Camp Shower (Merged)

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Overland-Indiana

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View attachment 3157 Has anyone built a hot water supply by using black pvc pipe a schrader valve and mounted it on their roof? You can pressurize the pvc with a small compressor to get water pressure.

Has anyone else noticed that there is a shower in the pic, I must have been distracted by something :hearteyes: lol

+1 on using a 12v water pump..
 

GoHeels

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What if you had it PVC, Schrader valve, and some type of PVC ball gasket? When you opened it halfway or less it might keep pressure longer, with water flowing through small opening.
I've built a pressurized bait cannon b4, and when the valve opens all the way pressure rushes out, but with it only slightly open it squeezes out (like pinching a balloon to squeak) .
??
Idk could build a scale to test it, PVC is cheap.
 

4xFar Adventures

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I've thought about making my own shower out of PVC, but quickly abandoned it. First, I found baby wipes to work well enough, even for a 7-10 day trip. Second, I just don't care enough to do so. I just need to brush my teeth to feel awake on the trail.

Finding PVC pipe that's large enough in diameter was tricky. Otherwise you need a long pipe to hold enough water. Use a volume calculator to find out how much you want to carry and figure the dimensions of your container. If it's for your SO (or SWMBO) they will probably only settle for warm water, and PVC doesn't really transfer the sun's heat energy (compared to metal) enough to warm the water by the end of the day. And forget about a shower in the morning. If you do try a DIY solution, it's worth considering to use a baffle of some sort to reduce sloshing the water around.

REI carries a solar shower. Basically a black bag that is supposed to heat up your water during the day, but you need to be base camping for that. Hanging that on the outside of your rig going down the trail doesn't really work.

Another thing to consider is how many showers do you intend to take, and how much water do you want to carry just for that? It's good to have a platform to stand on that will keep your feet from getting muddy, or even a tub to stand in. Even if wearing a swimsuit some people may want some privacy, so something needs to be brought for that too. TREAD Lightly!, or Leave No Trace principles would say to pack out your grey water if you're using any sort of soap. Even a biodegradable one like Dr. Bronner's.
 
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chris90

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I have seen that sort of set up quite a bit here and it would be easy and cheap to build if you are ok with it being gravity fed however I would be very hesitant about carrying a large amount of water in a long pipe on your roof, it would be ok when it is full but when some water is taken out it would slosh and throw weight and with it the cars centre of gravity around too much for my liking.
 
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Mike G

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Found this at a local sporting goods store. The bad thing is you'll need two water jugs. One for the cold water and another to hold the hot water.
 
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erinw.rrc

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We have a road shower and we love it. It works great for overlanding trips because the sun during the day heats the water so by early evening at camp its really warm and it's enough for two quick showers. I have really long hair, so when I travel with my husband, we alternate. One night I will take one and another night he will take one. Otherwise, we have run out of water. I think it holds 5 gallons.
 

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The current versions hold 5 gal and Joel Cotton the owner has an 8 gallon one about to hit the market. 5 gallons plus a 5 gallon Jerry can has usually been enough for me for a week for cooking/cleaning/washing. On my current camping rig I already have too much up top so 5 gallons is enough but as I build up the LR4 I'm probably going to get the 8 gallon as I'll be using it for family trips. It will depend on the final dimensions.
 

AZ_Overland

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Mine is just a simple 12v self priming waterpump that will draw water from a 5 gallon water jug. If u need to heat the water I will boil a portion first. Eventually I will add a in line heater coil to run off my vehicle heater.
 

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Jelorian

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At the last meet I attended in Emeryville, CA at the Black Diamond Cafe, there was a crazy cool 80 series owned by a guy named Benny. He had 12 gallons of water along the top of his rig that he did in either 4" or 6" plastic pipe. Not sure if it was PVC or ABS. He had it hooked up to an outdoor shower with propane heating (I think).

Here is a pic. You can see the black pipe running along the top of his rig. You can also see the white box mounted to the rear of his rig for the hot water.

 
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VCeXpedition

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There's this... I'm giving it a shot, doesn't heat by itself, but it's going to get mounted on top of my rack so we'll see if Mr. Sun can help me.

I also have this... it takes a long time to heat the water for a nice warm shower, but if I set that up first, then go about setting up the shower enclosure, etc. it is about warm enough by then just by circulating it back into itself in a 20L can.

I also have a 12V pump with a shower head attachment that will pump water out of anything. That puts out some serious water.

This has all been an experiment to see what works best. So far, nothing is the perfect answer. I just keep trying. :coldsweat:
 
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Eastern Cape Overland

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Easiest, Military plastic jerry can. Schrader valve in lid and pet wash down hose from pet smart. lots of plans for these on the net. It works good and holds presure well. For hot water, add some boiling water to the can.
 

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Maybe if the can is black? But plastic is a better insulator... you're better off with a metal container.
 
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Overland 505

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The nice thing about the pvc/abs pipe for water is that it's one less thing to have to bring in the Jeep. I'm gonna try one. Pressurizing it isn't a problem. Put a shrader valve on it and use the little co2 tire inflators or the oba.


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