Using the Shower (3 Viewers)

[RayandLinda]

We are new to motorhoming and bought our Autotrail Tracker last July. We are hoping to stay at a site at the end of July where they say they won't be opening the showers and toilets, so we have to use the one in our motorhome. (We live in Wales and the site is also in Wales, so just hoping we will be allowed to travel more than 5 miles by then). WE have never used the shower and are wondering is it complicated to use? We will have to get our manual out, but not sure how to get hot water etc. Sorry if I sound stupid, but we are learning all the time. Linda

 

[icantremember]

It's not difficult at all.

Just ensure you get the temperature ballanced as it's easy to get scalded and remember you have a finite amount of water .. not good running out when you are completely covered in lather.

 

[Hollyberry]

If you’re heating the water on EHU no problem. If using your gas remember to remove the outside vent cover ( I failed this point initially)
Different way of showering in that you have limited water. Burst of water, switch it off, shampoo hair and body. Rinse as quickly as possible. If you condition your hair that will use extra water so might be easier to use a spray leave in conditioner.
You get used to the minimal water method.

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[RayandLinda]

I didn't even give a thought to minimal water lol I think we are going to have a try on the weekend. It looks really confusing with the panels on the wall. We may end up using the Mud Daddy we have for the dogs!

 

[LesW]

We use these, they hold the water and shower gel/soap so can wash all over with the tap off.

 

[Reallyretired]

Remember if using ehu for multiple showers it is much slower to reheat than gas. If you have a combined boiler/heater there is not normally a vent cover
Once youve done it a couple of times it will be no problem. I have a daily shower and never use site facilities.

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[chaser]

If you have a shower in your house it's no different.

 

[tacr2man]

if you are on site , the water is not such a limiting factor as its easy enough to refill the tank. Make sure you have the water heated up fully before you start , and have them both switched on to help with stretching the heated part of the water supply .

 

[RayandLinda]

That is the bit i am confused about the heating up the water bit. So many panels which mention about heat, but is it water heat or in the motorhome? I will study the manuals over the next few days after work and try and suss it out.

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[DuxDeluxe]

That is the bit i am confused about the heating up the water bit. So many panels which mention about heat, but is it water heat or in the motorhome? I will study the manuals over the next few days after work and try and suss it out.

If you can take a picture of your control panel and heating controls then someone will be able to explain exactly what is what. At worst you will have a cold shower, or be covered in soap, but that much more experienced!! Don't forget....... we have all been there and often learnt the hard way. The smartest thing you have done with the shower is to ask first - many of us wish we had done the same

 

[TheTwoOfUs]

As with most things that you aren't familiar with try it at home first if you can.

 

[RayandLinda]

We aren't working on the weekend so will have more time to try it all out. I will take photos of the panels on the wall and ask on here again lol

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[chaser]

We aren't working on the weekend so will have more time to try it all out. I will take photos of the panels on the wall and ask on here again lol

If you already have hot water in the sink it will also be hot in the shower.

 

[Bessy765]

Start with the shower turned to cold then increase the temp. If you do it the other way around you will waste a lot of hot water. Most vans only have around ten litres of hot water.

 

[kevenh]

We had a couple of nights camping on our drive when the MH was new to us.
Testing & checking how things worked.

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[Speve]

If your Tracker is reasonably new you won’t have a flu vent cover as they are balanced flu and don’t need one. Just put your boiler on and wait for hot water, simple always easier to use the gas as it heats quicker.

 

[chaser]

Easiest road is just twiddle some knobs and see what happens

 

[Pausim]

My advice is don’t leave the shower running. Wet yourself, stop the shower and lather up, then rinse off. Leave a bit of time between first and second shower to allow the water to heat up again. Do not run other taps whilst someone else is showering, can cause temperature of shower water to change.

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[Gellyneck]

Leave a bit of time between first and second shower to allow the water to heat up again.

Doesn't work for me as I end up whistling \ singing for longer and this is frowned upon by SWMBO! Rinse off in cool (cold!) water or else is the edict from on high!

 

[klaatu]

Ideally, to give the best advice, we are going to need photos of you actually using the shower.

 

[Gellyneck]

Ideally, to give the best advice, we are going to need photos of you actually using the shower.

Bad man! But in the famous words, "but I like your style"!

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[Hils and Glenns]

If your's is a Truma system you may find this useful. Its from the resources section on this site. There was something about the Truma that I just couldn't hold in my head so had to refer to this everytime I used it

 

[Jimbohorlicks]

We switched our shower head control for the doggy one, that has a trigger so you can turn the water on and off. Saves a lot of hot water. We rinse over. Switch off, lather, hair shampoo etc switch back on, then rinse off. Starting with hair and rinse down wards.
Job done.

 

[RayandLinda]

If you already have hot water in the sink it will also be hot in the shower.

We have never used the hot water. Always boiled the kettle so it's a learning curve for us

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[Nanniemate]

We have never used the hot water. Always boiled the kettle so it's a learning curve for us

I have the same heater and it works well however, I have been known to use the remaining kettle water to strip wash when wild camping rather than shower or just fill the basin, wash and rinse. Or as I travel alone smell................

If on EHU turn to 40 upwards (lets hope you do not need heating) and wait for hot water, remember to make sure you turn shower off and empty tap at end of summer.

I have only had my van since last August so still learning but have had lots of help from Funsters. And if you can't get it to work your close to home go home shower and go back

 

[Richard n Ann]

If you fit one of these valves in the shower pipe you don't have to disturb the mixer tap once you have set the temperature

https://rover.ebay.com/rover/1/710-...0001&campid=5338547443&icep_item=313104820532

 

[denisejoe]

We use the shower net things as well, you only need a very small amount of shower gel to wash. I also use a 2 in 1 shampoo when away in the MH so it just needs washing out after washing hair and it's conditioned as well. I couldn't use it all the time but when away it's fine!

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[Minxy]

We aren't working on the weekend so will have more time to try it all out. I will take photos of the panels on the wall and ask on here again lol

Just one additional comment to the above, when heating the water for a couple of showers put it on the hottest setting, ie 60 degrees, tit will take a bit longer to heat up initially but hopefully you might not have to heat it up in between them as the first person hopefully won't need a lot of the hot when mixing it with the cold to get it nicely warm, the second user then may just be able to use the water from the tank on its own as it will have mixed with the remaining hot water in the tank.

 

[icantremember]

Minxy Girl I think you may want to edit the 2nd line of your post.

PS note I didn't quote the post to spare your embarrassment .

 

[Nirvanauk]

If you have a shower in your house it's no different.

Except that in my house I can stay in the shower for 15 minutes....