Water Saving Showers

[ian4apenny]

It seems to me that with the limited amount of water our motorhomes can carry and the need -in our case- for the occasional off-grid rally, it would be good if our showers could be as efficient as possible to avoid frequent re-filling.
So, has anyone replaced their existing showerhead with a water-saving type. If so, are there any good makes around which still give a good flow and spray pattern for an enjoyable shower?

 

[carolyn]

Some people swear by Camel , a particular brand. Must admit we’ve never bothered. We’ve just mastered the art of the Navy shower. Wet with min amount of water, min amount of soap or gel , rinse off. Switching shower off between each stage and not running full blast. We have a PVC so it’s a necessity. We shower daily.

 

[steve69]

You may laugh, but I literally glued every other hole in the spray head so only half of the holes let water through. Still had a decent spray for a shower, which then lasted longer.

 

[ORPP2]

We bought a water saving shower head at a show years ago and it is brilliant. Sorry, can't remember the make, but there's not much to them, it's all down to the balls in the shower head. A friend even has one in the house. Go for it.

 

[chaser]

We had one don't know what sort it was , probably only a cheap but it cut the water down that much that the pump kept pulsing so chucked it

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[manners]

Wet wipes are as good as a wet flannel until you can get to fill up the water.

 

[Mark and Mindy]

Wet wipes are as good as a wet flannel until you can get to fill up the water.

I don't use the shower in our van, find it a bit claustrophic and so use Fresh Wipes, no water needed and no drying afterwards, good size and quality, throw into the bin when done - win win

 

[JnJ]

We have used an Ecocamel showerhead for years, also got one in the house, they are often on offer buying get one free. Gives a decent powerful spray compared to a normal one.

 

[oldiesontour]

Showerhead with trigger,once used to them brilliant

 

[nicholsong]

I don't use the shower in our van, find it a bit claustrophic and so use Fresh Wipes, no water needed and no drying afterwards, good size and quality, throw into the bin when done - win win

How does that work for shampooing hair?

Just asking.

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[Ridgeway]

How does that work for shampooing hair?

Just asking.

And the environment

 

[PP Bear]

Been using this for years. Did an experiment with it running for a min and measured the amount of water used and again with the one I had fitted before and there is definitely a difference.

Amazon.co.uk

 

[Lenny HB]

Showerhead with trigger,once used to them brilliant

Took ours off pain it the butt and water pressure far to high. Easier to flip the tap on/off.

Tried one of these works well and you have full adjustment on the pressure.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B09QLT8TWR?tag=mhf04-21

 

[olley]

Once when you are born and once when you die. Plenty.

 

[kev54]

Trigger-head delivered far too high pressure and a pain to use. Just turn it on for as little time as necessary. Co-pilot and I compete for smallest bucketful (we drain the waste tank into a bucket as often as possible).

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[L' Hobo]

We bought a water saving shower head at a show years ago and it is brilliant. Sorry, can't remember the make, but there's not much to them, it's all down to the balls in the shower head. A friend even has one in the house. Go for it.

I got given one of those with the, what looks like whole peppercorns in the handle, by my elderly BIL, he had been given it by his daughter.

What's wrong with it, I asked, it's useless, he replied. But me being me, I couldn't throw it out, so I took it home to try.

He was right, it was useless BUT when I was disconnecting it from the shower pipe so I could reinstate the original head, I noticed it had 3 settings, so I screw it back on and tried the other settings.

It brilliant!

 

[Lenny HB]

I got given one of those with the, what looks like whole peppercorns in the handle, by my elderly BIL, he had been given it by his daughter.

What's wrong with it, I asked, it's useless, he replied. But me being me, I couldn't throw it out, so I took it home to try.

He was right, it was useless BUT when I was disconnecting it from the shower pipe so I could reinstate the original head, I noticed it had 3 settings, so I screw it back on and tried the other settings.

It brilliant!

Use one of them at home.

 

[Just smiffy]

I wait until it rains then I go dancing in the rain….

 

[The Wino]

I went to a stall at one of the motorhome shows and got chatting about the eco shower heads. They were originally designed for home use and work by sucking in air and mixing it with the water so you get what appears to be still a high flow with less water. The thing is they only work really well on a high pressure high flow supply not what most motorhomers typically use! . I think they were a little bemused when people started buying them for motorhomes but were happy to take the money!

 

[Orion]

I’d be very wary of using any non-standard shower head on a system that contained a relatively small volume of hot water.

Might get away with it on a boiler with a 10 litre or so capacity but they destroy domestic electric showers. Mira refuse to honour any warranty on their showers retrofitted with them and local housing associations we work with specifically mention that tenants should not install them.

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[Lenny HB]

I’d be very wary of using any non-standard shower head on a system that contained a relatively small volume of hot water.

Might get away with it on a boiler with a 10 litre or so capacity but they destroy domestic electric showers. Mira refuse to honour any warranty on their showers retrofitted with them and local housing associations we work with specifically mention that tenants should not install them.

For what reason?

 

[Orion]

For what reason?

Overheating generally. Those electric showers have a very small volume of water in the heater tank and are designed to operate with a certain throughput of water. They do have overheat protection but I presume the reduced flow from some ‘Eco’ type shower heads is not enough to trip it immediately, but nevertheless will degrade the unit over a relatively short period of time. We come across too many of them for it to be an isolated problem and, as I say, Mira use the fact that a non-standard handset has been fitted to negate the warranty.

Whether the same might be applicable over time to a larger volume unit such as a Truma etc., I don’t know, but I’m going to err on the side of caution given the price of replacement.

 

[The Wino]

Overheating generally. Those electric showers have a very small volume of water in the heater tank and are designed to operate with a certain throughput of water. They do have overheat protection but I presume the reduced flow from some ‘Eco’ type shower heads is not enough to trip it immediately, but nevertheless will degrade the unit over a relatively short period of time. We come across too many of them for it to be an isolated problem and, as I say, Mira use the fact that a non-standard handset has been fitted to negate the warranty.

Whether the same might be applicable over time to a larger volume unit such as a Truma etc., I don’t know, but I’m going to err on the side of caution given the price of replacement.

I think it's very unlikely to be a problem in terms of affecting the boiler as in a motorhome it's just a big container of hot water and not heated instantly as it flows through. Using a lower flow shower head is no different to using a conventional shower on a low flow setting. In terms of water saving I think the best thing is a trigger shower head so you can have a ships shower a quick wet soap with the water off and a rinse off without faffing setting the temperature each time. The heads that suck air in like ecocamel aren't going to be as useful.

 

[Jev88]

Any shower head with on and off button is a good idea.
We have this......

 

[Lenny HB]

Can't see it a problem with a soreage water heater like a Truma or Alde as hot water is being replaced by cold imedatly it's used.
Also I fitted a TMV.

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[Gaston aires]

I shower once a Month wether I need to or not
Last time we were in France during September our water pump packed up about a week before we returned home.
The sun shone everyday and I filled up our 2 dark green 10 ltr watering cans and left them in the sun all day. In the evening the water was pleasantly warm and we showered daily using them. We have used that method since. One can is enough for two people.
NOTE it only works in sunny weather.
Phil upmecan

 

[Odd-no-more]

I shower once a Month wether I need to or not
Last time we were in France during September our water pump packed up about a week before we returned home.
The sun shone everyday and I filled up our 2 dark green 10 ltr watering cans and left them in the sun all day. In the evening the water was pleasantly warm and we showered daily using them. We have used that method since. One can is enough for two people.
NOTE it only works in sunny weather.
Phil upmecan

Similar to the solar showers campers use. A cheat for when the sun doesn't shine is to add a kettle full of hot water

 

[L' Hobo]

I shower once a Month wether I need to or not
Last time we were in France during September our water pump packed up about a week before we returned home.
The sun shone everyday and I filled up our 2 dark green 10 ltr watering cans and left them in the sun all day. In the evening the water was pleasantly warm and we showered daily using them. We have used that method since. One can is enough for two people.
NOTE it only works in sunny weather.
Phil upmecan

Have you, actually, tried in the cold?
It used to be.... bracing (I think that's the word the instructors used?)

 

[Howard B]

It seems to me that with the limited amount of water our motorhomes can carry and the need -in our case- for the occasional off-grid rally, it would be good if our showers could be as efficient as possible to avoid frequent re-filling.
So, has anyone replaced their existing showerhead with a water-saving type. If so, are there any good makes around which still give a good flow and spray pattern for an enjoyable shower?

We bought one at a motorhome show. Used it once then it went in the bin.

 

[Gaston aires]

Have you, actually, tried in the cold?
It used to be.... bracing (I think that's the word the instructors used?)

I’ll stick to warm.

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