Wetbath conversion
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Topic: Wetbath conversion
Posted By: fender_fella
Subject: Wetbath conversion
Date Posted: 31 Jul 2013 at 9:06pm
| Hello all, I am shopping for my Rpod now. Really wish that Hood River edition was available in Texas, but oh well. What I really want to ask is if anyone has converted the wetbath to a dry bath. By that I mean remove the toilet altogether and create a "shower closet", essentially. I know I'm VERY unusual with this but I don't think I'll ever use the toilet but I would use a good shower. Just wondering if there is anyone else who felt this way. As far as I can tell everything else about the Rpod is exactly what I'm looking for. Thanks. |
Replies:
Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 31 Jul 2013 at 9:31pm
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The shower is very useable with the toilet installed. And the toilet is useful as well. ------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: Tars Tarkas
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2013 at 8:32am
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One of the big selling points of r*pods is the wet bath. If you don't want the toilet you can probably get by a lot cheaper with another brand of camper and just buy one of those instant shower things. We camp a lot at off-times and sometimes when we are just about the only people in the campground I prefer the privacy of the campground facilities, but in the middle of the night when it's cold and raining, having your own bathroom right there sure is nice. For a shower, the pod's bathroom is infinitely better than nothing, but it's a tight fit! We camp a a lot of campgrounds with no showers and I have gone three or maybe four days without a shower when tent camping. I've used the pod shower maybe ten times now, and we got the pod used, so if what we paid was just for the shower, I'm down to about $1000 per shower now. Well worth it! TT |
Posted By: P&M
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2013 at 8:48am
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I suppose that technically you aren't really converting it to a dry bath if you want to keep the shower in play. I've never seen nor heard of anyone removing the toilet but I wouldn't imagine it would be that difficult to do ... disconnect the water line and cap it, remove toilet, seal the holding tank hole and fill in the hole on the floor. The one thing I would say is that in doing so it is greatly going to diminish the appeal of any trade-in or re-sell value on the Pod down the road. ------------- P & M ... and Comet too! 2012 171 -- The Monkey Pod 2018 Ram 2500 |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2013 at 9:29am
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I agree that removing the toilet takes away functionality you may find you like eventually. When we bought our popup we didn't use the wet bath at all (shower or toilet), partly because I really didn't want to deal with the black water since popups usually have "cassette" toilets where you pull a tank out and have to haul it to a sewer outlet or toilet. Not as nice as just hooking up a sewer hose. When we finally had no choice but to use the shower (kids getting older) we started using the toilet too and realized we shouldn't have resisted.
That said, going with what P&M said, as long as you make the conversion in a way that you can go back before reselling it then you'll be ok. So don't fill up the hole in the floor with 3 pounds of cement or chop off the water hose.
Another conversion to consider, I've posted this before. If you just want more room consider cutting out the interior walls so they are just higher than the toilet and leave the toilet in place. This is how our popup was. With a wrap-around soft curtain you had all the elbow room you needed, and when the curtain was rolled up to the ceiling while not in use it made that area feel much more open. I've considered doing this with our pod. You can even add a top to make it a shelf when not being used as a shower. Our popup had this too but I ripped it out - a big pain to move everything off the top and open it up to use the bathroom, then put it all back. ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual 
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Posted By: kymooses
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2013 at 9:55am
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The toilet makes a great seat when showering. Love it. ------------- https://calendar.google.com/calendar?cid=cnBvZC5zcG90dGVyQGdtYWlsLmNvbQ - RPod Rallies https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1W1foQXGtrjf8aYly1uh0b-bHPfI&hl=en_US - RPod Owner Map |
Posted By: coopercdrkey
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2013 at 5:26pm
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I have no problem with the campground shower and bathroom facilities, (so far...) The Florida State Parks to which we gravitate have clean, safe facilities that I use whenever I can to reduce the gray and black water accumulation in the 'Pods holding tanks. Joyce, who is a little more demure, prefers to shower in the 'Pod, and finds it quite acceptable, if a bit confining. We both prefer the facilities at night and / or in the inclement weather to a trek to the bath house. I think the R-Pod is well designed for our present needs. ------------- Bob and Joyce Jennifer and Baxter, the Campin' Cocker Spaniels RP 177 "Key Pod" Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT / Z71 |
Posted By: fender_fella
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2013 at 7:05pm
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Well thanks for the input everyone. I didn't think this would be a very popular idea, but I know myself and what I really want in the camper. I have a pop-up now, no bathroom, and at first I was sure that I wanted a "hybrid" with tent beds but when I saw the Rpod a light went off. It's a great camper. Currently I have to use campground facilities and I don't mind at all, but I would like to shower in private. I prefer leaving the other "business" somewhere else. Maybe I could get by with a cheaper camper if you have a suggestion. I want all fiberglass (including roof), queen bed, u-dinette, and about 20 feet long. I just described the Rpod 178. I seriously would LOVE to hear about another camper that has all of that. And techntrek I do like your suggestion but in the 178 there is an entertainment wall that I wouldn't want to sacrifice. I may be too hasty about removing the toilet but I just want to "enjoy" my shower, not feel awkward or uncomfortable using it. And BTW - these forums are just another reason to appreciate the Rpod, the loyalty. I know Casita's have this too but I think it's great. Thanks again. |
Posted By: Keith-N-Dar
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2013 at 7:37pm
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The bottom line is that if it is your camper you can do what you want with it. You may wind up with something that is hard to sell. A guy I worked with had dogs that he took to shows, so he bought a brand new class a motor home and took the master bedroom out for dog kennels. When he wanted to sell it it sat for years. To narrow a market.
------------- Keith-N-Dar Boris & Betty (Boston Terriers) 2011 R-Pod 177 2010 Ford F-150 |
Posted By: coopercdrkey
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2013 at 8:02pm
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(On a related note- ) Has anyone installed an outside shower tied into the 'Pod's water supply. I have seen the recessed box and hand-held shower head in one of the RV supply catalogs. I imagine it would not be very hard to tie into the hot and cold sides of the 'Pod plumbing. (Something like this?) http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/hotcold-rv-exterior-shower-latching/65919 - http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/hotcold-rv-exterior-shower-latching/65919 ------------- Bob and Joyce Jennifer and Baxter, the Campin' Cocker Spaniels RP 177 "Key Pod" Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LT / Z71 |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2013 at 9:54pm
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fender, go ahead and do it, just make it easy to put it back in is all we're saying. Outside shower, here is mine: http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=2009&KW=&PN=1&title=adding-an-outside-shower-faucet - http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=2009&KW=&PN=1&title=adding-an-outside-shower-faucet ------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: fender_fella
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2013 at 10:46pm
Thanks techntrek. AWESOME outside shower by the way! 
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Posted By: furpod
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2013 at 10:49pm
Yes it's been done. I am thinking of doing mine AT the FROG rally next week.. as a show and tell sort of thing. Maybe if other people see someone cut a hole in the wall without panicking, they will be more inclined to try some stuff themselves. Figure I need to take a cordless drill, bit set, jig saw, caulk. Shower and T's. EDIT.. didn't turn the page.. see Tech has posted a link.. ------------- |
Posted By: Esca-Pod
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2013 at 11:31pm
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We took the sink out of our 172 bathroom...makes lots more space for showering. The kitchen sink is so close it seemed redundant to have on in the bath, too. JJ ------------- Kevin & Joyce |
Posted By: fender_fella
Date Posted: 01 Aug 2013 at 11:38pm
Cool! Any chance you have a photo of how it turned out? Would love to see it. I think the older Rpod wetbaths look much roomier. |
Posted By: Sleepless
Date Posted: 02 Aug 2013 at 12:25am
------------- 2014 R-Pod 178 (OUR POD) 2009 Chevrolet Avalanche |
Posted By: kymooses
Date Posted: 02 Aug 2013 at 9:21am
Hmm, show and tell modding. I like it. Might think about adding a hot water switch inside then. ------------- https://calendar.google.com/calendar?cid=cnBvZC5zcG90dGVyQGdtYWlsLmNvbQ - RPod Rallies https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1W1foQXGtrjf8aYly1uh0b-bHPfI&hl=en_US - RPod Owner Map |
Posted By: CharlieM
Date Posted: 02 Aug 2013 at 10:42am
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Deleted and moved to proper place ------------- Charlie Northern Colorado OLD: 2013 RP-172, 2010 Honda Pilot 3.5L 4WD PRESENT: 2014 Camplite 21RBS, 2013 Supercharged Tacoma 4L V6 4WD |
Posted By: techntrek
Date Posted: 02 Aug 2013 at 6:02pm
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I never understood why they thought a mini-sink in the bathroom was a good idea, with a big sink 2 steps away and no room to spare inside the bathroom.
------------- Doug ~ '10 171 (2009-2015) ~ 2008 Salem ~ http://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=1723 - Pod instruction manual
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Posted By: kymooses
Date Posted: 02 Aug 2013 at 6:57pm
^ this ------------- https://calendar.google.com/calendar?cid=cnBvZC5zcG90dGVyQGdtYWlsLmNvbQ - RPod Rallies https://www.google.com/maps/d/embed?mid=1W1foQXGtrjf8aYly1uh0b-bHPfI&hl=en_US - RPod Owner Map |