In this post, we show you how to build your own shower plumbing system in a camper van (or RV). Included in this post are detailed shower plumbing diagrams and a step-by-step installation guide.
This post does NOT include how to build a shower room/stall. We only show all the products and components needed to build the plumbing system.
Below is the diagram we will be putting together in this post. It will include:
- Fixed fresh water tank
- Connection to 12v water pump
- Hot water heater installation
- Connection to shower head
Shower Plumbing Diagram
So if you’re ready, let’s get to it!
Not what you need? Check out our camper van “Plumbing” category page for more similar content.
Section 1:
Set Up Fixed Water Tank
In this first section, we detail how to install a fixed water tank and list all the components & fixtures you need. We’ll show two ways you can fill water into your tank and you can choose which way suits you best.
Below is the water tank plumbing diagram you can refer to.
Fresh Water Tank Setup
Fresh Water Tank Connections
Most RV water tanks have 4 ports that you will have to connect to. These ports are:
- 1. Water Inlet: This is where water enters the water tank. We provide two options to fill your tank.
- 2. Water Outlet: This is where wter exits the tank towards the pump and shower.
- 3. Air Vent: When water added to (or drained from) the tank, air is displaced and must exit the tank. So an air vent is needed to help the air exit and enter the water tank.
- 4. Drain: This is the port you use to drain your tank completely of water during maintenance.
Good To Know: We did a ton of water tank research and the easiest tanks to work with are the "Spouted Water Tanks" from Class A Customs. The components we recommend below are specifically for these particular 'spouted' tanks.
Materials List
Product | Purpose | Where To Buy? |
10-Gallon Water Tank | Holds 10 gallons of fresh water | |
1/2" Braided Tube | Components for "Air Vent" | |
Hose Clamp | ||
1/2" Male NPT to 1/2" Barb | ||
Plug | Compontents for "Water Inlet" (OPTION 1) | |
Tank Filler Tube | ||
1.25" ID Hose Tubing | Components for "Water Inlet" (OPTION 2) | |
1.5" Hose Clamp | ||
Water Inlet Dish | ||
Drain Valve | Component for "Drain" | |
1/2" Braided Tube | Components for "Water Outlet" | |
Hose Clamp | ||
1/2" Male NPT to 1/2" Barb |
Installation Instructions
Air Vent Port
- Attach the 1/2″ Male NPT to 1/2″ Hose Barb to the water tank’s air vent port.
- Fix the 1/2″ Braided Hose over the 1/2″ Hose Barb.
- Use a hose clamp to tighten the hose over the barb.
Water Inlet Port
Option 1: No connections necessary.
- To fill water, insert the tank filler tube into the water tank and fill with a hose.
- When finished, remove Cover the inlet port with the plug when finished.
Option 2:
- Attach the 1.25″ ID Hose Tubing over the water tank spout.
- Use the 1.5″ hose clamp to tighten the hose over the spout.
- Fix the other end of the hose tubing over the hose barb of the water inlet dish.
Water Drain Port
- Screw the drain valve into the drain port.
Water Outlet Port
- Screw the 1/2″ Male NPT to 1/2″ Hose Barb into the water outlet port.
- Place the 1/2″ braided tube over the hose barb and fix in place with a hose clamp.
- The other end of the 1/2″ braided tube will lead to the water pump (to be discussed in section 2, below).
How To Fill The Water Tank
First you’ll need a hose. We carry a 25 ft. long expandible hose in our van. It’s space efficient, lightweight, and the walls are surprisingly strong.
- The Flexi Hose expandable garden hose automatically expands to the stated product length - roughly 3...
- Strong fittings for reliability! Solid 3/4 inch brass connectors ensure the expanding garden water...
- Expandable, lightweight construction without sacrificing quality! The 3750D elastic outer fabric...
Building a camper van? Download our free e-Books with intuitive electrical, solar, and plumbing diagrams.
Section 2:
Connect Water Tank To Water Pump
In this section, we connect the water tank outlet port to the 12v water pump. We will follow the plumbing diagram you see below.
Water Tank To Water Pump
Materials List
Product | Purpose | Where To Buy? |
Pump Silencer | Reduces vibration & overall sound from water pump. | |
Pump Filter | Filters out small particulates before they reach the pump. | |
12v Water Pump | Pumps water from water tank to the shower. | |
Female-Female Adapter | Required to attach accumulator to pump. | |
Pump Accumulator | Prolongs life of water pump. (Optional) | |
14AWG Wire | Wire used to connect pump to batteries. | |
Butt Connectors | Extends 14AWG wires from water pump. | |
On/Off Switch | Lets you turn pump on & off. | |
12v Fuse Panel | Distributes 12v power to devices. |
Installation Instructions
To Water Pump
- Take 1/2″ Braided Tube (from section 1) and attach 1/2″ Male NPT to 1/2″ Hose Barb with hose clamp.
- Fix the 1/2″ Male NPT end into pump silencer tube.
- Fix other end of pump silencer tube to pump filter.
- Screw pump filter into water inlet side of water pump.
Pump Electrical Wiring
- A short amount of red and black wire already comes attached to the water pump. You will need butt connectors to extend the length of these wires.
- Attach the red wire to one end of the on/off switch. From the other side of the switch, run another red 14AWG wire to the 12v fuse panel.
- Extend the black 14AWG wire straight from the water pump to the 12v fuse panel.
- For more information, check out our 12v installation guide.
After Water Pump
- Attach the female-to-female adapter to water pump’s outlet port.
- Attach pump accumulator (optional) to other end of adapter.
- Attach second pump silencer tube to other end of accumulator.
Section 3:
Pump To Water Heater & Shower Head
In the final section, we connect the water pump to a water heater and finally to the shower head. We will follow the below plumbing diagram.
To Heater & Shower Head
Materials List
Product | Purpose | Where To Buy? |
1/2" Male NPT to 1/2" PEX | Helps attach pump silencer to PEX tubing | |
1/2" PEX Tubing | Primary plumbing tube materials. | |
PEX Stop Valve | Shut off valve | |
PEX 3-way Fitting | Splits PEX tubing into 2 lines. | |
1/2" PEX to 1/2" Swivel Female | Attaches PEX tube to water heater. | |
Water Heater | Heats water! | |
Water Mixing Valve | Adjusts shower temperature. | |
Shower Head & Hose | Distributes perfect temperature water across your hair and skin! | |
Helpful Tools | ||
PEX Crimper Tool & Copper Rings | Crimps PEX tubing onto PEX-specific components. | |
Installation Instructions
To Water Heater
- Attach 1/2″ Male to 1/2″ PEX adapter to pump silencer tube with the PEX crimper tool and copper ring.
- Attach other end of PEX tube to PEX stop valve.
- Continue to run PEX tubing from stop valve and attach a 3-way fitting to split the tubing into 2 lines.
- Run one of the two blue PEX lines to the water heater and attach using a 1/2″ PEX to 1/2″ swivel female NPT.
To Shower Head
- Run 1/2″ PEX tubing (blue) from the 3-way valve to the water mixing valve. (If you want to connect a faucet to this system, you can put in another 3-way valve a bring a PEX tubing line to the faucet (see camper sink & faucet installation post).
- Attach a 1/2″ PEX to 1/2″ swivel female NPT to the water heater outlet.
- Run 1/2″ PEX tubing (red) to the water mixing valve.
- Attach the shower head to the water mixing valve with the provided hose.
Download Free Plumbing Diagram eBook
Enjoyed reading? Check out our camper “Plumbing” category page for more similar content.
Critical Accessories
Fresh Water Tank
As mentioned above, we recommend the ‘spouted’ water tanks from Class A Customs. This is because the tank’s water inlet spout makes it easy to fill water into the tank.
Our diagrams and product recommendations are all based on this specific water tank.
Spouted Water Tank Size | Where To Buy? |
10 Gallons | |
20 Gallons | |
30 Gallons |
Water Pump
Just like with our sink & faucet installation diagram, we use another 12-volt pump to bring water from the water tank to the shower head.
The water pump will need to be connected to a battery to function. We talk more about how to do this in our electrical system guide.
12-Volt Water Pump
- Popular model in RV communities
- Runs on 12-volts
- Enough flow for showers & faucets
PEX Tubing + Fittings
Just like with our sink & faucet installation in our van, we used PEX pipe and the relevant fittings to make the connections from the water pump to the water heater.
PEX is lightweight, flexible, easy to install, and works with both cold and hot water.
1/2" PEX Pipes
- Cross-linked polyethylene
- Tough & corrosion resistant
- Popular for camper conversions
- Easy installation
- Pipe cutters included
Water Heater
Having a hot water boiler in an RV is a very nice luxury to have, but it’ll mean having to carry additional battery capacity or propane in order to heat your water.
Mini-Tank Water Heater: Bosch Tronic 2.5 Gallon – This water tank heater is a popular option for those building their own camper plumbing system. However, you’ll need decent battery capacity and at least a 3000VA Inverter to power it.
Tankless Water Heater: Camplux Propane Water Heater – This water heater was made for campers and RVs in mind as it comes with a built in shower head and hose. However, having a propane water heater takes up more space than an electric heater and you’ll need a larger propane tank if you plan to use your heater often.
Shower Head
Because water is precious in a camper van, we selected a shower head with an on/off switch that is built into the handle of the shower head.
- ▶【NEW SPECIAL ON/OFF SWITCH BUTTON】: Stop water-saving function, no need to close the middle...
- ▶【3 ADJUSTABLE HAND SHOWER SETTINGS】: KAIYING 3 functions bathroom shower head will present...
- ▶【HIGH WATER PRESSURE】: High pressure shower head will provide you adequate water and...
Building a camper van? Download our free e-Books with intuitive electrical, solar, and plumbing diagrams.
Conclusion:
Final Thought: An Enjoyable Hot Water Shower Isn't A Fantasy
With proper planning you, too, can build your own camper shower for van life.
If we’re being honest, we hated building our plumbing setup because it was frustratingly difficult to locate all the different components needed to put the system together. That’s why we created this guide.
Remember: You can always download our free camper plumbing eBook.
So we hope our camper shower installation diagrams & tutorial help you in your pursuit of that perfect hot water camping shower.
Happy building!
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