Amount of usage on your exterior shower box?

[dmward]

Originally Posted by wags999

Just wondering where your camping that you can allow shower water to drain on the ground? Every campground I have been too has never allowed water to drain on the ground? I can only imagine after the first 80 or 90 showers what the ground/grass/mud would be like? How polluted the ground would become with soap etc..

I know each of us feel the little I leave behind won't harm anything, but, when the typical campground is full for 3 to 6 months a year, one piece of trash the size of a dime left by each camper, becomes a mound of trash.
Just my opinion, but I try to leave any camp sight I use to be cleaner when I leave then when I arrive.

I've never used it for outdoor showers myself, but I could see these showers being of the "navy" variety. I don't imagine people are running it for 5-10 minutes straight, since the shower stand is so close to the ground. You are not going to stand under it while water pours down.

Also, I assume that people are doing this on hot days when the water will evaporate quickly. Also I assume people are using bio-friendly unscented soaps.

But maybe I just assume too much of people. I am from Canada after all [emoji6]

[mike837go]

Originally Posted by wags999

Just wondering where your camping that you can allow shower water to drain on the ground? Every campground I have been too has never allowed water to drain on the ground? I can only imagine after the first 80 or 90 showers what the ground/grass/mud would be like? How polluted the ground would become with soap etc..

I know each of us feel the little I leave behind won't harm anything, but, when the typical campground is full for 3 to 6 months a year, one piece of trash the size of a dime left by each camper, becomes a mound of trash.
Just my opinion, but I try to leave any camp sight I use to be cleaner when I leave then when I arrive.

I see where you are coming from. When my son was in Boy Scouts I went through Leave No Trace training with the boys.

Unfortunately, 1,000+ families using 6 or 7 acres over 3 months does a hellova lot of damage to that area unless every single person was totally mindful of ALL the waste they create and direct it in the least impactful way possible.

Where do we go from here? Start caning litterbugs, like Singapore? Public education hasn't worked. Consider all waste as if it is industrial pollution?

The two of us boondock 2-3 times a year on a 7.5 acre parcel more than 300' from the nearest body of water. Our outdoor shower use will never be a problem.

So where do we draw the line on outdoor soap usage? What if the campground's storm water is processed the by the same plant as the sewer water? What if we require all soap and shampoos to be biodegradable within a short period of time.

[mdany]

We have one like others have said, it is for the kids and the dog. But when you do install one, be sure to add a separate valve for hot/cold on the inside so that you can isolate it if it breaks or freezes.

[mdany]

Also, I have installed a hose bib near the Sewer hose connection to wash out the Sewer hose which works well, and serves as another low point drain.

[wags999]

Originally Posted by mike837go

I see where you are coming from. When my son was in Boy Scouts I went through Leave No Trace training with the boys.

Unfortunately, 1,000+ families using 6 or 7 acres over 3 months does a hellova lot of damage to that area unless every single person was totally mindful of ALL the waste they create and direct it in the least impactful way possible.

Where do we go from here? Start caning litterbugs, like Singapore? Public education hasn't worked. Consider all waste as if it is industrial pollution?

The two of us boondock 2-3 times a year on a 7.5 acre parcel more than 300' from the nearest body of water. Our outdoor shower use will never be a problem.

So where do we draw the line on outdoor soap usage? What if the campground's storm water is processed the by the same plant as the sewer water? What if we require all soap and shampoos to be biodegradable within a short period of time.

If your on your own parcel of land, rarely used, probably not an issue. If your in a campground, huge issue. And I know of no sewer plant that also handles storm water, as it would be very expensive and irresponsible. Even if soap is biodegradable, it will take a period of time to degrade, meanwhile, someone is camping in your shower waste.

[mike837go]

Originally Posted by wags999

If your on your own parcel of land, rarely used, probably not an issue. If your in a campground, huge issue. And I know of no sewer plant that also handles storm water, as it would be very expensive and irresponsible. Even if soap is biodegradable, it will take a period of time to degrade, meanwhile, someone is camping in your shower waste.

I totally agree. I was throwing that out as another imperfect solution.

But the question still stands, "What can we as campers do to lessen or, hopefully, eliminate our long-term impact on the places we camp?"

Outside showers are just one part of a much bigger problem of discarded trash, dumped grey water, irresponsible fires... The list is pretty long.

[33 RLDS]

I just cleaned the mold out of my outside shower compartment. Seems to like that spot..

[TWP723]

Yeah, they seem to collect mold very quick. I try to dry mine out before closing it up but it still has black-spotted mold on it.

It seems to me, they could put a little more effort into making the outside shower a little beefier. They seem so flimsy, like you could break it if you dropped it. THe shut-off valve on the head itself is pretty cheap as well.

[Gomez]

We do competition BBQ so ours gets used for rinsing dishes and other clean up chores.
This has been an educational thread as I've picked up a few ideas of things to change on mine.

[Edd505]

Originally Posted by tslarson

I was afraid of filling up the grey tank showering in the camper, so we took "bathing suit" showers each evening using the outdoor shower. Easy to get a jug and put water in the tank if we were to run low, but a pain in the butt if the grey tank fills up to soon.

+1
Put a pump bottle soap in with it
Hand washing after dumping
Dog wash when he's been swimming
Grand Kids wash when they are dirty
Veggies
Anything I don't want inside

[norty1]

I removed the factory sprayer, bought a brass adapter at Lowes and now attach a regular garden sprayer with a little longer hose. I use it to clean grills( hot water) and dogs.
I also use it with the same adapter to flush the black tank if there is no other alternative.

[Tunce the traveler]

Originally Posted by norty1

I removed the factory sprayer, bought a brass adapter at Lowes and now attach a regular garden sprayer with a little longer hose. I use it to clean grills( hot water) and dogs.
I also use it with the same adapter to flush the black tank if there is no other alternative.

Norty1 how about a pic.

[AugerN]

First trip and so far I have used the outside shower to clean myself after opening the black water on myself (rookie mistake), hose off chairs that got sand on them, and we washed dishes outside when the grey water was nearing full. I suppose I could have just used a Y attachment and second hose but since I didn't bring those, having the shower helps.

[Subaru297]

Originally Posted by norty1

I removed the factory sprayer, bought a brass adapter at Lowes and now attach a regular garden sprayer with a little longer hose. I use it to clean grills( hot water) and dogs.
I also use it with the same adapter to flush the black tank if there is no other alternative.

Can you give a link to that adapter or picture? I love that idea as my shower head leaks like a sieve anyway.

Cheers

[fmichaels]

mine is brand new.

[norty1]

Here is the item and the sprayer. On mine, I also added a freeze protector to let water out of the hose.

[TeamFoxy]

I've never used the outside shower, but I always add a Y-connector to our fresh water hookup and attach a second hose to it. We use the second hose for cleaning stuff outside and rinsing the sewer hose.

Seems much more convenient to have the nozzle wherever we need it, rather than behind the TT.

[Shorty Cox]

Never use it. Never used the one on the previous unit either.

[kjohn73]

Both our current and past 197's have them. Never used them that I can remember. I could see them being quite handy for hosing down the kiddies or the mutt. Our girls, all 6 of them, would have to be hog tied to get them to shower outside. Of course, their ages range from 50 to 33!

Also see potential if I was boondocking alone somewhere in hot weather. So far, the outside shower is just another thing to winterize.

[Lady Fitzgerald]

Originally Posted by dewey02

It probably has a different lock so no one will steal your shower head. Jayco knows that if they used the same lock that is on each and every storage compartment on every trailer they build, then anyone would be able to open that precious shower door as well.

More likely, Jayco receives the compartment as an assembly complete with a differently keyed lock already installed and it's cheaper just to leave that lock in place rather than pay for another lock and the labor to remove the original and install the other one. I suppose Jayco could order the shower assembly with a specific lock installed but that would cost more.