5 minute shower, Really?????

[Moonlighting]

So we have this new camper & I just can't believe we can only get a 5 minute shower. How do people do this when you have a camper that sleeps 6??? & with girls???

I am learning so bare with me - the water is heated by the electric & propane I am learning & I read if we use electric alone it takes longer to heat? How long? Is it worth using the expensive propane?

& I saw a on & off switch in the water heater panel & it is off. Does that mean I have been using propane only?



We have only been out four times & I am trying very hard to understand it all.

2014 376BHOK

[Ford Idaho]

Originally Posted by Moonlighting

So we have this new camper & I just can't believe we can only get a 5 minute shower. How do people do this when you have a camper that sleeps 6??? & with girls???

Tell them 5 min or a bucket and a sponge.

I am learning so bare with me - the water is heated by the electric & propane I am learning & I read if we use electric alone it takes longer to heat? How long? Is it worth using the expensive propane?

How much is it worth to you to keep everyone camp happy?

& I saw a on & off switch in the water heater panel & it is off. Does that mean I have been using propane only?

Yes.
The switch needs to be on for the electric side to work.

We have only been out four times & I am trying very hard to understand it all.

Lol, beats me by three.

[wmtire]

See if this helps in the understanding of how the Suburban water heater works (if equiipped)

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...ore-36197.html

Also, it helps to conserve water, and not fill up your grey water tanks so fast...if you take what we call navy showers. You turn on the water, and wet yourself. Turn off the water at the shower wand. Soap, shampoo, etc.......then turn the shower wand back on to rinse off. This way you're not wasting hot water, or filling up your limited grey water tanks needlessly either.

Just remember to turn the water valves off at the end (and not just the shower wand),

Purchasing an Oxygenics showerhead might also help.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by Moonlighting

So we have this new camper & I just can't believe we can only get a 5 minute shower. How do people do this when you have a camper that sleeps 6??? & with girls???

I am learning so bare with me - the water is heated by the electric & propane I am learning & I read if we use electric alone it takes longer to heat? How long? Is it worth using the expensive propane?

& I saw a on & off switch in the water heater panel & it is off. Does that mean I have been using propane only?



We have only been out four times & I am trying very hard to understand it all.

2014 376BHOK

Were a Family of 7 and we've army showered since 2005 3 women and 4 guys.
You just learn.
Cant a few of you take showers in the mornings and a few at night?

Yes use gas and electric at the same time for faster recovery times.

If the switch is off outside , you in fact are only using propane.
The is the electric portion of your hw heater.

Keep in mind you only have a 6 or 10 gallon wh not a 30 or more like at home.

Get wet shut shower off.
Soap up and shampoo hair.
Rinse.
Done.


TURBS

golf cart safety instructor

[Arefbee]

We take a longer shower, but I use the shower head shut off. So far we have found it is worth it to use the electric and propane at the same time, then leave it on electric when we're away. With that crew an instant water heater may be a better choice.

At least with short showers the grey tank doesn't fill too quickly.

Also, worse comes to worse, use a campground with good public showers, especially for getting sand out of hair.

[Avan]

5 Min showers where standard in the Military..................

Good luck if you really have that many girls, you better have an outlet for the hair dryers......... LOL

[wrvond]

Even though you didn't ask, I think this is a good time to tell you some important information concerning the electric portion of your water heater. The switch you mentioned does indeed turn the electric heating element on and off. But, be sure there is water in the tank before turning it on. If you turn it on, or apply power to the camper with that switch in the on position, it will burn up the heating element faster than you can say "Oh cr*p!" No exageration.
Yes, it takes quite a bit longer for the electric element to heat up the water by itself. It can take up to half an hour to heat a full tank that way. The best method is to use the propane for the initial heating, then let the electric maintain the heat. This will keep the propane from cycling on and off when you aren't actually using the hot water, yet provides instant access to hot water.
If you look at the shower head, you'll notice a small button. This is so the user can turn the water off without having to readjust the knobs. They should wet down, soap up, and rinse off.
There's no way around it, girls are going to use more water than boys (assuming you can even get the boys into the shower!), but there are many ways to conserve. Remember, you're camping; the shower should be more of a rinsing off than deep cleaning.

[18CrewDually]

All good comments so far but one thing that is worth mentioning is the turning on of the valves. Some people (my wife at one time) would crank the cold water on all the way first then try to adjust to her liking with the hot. This wastes a lot of hot water that is trying to warm excessive cold water. What we do is turn on enough hot water for adequate flow and temp control mixed with cold water.
Great luck to you with all them girls, one is enough for me!

[5 hole]

you are camping, skip a shower, use bowl and water, or my prefered, lots of cologne!

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by 5 hole

you are camping, skip a shower, use bowl and water, or my prefered, lots of cologne!

I've used this method many times.

At minimum wash the "essentials"

TURBS

golf cart safety instructor

[Herk7769]

Most campers only have 6 gallon hot water heaters.

A whole new showering style is required when RVing (Navy Shower) or you will be spending most of your shower time at the campground's shower house.

A 5 minute shower is about all you get (if you are lucky) with 6 gallons.
You can try to stretch it by using BOTH electric and gas at the same time for quicker "recovery" time. The AC switch is on the outside of Suburban water heaters.

Always make sure you turn the outside switch off before draining the tank as you will burn up the heating element.

[ependydad]

LOL, this thread has made me chuckle. I am unable to take 5 minute shows! I'm just SLOW. With our 10 gallon water heater, I do as mentioned above - turn the hot 3/4 or so of the way on and then adjust temperature with the cold. We also have an Oxygenics shower head.

More times than not, if we're on a full hookup site, I won't even do the army/navy shower thing with turning off the water. I just let it run. I've gotten showers with my baby son and I at the same time where we haven't run out (I do switch to Navy showers after finishing up washing him and having someone take him from me).

If you have a 6 gallon water heater, it could be a little more tricky. Shoot for the navy shower concept and see how it goes.

I strongly recommend the oxygenics shower head.

[Triguy]

Moonlighting, sounds like its all been covered. We are always 5 people in our camper (me, DW and three daughters) and we do much of the same as already posted:

• Navy Showers if full hookups with sewer, which is rare for us. Usually, we are on electric or off the grid.
• Use both propane and electric for quicker recovery of hot water
• Oxygentics shower head

But what really works best for us is to just use the campground's shower facilities (when we don't have full hookups). Its not the hot water that is the real problem for us but the gray tank that fills up too fast. Emptying it half way into a trip is a PITA. We have a Blue Boy for that but I'd rather not if it can be helped.

[mjones12]

Originally Posted by herk7769

Most campers only have 6 gallon hot water heaters.

A whole new showering style is required when RVing (Navy Shower) or you will be spending most of your shower time at the campground's shower house.

A 5 minute shower is about all you get (if you are lucky) with 6 gallons.
You can try to stretch it by using BOTH electric and gas at the same time for quicker "recovery" time. The AC switch is on the outside of Suburban water heaters.

Always make sure you turn the outside switch off before draining the tank as you will burn up the heating element.

Great idea having a cotter pin on the "on" switch. You'll never turn it on without thinking about whether or not you have water in the tank.

[AquaMan]

I often camp with 3-4 teenage girls, a 7yr old girl, and my wife. They've all learned the "military" shower technique and have yet to run out of hot water. I do have a 10gal water heater and use both gas and electric for quick recovery though.

[ironj]

ur lucky...mine sleeps 8 sometiems (technically 10 if you wanted to experiment in misery) its a CHORE to teach little girls (and big ones too!!!) the mysterious workings of the camper water heating tehnology!! LOL...

to even have a CHANCE at surviving you have to
1. set WH on fast recovery (propane and electric) should bump you to ...... 17gal/hr recovery
2. WATER MANAGEMENT!! use an oxygenics head, and TURN IT OFF if your not wetting something or rinsing something.
3. Give the heater a bit to recover between showers
4. turn on hot FIRST then add cold to get a JUST warm shower.....no steam bath showers!!
5. split up shower times/days as much as possible.

with that many in there showering id be more worried about the grey tank filling in one day.....lol..unless your on full hookups....then i dont give the wife much grief about long steam showers...and personally ive been known to use the outside shower to wash up...does nothing for the wh recovery, but keeps the water out of the gray.

you could always use an instant heater, or maybe even a smaller supplemental heater just for the shower....gray will still be an issue and even MORE so i would imagine.

good luck! welcome to the world of girls and camping...lol

[AquaMan]

Originally Posted by ironj

ur lucky...mine sleeps 8 sometiems (technically 10 if you wanted to experiment in misery) its a CHORE to teach little girls (and big ones too!!!) the mysterious workings of the camper water heating tehnology!! LOL...

to even have a CHANCE at surviving you have to
1. set WH on fast recovery (propane and electric) should bump you to ...... 17gal/hr recovery
2. WATER MANAGEMENT!! use an oxygenics head, and TURN IT OFF if your not wetting something or rinsing something.
3. Give the heater a bit to recover between showers
4. turn on hot FIRST then add cold to get a JUST warm shower.....no steam bath showers!!
5. split up shower times/days as much as possible.

with that many in there showering id be more worried about the grey tank filling in one day.....lol..unless your on full hookups....then i dont give the wife much grief about long steam showers...and personally ive been known to use the outside shower to wash up...does nothing for the wh recovery, but keeps the water out of the gray.

you could always use an instant heater, or maybe even a smaller supplemental heater just for the shower....gray will still be an issue and even MORE so i would imagine.

good luck! welcome to the world of girls and camping...lol

A good way to teach girls water management is to go outside and turn on the water heater by-pass valve, wait for the scream, then slowly turn it back on. Then explain this is what happens when don't manage the water. Of course if my wife wants to use all the hot water, who am I to argue!

[jevanb]

I love our girard tankless the wife and kids or myself can take as long as we want, the only draw back is when we are not full hookup the 100gal gray tank can fill up pretty fast in 2-3 days

[Todouble]

We have a six gal and I never have a problem. I usually run just elec for myself. If my wife hops in I throw on the propane too. Don't worry about wasting propane, it's cheap. I can go all year on a single tank. Cost me $20 bucks to refill it.

[Old Bones]

Originally Posted by herk7769

Most campers only have 6 gallon hot water heaters.

A whole new showering style is required when RVing (Navy Shower) or you will be spending most of your shower time at the campground's shower house.

A 5 minute shower is about all you get (if you are lucky) with 6 gallons.
You can try to stretch it by using BOTH electric and gas at the same time for quicker "recovery" time. The AC switch is on the outside of Suburban water heaters.

Always make sure you turn the outside switch off before draining the tank as you will burn up the heating element.

That's a great idea having the cotter pin in the switch.