Winter Walks, Summer Surfs, and Why Hot Water Matters
Picture this: you’ve just come back from a long winter walk in the Lake District, boots caked in mud, hands numb, and the van is your only shelter. Or it’s midsummer by the Cornish coast, and you’ve spent the day surfing until your wetsuit is heavy with salt. In both cases, the chance to wash off with warm water feels less like a luxury and more like something that keeps vanlife comfortable and sustainable. That’s why choosing the right hot water and shower setup is such an important part of your build.
Hot Water Options
Boilers
A traditional boiler focuses purely on heating water. These can run on gas, diesel, or electric, and supply hot water directly to your sink or shower. They’re usually compact, efficient, and reliable, but they only do one job. If you want heating as well, you’ll need a separate system.
Propex Malaga 13L Gas And Electric Water Heater | The Campervan Shop
Propex Malaga 13L Gas Only Heater | The Campervan Shop
Combi Boilers
A combi boiler takes things a step further by combining blown-air heating and hot water in one appliance. A popular example is the Truma Combi 4E, which can run on gas, electric, or both. The benefit is saving space and having just one unit to install and maintain, though the upfront cost is higher and installation is a bit more involved.
Truma Air & Water Heater | The Campervan Shop
External Solar Tubes
A budget-friendly and eco option, these black tubes sit on your roof and use the sun to heat water. They work brilliantly on sunny days, giving you free hot water with no extra power draw, but they’re unreliable in winter or cloudy weather.
Portable and Electric Heaters
Portable propane water heaters are another option, often paired with outdoor showers. These are small, on-demand units that heat water instantly as it flows through. They’re often sold for camping and outdoor use, and they’re popular with vanlifers who want hot showers without installing a full boiler system.
Most are designed to run from their own independent gas supply, usually a small propane bottle connected with a regulator and hose. This makes them easy to set up outside the van when you want a shower, and you don’t have to modify your main gas system. Some people do choose to plumb them into their onboard LPG setup, but that’s a more advanced install and must be done safely, following gas regulations.
The main advantage is convenience because they give you hot water quickly and cheaply. The downsides are that they need good ventilation (so they’re best used outdoors or in a sheltered awning), they’re not as compact as built-in boilers, and carrying an extra gas bottle can feel like a hassle if you’re already tight on storage.
Small electric boilers can also work if you’ll be on campsites with hook-up, though they’re usually too power-hungry for off-grid use.
The Bucket, Pump, and Kettle Setup
For those on the tightest budgets, a bucket of water with a 12 V submersible pump and showerhead does the job. It’s basic, but effective. If you want to treat yourself, boil a kettle of water to add to the bucket!
Showers: Indoors or Outdoors?
Indoor Showers
An indoor shower gives you privacy, warmth, and the ability to wash even in bad weather. The downside is that they take up a lot of space, and you’ll need to think about waterproofing, ventilation, and waste drainage. Some people are happy to put a bucket in their van and install a curtain, but we aren’t convinced this is a practical compromise between a proper bathroom or an outdoor set up.
Take a deeper look into building an indoor shower room here.
Outdoor Showers
Outdoor setups are much simpler. A pull-out shower hose from the back doors is great for rinsing off sandy feet, muddy dogs, or even yourself on a warm day. They don’t eat into your living space, but they do limit you to fair weather which is not ideal if you’re parked up on a windy cliff in November.
Outdoor Shower Archives | The Campervan Shop
Don’t Forget Tank Capacity and Power Needs
Whichever option you choose, remember that showers chew through water far faster than sinks. A quick rinse might only take 5–10 litres, but a proper hot shower can easily burn through 20–30 litres. If you’re adding a shower, you’ll almost certainly need larger fresh and waste tanks to keep up, and that means more space, more weight, and a bit more planning.
You can read more about external tanks here.
If you’re looking at an electric boiler or a combi that can run in mixed electric mode, don’t forget about the power demands. Heating water uses a lot of energy, which means you may need extra battery capacity and a larger inverter to keep up. That quickly adds to the overall cost of your build, so it’s worth weighing up whether the convenience of electric heating is worth the expense compared to running on gas or diesel.
Another way you can manage your tank capacity requirements and power needs is by choosing the correct shower head and pump.
Choosing the Right Shower Head
Not all shower heads are created equal, and in a campervan, your choice can make a big difference to how long your water lasts and how it feels to shower. You can use ordinary models, but it’s smart to pick one designed for lower flow or with flow control. Look for features like:
- Built-in on/off or pause button (for when you lather up)
- Moderate flow (e.g. ~1.5 to 2.0 gallons per minute—or the local equivalent)
- Good spray design so it feels like a proper shower, not a trickle
- Compatibility with your pump and heater system
If you push flow too low, you might cause your pump or heater to misbehave. But if you keep it reasonable and pair it with a shutoff or pause, you get the best of both worlds.
Picking the Right Pump
The pump is the heart of your campervan shower. A standard household pump won’t cut it, so you need something that works with a 12 V or 24 V system, is compact enough to tuck away, and doesn’t sound like a tractor in the middle of the night. Most van conversions use a small diaphragm pump designed for RVs, boats, or off-grid setups. These create enough pressure for a proper rinse without draining your tank in one go.
When choosing, look for a pump that’s self-priming (so it can pull water up from a tank), has a decent but not excessive flow rate, and ideally comes with some vibration-damping mounts to keep noise down. If your shower tray can’t drain by gravity, you may also need a separate grey water pump to move waste into your tank. Keeping the system simple will save you headaches, but investing in a reliable pump makes the difference between a frustrating trickle and a comfortable shower.
Installing a Boiler and Shower: Step by Step
Fitting a boiler or combi boiler is a bigger job than people expect, but breaking it down makes it manageable.
- Plan the location early – decide where the unit will live before your furniture is in place. It needs access for ducting, plumbing, and safe exhaust routes.
- Cut vents and flues – whether it’s a wall outlet for exhaust gases or air ducts for warm air, make the holes before flooring and cladding go in.
- Plumb the system – connect the cold-water feed from your fresh tank and run the hot-water outlet to your taps or shower.
- Gas connection – if the unit is gas-powered, connect it via a properly vented gas locker and regulator.
- Wire it in – most boilers and combis need a 12 V supply for controls, and some models also take a mains electric feed for mixed-mode operation.
- Test and commission – run the unit through a full cycle, check for leaks, and confirm that safety cut-offs and thermostats are working.
The key is to do all of this during the “services rough-in” stage of your build, when you’re running electrics and plumbing but before the interior is closed up. That way, nothing gets boxed in where you can’t reach it later.
If you want more information on how to install a full bathroom, read this blog.
Safety First
Hot water systems aren’t something to cut corners on. Always make sure boilers and combis are vented properly, with flues installed exactly as the manufacturer recommends. Keep gas lockers sealed and vented with the right drop-outs, and never run a propane water heater inside the van without proper ventilation. A working carbon monoxide alarm is a must-have, it’s a small investment that can save lives.
Our Products
Find all of our boilers here:
Campervan Hot Water Heater & Boiler Solutions | The Campervan Shop
Find large capacity water tanks here:
Find all our bathroom related products here:
The Bathroom Space Archives | The Campervan Shop
Find everything you’ll need for your water system here:
Waste & Water Archives | The Campervan Shop
Find our outdoor shower option here:
Outdoor Shower Archives | The Campervan Shop
Plumbing, Gas, and Heating Bundle: COMING SOON
Conclusion
A shower setup in a campervan can be as simple as a bucket and pump or as advanced as a full bathroom with a combi boiler that heats your water and air together. The right choice depends on your budget, the space you’ve got, and how you plan to travel. Some people just want a quick rinse-off outdoors, others can’t imagine vanlife without a proper indoor shower with hot water. Simply put, there is no one-size-fits-all answer.
We stock a wide range of boilers, combi units, and portable heaters, as well as pumps, shower heads, and bathroom kits for every type of build. And if you’d rather not piece everything together yourself, you can get all your plumbing, gas, and heating components in one go with our bundle system. It saves time, ensures compatibility, and takes the stress out of choosing fittings and parts. With the bundle, you get everything you need to install a system that works smoothly from day one.
