Solar shower advice?

AirCooledNut · Post by **AirCooledNut** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 10:53 pm

I'm thinking of maybe getting a solar shower. My sweetie likes to feel clean and, to be honest, having kids who grunge around in Lord-knows-what I'd like to get them clean before tossing 'em into the top bunk of the Rivi. Me? I'm comfortable with my funk

Suggestions/recommendations/experiences? Just doing the research right now.

And no, peeing off the top of the Bus is NOT an option you knuckle-heads!

vdubyah73 · Post by **vdubyah73** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 3:17 am

Used one for years on my boat, they work great. I can only vouch for the summer time. They get warm enough even on overcast days, not so good on rainy days, and forget a hot morning shower. Good to clean up at the end of the day though. Two adults can get a complete shower including shampooing hair. You have to take a Navy shower though. Soak down, shut off water, lather up, then rinse. Might need 2, one for adults, and 1 for kids.

LeeE · Post by **LeeE** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 6:22 am

Hi
I had one of the plastic bag solar showers for a while. I would put it up on the luggage rack or hang it from the engine gills. It was a little unwieldy and never got very warm, but it was good for rinsing things.

It eventually leaked along a seam, so I got one of those small pump-up yard sprayers, and it works much better. Heat water on a stove, then add more water to cool to desired temp and spray. It's much sturdier than the bag shower for carrying an extra gallon or so of water.

I did save the sprayer hose from the shower bag, and with another larger piece of tubing for an adaptor it can be used with those standard 2 1/2 gallon water jugs.

whc03grady · Post by **whc03grady** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 1:07 pm

We recently bought a cheap one (<$10) at WalMart and it leaked pretty badly on its first outing. The water was plenty hot though.

werksberg · Post by **werksberg** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 2:21 pm

Maybe have a black plastic cover for the water bag to get more sun heat into it?

Gypsie · Post by **Gypsie** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 4:24 pm

The solar showers have one black side inside and a clear side on the other. the heat radiated from the black side gets absorbed in the water. I have used them, but it takes pert near all of a sunny day to make a decent shower. I took to pouring some boiling water into the opening of the bag with some "all day warm water" to come up with a nice warm shower.

Thinking out loud "I wonder if putting the solar shower into one of those disposable turkey roaster pan (the shiney aluminum ones) with carefully focused reflective sides, would gather more heat, ala solar oven.

I still think it's much easier to "marine douche' or 'field bathe. wet rag with gutenhot water. quick soapy wipe down and a splash rinse. quick and easy.

I love exposing myself to nature.

Some day I will make my "hot water tank that gets heat from the exhaust heat exchanger that has yet to be desiigned".

Some day....

AirCooledNut · Post by **AirCooledNut** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 4:47 pm

vdubyah73 wrote:Used one for years on my boat, they work great. I can only vouch for the summer time. They get warm enough even on overcast days, not so good on rainy days, and forget a hot morning shower. Good to clean up at the end of the day though. Two adults can get a complete shower including shampooing hair. You have to take a Navy shower though. Soak down, shut off water, lather up, then rinse. Might need 2, one for adults, and 1 for kids.

Having actually served in the Navy on a destroyer I know exactly how to take one

Yes, I understand how the evening shower would be warmer than the morn.

Thanks everyone for the input!

vdubyah73 · Post by **vdubyah73** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 5:50 pm

DD 943 USS Blandy, 1976-1980.

werksberg · Post by **werksberg** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 8:25 pm

Gypsie...I'm just thinking out loud with the key board...has anyone tried the bag with the black side down since the top is clear and the sun radiate thru the water?

AirCooledNut · Post by **AirCooledNut** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 9:03 pm

vdubyah73 wrote:DD 943 USS Blandy, 1976-1980.

DD-989 USS Deyo, on-ship 1987-1990, Sonar Technician Surface. This is how much I liked the Navy.

Gypsie · Post by **Gypsie** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 10:06 am

werksberg wrote:Gypsie...I'm just thinking out loud with the key board...has anyone tried the bag with the black side down since the top is clear and the sun radiate thru the water?

The way I understand it, you set the bag with the black side down (under the water) so the sun shines through the clear side onto the black. The heat is put directly into the water. Convection swirls the water.

Also, I would think that if you start with warm water in the morning, the bag has an even greater chance to give a quality shower later in the day, (ie mostly full bag with a pot of boiling water added to 'prime the pump' as is were.) The trick is in getting the hot water in the bottle without burning your hand.

Gonna have to hook mine up at Maupin for funzies.

werksberg · Post by **werksberg** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 10:25 am

I was just wondering if anyone has try it both ways. I can see that the clear up might be better but.....?

What about the lower shower curtain deal.....

Again, I have not been camping since the '70's during my Motocross and desert MC racing days....

And our RV has been sitting for a more than a decade...can you say complete redo job ahead!

JLT · Post by **JLT** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 7:57 pm

werksberg wrote:I was just wondering if anyone has try it both ways. I can see that the clear up might be better but.....?

I have. Clear side up, black side down is definitely the way to go.

chitwnvw · Post by **chitwnvw** » Thu Jun 11, 2009 8:54 pm

I think black side toward the sun is the way to go. I've had plenty of warm showers this way. We also have a stall that folds up really flat, that is good if you are in mixed company.

Gypsie · Post by **Gypsie** » Fri Jun 12, 2009 11:01 am

The shower I have is kind of a metallic greay on the outside of the opaque side. The black side must face the sun for energy absorption.

My guess is that JLT meant "black side down facing sun.

I'm sure there are those that could explain the physics better than I but the heat is radiated from the black surface into the water.

For the extremely raw camper...
I think you could feasably make a 'homeschool' shower with a black bucket, or watertight black plastic bag of some sort. I bet if you filled a heavy duty lawn and leaf bag enough to spread the water out about 4-5" thick and tied ot off to the water could sit in the sun, it would do a decent job of heating the water that could be transfererred into a bucket with a shower hose fixture. Lay it on our picnic table for easy transfer to the bucket.

Ok I'm just getting jiggy now...

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Itinerant Air-Cooled

Solar shower advice?

Solar shower advice?