Posted 2008-07-30 11:59 AM (#88605) Subject: cowboy shower
Member
Posts: 38
Location: Teutopolis, IL
I saw the previous post on this subject "cowboy showers" and I too am wanting to install a shower in the horse area of our trailer. (it has LQ finished out) I was wondering if anyone out there could send pictures of their finished cowboy shower? I just want other ideas of how to do it. I am going to use an exterior shower mount/box that you use on RVs and I think that should work good. Now I need to figure out how to rig up the "shower stall". I just want to see how others have done it and any input would be great.
Posted 2008-07-31 5:22 AM (#88648 - in reply to #88605) Subject: RE: cowboy shower
Member
Posts: 18
Location: concord nc
I have a similar situation. Wanted to have a cowboy shower installed. Called 5 trailer places and no one would call me back. Seems they are a bear to install. Anyway bought a Coleman hot water on demand and love it. I originally purchased a Zodi but was not pleased with it. Too little water pressure and not as user friendly.
Posted 2008-07-31 12:01 PM (#88667 - in reply to #88605) Subject: RE: cowboy shower
Regular
Posts: 52
Location: Elgin, IL
I'm getting mine installed next week. Fortunately the hot water heater is on the other side of the wall in the LQ area at the bottom of a closet so it should be relatively easy install as both hot and cold water lines are very close. I just don't trust my husband to cut that big a hole in my trailer wall! I checked around RV places and everyone said they didn't do horse trailers. The horse trailer dealers said they could do it but hadn't done many. I finally found a conversion warranty place (outlaw conversions) and they're going to do it for me. I bought the box and it's ready for their install. I'm having them do a few other things as well. The shower I'm going to have is just basically a big rubber feed bin I got at Farm and Fleet to collect the water. I'm not worried about shower curtains as I have curtains on all the windows in the back anyway. Some devise a pole to hang the shower curtain to catch all the water and provide additional privacy. I personally don't want to drill any more holes in my trailer than I have to or carry around the additional stuff.
Had I not gone this route I would have gotten that coleman on demand water heater.
Posted 2008-08-01 11:15 AM (#88740 - in reply to #88605) Subject: RE: cowboy shower
Veteran
Posts: 235
Location: Bucksport, Maine
OK I've got a question about these. As far as I understand it, you can install the showerhead/controls inside the wall as shown above, then on the other side of the wall you need (at minimum!) a bucket for the water, a pump, and a water heater (Zodi, Coleman, etc.).
My confusion is this... most of the propane-powered portable water heaters that I've seen so far state they're for outside use only. I don't want to take showers outside and I don't have a large propane tank already mounted under the GN so I need a standalone unit. I was hoping to be able to have everything inside the trailer. Can I do that? If so, what products do I need to buy?
Posted 2008-08-01 4:09 PM (#88777 - in reply to #88605) Subject: RE: cowboy shower
Extreme Veteran
Posts: 479
Location: central sierra nevada foothills
The term "cowboy shower" cracks me up when I see these kind yall are talking about. What I beleive is a "cowboy shower" is what I have here...................
Well maybe yall could call it a "redneck shower", maybe that would fit mine here! LOL!!!! Just had to share what I use, I love it and works fine for me. Actually did a famiy campout for 4 days and had the husband and 4 year old son with me and we all used this, of course I brought 2 of them, they're 5 gal. each. Cody thought this was the cats meow to the camptrip, wait until he's older and figures it out! LOL!!!!!!!!
Posted 2008-08-01 5:01 PM (#88783 - in reply to #88605) Subject: RE: cowboy shower
Veteran
Posts: 235
Location: Bucksport, Maine
Well yeah, that's what I have now. I just call it a Sun Shower.
The problem is, mine pretty much just drips on you, and in order to get it to do THAT much you have to kneel in the drip tray (clean rubber tub) so that the hose stays kink-free. And by the time I get around to showering it's usually 11pm and the water has cooled off to just slightly warmer than frigid.
Last time I tried it, I used a rectangular rubbermaid tub that's about 1.5' tall and when I crouched down my knees hit the front of the tub and my a$$ hit the back, while the sides of my thighs rubbed the sides of the tub. Needless to say, the water then had no way to go in the tub... but the worst part of it was that I was parked sideways on a hill and my a$$ was downhill and I lost my balance and tipped over backwards, still stuck in the tub!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted 2008-08-01 8:44 PM (#88800 - in reply to #88605) Subject: RE: cowboy shower
Regular
Posts: 52
Location: Elgin, IL
I got the shower unit and the shop is going to install it in the wall on Monday (yippee). I also bought a plastic water heater pan that has a hole I can run a hose out the back of the trailer...so this is perfect. Got the soap dispenser for the wall to hang then I'll be good. Can't wait actually.
Posted 2008-08-01 10:15 PM (#88809 - in reply to #88783) Subject: RE: cowboy shower
Regular
Posts: 97
Location: Kansas
Originally written by Sharon on 2008-08-01 5:01 PM
Well yeah, that's what I have now. I just call it a Sun Shower.
The problem is, mine pretty much just drips on you, and in order to get it to do THAT much you have to kneel in the drip tray (clean rubber tub) so that the hose stays kink-free. And by the time I get around to showering it's usually 11pm and the water has cooled off to just slightly warmer than frigid.
Last time I tried it, I used a rectangular rubbermaid tub that's about 1.5' tall and when I crouched down my knees hit the front of the tub and my a$$ hit the back, while the sides of my thighs rubbed the sides of the tub. Needless to say, the water then had no way to go in the tub... but the worst part of it was that I was parked sideways on a hill and my a$$ was downhill and I lost my balance and tipped over backwards, still stuck in the tub!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I want a better solution.
I feel your pain. Your situation is similar to issues I have had trying to use a Sun Shower. I nabbed ours out of the trailer back in Dec. during the great "Ice Storm". We had no electricity for 21 days. With an electric hot water heater in the house..that meant no warm shower. Frigid showers in the dead of winter are the worst of the worst. I tried heating water and pouring it into the Sun Shower, (impossible to keep the water warm enough while standing in a steel bath tub). It was also impossible to hang the shower high enough to get a "shower". I won't bother to use them in the trailer. I am also wanting to add a cowboy shower to my weekender. I have a nice pine closet in the corner.. I hate to cut into it to install the box for the cowboy shower, so have been keeping my eye on this thread for ideas. :-) I enjoyed your story.
Posted 2008-08-02 8:18 AM (#88818 - in reply to #88605) Subject: RE: cowboy shower
Member
Posts: 38
Location: Teutopolis, IL
After reading all of your post I think I have an idea that may work well not not cost alot.
I have a water heater in the LQ so hot water is available. I'm going to purchase a water fountain pump, you know the ones in the garden dept. along with a big feed pan to catch the water. Bring a bucket of HOT water to the back part, submeris the pump in the water, instant shower.. a few things may be a draw back, 1. no way to stop the water flow (unless you stck the hose back in the bucket and let it recirculate) 2. finding a shower head to fit the hose might pose a problem.
But this way I won't have to drill anymore holes in my trailer. I could probably figure out how to mount the hose so I wouldn't have to hold it the whole time.
Any thoughts on this idea? Thanks to all your posts, they've been very helpful!
Posted 2008-08-02 9:10 AM (#88821 - in reply to #88605) Subject: RE: cowboy shower
Veteran
Posts: 192
Location: Hutto, TX
My trailer came with a cowboy shower but I haven't used it yet. BUT, I changed out the kitchen sink for one with a sprayer arm and I've washed up pretty well and gotten my hair clean that way a couple of times. If that will help you, it was an easy fix. You need the sprayer as the arm, not separate because the pressure is better.
Posted 2008-08-02 9:35 AM (#88824 - in reply to #88821) Subject: RE: cowboy shower
Regular
Posts: 97
Location: Kansas
Originally written by KeepsakeFarm on 2008-08-02 9:10 AM
My trailer came with a cowboy shower but I haven't used it yet. BUT, I changed out the kitchen sink for one with a sprayer arm and I've washed up pretty well and gotten my hair clean that way a couple of times. If that will help you, it was an easy fix. You need the sprayer as the arm, not separate because the pressure is better.
Do you have any photos of how you set that up? The sink that came with my weekender is very small and I am thinking about replacing it with a larger model. The faucet that is installed is ok for washing hands, but too large for the sink and worthless for dishes ect.
Might even try this item instead of a fountain pump. Reviews seemed to be good
This item looks handy. I am trying to figure out how to make it easier to get water into a bucket from my current set up. I have a water heater in the LQ. It leads to a small sink/faucet. There is no way I can get a bucket under the faucet. I can add water lines and install a cowboy shower but I am not sure I want to cut several holes to run the lines (through a closet) and then cut out the square for the shower box. I purchased a Zodi (still in the box), but it seems silly to heat water with it, when I have a perfectly good 6 gallon propane water heater in the LQ.
Posted 2008-08-02 9:29 PM (#88863 - in reply to #88605) Subject: RE: cowboy shower
Veteran
Posts: 164
Location: Delaware
I found a Coleman battery powered shower at Kmart for $20. I use a 5 gal bucket and heat the water up on the propane stove. I just take everything to the horse area and take my warm shower. You can get the shower head holder at Lowes or a camping store and glue it in the back where it's convenient to hold the shower head up.
Posted 2008-08-04 1:56 PM (#88983 - in reply to #88826) Subject: RE: cowboy shower
Member
Posts: 38
Location: Teutopolis, IL
What about attaching a short 4' garden hose to your kitchen faucet? Then you could fill a bucket with hot water to use for the shower. That's what I'm going to do. Most faucets can be adapted to accomate a hose. Especially if the faucet is meant to be used in a utility tub/sink
Posted 2008-08-04 5:17 PM (#88996 - in reply to #88819) Subject: RE: cowboy shower
Expert
Posts: 2828
Location: Southern New Mexico
I have one of the zodi showers and it has a pump like that one. I'm trying to find a water container that has an opening big enough for the pump. Not so much for when were in the horse trailer, I can use a bucket for that, but for when we go to the lake or camping. The water containers I have don't have big enough openings for the pump.
Posted 2008-08-04 5:39 PM (#88999 - in reply to #88983) Subject: RE: cowboy shower
Regular
Posts: 97
Location: Kansas
Originally written by shelly1367 on 2008-08-04 1:56 PM
What about attaching a short 4' garden hose to your kitchen faucet? Then you could fill a bucket with hot water to use for the shower. That's what I'm going to do. Most faucets can be adapted to accomate a hose. Especially if the faucet is meant to be used in a utility tub/sink
That is a great idea in regards to the hose. (it never crossed my mind to try one) I have 2 or 3 of those around .. not sure the faucet will accommodate one. It is not really a utility sink faucet, more of a kitchen sink faucet. The fact that they put it over the vanity type sink that is installed is kind of weird.. but I guess it is better than nothing. I am heading out the door to try a hose. Thanks!
Posted 2008-08-05 5:44 AM (#89032 - in reply to #88982) Subject: RE: cowboy shower
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Posts: 164
Location: Delaware
I just saw it at Kmart this spring. I tried looking on the web for it also and couldn't find it. I believe Cabella's has a similar one for around $20. Try ebay.