Shower Update time.

[Chaz]

Well, it has been awhile since I was here. Lots of stuff going on for me, not the least of which was a nice vacation to Germany for 16 days where I seen LOTS of cool tour bus's. The trip kinda help clear the old "knot" on top of my shoulders a bit. 
Then when I got back I jumped into the bus for a little weekend trip in my "baby". Minimal issues. She ran good but I have a bad regulator. I guess I will have to call Luke and hope he can get me another one by Friday as I would like to make another short weekend trip again.

But the real reason for the post is I think it's about time to update my shower. Shower head, knobs, valves, whatever. The one I have is an "el cheap-o leak-o" model and I would like to put in a nice-er one. What would you guys recommend??
I know there are some that redirect the initial water back to the tank and that seems pretty cool. Also one that you can adjust the temp and with one knob turn it on and off without having to readjust. These are some features I think I'd like to have. But then............ as long as they don't cost and arm and a "left one".  What would you suggest?? And if you got some ideas for "creating" a nice setup, I'm all about that! But I'd like to do it nice.

  Well, good to be back! Hopefully I will be a little bit better of a member from now on. I miss all this good stuff.
   Take care!
     Chaz

[JackConrad]

Chaz,
  First WELCOME BACK!! Ya'll have been missed.  We used a standard house type shower valve and a "telephone" shower head that has a on/off valve on it. I wish we would have used a shower valve with the return until we had the water adjusted, but did not knmow about those when we installed ours (about 8 years ago).  Once adjusted, we use the shower head on/off valve to conserve water.  Jack
PS: showering together also saves water!

[Chaz]

Thanx Jack. It's good to feel good about my "baby" again and being back on the board. I've had a few friends on here check on me in the past and that was very cool. It's nice to know you are missed.

Also, I like your style!!! At home, "showering with a friend" is always a high priority, but I think we end up wasting water.      lolol. 

I also believe the two features you mentioned are worthwhile doing while I'm at it. I'm not sure what other cool features there could be but, maybe someone else has some ideas. Or at least suggestions on how to do it or where to get something like that or brand or........?

Thanx again Jack!
  Take care,
     Chaz

[Melbo]

In our bus we used the standard MOEN pull on push off valves for the kitchen lav and shower. That way we only have one replacement to fix all three. ( they use the same cartridge ) when you pull the shower on it is in the same position ( temperature setting ) as when you turned it off. Less than a quart of water in the line from the water heater so no real loss of water. You will have to get the valve body from a plumbing shop because the box stores will only sell the positemp shower valves so you won't burn your self -- you know you really are dumb enough to do that just ask your congress man -- I mean person. ( sorry about the sarcasm ) but I think worth the effort to find keeps life simple.
HTH YMMV
Melbo

[belfert]

I used valves in the shower that are for a shower/tub combination, but I only have a shower.  Mine has the third valve for switching from tub to shower.  I plugged the tub side and use that valve to turn the water on and off once the temp is set.

[Singing Land Cruiser]

Hello Chaz, We have all our shower info on our blog; http://singinglandcruiser.blogspot.com/search/label/shower . We then got a crome  low water head with a button shut off for $5.00 at Wally World in the Rv sec. Hope this helps. M&C

[Tenor]

Don't feel you need to use an RV style shower head just to get the shut-of feature.  Menards (and I assume others) sell thread on shut-off valves so you can get the nicest shower head you like!  Welcome Back!

Glenn

[JohnEd]

Very good idea to plumb the hot water back to the fresh tank through a push a valve.  Lets you get to the warm water without wasting any of the precious stuff.  Added benefit is that in the winter you can dump your water heater into the fresh and raise the temp above freezing.  I did this with a electric thermo valve and it worked great.  If you holding tanks are mounted above the fresh tank then heating the fresh also freeze protects the others.  On the other hand it is summer now so why worry?

Nice to hear from you Chaze,

John

[Dallas]

With that set up, you could plumb the tub side of the valve to run back to the tanks, thereby saving quite a bit of water, and get the hot water through the system without losing any to the drain.

Welcome Back Chaz!

I used valves in the shower that are for a shower/tub combination, but I only have a shower.  Mine has the third valve for switching from tub to shower.  I plugged the tub side and use that valve to turn the water on and off once the temp is set.

[jackhartjr]

Chaz, welcome back...you were missed!
Use anything that will allow you to shut the water off between 'soapings'...if you don't know what that means...you need to spend more time in the south!LOL
Jack

[Chaz]

Thanx for the "welcome backs" folks. I appreciate it. 
Belfert,
  I'm not much of a plumber but is what Dallas proposed viable?? It sounds like that would be a really cool way to do it! But again, I'm no plumber so I'm not sure exactly how they work.

That is also what I was thinking Glen. If Belfert's way can be modified, that would be cool.......... I think. 

Jack,
  LOL!!!!  Yeah, I know EXACLTY what you speak of. Altho I have not spent "a lot" of time down south, I did do 4 in "Uncle Sugars Canoe Club".  - otherwise known as the  Navy  And I always HATED "Navy showers". Now I have to do them again.    lol

I seen in Campers World they have a shower head that is something like an oxygenator or something like that. (something to do with + and - ions) It's kinda nice looking but do any of you know anything about it?? I was curious if it was more than just a "pretty face".

Thanx guys,
    Chaz

[belfert]

Thanx for the "welcome backs" folks. I appreciate it. 
Belfert,
  I'm not much of a plumber but is what Dallas proposed viable?? It sounds like that would be a really cool way to do it! But again, I'm no plumber so I'm not sure exactly how they work.

That is also what I was thinking Glen. If Belfert's way can be modified, that would be cool.......... I think. 

If the tub side of the valve was drained back to the tank water would drain back to the tank every time the shower head was turned off, even after the water was up to temp.  This would waste hot water.  The tub/shower selector valve isn't that great already.  The shower head still drips a little even when turned to tub.  The valve isn't designed to hold back pressure as it expects either the tub spout or shower head to always allow water through.

The only way I see this working is if you put a shutoff valve at the shower head and then leave the tub/shower selector valve on shower once the water is up to temp.  You would still lose a minor amount of water back to the tank since the valve isn't designed to hold pressure.

[Dallas]

Hmmm, maybe I was thinking of a different kind of valve set up. The one Brian is talking about sounds like an old style shower diverter. I was thinking more of an either/or valve that actually changes the direction of the water, not just shunts to one side or the other.

Thanx for the "welcome backs" folks. I appreciate it. 
Belfert,
  I'm not much of a plumber but is what Dallas proposed viable?? It sounds like that would be a really cool way to do it! But again, I'm no plumber so I'm not sure exactly how they work.

That is also what I was thinking Glen. If Belfert's way can be modified, that would be cool.......... I think. 

If the tub side of the valve was drained back to the tank water would drain back to the tank every time the shower head was turned off, even after the water was up to temp.  This would waste hot water.  The tub/shower selector valve isn't that great already.  The shower head still drips a little even when turned to tub.  The valve isn't designed to hold back pressure as it expects either the tub spout or shower head to always allow water through.

The only way I see this working is if you put a shutoff valve at the shower head and then leave the tub/shower selector valve on shower once the water is up to temp.  You would still lose a minor amount of water back to the tank since the valve isn't designed to hold pressure.

Here are a few examples of what I was thinking of:

[belfert]

Hmmm, maybe I was thinking of a different kind of valve set up. The one Brian is talking about sounds like an old style shower diverter. I was thinking more of an either/or valve that actually changes the direction of the water, not just shunts to one side or the other.

Correct that the valve is just a diverter.  It replaces the little cheesy diverter on the tub spout.  The diverter is not really desgined for any back pressure as I found out, but it works well enough.  Not enough water is lost to really worry about.

[Chaz]

Cool. Looks like I will be kinda "creating" this thing on my own. But those valves you posted look to be what the Dr. called for, Dallas. Thanx.

Another adventure.    Do they ever stop??       (hope not)

Chaz