How To Use A Solar Shower

Having a shower when you are camping takes comfort to a totally new level. I'll never forget the commencement time we boiled a big pot of water over the fire and used a inexpensive 12V shower pump to have a shower after a days motorcycle riding in the freezing evening at Broome Hill.

Zilch beats a shower in the bush-league, even if its simply i/tenth as skillful as one you'd take at abode!

Since and then, I've tried a number of shower arrangements. Every manner has their own pro's and con'south, just 1 day when walking through a camping ground shop I spotted a couple of the black shower numberless for about $10 each. Given the cost I thought lets requite these a crack, so two were purchased to trial.

Having a shower when camping ground is amazing!

How do they work?

Solar shower bags are finer heavy duty plastic bags that tin can carry h2o. They have a black surface, which you exit upwards. The blackness surface absorbs maximum heat from the sun, and over the course of the solar day the water warms up. The bags take a tap outlet, and usually come with a shower outlet likewise.

How much water can they bear?

Most shower bags accept well-nigh 20L The ones I got take 19L. Interestingly, I didn't feel the bags would agree 19 litres of h2o without breaking. It appears they practise, but they withal don't seem so sturdy!

What can you mount them on?

The biggest problem I plant with the solar shower bags was that in order to have the shower rose anywhere near ones head, the numberless would have to be mounted over 2.three metres in the air. This poses quite the challenge, equally finding something that alpine isn't easy in the bush, and being able to mount it there is even harder! We overcome the problem by hanging it off the roof of the 4WD. The only problem then, was operating the on/off valve – someone had to sit on the roof racks to do it. You accept to exist careful with how you lot hang them besides; the handles are often not very potent!

There is no mode you lot can hang these from the shower/toilet tents on the market; they are far too heavy to practice then.
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Our solar shower bag hung from a 4WD

Do they piece of work?

We've used the solar bags a few times, and yes, they do piece of work, but not amazingly. In order for the h2o to get warm plenty for a shower, you need at least a 20 degree day with lots of sunshine. Obviously the hotter the ambient temperature the warmer they will get. Anything around thirty degrees warms them upwards really well.

The other thing that is a bit of a hassle is the way they are fed. Your normal shower uses pressurised water, and these but rely on gravity. The water pressure level seems reasonable to start off, but as you apply the water upwards, the pressure gets worse and worse.

Would I recommend them?

If you are in a warm climate, I reckon these are a cheap way of having a decent shower. You lot demand to leave them out all day, and maybe have an before shower than usual, only it appears that they actually exercise work! For someone regularly needing showers outdoors, they are probably not the most suitable choice, merely they are cheap, unproblematic and don't toll anything to employ!

If you take access to a burn down regularly, I reckon a 12V shower pump, a stainless steel bucket and some water is the meliorate way to become.

Alternatives camping shower options

12 V showers

Probably the next cheapest pick is to eddy water, tip it into a decent bucket with absurd water (until you lot get the correct temperature) and then apply a 12V shower to pump it. These suck the water from a container and pump it out a shower rose. The shower runs off your cigarette lighter plug, and will give you a vivid shower. We institute the best style to accept a good shower was to get moisture, turn information technology off, soap up and turn it back on. 10 litres of water is plenty for a good shower.

If you want to get 1 stride further, stand up in a big pot, and nearly of the h2o is collected and can be recycled (just recommended if you lot aren't filthy!).

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Another simple, but very easy way to shower in the bush

Hot water on demand

Coleman and Aquacube both take products to produce hot water on demand. This means that all y'all have to exercise is plumb them upwardly, and you can have your shower. These products are more than expensive, but work well and are very convenient. The only outcome though, is they have upward a lot of space. At that place are a number of other manufacturers that make like products likewise, then store around!

Under bonnet hot h2o systems

If you lot want a more than permanent arrangement, take a look at the under bonnet hot water systems for the engine bay of your 4WD. A number of manufacturers sell (or y'all can make one yourself) these that rely on the engines running to generate heat. They utilise a heat substitution near the radiator to warm the water up, and pump it out to a shower rose. The better fix ups allow you to suck from a tank on the vehicle, or from a location of your choosing (river/creek/dam/saucepan of water).

Pressurised black PVC water tanks

If you lot are into DIY, you can buy a length of thicker PVC pipe and fittings, and make your ain tank that y'all can pressurise. Paint it black, put a few PSI of air in and you lot volition take an amazing shower.

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A roof rack mounted h2o tank for washing and showering

Ownership Camping showers

Snowys sell a range of shower options, including the solar bags with costless delivery to most of Australia. Next time you go camping ground, imagine how good a hot shower would exist at the end of the twenty-four hour period! You tin check out their range here – Snowys Camp Showers.

What do y'all employ?

Not every solution is going to work for you lot; what do you use that works well?

Article from 4WDing Australi