The Navy shower

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

Navy showers, yes.

On the checklist issue, back when I was a newbie, this was the most functional alternative I could come up with. The problem with most checklists is that they are not interactive and tangible, so important steps can easily be omitted by accident. With this one, the required tasks are on magnets, and as they are completed, they are moved from the "red-stop" side to the "green-go" side. Only when everything has been migrated to "green-go" can the van be moved.

Of course, experienced vanners do this stuff in their heads. But for newbies, it can be very easy to forget things, so some kind of minder system is needed.

Instructions and checklist reviews in this blog post here. This sticks on the wall behind my driver's seat, not that I need it any longer.

Someone suggested to me that we run on the batteries while on the road.....as opposed to leaving the propane system on.....for safety reasons....

Your thoughts please...

[MsNomer]

Originally Posted by wrightstuf

That's genius! Have you tried it for cooking? Love the idea of vacuum packed freezer food for RVing

Our consumption of steak increased astronomically. vacuum pack is not necessary. Freezer ziploc works well.

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by Roadtrek Adventuous RS1

Someone suggested to me that we run on the batteries while on the road.....as opposed to leaving the propane system on.....for safety reasons....

Your thoughts please...

We switched to a Vitrifrigo compressor fridge and we also installed a propane cut-off switch inside our van (in addition to the one mounted near the exterior fill port). So yes, at THIS point, our propane is "off" about 99% of the time because we are able to do that.

During those years when we were using a propane fridge, we always ran it on propane on the road. Our electrical system at that time could not handle the load represented by the fridge, and we routinely travel about 700 miles per day (with personal record being 904 miles). We never could leave the fridge off for 12+ hours a day of driving, so propane it was.

But yes, there are people who claim it to be unsafe to drive with propane flowing. For rigs that are "electrically-challenged", I'm not sure what they imagine the alternative to be.

[Roadtreker357]

We only take Navy showers, which do well. Not a lot of water used. We did not like the shower head that came with our Roadtrek. It would not shut off completely. Purchased as sink side sprayer, similar to this one: https://www.homedepot.com/p/DANCO-Ec...0346/204622659
Needed to purchase an adapter to put on the faucet to accept the sprayer hose. An added benefit of this sprayer is that the water comes out forceful enough to make a good rinse for the toilet, when needed.
If you loan out the RV, just know that no one will be as careful with it as you will. Any problems that develop will be fixed and paid for by you. Parking level enough for the adsorption refrigerator is an issue. Problems from not being level are additive and generally will not show up immediately.

[avanti]

Originally Posted by Roadtreker357

We did not like the shower head that came with our Roadtrek. It would not shut off completely. Purchased as sink side sprayer, similar to this one: https://www.homedepot.com/p/DANCO-Ec...0346/204622659
Needed to purchase an adapter to put on the faucet to accept the sprayer hose.

Be careful here. The "dribbling" of RV-designed shower heads is deliberate. It is intended to prevent hot water from being forced into the cold side of the faucet, which can be a scalding danger. This is a hazard specific to shutoffs located at the shower head rather than at the mixing valves.

If your system has a tempering valve set so that no scalding temperatures are present, then this is not an issue.

[Roadtrek Adventuous RS1]

Originally Posted by Roadtreker357

We only take Navy showers, which do well. Not a lot of water used. We did not like the shower head that came with our Roadtrek. It would not shut off completely. Purchased as sink side sprayer, similar to this one: https://www.homedepot.com/p/DANCO-Ec...0346/204622659
Needed to purchase an adapter to put on the faucet to accept the sprayer hose. An added benefit of this sprayer is that the water comes out forceful enough to make a good rinse for the toilet, when needed.
If you loan out the RV, just know that no one will be as careful with it as you will. Any problems that develop will be fixed and paid for by you. Parking level enough for the adsorption refrigerator is an issue. Problems from not being level are additive and generally will not show up immediately.

I thought about "renting out" my RV during "downtime periods" for a short time.. actually decided this was probably NOT a good idea... although I understand people can make a lot of money ...at a considerable amount of risk......

Why not let your friends use it??? RVs are extremely complicated pieces of machinery....it's an entire house on wheels.... and things go WRONG... would it be possible to affect your friendship if they return and won't help you if they cause damage or crash the RV.....

Different situation if you are willing to take the risk and rent it out as a business... Still, I looked into the possibility and it requires "commercial insurance liability" to the tune of $1,000 per month premiums........

Even if I rented the RS Adventurous...for $3,000 per week...YES... they rent for that much...
look it up if you don't believe me.....it still means that you're going to have more maintenance and repairs...plus lose the use of your own unit... while it's rented out.....

[Storysrvwego]

22Nov18
Writestuf,
My wife and I have a 2018 Travato 59K. We have used the shower many times and are very happy with the TRUMA Combi's performance. Water on board when not connected to an external supply is limited. So we take showers military style re using the water in spurts. The TRUMA has never left us with cold shots of water. It just works great!

Even if we wanted to leave the shower water running, your 13 gallon tank is going to fill up, fast. There are different ways to deal with the water supply and discharge which depends if your connected or operating totally "off grid". All I can tell you is for the two of us, everything in the Travato works great. And if your not connecting up but taking a long trip, just know that you need to plan your water supply and when you need to empty your black and grey tanks. That might be every two days for two people. It might be many days. Depends for example, if you stop at restaurants to eat some of your meals and while your there or at HOME DEPOT, etc, if you use their bathrooms. Or at a really nice Park and can use some of their facilities. Mostly my wife and I use only the RV. Now with X quantity of kids, it might be more difficult to track consumption of water and the black and grey water dumping times.

VERY nice that the Travato water supply and hot water service works the way it does. Just know that you want to get the water up to temperature with Propane first. then if you are parked for hours or overnight and have 120 VAC supplied, the electric elements will maintain the temperature in the TRUMA nicely. But for initially getting the tank of water heated and then keeping it at temp while showering, I recommend just put it on propane heating at that time.

Problems with the TRUMA Combi? Zero. Well except for one time when I wanted to use the furnace for mild heating of the RV through a day while we were out and about. Came back to a cold RV. Turns out a hidden GFCI outlet dedicated to the TRUMA Combi's power cord had tripped. No AC power and the TRUMA is down. Long story short, the dedicated GFCI outlet is behind a vent panel on the driver side bed. Remove two Phillip head screws to take that vent panel off and you can then see the GFCI outlet, and reset it. I do not know why it tripped but then we often do not know why GFCI outlets in our house, shop, etc. have tripped and we were not even using them.

Have fun with your Travato if you do decide to get one. Lots of great RV's from many manufacturers out there but for my wife and I, the Travato was spot on for us.

Gene / StorysRVwego

[TRFranta]

Originally Posted by wrightstuf

Greetings...
Going over systems and what not trade-offs I'll have on the RV I purchase, I've run across a few eye-openers.
I've settled on the Travato. While comparing floor plans, I noticed the hot water tank is only 4 gallons! The average American shower is 17.2 gallons. lasts 8.2 minutes, and has a flow rate of 2.1 GPM. Ok, I realize you will be taking a much quicker shower while conserving water, but jeez. At my age, to suddenly run out of hot water will likely take a year off my lifespan! I understand that RVs likely have low flow rate showerheads with on-off switches that will help considerably.
What else am I missing!?
Also, semi-related, I might allow my 24-year old daughter to use the van to attend weekend concerts or other short out and backs with her friends. Are there waterproof holders to attach to walls to enclose a checklist of sorts? And likewise in other parts of the unit to act as memory joggers? I'm a retired pilot so I know the value of checklists, I plan to have laminated "walkaround," "pre-departure," and "shutdown" checklists available.
As many of you know with kids, you can explain something to them very carefully and they will look you in the eyes and nod in agreement, but they aren't listening to a word your saying.

Thanks in advance!

The new Travato has a 26 gallon fresh water tank and is equipped withe the Truma Combi instant hot water system
Not sure where your getting the water capacity feom

[Storysrvwego]

22nov18
Hi TRFranta,
He was referring to the capacity of the hot water tank of the TRUMA Combi, not the fresh water supply tank.

Reference: "hot water tank is only 4 gallons"

StorysRVwego

[SteveJ]

Originally Posted by avanti

Be careful here. The "dribbling" of RV-designed shower heads is deliberate. It is intended to prevent hot water from being forced into the cold side of the faucet, which can be a scalding danger. This is a hazard specific to shutoffs located at the shower head rather than at the mixing valves.

If your system has a tempering valve set so that no scalding temperatures are present, then this is not an issue.

We use a shower head that fully shuts down, I think it is the cheap one from Camco. For hot water out of our primitive 6 gal Suburban we just heat the water to about 100* and use that water, no blend from the cold side. We both get a shower before the six gallons is gone.

Before we started that hot water regimen we used to blend fully hot water with cold. With the full shut off shower head it was an adventure turning the flow back on.

[Ladyflier]

I agree with you regarding hot water. I too learned to use checklists from my flying days. I probably need to write a complete procedures manual for the Travato. I'm still working on the first chapter. i go to San Diego frequently from the Bay Area.

[soohma]

My used Coach House came with a 3-ring binder with all the attending booklets. To that I added instructions for myself on what to do and how to do certain things not included in the booklets. I've used it multiple times.

[Modersical]

It would be great in Class B's, with macerator pumps, to have the ability to have open, gravity emptying of the grey holding tank. When you have full hookups, this would make life a lot simpler. On the last day before leaving, we are used to then closing our grey tank valve for showers, so we have cleaner water for flushing lines after emptying black holding tank.

[avanti]

Originally Posted by Modersical

It would be great in Class B's, with macerator pumps, to have the ability to have open, gravity emptying of the grey holding tank.

Many macerators have small bypass hoses for this purpose.

[rowiebowie]

Originally Posted by Modersical

It would be great in Class B's, with macerator pumps, to have the ability to have open, gravity emptying of the grey holding tank. When you have full hookups, this would make life a lot simpler. On the last day before leaving, we are used to then closing our grey tank valve for showers, so we have cleaner water for flushing lines after emptying black holding tank.

Originally Posted by avanti

Many macerators have small bypass hoses for this purpose.

Mine has this feature. Very simply, it is a 1/2" diameter hose from the front of the macerator to the discharge hose (bypassing the internal macerator pump) as avanti describes. I'm not sure why it's not a standard feature. No down-side.

[Davydd]

Originally Posted by rowiebowie

Mine has this feature. Very simply, it is a 1/2" diameter hose from the front of the macerator to the discharge hose (bypassing the internal macerator pump) as avanti describes. I'm not sure why it's not a standard feature. No down-side.

It is a standard feature since it is a part of the manufactured macerator assembly like the popular Flojet that I have and have observed in most Class B installations. In googling RV macerator pumps it appears most manufacturer's have a bypass outlet. So I think it would be just the opposite to not have a standard feature.

[Modersical]

Hmmmm. I have only had this 2 year old rig for a couple of weeks. Only got to take one weekend jaunt before winterizing. Have not crawled under rig yet. I would reckon a bypass of the macerator on this 2017 Coachmen Galleria is possible . . . Could be stopped up (I tried) . . . Would be easily seen, too, wouldn’t it?

[dhuff]

Originally Posted by wrightstuf

Good idea, thanks

Yea, the 1st thing my daughter said when I told her I was going to buy a Trovato was "Cool! I can take it to Burning Man!" ...

Oh man, that should be a big NOPE The dust on the Black Rock Desert playa at Burning Man does a real number on vehicles, and apparently takes a huge amount of effort to clean out afterwards...