Almost endless hot water

[TrainChaser]

When I ran across Bob's videos at Enigmatic Nomadics, one of the first things I saw was the video
'Three Women Vandwellers Talk About Safety While Living Off Grid in a RV or Van':


At one point, Bob asked them what one thing would they change if he could grant them one wish about their vandwelling life, and one woman said it was endless hot running water.  Living in a regular house or MH, we mostly take this for granted.  On the road, it's a daily issue.

I think about it nearly every time I wash the dishes.  I just finished the dishes, and am thinking about it again.

Also, one of my neighbors was very recently telling me how well that Krylon FUSION spray paint for plastic works.  He said it seems to bond with the plastic very well.

***Some of my working brain cells shifted into high gear*** (the others are saying, "Huh?")

1. Get some new gallon plastic gallon bottles of water.
2. Spray them with that Krylon paint for plastic -- BLACK.
3. Set them in the sun.

WE COULD HAVE 50 GALLONS OF HOT WATER!  WHEEEEEEEE!

I wanted to run out and try it right away, but I don't have the paint, and it's raining.  Maybe Sunday, if the weather people know what they're talking about.  I think I even have a thermometer, to see just how hot the water gets on a 75-degree day in W. WA.

+ Also, using the paint on new bottles should reduce the UV damage to the plastic.

This sounds so good there must be a flaw......

 

[AngryVanMan]

Walmart/Amazon sells vinyl solar pool heater mats for their inflatable pools, Intex brand I think. If it's just for wash water I think it might be something to try, a little DC pump redirecting your water through that would probably get you a decent temperature rise on a sunny day. Less than $20.

 

[Headache]

to see just how hot the water gets on a 75-degree day in W. WA.

+ Also, using the paint on new bottles should reduce the UV damage to the plastic.

This sounds so good there must be a flaw......

The flaw is the rain and cooler temps we are going to get!  We're going to be lucky to get to 70 in the foothills today.

 

[Canine]

50 milk jugs sitting outside a vehicle should really be appreciated by the neighbors.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

We put out our solar shower daily when boondocking (which we usually do). We have plenty of hot water for personal use and washing dishes.

I have been thinking about a black ABS pipe solar water heater mounted to the roof rack beside the solar panels...just haven't gotten roundtuit yet.

 

[TrainChaser]

B.D.:  "50 milk jugs sitting outside a vehicle should really be appreciated by the neighbors."

I'll set them out in the pattern of a smiley face -- no one will mind.

 

[TMG51]

I like my RV style propane water heater.

If I were to do solar water heating, rather than the ABS pipe or milk jug routine, I would plumb a 100' coil of black plastic well water line onto the roof. More surface area to heat with.

 

[MrNoodly]

WE COULD HAVE 50 GALLONS OF HOT WATER!  WHEEEEEEEE!

And a lot less space in a vehicle. More than 6 cubic feet for 50 gallons. That's a cube 6 by 6 by 6. Even empty, fifty 1-gallon jugs take up room.

And a lot of weight for a vehicle to carry around. (418 pounds for 50 gallons.)

Oh, and there's having regular sources for that much water.

 

[bullfrog]

If you want free black one gallon water jugs just go to within 20 miles of the Mexican border. There all over I guess white jugs showed off light too much in the dark so some enterprising person south of the border starting producing and selling them. People at Organ Pipe National Monument might even thank you!

 

[BradKW]

And a lot less space in a vehicle. More than 6 cubic feet for 50 gallons. That's a cube 6 by 6 by 6. Even empty, fifty 1-gallon jugs take up room.

And a lot of weight for a vehicle to carry around. (418 pounds for 50 gallons.)

Oh, and there's having regular sources for that much water.

ehh, while it certainly takes up space, you're off a bit there... 6' x 6' x 6' is actually 216 cubic feet, which would be around 1600 gallons. Certainly enough for an endless shower, but a bit impractical. 

6' x 1' x 1' is about 50 gallons...and far more practical    

 

[GotSmart]

ehh, while it certainly takes up space, you're off a bit there... 6' x 6' x 6' is actually 216 cubic feet, which would be around 1600 gallons. Certainly enough for an endless shower, but a bit impractical. 

6' x 1' x 1' is about 50 gallons...and far more practical    

http://www.ehow.com/how_5808835_calculate-gallons-square-feet.html

How to Calculate Gallons by Cubic Feet

 

[MrNoodly]

ehh, while it certainly takes up space, you're off a bit there... 6' x 6' x 6' is actually 216 cubic feet, which would be around 1600 gallons. Certainly enough for an endless shower, but a bit impractical. 

6' x 1' x 1' is about 50 gallons...and far more practical    

Correct. I sucked at math.

Still, fifty 1-gallon jugs or ten 5-gallon cans take up a lot of room after all the other necessities have been loaded in.

 

[highdesertranger]

and a lot of weight. highdesertranger

 

[WriterMs]

Had to laugh at the thought of all 50 gallons in the sun at the same time...you could have a heated swimming pool of some sort with that much heated all at once. (and, no, I didn't attempt the math so see how big that pool or hot tub might be LOL)

As noted by others, the main thing is being able to carry a large amount of water if you are not going to be near a campground pump or other source. If you have a built in water tank, you simply fill a few gallons as needed for the day's hot water requirements.

My van has a large, deep windshield area. So what I did with my solar shower on days that might not be that warm temp-wise was to put the water bag flat on the dash in the sunshine. We all know the greenhouse effect of sun coming through glass. How many gallon jugs could fit along your windshield on the dash?

 

[SternWake]

I have a gallon Gatorade bottle. I removed the label and glue. I scrubbed it with 800 grit sandpaper . And wiped it with denatured alcohol. Then lovingly painted it black with appliance epoxy enamel.

Each day i defile it by hovering the tip of my pecker into it and breathe through my mouth while i relieve myself.

If i see a black painted plastic bottle, the last thing i think of is hot shower. And golden shower are not among the search terms i use on porn sites. Ahem, Not that an highly moral and indignant person such as myself visits such taudry websites.

My 5 gallon summershower frequently resides on my black dashboard.

Laying It on sunny asphalt this time of year is like a 250 watt heating pad. Heats so fast it.is scary.

I do have a ~50 WATT 12 v heating pad. I lay the shower bag on this often. Plug in pad less.so. takes many hours to reach 100f. Skalding hot is in the 115 f area.

Sometimes when cooler, i place heating pad on dashboard. Summer shower on pad then.bLock off surrounding area so it really bakes.

Nothing like a steamy hot shower after a cold surf.

Right now my showerbag is on passenger seat., insulated. 107 f. Still hot from asphalt session. Heating pad plugged in to maintain heat. Not cycling on often though just to maintain temp.

5 gallons is excessive.. more than i really need for full slow scrub and foot pumicing and sandal washing too.

I used to be barefoot always. Not so much van dwelling. Prefer to not track in black foot dung into van

 

[WriterMs]

Being used to SternWake writing up highly technical things, I began reading his post carefully. Fully visualizing the peeling and sanding and painting with a certain type of enamel...and then from the word pecker through the next paragraph I had tears in my eyes from laughing so hard.

Thanks, I needed that.

 

[Svenn]

I did too, literally laughed out loud... my stealth is compromised!

 

[Svenn]

I have the Basecamp-Boss-Mr. Heater portable propane shower enclosed in a plywood box leading to my fiberglassed squat bathroom. It has really good pressure (and I'm a pressure freak) and is quite hot. I have a 25 gallon water tank which is like 40 minutes of water. Problem is if I fill it up it takes me over payload capacity. I use bio-friendly soap and shampoo so I don't feel bad about the grey water just dribbling onto the road.

If you wanted to fulfill the wish of not having to think about water, you'd need a massive vehicle.

 

[Marie]

My van has a large, deep windshield area. So what I did with my solar shower on days that might not be that warm temp-wise was to put the water bag flat on the dash in the sunshine. We all know the greenhouse effect of sun coming through glass. How many gallon jugs could fit along your windshield on the dash?
[/quote]

Darn, this was good to see!!! I have a 1995 Dodge van and have often considered putting a solar shower on the dash for hot/warm water! Thank you for doing the R and D on this!

 

[TrainChaser]

People, people.... I was joking about the 50 gallons! Who carries over 400 pounds of water???

And while you can buy a water heater, or buy a pool heater mat and a pump, or install solar power, or turn your entire van into a luxurious spa, for some of us, cheap and simple rules.