🚿 Portable shower for camping 🚘 | worldwide DIY guide under 100€

🚿 Portable Camping Shower – Introduction & Demo

Hi, I'll show you how to build the best automatic portable shower for camping. A necessary car camping essential for vanlife, outdoor adventures, or simply washing gear or yourself anywhere.

This DIY shower takes about one hour to make and costs around €100 depending on the components you choose. While many DIY portable shower tutorials rely on US Amazon parts, this one is designed for worldwide use, especially in Europe. It runs on its own battery, so you don't need to plug it into a car socket. The shower is fully portable. The detachable hose and integrated water tub also allow the container to be used as a regular water canister.

🛒 What You’ll Need

You’ll find all links in the video description. Most components are from AliExpress or your local hardware store.

• 🧴 20L water canister with tap
• 💧 Water pump – 12V
• 🔋 12V battery with switch
• ⚡ 12V car charger adapter
• 🧵 Inner hose (10 mm inner diameter)
• 🌀 Flexible outer hose
• 🚿 Shower heads:
  Head 1, Head 2, Head 3, Head 4, Head 5
• 🔗 Hose quick connector with shut-off valve:
  Connector 1, Connector 2
• 🪛 Cable gland with nut (5 mm)
• 🔩 3× stainless hose clamps (8–12 mm / 10–16 mm)
• 🧷 2× washers (stainless or brass) + 2× seals for the quick connector
• 🔌 12V power connector
• 📎 Adhesive velcro strip for attaching the battery to the canister

💰 Total cost: approx. €100

🔧 Assembly Process

1. Start by preparing the water canister. Drill two holes, one for the pump and one for the power cable near the opening. Attach the inner hose to the pump using a hose clamp. Measure the hose length so that the pump sits freely inside, not necessarily flat at the bottom.

2. Install the quick connector with washers and seals into the canister wall. Make sure to place a washer and seal both inside and outside. Gently tighten the nut so you don’t damage the plastic thread.

3. Connect the inner hose to the quick connector using a hose clamp.

4. Shorten the pump cable so it reaches the battery location. Slide on the cable gland but don’t tighten it yet.

5. Use velcro to attach the battery to the canister so it’s easy to remove for recharging.

6. Attach the shower head to the outer flexible hose and secure it with a clamp. Connect the other end to the outer part of the quick connector. You can heat the hose slightly if it’s too tight.

7. Turn on the pump and test the shower – fill with water and enjoy an outdoor wash. The water flow is strong enough for most outdoor and camping needs.

✨ Tips & Improvements

• 💪 For stronger pressure, use a 1500 L/h water pump and a narrower hose. The video uses a 1000 L/h pump.
• 🌞 Warm up your water by placing the canister in the sun or by adding hot water manually.
• 🔌 Thanks to the removable battery, you can charge the shower at home or connect it to your car battery. 🚘
• 🚿 The shower head includes 2 spray modes – focused jet and standard shower stream.

👉 That’s it! In less than an hour and for under €100, you've built your own automatic portable shower – perfect for camping, vanlife, road trips, or off-grid use.