Mid life crisis Cali Swamper!

[JuanVecino2023]

Problem with the Yakima and other is it is gravity pressure.


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Exactly, but I believe you can pressurise the 4 version

 

[Webbah_in_Switzerland]

This was the other one - available in the UK so no import

HOTTAP Essentials Kit

Get instant hot water at the flick of a switch - no electricity needed! Perfect for off-grid camping trips. 30-day free trial + free shipping on orders over £69 & returns are always free. Shop now!

www.joolca.co.uk

Looks like a decent option but takes up space which is at a premium with a wife and kids! I still bring this version with me for when I need to get water remotely from the van. Also is pressurized so great for cleaning the van and bikes/kids with mud! This one is sold in Europe without the immersion heater for some reason:

3.5 Gallon RinseKit PRO Portable Shower

The 3.5 gallon RinseKit PRO is the ultimate pressurized portable shower, with battery powered pressurization and a 5-setting spray nozzle. It's the perfect portable water sprayer for camping, boating, job sites and much more!

rinsekit.com

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[Webbah_in_Switzerland]

Exactly, but I believe you can pressurise the 4 version

One other option is the Karcher OC3. And then heat the water with a kettle before a shower.


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[wildslammer22]

I’m checking out your suggestion.

So far I’ve been looking at this https://offgridgear.co.uk/roadshowers

Trying to work out if I could adapt with an immersion heater.

I like the look of the 12l version of that roadshower. Anything bigger would be problematic weight wise I reckon.

Like everything in a Cali it’s about finding the compromise that works best for you. Some great options out there but most require a lot of battery power (which standard Cali doesn’t have) or require a lot of internal space for water heaters, extra gas bottle etc.

My approach is based on that I’m most likely to be either on a campsite with facilities or wild camping where pitching shower tents etc is probably not practical and in these scenarios I’m pretty feral anyway!

I don’t know about your kids but when mine were young they would be happy to never shower! Not like now as young adults when they shower about three times day it seems. My daughter was a little Tomboy who would fight to avoid having her hair brushed, she has now morphed into a princess that takes an hour to get ready to go to the shop…


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[Webbah_in_Switzerland]

I like the look of the 12l version of that roadshower. Anything bigger would be problematic weight wise I reckon.

Like everything in a Cali it’s about finding the compromise that works best for you. Some great options out there but most require a lot of battery power (which standard Cali doesn’t have) or require a lot of internal space for water heaters, extra gas bottle etc.

My approach is based on that I’m most likely to be either on a campsite with facilities or wild camping where pitching shower tents etc is probably not practical and in these scenarios I’m pretty feral anyway!

I don’t know about your kids but when mine were young they would be happy to never shower! Not like now as young adults when they shower about three times day it seems. My daughter was a little Tomboy who would fight to avoid having her hair brushed, she has now morphed into a princess that takes an hour to get ready to go to the shop…


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Here’s an option for those that have the rear shower in the Cali:

CaliHotShower

Die CaliHotShower Niederdruckboiler ist speziell für den mobilen Einsatz konstruiert und kann überall an der bestehenden Tauchpumpe in Ihrem Camper angeschlossen werden. Kaltes Wasser vom Wassertank wird im Kleinboiler mit 12V aufgeheizt. Kalt Duschen muss nicht sein! Die CaliHotShower ist zum...

www.calisolar.ch

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[wildslammer22]

Here’s an option for those that have the rear shower in the Cali:

CaliHotShower

Die CaliHotShower Niederdruckboiler ist speziell für den mobilen Einsatz konstruiert und kann überall an der bestehenden Tauchpumpe in Ihrem Camper angeschlossen werden. Kaltes Wasser vom Wassertank wird im Kleinboiler mit 12V aufgeheizt. Kalt Duschen muss nicht sein! Die CaliHotShower ist zum...

www.calisolar.ch

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That’s quite neat, but again power hungry.

I think the most efficient solution for a Cali would be a combined diesel heater and heat exchanger that I’ve seen in a few high end conversions. Even that comes with compromise though as you lose the ability to thermostatically control the heater - it’s either on full blast or off.


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[JuanVecino2023]

I like the look of the 12l version of that roadshower. Anything bigger would be problematic weight wise I reckon.

Like everything in a Cali it’s about finding the compromise that works best for you. Some great options out there but most require a lot of battery power (which standard Cali doesn’t have) or require a lot of internal space for water heaters, extra gas bottle etc.

My approach is based on that I’m most likely to be either on a campsite with facilities or wild camping where pitching shower tents etc is probably not practical and in these scenarios I’m pretty feral anyway!

I don’t know about your kids but when mine were young they would be happy to never shower! Not like now as young adults when they shower about three times day it seems. My daughter was a little Tomboy who would fight to avoid having her hair brushed, she has now morphed into a princess that takes an hour to get ready to go to the shop…


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My daughter is pretty feral. Oddly she loves showers at the swimming pool. It’s a fight to get her in one anywhere else.

I’m definitely coming around to the idea of less is more. The notion of gas heated showers are nice. But I do agree, the reality is most places with the space to set it up will have facilities.

 

[Jimmylondon07]

A shower is the very best example of a ‘wait until you’ve got it and see how you use it’ item. I convinced myself I needed a Joolca and all sorts...turns out I didn’t use the shower even when I hired a Grand Cali for a weekend. Every inch of space counts.

 

[Webbah_in_Switzerland]

That’s quite neat, but again power hungry.

I think the most efficient solution for a Cali would be a combined diesel heater and heat exchanger that I’ve seen in a few high end conversions. Even that comes with compromise though as you lose the ability to thermostatically control the heater - it’s either on full blast or off.


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The club joker has an Eberspacher Hydronic II Commercial version. 2 zones for heating and a boiler. It’s an awesome kit! Can use the shower heater zone when closed at full blast to dry out wet clothes, etc.


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[CamperFam]

Theres a number of options out there such as a tent that sits in the middle of the van w/ pop top up, and attaches to the sink. You hang it up via the roof, and it turns into a tarp which catches all the water and you can then tip it away.

But yeah - not something we've ever needed or been interested in. That's what bulk-bought wet wipes are for.

 

[wildslammer22]

Theres a number of options out there such as a tent that sits in the middle of the van w/ pop top up, and attaches to the sink. You hang it up via the roof, and it turns into a tarp which catches all the water and you can then tip it away.

But yeah - not something we've ever needed or been interested in. That's what bulk-bought wet wipes are for.

Or kill two birds with one stone at the jetwash!


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[JuanVecino2023]

Or kill two birds with one stone at the jetwash!


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Mine looks like that kid in Charlie Brown who always had the dust storm around him.

 

[Webbah_in_Switzerland]

Mine looks like that kid in Charlie Brown who always had the dust storm around him.

Swamper approved


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[Nand0]

That’s quite neat, but again power hungry.

It's not as bad as you might think. It uses an Elgena KB 3 200W boiler inside.

I have installed one of those boilers in my van for an indoor shower (project is functional, but still in "beta" phase). From cold it will heat up 3L of water to max temperature in about 45 minutes.

That's around 12.5 Ah, and it's plenty for a quick-ish shower. My gf and I have a shower each in just over 1h including heating up the water, and water is still hot at the end (no, she does not wash her hair, I'd need a nuclear power plant for that). So that's about 17Ah. And we still have warm water to do the dishes after dinner.

With a 150w solar panel, it tops it up quickly the next day.

 

[wildslammer22]

It's not as bad as you might think. It uses an Elgena KB 3 200W boiler inside.

I have installed one of those boilers in my van for an indoor shower (project is functional, but still in "beta" phase). From cold it will heat up 3L of water to max temperature in about 45 minutes.

That's around 12.5 Ah, and it's plenty for a quick-ish shower. My gf and I have a shower each in just over 1h including heating up the water, and water is still hot at the end (no, she does not wash her hair, I'd need a nuclear power plant for that). So that's about 17Ah. And we still have warm water to do the dishes after dinner.

With a 150w solar panel, it tops it up quickly the next day.

That’s interesting. Do you have lithium in your van?

I have toyed with getting an underslung LPG tank and using the space in the Cali where the gas bottle is currently to fit a small boiler. I’m not sure how feasible it would be but I might pick up the idea again some day. I need to find a satisfactory way of mounting a spare tyre for it to be a genuine option as I would use the space under the van for the LPG tank.


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[Nand0]

That’s interesting. Do you have lithium in your van?

I have toyed with getting an underslung LPG tank and using the space in the Cali where the gas bottle is currently to fit a small boiler. I’m not sure how feasible it would be but I might pick up the idea again some day. I need to find a satisfactory way of mounting a spare tyre for it to be a genuine option as I would use the space under the van for the LPG tank.


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No Lithium yet. That project is on the drawing board, but somehow I've been convinced that redoing the floor in my apartment is far more "urgent" so it has to wait.

An Ocean has 2x100Ah AGM batteries. Assuming you don't run them down below 50% (which you shouldn't) that gives you 100Ah usable. If being generous you use 20Ah for two showers, unless you have other big power draws in the van you should have plenty until next day when, if you have solar, the batteries will be topped up.

You can't leave the boiler on all the time though, that will flat the batteries. But I've been running this setup for over a year without issues.

 

[wildslammer22]

A question for the Swampermen, has anyone done anything with the reversing lights? I have LED's at the back but the light output is woeful. I could change the bulbs to LED (even though the running lights are LED the reversing lights aren’t) or add an additional brighter work light. Anyone done either and care to share their experiences.

Reversing on a lit road can be tricky without relying completely on the camera, on a dark wild camp the standard reversing lights are hopeless.


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[JuanVecino2023]

Wouldn’t need to worry about a portable shower in this. Just a power plant for the washing machine.
(Best watched with sound muted)
https://m.facebook.com/groups/808958519266708/permalink/2644381349057740/?mibextid=K35XfP

 

[Jimmylondon07]

Seems I'm back in the wheel market, found some damage on one and the guy I bought from doesn't have any more to exchange so they've gone back...argh!! @JuanVecino2023 what did you go for in the end? Or are you still procrastinating?

 

[CamperFam]

Seems I'm back in the wheel market, found some damage on one and the guy I bought from doesn't have any more to exchange so they've gone back...argh!! @JuanVecino2023 what did you go for in the end? Or are you still procrastinating?

I wondered why you went silent for a while Atleast that was easier than BellowsGate...

 

[Jimmylondon07]

I wondered why you went silent for a while Atleast that was easier than BellowsGate...

Ah bellowsgate. Got my third set going in on the 12th of March, let’s hope it’s the last eh?!

 

[Jimmylondon07]

Seems I'm back in the wheel market, found some damage on one and the guy I bought from doesn't have any more to exchange so they've gone back...argh!! @JuanVecino2023 what did you go for in the end? Or are you still procrastinating?

We like or not swamper enough? Kinda looks like an Oz Rally Raid after a pint of stout and a week's beard growth

 

[Corradobrit]

We like or not swamper enough? Kinda looks like an Oz Rally Raid after a pint of stout and a week's beard growth

View attachment 119263

If you like the OZ Rally Raid vibe (which I do, although I prefer the Monotube Projekt AT2 over the OZ) then these DV8 Verve's look to be a good option. But can only judge with rubber and installed. Here are a few shots with AT tyres. Nice

DV8 Works Verve Alloy Wheel 17" x 8" ET42 Black

The Verve is our new alloy designed specifically for VW Transporter T5 and T6. Perfect for swampers, campers and commercials. We build DV8 Works alloys to combine toughness and style, with very high load ratings for off-road and commercial use.

4x4tyres.co.uk

 

[JuanVecino2023]

Seems I'm back in the wheel market, found some damage on one and the guy I bought from doesn't have any more to exchange so they've gone back...argh!! @JuanVecino2023 what did you go for in the end? Or are you still procrastinating?

Ah shame.

I love a bit of procrastination. Draws out the game a bit.

I love Rally Raids. Remain a frontrunner.

Still not 100% convinced by anything. I might just default back to 8 hole modular steels and have done with it.

 

[wildslammer22]

Urban Ark Overland was selling these but I can’t find the post to see if they had gone or not. Can’t quite make out what they are, look like Monotube AT’s but they aren’t. Holeshots maybe?

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