Heating shower tent?

[Troutbum]

I plan to visit some areas where it's pretty cold but I really want to be able to take a shower at night when returning to camp using a pop-up shower tent with the Zodi hot water heater.       I can handle cold weather unless naked and wet Lol.

The pop-up is pretty roomy and I wondered if some kind of space heater or some other device would work to temporarily heat the space if placed in a corner or is this just begging for Darwin to eliminate another inferior creature??

 

[bullfrog]

Most shower tents are made to dry out quickly with lots of ventilation so heating it would problematic. It might be easier to warm the drying towels?

 

[ckelly78z]

You would be better off heating the van/RV/living space, and making your shower quick, unless the hot water is plentiful. Even heated air will feel cold if a heat fan is blowing on you, and YES, it does bring up thoughts of Darwinism. The potential for a mistake is high with nudity, a heat source, and water, whether it be minor like knocking over the heater/minor burn, or major, like a malfunction fire.

The other option is to erect the shower in a heated space with a water catch pan, possibly, a surrounding tarped off area that is heated before entering. Either way will cause alot of wasted electricity/heat when the shower is complete.

 

[Gypsy Freedom]

the tent, at least the ones i have used, do a good job of keeping the breeze off you. then the heat from the hot water will bring the temp up pretty easy and comfortable. it wont last long after you shut down the shower water flow. but get dried of quick and back int warm cloths and i think you will find it acceptable.

i have showered in sub freezing temps many many times with just a wind break type shower stall. like 4 sheets hanging from trees to make an open top and openn bottom stall and when actually showering i find it very comfort able as long as the warm water is flowing. then just towel off and slip into some dry clothes and still nice and toasty warm. the cool brisk air as you dry off can be invigorating

if you have to have heat in there, i think you will have a challenge to keep water from the shower off the heater. a wet electric heat is a bad bad thing. and getting a Mr Buddy or other propane radient heater is not good for the heater. now if you had a forced air type heater and could blow warm air into the shower. now that would probably make it so you could bump the heat up. but it is not like you could warm it up and then remove a heater. it would just cool down real quick

 

[tx2sturgis]

The small shower tents get pretty steamy and stay almost too warm in normally comfortable outside temperatures. On a warm day they get really WARM inside.

If your shower tent is large and roomy, or it's really cold outside, you may find it is a bit too cold to shower at night. If it's too cold outside to be showering at night, it would be a better idea to make the time to shower in the afternoon when sunlight is warming the little tent.

Other than leaving a large pan of hot water in the tent for a few minutes before your shower, I dont think there is a safe way to heat a small shower tent with an electric or fuel powered heater. Knocking the heater over, splashing water on it, or accidentally dropping a towel on it might not be a good thing...

Just guessing. 

 

[MrNoodly]

You could duct the heat in with a fan and dryer vent hose.

Or just adjust to the idea that during cold weather you have to use sponge baths instead of showers.

 

[highdesertranger]

Zodi makes a ducted safe tent heater. they recalled their first attempt and I haven't seen any reports on the latest one. might want to look into them.

ABNorm had a fair size shower tent at the YARC camp. it was big enough to use a heater in.

highdesertranger

 

[GypsyJan]

Maybe direct the exhaust from your vehicle vent pipe into the shower tent, LOL? Otherwise....we will miss you!

 

[maki2]

Adapt to your environment and quit trying to force onto your new life all your former sticks and bricks habituation habits. Instead develop new habits that are in tune with nature. Days are warm, nights are cold so bath at mid day when it is the warmest. It is only by living in tune with nature that you will have the very best result with a nomadic van dwelling life. For instance you need good lighting and that happens during the day. Even if you have solar power the best time to use the most energy is during the daylight hours when the sun is actively sending in power.

 

[Troutbum]

Thanks for all the tips I got some really good ideas from my first post here with you "Dockers" and didn't even get flamed yet Lol.

Interesting that the Buddy heater uses radiant heat and not an open flame and also extinguishes itself when tipped over so if worst case scenario happens and it tips over.....does the protective grill get hot enough to cause a fire if briefly brushed up against the side of a tent? Like on the Darwin scale of 1 to 10 and 10 being the shower bondfire?

And not that I am dumb enough to ever put a bottle of propane with flames shooting out the top in my shower wink wink but would the Little Buddy be enough heat or would you need the Bigger Buddy to keep your other buddy's warm in such scenario? I mean purely hypothetcial of course I would never really try it or recommend it!

Wish I could shower during mid-day heat but for the time being my routine doesn't allow that.

 

[MrNoodly]

...does the protective grill get hot enough to cause a fire if briefly brushed up against the side of a tent?...

...would you need the Bigger Buddy...

The grill would be hot enough to melt the tent fabric. The temperature directly above the heater is also probably hot enough to melt the fabric. Though I couldn't find the numbers, there are minimum clearances required for the front and top. Also, I don't know about using the heater in an environment with splashing water.

The little Buddy would be more than enough, even on low.

 

[geogentry]

It took a while to find it but here are the clearance numbers for the portable Buddy Heater (smallest one) [from the owners manual PDF]:
Top - 30 inches
Front - 24 inches
Sides - 6 inches
Back - 0 inches

Hope that helps.

Sent from my SM-J727V using Tapatalk

 

[Troutbum]

Thanks a bunch for all the timely help really appreciate everybody's input.

The heater deal would be simple, cheap and ezpz but probably giving Murphy's Law too much opportunity for mischief.

I learned alot reading the forums and watching Bob's videos saved me a bunch of time and money by not making all the rookie mistakes.

 

[LoupGarou]

When the weather is cool, I’ve found that a sponge bath is sufficient for me. I place a enamel wash basin on a single burner butane stove to heat the water. It’s only during the heat of summer that I prefer to take a whole body shower.

 

[Troutbum]

Yeah I'm with you there when it's cool I go the sponge bath route but when I sometimes have to camp up north at high elevations in the summer the days can be really hot but then it get's downright cold at night often have frost on the windshield in the morning even in August.

Plus I am from the south where it's 92 degrees daytime and 86 at nite all summer so what's freezing cold to me is usually pleasant to warm for most northeners Lol. I usually have a coat on when everybody else is in a tee shirt up there at least for the first week till I acclimate.

 

[LoveCareThinkDo]

I have used my camp stove to heat my shower tent before. It worked out fine. I wouldn't leave the flame going while I was actually spraying water around but otherwise you should be fine as long as you are moderately careful. The tent seems to hold the heat relatively well. At least long enough to get the job done.

Yes, yes, death and stuff. I know, I know. I have magical powers just like Bob.

Sent from my SM-T510 using Tapatalk

 

[maki2]

Thanks for all the tips I got some really good ideas from my first post here with you "Dockers" and didn't even get flamed yet Lol.

Interesting that the Buddy heater uses radiant heat and not an open flame and also extinguishes itself when tipped over so if worst case scenario happens and it tips over.....does the protective grill get hot enough to cause a fire if briefly brushed up against the side of a tent?   Like on the Darwin scale of 1 to 10 and 10 being the shower bondfire?

If you are keeping the heater away from the sides of the tent that will significantly increase the potential for you get your legs against the hot heater. Do you really want to risk the very high chance of getting a third degree burn spot on your legs?

So basically you can't have the heater inside of the tent when you are inside of the tent. And if you are going to be taking it back outside of the tent after the space is warmed up but the heater is still hot you will need to be exceedingly careful not to brush the hot metal against the tent as that will cause an immediate melt down and hole in it. Plus a melted mess to clean off of the heater. Having the potential for the tent to go up in flames is only one several problems that can happen.

It is critical to learn how to visualize step by step the actions needed for such situations.  Practicing "what if I....??" thinking is important in all aspects of your life that involve the potential for a fire hazard or physical harm to yourself or harm to your possessions.

 

[Troutbum]

"It is critical to learn how to visualize step by step the actions needed for such situations. Practicing "what if I....??" thinking is important in all aspects of your life that involve the potential for a fire hazard or physical harm to yourself or harm to your possessions."

Thanks for your concern now that I know how the heater works it's much easier to visualize a burnt hot dog which makes the risk/reward calculation much easier

 

[gwave]

If you look up "Lee's incredible van tour" on YT that guy builds a tent out his back doors and aims his gas/diesel heater (I think) out to heat it.

 

[Skyman6529]

We have a two room shower tent. It's still narrow just one size longer. One side is a changing room eith a zip up divider.

Placing your heat source in the other room would heat both. I always put my radiant heaters on a cookie sheet if I feel the floor is either combustible or will melt. (Even hardwood) it's a layer of safety that makes me comfortable.