Broken....in Bulgaria

A couple of fairly important 'bits' broke yesterday...both relating to the shower/toilet cubicle.

First i discovered the shower hose had 'parted company' at the mixer tap point. Looking at the inside of the shower flexible pipe/hose it appears a metal ferrule has snapped (see photos). The only possible temporary 'fix' i can think of which may (or may not!) work is using a liberal amount of Gaffa tape to bind the two together. 

I'm touring and currently in Bulgaria heading for Romania within the next few days so not having a fully working shower restricts me to staying on campsites so any other ideas would be appreciated!


The other issue, not quite as serious but still a pain in the proverbial when driving is the shower/toilet door catch snapped off so the only way i could stop the door flying open each time i turn a corner was wedging it shut with a heavy bag of heavy. Photo is of an unbroken catch as all appear to be the same. Maybe a swap over?
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Had to post the door catch pics separately....apologies.

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Lateral thinking Bulletguy! 

First use your shower head to check that the screw fittings on each end of the hose are the same. They almost certainly will be.

Then take your shower head into a hardware shop, and you will probably find that the hose is a standard household fitting and screws on perfectly. If that is so, purchase a new hose of (more or less) the correct length and you're back in business.

As for the shower door, a rubber door wedge from the same hardware shop is probably the easiest temporary fix.

Hope this helps

Gromit wrote:Lateral thinking Bulletguy! 

First use your shower head to check that the screw fittings on each end of the hose are the same. They almost certainly will be.

Then take your shower head into a hardware shop, and you will probably find that the hose is a standard household fitting and screws on perfectly. If that is so, purchase a new hose of (more or less) the correct length and you're back in business.

As for the shower door, a rubber door wedge from the same hardware shop is probably the easiest temporary fix.

Hope this helps

Except the hose end which fits to the mixer taps appears to have had an internal metal ferrule inside the hose as the shard end is just visible in the photo. Cannot see inside the part where it goes into the mixer but it looks 'clean'.

Rubber wedge for the door wouldn't suffice i'm afraid Gromit as there is a 6-8" deep section above the floor level.

One hope i have is i know the location of a campsite in Romania which is also a parts/accessory place for campervans and caravans.

Bulletguy wrote:Except the hose end which fits to the mixer taps appears to have had an internal metal ferrule inside the hose as the shard end is just visible in the photo. Cannot see inside the part where it goes into the mixer but it looks 'clean'.

Isn't that part of the end fitting which screws onto the mixer tap? It looks like a big nut to me - have you unscrewed it and had a look.

I bet it is a standard hose with a female thread fitting at each end. One of yours has broken off and is still attached to the mixer taps.


For the door, a piece of soft, thickish cord which will jam the door shut. Fix it around and across the door edge with bits of gaffer tape, and it should work quite well. A strip of folded cloth would work as well. It won't enhance to look, but should do the job.

Gromit wrote:

Bulletguy wrote:Except the hose end which fits to the mixer taps appears to have had an internal metal ferrule inside the hose as the shard end is just visible in the photo. Cannot see inside the part where it goes into the mixer but it looks 'clean'.

Isn't that part of the end fitting which screws onto the mixer tap? It looks like a big nut to me - have you unscrewed it and had a look.

I bet it is a standard hose with a female thread fitting at each end. One of yours has broken off and is still attached to the mixer taps.

To be honest Gromit i can't figure it. The o/d of the flex hose is the same as the chromed steel piece you can see just forward of the big nut. Tried undoing that but it's damned tight and i'm afraid of busting the entire mixer taps! Will have another go later on or tomorrow.

Good luck. 

I'm sure that nut should unscrew, otherwise it's impossible to replace the hose when it breaks!!

I'm not familiar with your van, but that spigot has to be part of the hose - not an integral part of the mixer tap.

WD40 overnight, if you have some in the box!

Bulletguy wrote:

Tried undoing that but it's damned tight and i'm afraid of busting the entire mixer taps! Will have another go later on or tomorrow.

Try pouring a kettle of boiling water over the nut - thermal expansion might allow you to shift it.

Shifted the nut on the mixer tap thanks to a Bulgarian on site who had an adjustable wrench (thanks Google translate!) and Gromit was right....the shower head end screws to the mixer tap....so at least i have a hose shower if nothing else!!

The hose has come adrift from the outer steel sleeve and there is no chance of getting that back in as it was obviously once compressed fitted. A/S vans are not built for Bulgarian roads! In fact since leaving UK i've seen just one A/S and that was a CB in Germany.

You just need a bucket of water and a mug for an emergency shower.

Sue68 wrote:You just need a bucket of water and a mug for an emergency shower.

Yeah i had to resort to that when i bust my leg a couple of years ago and couldn't shower. Ended up with more water on the floor than me!  

For Stewpot 'n Dave....this is the bit which has broke. It's part of the internal fitment to the chromed sleeve which is press fitted to the hose. Checked on fleabay and new hoses are only£10-£12 so if i can't get the right thing from the motorhome accessory place in Romania, i'll make do with what i've got until back in UK. When i took a photo of it earlier i was surprised to see it's made in Germany! Uff....wait until i see my German mate on way back and tease him about German 'quality'!!

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Thanks for the feedback.

I still think it's a standard domestic fitting that you would find in a hardware shop.

Worth a look as it would probably be cheaper than a "bespoke" caravan/motorhome accessory.

Gromit wrote:Thanks for the feedback.

I still think it's a standard domestic fitting that you would find in a hardware shop.

Worth a look as it would probably be cheaper than a "bespoke" caravan/motorhome accessory.

Probably is Dave. All i need do really is take the shower head with me as the thread on that is same size as the mixer tap point. Have put shower head in a drawer for safety anyway as they are only plastic and not having anything to keep it slotted in the holder now meant it flirting out.

Now why didn't I think of that?? 

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Sorry - couldn't resist! 

Gromit wrote:Now why didn't I think of that?? 

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Sorry - couldn't resist! 

Was just having one of my 'senior moments'.  

Just the door catch to sort now and found an available spare from the space under the fridge which A/S fitted a door to....more a flap than a door.

Onwards and upwards!! 

Hi, just a thought, put the shower hose on the other way round ( head end on mixer) then you can just wash yourself off with the water coming out of the hose, not ideal but would get you by

Matt

matts vw wrote:Hi, just a thought, put the shower hose on the other way round ( head end on mixer) then you can just wash yourself off with the water coming out of the hose, not ideal but would get you by

Errm yeah....Dave suggested the same....but appreciate the input!   

Update on the shower/toilet cubicle door retainer. Finally managed to sort it by removing the one where the tiny flap under the fridge, the only one i had 'doing nothing'. You can see from the photo what a flimsy bit of plastic they are. Have looked on fleabay for new ones but couldn't find any. Probably exclusively made for A/S.....and no longer in stock!

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This is my temporary fix for the same issue (a year ago!).

Like you, I haven't found a replacement yet.  Still looking.  When I can remember or be bothered!

That's a good 'fix' Steve. 

Probably a lot more solid too!! It's easy to see why the catches eventually snap. They just aren't substantial enough to stand up to any rough roads. Also the shower cubicle gets quite hot in some countries and the plastic becomes brittle with age.

Only thing is that I should have drilled a proper pilot hole to avoid the slight splitting. 

SteveUK wrote:Only thing is that I should have drilled a proper pilot hole to avoid the slight splitting. 

Screw the screw in a little bit more to open the split further.
Squirt in some wood glue and undo screw.
Wipe off any excess that squeezes out.

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PB

Good tip PB.  Thanks for that.

A bit too hot out there right now though!

peugeotboxer wrote:

SteveUK wrote:Only thing is that I should have drilled a proper pilot hole to avoid the slight splitting. 

Screw the screw in a little bit more to open the split further.
Squirt in some wood glue and undo screw.
Wipe off any excess that squeezes out.

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PB

Or another idea......screw/glue a small wood block to the pillar. That should last a lifetime!

An update on my shower hose which snapped off in Bulgaria. As both ends are 1/2" i swapped it round and 'made do' with just the hose bit as a shower until i got back to UK. I finally got round to ordering a brand new hose and found one on fleabay......for the mind blowing sum of just £1.99!!  

Oh...and it's stainless steel too!!  

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