Back in January, I commented on my Vanagon shower....I've finally posted some photos.� Check them out at http://picasaweb.google.com/richkoerner/VanagonShower?authkey=Gv1sRgCLy895SWoseFBg&feat=directlink

And here's the post from January with minor rewrite.....

I don't 
need a rear heater here in San Diego, but I do need hot water for my 
showers.� I 
removed the rear heater, but I suppose you could just as well "T" into 
the lines.� I used brass reducing barbs for the 1/2" heater hose to the 
rear heater to get it down to 1/4"� inside diameter hose, which is then 
clamped onto a 15 foot length of 1/4" OD copper tubing, which I of 
course coiled into a cylindrical shape (by using a spray paint can as a 
form).� The copper coil drops down in my tank, in my case a 5 gallon 
aluminum stock pot (like for making spaghetti or something).� I also 
have a ball-valve in line to turn the coolant flow on and off.� To finish 
the masterpiece, I got a digital meat thermometer from WalMart; the 
probe goes in the tank, the digital readout/alarm goes up in front so I 
can watch it while I drive.� (I utilized the unused wiring for the 
rear heater fan for my wiring for the "extension" between the probe and 
the digital display.) � So 5 gallons of water in the aluminum pot (could
 be plastic, could be smaller or larger, could be rectangular, but mine 
is aluminum so I can also heat up the water for my shower on the Coleman
 stove outside the van.� But 5 gallons of water goes from about 60 
degrees F to 120 degrees F in about 10-12 minutes of driving down the 
freeway; so I usually open the stopcock to start heating my water about a
 half-hour before I reach the campground.� The digital readout on the 
meat thermometer beeps when I hit 110 degrees, that's where I like to 
set it.� If I overshoot a little that's OK, have had it as high as 130 
degrees F.� Depending on van interior temps, it SLOWLY cools off, but 
since it's under the rear seat, it holds it's temperature for quite a 
while, at least an hour or so.

By the way, to complete the 
"shower" part of it, I have a 12VDC 800GPH Rule Bildge Pump, like for 
boats.� Got electric power, fuse, indicator light, and switch connected 
to the pump.� The pump is semi-permanently mounted inside the aluminum 
pot, and can easily withstand shower-temp water, wouldn't want to go too
 high on that though. � On the output side of the bildge pump is a 
reducer for a 6 foot length of 3/8" Tygon plastic tubing, and a cheap 
plastic showerhead, with appropriate number of holes plugged with epoxy 
so that I get strong flow but not too much; definitely WAY more than a 
gravity fed solar shower, great for thoroughly rinsing out shampoo.� I 
get about 4.2 minutes of continuous flow with shower nozzle held at 
shoulder height, enough for showers for two if you turn it on and off in
 cycles.

And to take showers INSIDE the Vanagon, I made a giant 
rectangular "funnel" out of blue plastic Walmart tarp, (cut and glued 
with contact cement) suspended on the interior of the Vanagon with 
bungee cords.� You actually sit inside the "funnel" or shower curtain or
 whatever you want to call it, and the water splashes down into a 
Rubbermaid tub.� I have a remote switch for the pump to turn it on and 
off at will.� Since I don't have a pop-top, I take showers sitting down,
 works just fine.� Of course, I do have curtains all around 360 degrees,
 and a roof vent to let the steam out.� But I've taken hot showers at 
McDonalds, WalMart, rest stops, what have you...total stealth and total 
bliss.� Oh, the gray water gets dumped out at the next suitable 
location, and the shower curtain "funnel" with bungees stores in the 
Rubbermaid tub (in the back of the van when driving and on the floor 
where the ice chest sits at night, the ice chest goes on top of the tub so no lost interior floor space).

Yeah, some of the above 
technical description might be a little challenge to imagine, but 
believe me, it all works great, have taken hundreds of showers outside 
the van and at least 25 or more inside the van.� Free hot water!� 
Endless supply!

I think you guys would get a kick out of rigging 
up your own system, the above description should give you ideas, and 
I'll have to figure out how to post pictures and a writeup.� Useful for 
only hot water or with the shower "option".

Rich
85 Vanagon 
with a clean guy inside
San Diego