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Old 11-30-2013, 11:21 AM   #1
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Best water saving handheld shower with cutoff switch?

What is the best known handheld shower for low gpm usage? The Camco one seems to give no gpm specs. My shower is only a handheld one so I need one of those, unless I custom make a handheld wand with a regular shower head attached (which wouldn't be hard or expensive).

I'm using the old, inefficient, worn out (leaky around thee edges) 1978 shower head that came with this motorhome. I need an upgrade, for sure.

Can anyone recommend a good handheld shower with a cutoff switch on the shower head? The more water saving, the better, with my 23 gallon capacity fresh/grey storage.

I have a new fresh water pump. If I remember correctly, it gives 45psi max.
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Old 11-30-2013, 11:24 AM   #2
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You can go with what most go with which is Oxygenics - http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/r...s-body-spa.htm. Or you can go to any home improvement store and get the shower head that you like and add in the cut off valve in. Which by the way I have seen sold at Home Depot and Lowe's. It's up to you what you like and want to spend.
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Old 11-30-2013, 11:28 AM   #3
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Once again, it says nothing about what the GPM is.... what's the deal? I thought all plumbing fixtures had to say..
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Old 11-30-2013, 11:39 AM   #4
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X2 on Oxygenics. It is by far the best I have looked at. No more low pressure problems and uses half the amount of water. Especially less Hot Water!!
Available at most RV Supply Stores, Camping World, Etc.
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Old 11-30-2013, 11:41 AM   #5
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It don't matter what the GPM is rated, you should only use the water you need. You will probably run a 200gpm 3 minutes to get the same desired result as a 300gpm 2 minutes. Your done when your done.
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Old 11-30-2013, 11:57 AM   #6
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Less GPM matters big time.... to me anyway. At 2.5gpm, assuming it takes me a 3-4 minutes total to rinse my hair of shampoo (as I said, I have thick hair, it takes a lot of time to rinse), that's 7.5-10 gallons of water just for hair washing. That's not even counting getting my hair wet or rinsing off from being soaped up. At 2.5gpm, I could easily use up my fresh water by 3/4 for a single shower without letting the water run constantly.

(As previously stated, I have 23 gallons total fresh/grey)

I can stand low water consumption showers better than some people. I had a cheap ($5-7) 1.5gpm shower head at the house I had (well water, so low pressure vs city) and I loved it compared to the inefficient shower head it had before I put that one on.

It gave better spraying power under the low water pressure and didn't require opening the the 1/2 turn valves all the way open to get a good spray, so I know I was using a lot less water but still provided a good shower.

I suppose I might need to buy as cheap of a shower head as I can find that uses the least water and make my own hand held shower from it with some CPVC pipe (since it can handle hot water, PVC can't) and an in-line cutoff switch. It'll be goofy looking but it's just for me to use anyway.

It boggles my mind that there seems to be no really good low water consumption RV shower head. Maybe there is but the company fails to say what the gpm is.

I love my 0.5gpm faucet aerator at the galley sink. I can wash my hands and dishes with a fraction of the water of normal so-called "water saving" ones that use 1.5gpm or more.
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Old 11-30-2013, 12:42 PM   #7
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Another for Oxygenics. And you can get them now with a push button cut off.

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Old 11-30-2013, 01:06 PM   #8
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I seem to have totally forgotten one minor thing about how my motorhome is set up. The water heater is a marine one with an engine heat exchanger, or 120v only. No propane heating for it.

So unless I want to run my slightly worn out (but functioning), loudass, gas guzzling Onan generator to heat the water prior to showering (it does heat fast, I will give it that) then I won't be running the real shower.. unless I want ice cold showers. (no thanks!)

I need to buy a few things before I get out there to Quartzsite. One being a cheap spray bottle and another being one of those black camp shower bags that holds about 5 gallons and is heated by setting it outside to heat the water. I can heat some extra water up on the stove in my coffee pot to boiling then add it to cold water for sponge bathing.

Perhaps I'll only stay out at Quarzsite 2 weeks. I'll probably be sick of it by then.. haha. I know I won't be opting for the $180 "all season".

I love my motorhome, don't get me wrong, but long term off the grid living without access to external showers (ie: my free Anytime Fitness membership) sucks big time. I don't mind sponge bathing as needed... I'm not going to smell like a hobo or anything... but hair washing is what I am going to find difficult with my very thick hair.

For the 2 weeks or so I plan to stay there, I really don't want to get a butchered up haircut t(I look godawful with too short hair) just to make it easier to wash. I can get by 2 nights (so every 3 days) without hair washing assuming I don't get sweaty or downright dirty so at most I'll have to wash my about hair 5-6 times while there. Hardly worth paying high dollar rent for or getting a haircut I am going to hate for 2 weeks.

That's what's called "roughing it" I guess since I am pretty well covered otherwise for modern creature comforts.

If after 2 weeks I don't find it a huge hassle, I might stay another 2 weeks max. I'll be sick of being there by then though, for sure. I get bored easily and I'll be sick of being there by then, I'm sure
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Old 11-30-2013, 03:48 PM   #9
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I have used an Oxygenics one time (Well one RV park) and as I recall it did give GPM on it's body.. But it is about 1/2 what others use from what I could tell.
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Old 11-30-2013, 04:38 PM   #10
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No doubt a 1978 19' Explr presents unique challenges many of us don't have. I am not sure of the Oxygenics gpm - I believe they say it provides a 30% reduction over traditional shower heads. That was Very noticeable for us. I'm sure you'll work something out but your starting from much less water than most of us and seem to be trying to get as much or more from it and between dumping / refilling as we do. That's a big lift.

Even my 1991 19' Air Stream B Van which was in service for many, many years had 50 gallons of fresh water - a 6 gallon quick recovery HWH and two 28 gallon holding tanks. So while I know some of what you're up against, I can't imagine that a shower head - even at 50% reduction is going to buy you that much time. I would still give the Oxygenics a try. If that doesn't work - a hair cut or time will eventually take care of the hair rinsing time. Good luck.
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Old 11-30-2013, 04:50 PM   #11
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Oops.. it's 22 gallons holding. This is the exact tank I bought, I think from Tank Depot even. The original tank was missing.

Ronco 22 Gallon RV Holding Tank (R-28H)

It was EXACTLY what fit into the space and was compatible with the hangers from the original tank (on either end of the tank).

The fresh water tank is original and is about 20-22 gallons too based on calculation of capacity of it since it's just a brick shaped tank, not funky shaped like the holding tank.

So yeah, that's the original equipment specs, 22 gallons fresh/grey. I guess that's all they could fit back back then based on the chassis they had to to work with. Seems strange since this thing was pretty top of the line for it's time. It even has the factory installed awning, which was an option for these Xplorers apparently since not all have it.

I can see how it can't fit any more of a fresh water tank due to the propane storage, generator and storage compartment. Also the water pump and inlets and outlets from the fresh water tank. Same with waste.. there's no space for anymore storage tanks anywhere underneath.
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Old 11-30-2013, 05:11 PM   #12
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Don't know the GPM (It's low) but I modified a kitchen side spray to fit the shower hose and LOVE it.
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Old 11-30-2013, 05:17 PM   #13
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Yes, that kind of thing has crossed my mind too.

I wouldn't want that sprayer on full time though. I have to fill my recirculating toilet with the shower, so I like it being able to fill it without holding a sprayer open like that would require.

Perhaps I could fix it up so it has a garden hose quick connect setup so I can change between different shower heads depending on if I'm on or off the grid, without having to do full-on changes of shower heads.

But again, I'd have cold water to shower with unless I ran my generator to get hot water from the built in system. I think I'll do best with a camping shower bag, heated water from the stove and a spray bottle. It'll be time consming but that's better than water and gasoline consuming to run the shower and generator for hot water.
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Old 11-30-2013, 05:21 PM   #14
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The Oxygenics hand held is 1.75 GPM
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