Teardrops n Tiny Travel Trailers

Okay, so it's the million dollar question for us. Interior Shower or not?

I've looked around and tried to find some dedicated threads, but haven't exactly hit the target yet, so if anyone has any links for me, I'd take em.

That said, I would love some feedback on this question. Here's our background/situation:
- There will be 4 of us, me, wife, 2 boys.
- I am more inclined to go the on demand exterior shower option with an ecconotemp setup.
- My wife would prefer an interior "wet shower" option with some privacy and a private place to have a nice private shower to do the business. We'd then probably go a more traditional route with a RV water heater, need gray tank, etc.

We've got a nice spot inside to get it done, right in the "tip of the V", but i'm just thinking about from what i've read some of the different challenges, difficulties, water issues.

I'd love some commentary/feedback on this question. How did you all make these decisions?

Thanks!
Mark

We have a shower and its a wonderful luxury. Obviously, you wont be putting one in a teardrop, you just wont have enough room, so hopefully you are looking at a TTT or a cargo trailer. One thing to keep in mind is that you'll use a lot of water to take a shower so you'll need to plan your build accordingly. We have a 20 gallon fresh water tank and we don't take more than a shower or two over a week (those are "navy" showers). We use a blue tank for grey water.

Bruce

I have found that truck stops have really nice showers.Then I don't have to deal with towel ether. So I don't thing installing a shower is worth it. But then I did not want a big camper to pull behind my car. I do have a popup hunting blind that I use for a shower tent.

Inside a CTC bath and shower! Outside on demand hot water heater. I went with a shower pan toilet tank combo. Small but functional. Curtains can be used for more privacy.

Was a requirement for my wife. Small 24x32 inch pan, with drain water going into 5 gal container. Showers everyday are a must, so when off grid, Navy type showers are used.

Guys thanks for the feedback. Yeah I should have clarified, I'm working, will be working on a 7x12 CTC.

I won't like that there's that part of me that simply doesn't want to mess with interior showering and all that it entails in terms of water lines in the walls, worrying about those lines freezing, mold, mildew, moisture, venting, gray tank, etc. etc. but it sounds like there are some options to keep it a bit simpler.

Padilen:
Which pan did you use? Where did you source it? Any issues? What did you do for shower walls? And finally how did you rig your outside on demand to deliver your indoor shower water? How about your toilet situation? "wet" toilet?

Lrrowe:
So no gray tank, just find a reasonable place to dump the shower water?? Was that a pain/no? What about toilet in your world, how do you handle that?

Thanks!
Mark

I try to carry the 5gal jug to the approved campground waste water sites if at all possible. It is not really that big of a deal to deal with.

I do have a porta-potti in the shower for my wife's midnight trips to the bathroom. All other tasks are done in campground rest rooms or by using the shower tent with 5 gal bucket and kitty litter method. I am going to look at switching out the shower placed porta-potti with a 5 gal bucket, bag and some of that liquid absorbent polymers such as
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Superabsorbent_polymer.
I am not sure how that will work out.

I'll answer when I get back from church but you can check my build
It's sort of mine, while I'm gone

Ok I'm back.
Shower pan holding tank combo is made by Ameri Kart, but no direct sales. Mine was ordered from RV Parts Nation. My walls are FRB that I hadn't installed in my basement. I messed up and used my ceiling piece for wall by sink, but it's all good. Ceiling is underlayment with many coats of oil based paint.
I use washing machine hoses for outdoor shower. The toilet is a Thetford hand flush. Here's a pic of fittings for hot water heater, cold water line has in line shut off.

Forgot keys.
I'll get interior pics after company leaves.

Last time I promise!
Since my trailer is all aluminum on 16" centers it was hard to miss them. So my toilet is where I wanted shower. If shower had been flipped I might have added another shower curtain to keep toilet area dry when showering. It just takes a micro fiber rag and its dried. Flipped made plumbing short!

And lastly out side waste vent.

Thanks Bob and Padilen, appreciate the information.

I'm torn between taking the time and money right up front to go for it or just leave a place for it, give the outdoor shower approach a shot and then see if we need it or not. That is all some super valuable info. I appreciate you taking the time to post those.

Decisions, decisions......

Thanks,
Mark

I am slow at seeing this request since I was camping through most of the summer and fall. I only happened on your post as I was looking for some info. Hope this helps if you haven't already put yours in.

I put a shower pan in that is about 30inches by about 38 inches. It sits in the front right corner and goes across the doorway. It has a drain at both ends. Most of the time when I camp I have the head of the trailer slightly higher as I like to sleep with my head higher so the drain towards the tail of the pan is the main one I use. Sometimes though I am parked with the trailer still hooked up which makes it slightly nose low. That is what the second drain is for. Here is a link to my shower set up. viewtopic.php?f=42&t=55219&start=210 Be sure to scroll down the page to where I put a bench in.

The pan is cut from FRP , and it is holding up well. It get lots of traffic from muddy boots and gravel, but cleans up easy and doesn't seem to even get scratched. The sides are simply pine or fir that is well sealed and it was put down with silicone sealant under it and on the inside. So far it has worked excellent. The pan is not attached to the floor. The drains go through with about 4 inch tail pipes. To have it drain quickly, I sometimes do have to tilt the pan slightly to one side or the other, depending on how lazy I was when I leveled my CT. I don't camp in any campgrounds so I just use a five gallon bucket under the drain.

I use a custom made shower curtain (nylon material) that has elastic cord in the top hem. It dries quickly, but it is very low humidity here. it has some shower hooks attached in the 4 corners that slip over tiny cup hooks that are screwed into the ceiling. When not in use it hangs on my front wall.

For water I use a modified deck sprayer. I heat water either on my room heater or on my propane cook stove. It only takes a few minutes to heat up enough water to raise to temp of the sprayer water to about 110 degrees. The sprayer is very water miser friendly. It gives a nice pressure spray that quickly rinses my shampoo out. I use about a gallon or less water per shower.

I have found that having the shower here has been a good double use of space, and the pan helps to contain dirt and mud from outside. It is great to be able to come in muddy, sit down on the bench and have all of that mess stay in the shower pan where a quick rinse with the sprayer chases it all out.

I saw a nice design somewhere on here. They used a 4" pipe capped at both ends....which was about 6 foot long. It was painted black and mounted on the roof. During the day the sun heats the black pipe and the water within. it wasn't much about 4 1/2 gallons or so, but it could certainly be used to either wash a few dishes or maybe even a quick shower. The little outdoor shower that i am brainstorming would make perfect use of the pvc tank. I'm gonna bend a piece of PEX in a u shape which will mount to the outside wall by the entry door....and hold a shower curtain. Since this tank would be roof mounted, there would be no need for a pump.....it'd basically be gravity fed, so there won't be very much pressure. Can then reach the little hand sprayer used in my kitchen sink to take a quick shower.