Taps and Mattresses

Linda Stapleton

Well-known member
Jun 3, 2003
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Can anyone help us locate two items, please?

1) an economiser shower tap, the type you have to push every once in a while to restart the water - if anyone could bring one in from abroad we'll reimburse you right away

2) let us know of a supplier or manufacturer of reasonably priced single bed mattresses. On doing the rounds, the ones for single beds are more expensive than doubles. We would need 10.

Both items are for an orphanage, so trying to keep the costs as low as possible.

Any help or suggestions greatly appreciated.
 

santa110xyz

Active member
Oct 25, 2005
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single bed mattresses

i found good priced ones at the Rattan Store on the highway Sosua/Cabarete.
She will give you a good price, if you tell her the reason for whom you are buying these.
 
May 29, 2006
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You might try working something out with a standard toilet tank top. The tank would mounted above the shower and each pull on the flush handle would give about 3 gallons of water. It would be a gravity fed shower(no pressure), but it may work with the standards you are looking for. I would expect one tank to soap off and one tank to rinse would be enough. You'd want to put some kind of elastic on the pull chain so it isn't damaged when pulled hard on.

A cheaper simpler system would be to attached a garden hose end to the shower stem(you'd need a basic adaptor) so pressurize water only works when the handle is squeezed.

Otherwise, you may want to check at a boat supply store for a boat shower device. It's a large ring on a chain that operates the shower valve.

Central Brass 0335-1/2 Lever Handle with Pull Chain

There might be urinal valves available locally as well which would be cheaper.
 
Last edited:
May 29, 2006
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After giving it some thought, I realized that you would not have to use an expensive toilet tank top for the resevoir. If you have someone handy with a drill, you could modify a 5 gallon bucket for the water supply and then install a standard fill mechanism into it.
 
May 29, 2006
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For the mattresses, would using beach-type loungers work? They would fold out flat and you not have to worry about urine/scabies issues.
 

Linda Stapleton

Well-known member
Jun 3, 2003
633
45
48
Thank you

Thanks for all your time and helpful suggestions. We will pursue them all. We have the offer of someone bringing down the shower device from Canada at the end of the year if they can locate the right type, if not we will certainly consider the home made version, which sounds very ingenious.

We'll also follow up on the mattresses.

You are all great. Gracias.