Adding an outdoor shower to a Premier

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FatBuoy
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Re: Adding an outdoor shower to a Premier

Post by FatBuoy »

Jlfchinook wrote: May 27th, 2020, 5:10 pm Yes, the plumping is back there. If you remove top drawer you will see the water lines. I looked at my 2000 Concourse and my 2001 Premier, both of them have same piping going to bath sink and installation of new piping would be easier. It looks like piping under would be very hard to reach. The piping on concourse has shut off valves before connecting to outside shower.
Thank you for taking the time to look. So, are you suggesting the best location may be in the rear storage area after all?
2001 Premier aka "Anookie"
Dallas, TX area
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Blue~Go
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Re: Adding an outdoor shower to a Premier

Post by Blue~Go »

I could see a shower hookup inside the tire locker (as we call it). I've never liked how the "all in one" hatch showers are so crammed and kink up the hose (tho it sounds like on the 2001+ it sort of falls into an empty space).

But anyway, yeah, if you look up into the tire locker you should see sink plumbing (or it is nearby at any rate). I have the original shower back there (above the locker) and it uses that plumbing. There is a shut off valve on each line so you can drain it for winter (independently of the rest of the plumbing).

As was mentioned above, if you remove the driver's side wall of the tire locker you can see a whole lotta things. I did that to do some plumbing work and then although I put the sides back, I did not put the "back wall" (actually forward as the vehicle drives) back. It wasted SO MUCH space! Instead I put a sheet of 1/2" insulation board up against the shower wall, and then built a wooden mini-cover for the DVW pipe. Probably gained 50% more space.
1999 Concourse
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FatBuoy
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Re: Adding an outdoor shower to a Premier

Post by FatBuoy »

Blue~Go wrote: May 27th, 2020, 6:12 pm I could see a shower hookup inside the tire locker (as we call it). I've never liked how the "all in one" hatch showers are so crammed and kink up the hose (tho it sounds like on the 2001+ it sort of falls into an empty space).

But anyway, yeah, if you look up into the tire locker you should see sink plumbing (or it is nearby at any rate). I have the original shower back there (above the locker) and it uses that plumbing. There is a shut off valve on each line so you can drain it for winter (independently of the rest of the plumbing).

As was mentioned above, if you remove the driver's side wall of the tire locker you can see a whole lotta things. I did that to do some plumbing work and then although I put the sides back, I did not put the "back wall" (actually forward as the vehicle drives) back. It wasted SO MUCH space! Instead I put a sheet of 1/2" insulation board up against the shower wall, and then built a wooden mini-cover for the DVW pipe. Probably gained 50% more space.
Blue~Go wrote: May 27th, 2020, 6:12 pm I could see a shower hookup inside the tire locker (as we call it). I've never liked how the "all in one" hatch showers are so crammed and kink up the hose (tho it sounds like on the 2001+ it sort of falls into an empty space).

But anyway, yeah, if you look up into the tire locker you should see sink plumbing (or it is nearby at any rate). I have the original shower back there (above the locker) and it uses that plumbing. There is a shut off valve on each line so you can drain it for winter (independently of the rest of the plumbing).

As was mentioned above, if you remove the driver's side wall of the tire locker you can see a whole lotta things. I did that to do some plumbing work and then although I put the sides back, I did not put the "back wall" (actually forward as the vehicle drives) back. It wasted SO MUCH space! Instead I put a sheet of 1/2" insulation board up against the shower wall, and then built a wooden mini-cover for the DVW pipe. Probably gained 50% more space.
Nice. I like it. I would probably have to pick one or the other. That back wall is what I had slated for the shower installation. An insert shower box so I could have it shut, and flush, preventing external knobs from getting knocked off.
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Jlfchinook
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Re: Adding an outdoor shower to a Premier

Post by Jlfchinook »

If you don’t want to cut area above tire locker, you could install shower compartment in the locker door. This would allow you return chinook to original by just replacing door. Just leave enough slack in piping to open and close door. I also moved rear panel back against shower wall, gained about 5 more inches of storage, just had to trim driver side lower panel corner to made it fit. Just used same brackets to reattach it.
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chin_k
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Re: Adding an outdoor shower to a Premier

Post by chin_k »

I agree that it will be easier to add the outside shower from the spare tire area. I redid mine like Blue's and get a lot of space. I had to because water from the bathroom sink damaged the MDF in the area, so I replaced it with plywood. I redo some of the plumbing since the pipe did not go "square" enough for me (I know I have OCD), and you may want to redo the area if you decided to add shower there. For most people, it is not a high utility area, but for me, I keep my tools back there, so I appreciate the extra space.
2000 Concourse dinette, on 1999 6.8L Ford E350 Triton V-10 Chassis
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Blue~Go
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Re: Adding an outdoor shower to a Premier

Post by Blue~Go »

I think I'd avoid mounting anything to the actual hatch door. For one thing it is just made of foam, basically, and also it would introduce hinging/moving complications to the plumbing.
chin_k wrote: May 27th, 2020, 7:47 pm For most people, it is not a high utility area, but for me, I keep my tools back there, so I appreciate the extra space.
Now this will sound meager compared to Scott's fully lit candelabra (right Rooney? :lol: ), but in that locker I have, a 24" torque wrench (for wheel lugs), a spare serpentine belt, a breaker bar (also for wheels), a lug socket kit, tire patch kit, outdoor entry mat, inflatable kayak, kayak paddle, life jacket, neoprene booties, water shoes, manual pump for kayak (huge, grrr), Chinook jack and extension handle, adjustable wrench, lithium grease for hitch ball, and probably a few other things I'm forgetting. It's not quite full yet...

Since it connects to the living space I don't keep anything toxic or odoriferous in there; that stuff goes in the ex-battery area (not connected to the living space + ventilated).
1999 Concourse
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SMan
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Re: Adding an outdoor shower to a Premier

Post by SMan »

My rear storage has all kinds of tools and maintenance stuff. I use buckets as water does seem to creep in a bit. Glad there is a drain! ;)
storage 1.JPG
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BobW9
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Re: Adding an outdoor shower to a Premier

Post by BobW9 »

Hey, Steve, did you make that yourself? How did you find/make that flooring for the compartment? What are the walls made out of? It all looks amazing.

Bob
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SMan
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Re: Adding an outdoor shower to a Premier

Post by SMan »

BobW9 wrote: May 28th, 2020, 3:23 pm Hey, Steve, did you make that yourself? How did you find/make that flooring for the compartment? What are the walls made out of? It all looks amazing.

Bob
Hey Bob,
That was the factory compartment for the Premier in 2004. The sides are padded vinyl, the back is carpeted like the interior walls and the tray w/drain seems to be plastic. It was well thought out and is very functional IMO. When installing my rear view camera I was able to easily remove everything above the tray. As I stated previously it gives good access to the bathroom plumbing.
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2004 Premier V10
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Blue~Go
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Re: Adding an outdoor shower to a Premier

Post by Blue~Go »

(I see SMan and I were typing at the same time)

Bob,

By the newest years they had "slickened" that rear storage area (and also thrown in the towel on keeping it dry). I think that is likely a molded fiberglass "tub" they added. When I see newer years, I can always see reasons I would like the new feature, and then reasons I like the ones from our era. So I like the tub, but OTOH, I have more space in mine. I do like the newer hatch frames with clamp ring vs. fasteners and trim strip (you can buy those I found out when I was hatch shopping for the water-heater door area).

Mine stays dry, but then it had better since it is still carpeted ;)
1999 Concourse
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