Does anyone have any recommendations for a water saving shower head please?
Sol
hako said
07:08 AM May 5, 2017
Not sure if you need one for a van ensuite or an external camping style one but my comment is the best way to save water when showering irrespective of the location is to turn the tap off between wetting the body, soaping up and rinsing off. Re water saving showerheads - to me they just make you spend longer under the shower in an attempt to get wet!
Good Luck.
Woody n Sue said
07:58 AM May 5, 2017
I'm with you there hako
Woody
wasn_me said
07:58 AM May 5, 2017
My van came with a shower head that poured out water quicker than it could escape. I hunted everywhere for a water saver shower head that would screw onto the hose. No luck. I bought a cheapy ($7) from bunnings & blocked half the holes with superglue. It screwed straight onto the hose. It worked well, I didn't notice a lot of difference showering.
Cheers Pete
Darmc said
09:11 AM May 5, 2017
Hello Sol, maybe a flow restrictor would work. I bought some for our home at Samios Hardware here in Cairns. There is a website about the different reductions. However, make sure they are suitable for use with the gas hot water system.
Darmc
Darmc said
09:17 AM May 5, 2017
Sol, I just checked the brand is Fix a Tap
Cheers Darmc
Cupie said
09:30 AM May 5, 2017
hako wrote:
Not sure if you need one for a van ensuite or an external camping style one but my comment is the best way to save water when showering irrespective of the location is to turn the tap off between wetting the body, soaping up and rinsing off. Re water saving showerheads - to me they just make you spend longer under the shower in an attempt to get wet!
Good Luck.
Not our experience.
We were always running out of hot water in the morning with our original shower that poured out water. SWMBO likes to shampoo her hair every morning. We got a water saving head from a now defunct hardware store at Cobar. Problem solved & we certainly get very satisfactory showers. But then we are used to water saving shower heads after installing them in our home during Brisbane's historic drought several years ago.
Installing those water restricting 'washers' in the existing shower head might be the cheapest approach. Try Reece or similar for advice.
Aus-Kiwi said
10:02 AM May 5, 2017
The restrictor need to be in the shower head or there's bugger All shower . The normal van type is pretty much a water saver type compared to home shower heads . Keep in mind pressure is a restriction of flow . Smaller holes in shower head or bigger pump ? Yes we tend to wet ourselves . Turn shower off . Lather up . Then rinse off . Even apply hand wash on delicate parts before shower ) ears etc ) . Saves water ..
Desert Dweller said
11:40 AM May 5, 2017
Water saver shower heads are false economy they reduce the amount of water when it comes out but it takes you take twice as long to have a proper shower, therefore using the same amount of water than if you used a normal shower head. Simple really.
Cupie said
11:55 AM May 5, 2017
Desert Dweller wrote:
Water saver shower heads are false economy they reduce the amount of water when it comes out but it takes you take twice as long to have a proper shower, therefore using the same amount of water than if you used a normal shower head. Simple really.
Again I don't agree.
During the 'Big Drought' in Brissie along with free water shaver shower heads came 4 minute shower timers. We still have a few & using them soon gets you accustomed to less than 4 minute showers.
Couple the measured time & the restricted flow shower heads and you certainly do reduce your water use.
Of course some just love to stand there & let the water cascade over them. On rare occasions I will visit the CP ablutions block & have a long indulgent shower. But that's what it is .. indulgent. If you want to save water then the timed shower using a flow restricted shower head really works.
Note .. Since we switched over to shower gel rather than soap bars, I have reverted to an old technique (that I used with bush showers in the Army) of a quick wetting, then turn off the shower & soap up then turn the water on again to rinse off. If you want to stay under the cascade for a bit then that's OK too & if you don't over do that part then the water saving is real. My Bro in Law still soaps up using his undies as he did living solo in the Air Force many many years ago. Thus saving water by doing his undies washing at the same time as he showered.
PeterInSa said
11:57 AM May 5, 2017
Ditto blocking up 1/2 the holes with Silicon, left the outer rings of holes, blocked one or 2 of the inside rings.
Water savers at home.... in our ensuite. SA government changed over 20 globes and the shower head gratis for more efficient units. Shower head went form 26lt a minute to 6lts a minute, on cold nights you need to turn up the fan heater to keep warm having a shower.
Peter
Baz421 said
12:00 PM May 5, 2017
Hi Sol
THERE IS A VERY SIMPLE SOLUTION which we use in the bush to save water and still have a good shower, I used this on boat for years also.
Fit a valve as shown in pics (Bunnings sell em about $8 or so).
How to use
1 start shower as normal
2 get under get wet
3 turn centre tap OFF and soap up/shampoo hair etc
4 turn tap ON to rinse and hot/cold mix is preset so no wastage
5 repeat if necessary.
THIS METHOD SAVES HEAPS OF WATER and u can soap up wash hair etc but the flow is ON when needed and OFF when not needed. Pretty simple to instal 10 minutes tops.
Hope this helps.
Cheers Baz
-- Edited by Baz421 on Friday 5th of May 2017 12:03:20 PM
What you really need is a tap setup like Baz has but if the white pipe hanging down was an on/off lever you could simply turn it on/off with your knee similar to how you turn those taps in hospitals on/off with your elbow.
Good Luck.
Aus-Kiwi said
02:22 PM May 5, 2017
Yes that's what we have . The good water saver heads actually pulses the water . Making it more efficient . One thing we recommend when people have high power bills .
Tony Bev said
03:34 PM May 6, 2017
While looking at the third tap, which Baz421 has recommended, (thanks for that Baz421)
I had a squizzy at my own RV shower, to see if I could fit the same system, (which I will) before my next trip
There is a restriction already built in, just before the third tap will go, so I do not think that a water saver shower head, will be any benefit
I lose water each time I open the two taps, to get the correct temperature for my body
Unfortunately for me, the water temperature must be (warmish) correct for my body, otherwise I can not use cold, or hot water.
We always turn water off when soaping up then on again to wash off.
Theres a few things here to look into anyway.
Cheers
Sol
Matt said
08:30 PM May 8, 2017
I don't agree that water saving shower heads use more water or are a waste of time. The one we fitted to our home shower, is smaller in diameter than the original it replaced. The water, with the same amount of tap turned on, comes out at greater pressure than standard. I suppose the theory is the same amount of water is trying to escape through less holes/smaller diameter shower head, therefore more pressure?
I'd like one in our van as well as the shower head there, gushes our really nicely, but it doesn't take long to use up the hot water.
Aus-Kiwi said
08:47 PM May 8, 2017
Van type are pretty much water savers compared to home type . The issue with restricting before head is you lose pressure . The best is to have less holes or smaller hole so pressure is higher . If pump is strong enough ?
Does anyone have any recommendations for a water saving shower head please?
Good Luck.
Woody
Darmc
Cheers Darmc
Not our experience.
We were always running out of hot water in the morning with our original shower that poured out water. SWMBO likes to shampoo her hair every morning. We got a water saving head from a now defunct hardware store at Cobar. Problem solved & we certainly get very satisfactory showers. But then we are used to water saving shower heads after installing them in our home during Brisbane's historic drought several years ago.
Installing those water restricting 'washers' in the existing shower head might be the cheapest approach. Try Reece or similar for advice.
Water saver shower heads are false economy they reduce the amount of water when it comes out but it takes you take twice as long to have a proper shower, therefore using the same amount of water than if you used a normal shower head. Simple really.
Again I don't agree.
During the 'Big Drought' in Brissie along with free water shaver shower heads came 4 minute shower timers. We still have a few & using them soon gets you accustomed to less than 4 minute showers.
Couple the measured time & the restricted flow shower heads and you certainly do reduce your water use.
Of course some just love to stand there & let the water cascade over them. On rare occasions I will visit the CP ablutions block & have a long indulgent shower. But that's what it is .. indulgent. If you want to save water then the timed shower using a flow restricted shower head really works.
Note .. Since we switched over to shower gel rather than soap bars, I have reverted to an old technique (that I used with bush showers in the Army) of a quick wetting, then turn off the shower & soap up then turn the water on again to rinse off. If you want to stay under the cascade for a bit then that's OK too & if you don't over do that part then the water saving is real. My Bro in Law still soaps up using his undies as he did living solo in the Air Force many many years ago. Thus saving water by doing his undies washing at the same time as he showered.
Water savers at home.... in our ensuite. SA government changed over 20 globes and the shower head gratis for more efficient units. Shower head went form 26lt a minute to 6lts a minute, on cold nights you need to turn up the fan heater to keep warm having a shower.
Peter
Hi Sol
THERE IS A VERY SIMPLE SOLUTION which we use in the bush to save water and still have a good shower, I used this on boat for years also.
Fit a valve as shown in pics (Bunnings sell em about $8 or so).
How to use
1 start shower as normal
2 get under get wet
3 turn centre tap OFF and soap up/shampoo hair etc
4 turn tap ON to rinse and hot/cold mix is preset so no wastage
5 repeat if necessary.
THIS METHOD SAVES HEAPS OF WATER and u can soap up wash hair etc but the flow is ON when needed and OFF when not needed. Pretty simple to instal 10 minutes tops.
Hope this helps.
Cheers Baz
-- Edited by Baz421 on Friday 5th of May 2017 12:03:20 PM
Good Luck.
I had a squizzy at my own RV shower, to see if I could fit the same system, (which I will) before my next trip
There is a restriction already built in, just before the third tap will go, so I do not think that a water saver shower head, will be any benefit
I lose water each time I open the two taps, to get the correct temperature for my body
Unfortunately for me, the water temperature must be (warmish) correct for my body, otherwise I can not use cold, or hot water.
Thanks everyone for your replies.
We always turn water off when soaping up then on again to wash off.
Theres a few things here to look into anyway.
Cheers
Sol
I'd like one in our van as well as the shower head there, gushes our really nicely, but it doesn't take long to use up the hot water.