about this for my next build.

 

[CAB]

Shower /khazi tent out the back.

One of those interlocking foam tiles cut to fit in the fold up shower tent bag.

Van came with an external shower socket in the back, shower attachment with trigger.

1m extension hose.

2-3 litres of hot kettle water added to the 20 litre water container (yes, added and then put back in the kettle!)

Enough for two decent showers.

 

[oldiebut goodie]

Haven't researched it but Websato do the Thermotop Evo RV hot air and hot water heater....thinking about this for my next build.

You are thinking of a Dual Top. I have just overhauled one.
Research it! It is effing big and heavy. More suited to large motorhomes than a T6.

 

[interbear]

You are thinking of a Dual Top. I have just overhauled one.
Research it! It is effing big and heavy. More suited to large motorhomes than a T6.

View attachment 131656

I had a look at that and came to the same conclusion. Also read that support was a challenge for it, whether that is true or not I didn’t research further. I removed it from my list of practical options quite early on.

 

[Skyliner33]

….camping should be a minimalistic thing…only carry the essentials…

I forgot to include the tent as well

.