The Pleasure of Every Night: Powder Puff finish and smart use of water.
You are neat as a pin every night, anywhere!
A beautiful starry night is not to be wasted. The sequel to a stunning day is night time in the Kimberley Kruiser™ with its totally unique bedroom suite and ensuite. The bedroom suite is an insulated Cocoon™ for quiet privacy. You can view the stars in addition to the air-conditioner. The standard multi-pocket innerspring Queen size bed with granite-like side tables keeps it functional. The soft finished sloping bedhead lets you read in comfort! Even if the elements deliver unkind wind and rain, you can cuddle up in the quietest cocoon in the industry!
This article focuses on the “piece de resistance” which is the full width ensuite.
We started this design with the goal of having a full-width complete ensuite in as compact a space as possible. Because the rear of the Kruiser needs a good departure angle, the rear floor starts to rise up and this had to be accommodated in the design. The result is a stunning amount of space.
The shower is full height with an “adjustable flow shower head” that is virtually flat on the roof angled away from the door entrance. The door entrance is curved glass. One of the “heavier” items but glass is just so much more durable and easier to clean than acrylic. The door runs on 8 roller bearing rollers and is a breeze to slide behind you. When open, you can’t see the door from the outside as it rolls into the rear shower space. 
The entire shower space is fibreglass and the floor structure with the fibreglass raised edge means that water cant flow back into the ensuite or main galley until it reaches the raised height of the roller edge. This is all finished fibreglass so there is no screws, no sealant no points to leak!
The waste is chrome-plated brass and drops the water straight into the second grey water tank. The waste has a special flapper valve to prevent odours and a top filter. The valve mechanism is all replaceable from inside the shower.
The taps are ceramic-valve, Italian, chrome plated brass. A single swivel adjustment with a lifting action controls the flow and temperature. There is a chrome plated brass soap holder and chrome plated brass “washer” hanger. We even include a seat/ledge in the shower for the fairer sex to shave their legs!
There is plenty of light and clear space with a clear return on the bench-top, the clear glass door and an overhead hatch. The Overhead hatch in the Black Caviar model is a fantastic fan, which can be ordered as an option in the Classic Model. This can be set to automatically open and operate once the heat builds from the steam of a hot shower. The light in the shower is a waterproof LED.
The main vanity area of the Ensuite has a full width mirror with the overhead cupboards also housing the triple LED lights. The bench-top is granite-like solid surface acrylic that is easy to maintain. It can be polished at any time. The bench-top is positioned on top of a fibreglass structural bench for your off road application. The vanity sink is our own design in the same solid surface material but a contrasting colour. Although it is free standing, we had to do our own design, as the general style available was too flimsy for off road conditions. Our design has a large square platform to bond to the bench-top and the raised section at the rear with the taps means all water rolls back into the sink!
There is a double pole 240V double power outlet for a hair drier on the right of the bench-top.
There is another LED over the toilet. This light could be left on all night as a night-light as it is only 3W and is not visible from the bedroom suite. Consequently it is on a separate switch circuit.
The light switches are a unique design that is “touchless”. The design is for the ladies who hate switching lights with wet hands. There are three Black Magic™ switches in the ensuite. You can see the small dark “dots” in front of each LED under the overhead cupboard. They turn the light on and off by approaching with your hand at 2-3 cms.
The washing machine is located in the ensuite so that it is adjacent to the drying chalet. Before you ask “what is a drying “chalet”? The term comes from Switzerland where any excess heat from hot water plumbing is captured and routed through drying cupboards. We do the same on the Kruiser™ Black Caviar™ and it is an option with the Classic. The diesel hot water system heats glycol which transfers through a heat exchanger to heat the water. We route the glycol through a small but powerful heater in the ensuite. It has a ball bearing 2 speed fan that uses very little power (less than 2 W). When this is turned on, it draws air through a grill at the bottom on the ensuite and directs it inside the drying cupboard. If you open the sliding aluminium door of the cupboard, it will pass straight through to the whole of the ensuite. If you place your washed clothes in the drying chalet, it wont take long before they are dry. This uses very, very, little 12V power and no generator of course. You can even operate the chalet while you are driving even if the diesel hot water is turned off, the heat exchanger will slowly drain all the heat from the glycol. For the ultimate luxury in winter, you can pre-heat your towels!
The washing machine is a front loading model with good water efficiency and power efficiency. We have tested running this on the inverter and it will operate without a generator in the Black Caviar Model.
The spinning speed can be as fast as 1000RPM and this positions this washing machine as the best available in the market today.
However with great attention to detail, the washing machine is raised off the floor on a fibreglass base. This means when standing at the vanity basin, your feet are comfortably positioned underneath rather than having to lean forward. It also gives easier access to the front loader when taking clothes out of it. A washing basket can be positioned on the floor immediately below the door. The washing machine can be easily removed for maintenance. It is located on a fibreglass floor with fibreglass all around it.
The toilet is the new electric touch flush unit from Dometic with ceramic lined bowl. The waste cartridge is accessible from outside. Dometic are testing small “tabs” rather than chemicals as the additive. The toilet has a good quality bowl with simple to operate instructions. The eco-friendliness of the additives is also far superior to the competing brands on the market. The water used to flush this toilet is sourced from the shower “grey water” tank in the Black Caviar model. There is no point flushing with fresh water! There is a separate automatic water pump for this. The light over the toilet is also convenient for any reading pleasure at this location.
There is a double towel rail above the toilet on the side wall. This is close to the drying chalet.
There is a hatch immediately above the toilet with both a blockout and insect screen.
Finally the sliding ensuite door has taken hundreds of hours to perfect the design. It runs on a stainless steel half dome track with large roller bearing stainless steel wheels. Just one finger will slide this open and closed. It is captured above and has a special tie down for off road travel.
This Kruiser is Kimberley’s attempt to get the ladies back off-road after they have “had enough” with camper trailers or cramped, cold and wet pop-tops.
For the engineers and designers who are interested, there are thousands of design hours in this ensuite that takes up only 1.1m of length. There are over 80 detailed design points, some of which are listed above to create the “perfect” ensuite, preferably in the most remote part of Australia!
Full width Private Ensuite
- Full Height shower
- Separate Fibreglass shower with curved rotating glass shower door
- Multi-function shower head
- Shower seat/step
- Overhead hatch or Optional Fantastic fan
- Waterproof shower lighting with Black Magic switch
- Ensuite vestibule is single piece fibreglass.
- Black granite-like solid surface benchtop
- Raised white solid surface wash basin
- Full width mirror
- Overhead cupboards
- Triple over bench LED lighting with Black Magic switch
- Optional Front Loading Washing Machine (Standard in the Black Caviar Model)
- Raised from floor
- Has access to 3 water sources: Recycled water from shower grey water tank on separate circuit, 120L tank, water lifted from stream or billabong
- One touch electric flush toilet
- Ceramic bowl lining
- Outside waste carry cart
- Indicator on waste level inside
- Connected to 2 other water sources: 120L tank, or water lifted from stream or billabong.
Optional Preferred connection to recycled water from shower grey water tank on separate circuit (Standard in the Black Caviar Model) - Over toilet skylight hatch with screen and block-out curtain
- Overhead light with Black Magic switch
- Optional Drying Chalet (Standard in the Black Caviar Model)
- Optional 1200W Diesel powered heater
- Rolling door chalet access
- Open position heats entire ensuite
- Optional Towel rack for re-heating towels or drying clothes
- Can operate while travelling
- Optional Ensuite fitted carpet
- Optional 12V Membrane heated
- Ensuite sliding door on stainless steel track and runners with full length mirror
LED Lighting Summary in Ensuite
- 5 x Fully sealed waterproof 3W Warm white in Ensuite
Water Management Features to support the ensuite (details in separate article)
- Dual water tanks, dual water meter, dual fillers and separate pumps.
- Large Rear Tank: Water capacity 120L with patented Visi-flow system to pump from a stream or billabong and bypass the tank or use to fill the tank.
- Medium 70L mid-mounted tank for pure drinking water.
- Front mounted 60L Grey water tank — take run off with you.
- Optional Rear Mounted 65L Grey Water tank – with separate recycled water pump to toilet and or washing machine (Standard in the Black Caviar Model)
- Optional front mounted 40 litre frame mounted water tank for extra desert capacity (Standard in the Black Caviar Model)
- Jerry capacity 2 x 20L on front open frame. (Increased capacity in the Black Caviar Model)
Photos are not necessarily of exact unit but similar views and products
There may be errors and omissions and changes in the product described here. Please consult your Dealer before making a purchasing decision.
The following are trademarks either pending or registered with exclusive rights by Kimberley.
Kimberley, Kimberley Kampers, Kimberley Karavan, Kruiser, Cocoon, Visi-flow, Black Magic, Black Caviar, Platinum.
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