Pricey propane or solar shower or PVC on the roof?

[that420vanchick]

I just got one of these solar, air pressure showers off Amazon and I'm pretty certain I'll be returning it after reading reviews. (Pic at end of post of anyone has any input on this model

I'm a gym membership baby but hate leaving a good campsite for a shower so what would y'all recommend?

Good ol PVC pipes in the roof? I saw a video on how to pressurize the system so that's a plus

  Or​

One of those pricey but fairly easy to store propane heater units that run anywhere from $250-$500 like

Here's the unit that's being delivered today but I've read they're great for part time camping but break easily with daily or weekly use

 

[WanderingRose]

Try a solar shower, or even a 2 liter bottle of water, heated in the sun.

They are very adequate, particularly a 2 1/2 gallon solar shower, but even the bottle heated in the sun feels pretty darned good.

 

[TonyMinnesoti]

There’s another option that involves splicing a heat exchanger into your vehicles coolant lines and running pressurized water over it. Might be more work than what you’re looking at, but for a hundred or two dollars in parts you have a system that’s instant, as hot as you want it, and takes up very little space.

On the other end there’s heating water on the stove.

Just options. I think it’s ultimately personal preference.

 

[INTJohn]

I’ve always used an advanced elements 5 gal solar shower 40ish$.
https://www.advancedelements.com/summer-shower/I rate it A+.
I only fill it with 2.5 or 3 gallons tho. They make other sizes too.
Techniques:
If it’s cold outside set inside vehicle on dash park vehicle into sun close windows or I’ll put 2 gallons of cold water in it and then add water I’ve heated on the propane stove.

Cheap & easy.
intjonny boi

 

[WanderingRose]

I like the 2 1/2 gallon one because I can easily lift it high enough for the gravity feed.

There are 5 gallon, but that weight is beyond my abilities and so no point in spending the extra $.

I use the solar shower outside, to wash my hair, and stand in a collapsible basin inside to wash the rest of me.

A large, disposable wipe, with a little body wash on it, works very well and can then be thrown away so you don’t have to waste water rinsing anything other than yourself.

 

[jacqueg]

I use several things -

1) a bowl of water and some no-rinse soap
2) bed bath wipes
3) solar shower
4) bucket and sponge

They are cheap, never break, and need exactly zero maintenance.

When I need a REAL shower, I visit a truck stop.

 

[LargeMarge]

...shower so what would y'all recommend?...

.
* As detailed in our introduction, we use a dedicated three-gallon 'Torpedo' keg.
Water is heated by one of our 'sous vide' circulation heaters.
.
* As detailed in Post Seven, I experimented with a Craftsman 20v garden sprayer.
We think it is a 'keeper'... fact is, I used it today to worsh three Heelers.
.
So, either, or...
.
.
https://vanlivingforum.com/threads/expeditionvehicle-build.44908/

 

[SierraVanCampers]

When not using a simple solar shower, a Big Kahuna and a doggy pool work well inside the camper. Point the lower drain outlet towards the step inside the van and drain into a container(s)

 

[datac]

A quality Stainless Steel "Weed Sprayer" tank can be found to hold from 2 to 5 gallons of water. Because they are Stainless, they can be put over hot coals, set over a propane or butane cook stove, or even have a immersion heater dropped in if electricity is available. I have a 4.5 Gallon one that will heat to 120 degrees in 20 minutes with a 1000 watt immersion heater and has a really good pump already on it if you want to use it that way. I've converted it to run on compressed air or 12v pump at will. Great for the options it provides.

That said, I also purchased one of these style water heaters: https://www.amazon.com/s?k=propane+...+hot+water,aps,301&ref=nb_sb_ss_ts-doa-p_4_17

Frankly, I spent as much on the stainless tank concept, but, If you have a good water supply, these things are really, really nice ! Mine can be run on 1lb cylinders, but at their overinflated expense, I usually run it on a 5lb cylinder that costs about 6 bucks to fill and lasts for many showers (20 maybe?). The only downfall is water consumption as it really does work best if it has an endless supply of water (because you just do not want to get out!), whereas the Stainless tank is a fill once, heat it up and use it up kind of thing. I've insulated my tank with a custom foam cover and when I do heat it to 120 or so with any source, it provides me warm water for a long, long time.

 

[rruff]

They are cheap, never break, and need exactly zero maintenance.

Always pick the cheap, simple, light, easy way first. These attributes are super valuable in a small space, especially if you are on a budget. Don't "upgrade" unless you really need to.

We get "addicted" to all sorts of crap in normal life that we don't really need or miss. At least I don't... ymmv. A simple sunshower is pure luxury on a warmish sunny winter day in the boonies.

 

[afblangley]

Pressured hot water delivered out of a nozzle. Doesn’t seem like a big deal, but is often missing in DIY builds. I wanted a shower experience as close to that of a regular shower as possible. I spent countless hours researching and then experimenting.

I considered the Hike Crew you have pictured. There’s also the Mr Heater BOSS, Coleman Oasis, and Joolca. They are all essentially a water pump and instantaneous heater. These units are large and still require dedicating additional space to a separate container for storing water. In addition, I wasn't thrilled about carrying propane in my van.

Then there are spray washers made by the likes of Sun Joe, Ivation, and Oyooqo. These units store and pump water, but do not heat it. I bought the Sun Joe and ended up returning it. It was extremely loud, and seemed a bit delicate. These units have bits that can be broken or lost that would then make the system less functional.

Lastly, there are complete systems like the RinseKit Pro and Big Kahuna which offer as an optional accessory, an electric heating element that can be inserted into their container to heat the water. RinseKit uses a DC powered element while Kahuna uses an AC powered element. I considered buying one of these but ultimately decided on a DIY setup.

My shower system consists of a 7 gal Aqua-tainer, battery powered camping shower head, and an AC powered heating element. It is simple, compact, rugged, inexpensive, and the components are easily replaced. I have several Aqua-tainers in my van. The interchangeability, leakproof, and easy to carry characteristics made them preferable to the heavy and ackward dedicated shower tanks. My shower head pumps ~1 gal per minute. This is adequate, but not great. I have a temperature selectable, immersion heater that brings my water to 110F in 15-20 minutes. I use about 5 gal of water during my shower, the setup delivers consistent water pressure and unvarying temperature, for a satisfying albeit short, shower.

 

[afblangley]

I have been thinking about adding a Geyser to my shower system for awhile, and their 30% holiday sale made me finally pull the trigger. I don't know when it ends but its currently $80 off the non heated and $100 off the heated kit.

https://www.geysersystems.com

 

[VanFan]

My experiences with solar showers have not been great, but I may try again soon. Would it be feasible to lay one flat on a table and shower while sitting on a low stool/step in a basin? Maybe I could clamp the handle to the table to keep it from sliding off as it empties?

(I have a good 12 volt set up I made with a small marine pump, but I'll need to be very conservative with my power on an upcoming excursion, and would like to conserve propane, too.)

 

[WanderingRose]

I hang mine on one of the rear view mirrors.

 

[VanFan]

I hang mine on one of the rear view mirrors.

Probably plenty strong, but I still think I'd be nervous about that. My doors are getting a little fussy, too, so I'll avoid adding stress there.

I ordered a 2.5 Advanced Elements and look forward to experimenting.

 

[WanderingRose]

Advanced Elements is what I have, and it has worked great.

If you are in an area with chipmunks, tho, be watchful where you lay it out as they will chew a hole to get to the water.

Ask me how I know that.

 

[VanFan]

If you are in an area with chipmunks, tho, be watchful where you lay it out as they will chew a hole to get to the water.

Good thought. Thanks! Probably very attractive to ravens, too.

 

[CosmickGold]

I'm very happy with my showering system, which is:
(1) Heat a pan of water to almost boiling on your cook stove.
(2) As that water is heating, put 2 or 3 times that much water in a bucket.
(3) Poor the heated water into the bucket with the cold, and stir a little.
(4a) I use this German 12-volt pump dropped into the bucket with a plastic tube that connects it to a shower head meant for low-pressure water.
(4b) Notice I said 12-volt pump. My experience with USB-powered (5-volt) pumps is that they are far too weak.
(5a) I use this 31"-wide collapsible doggie bathtub to contain the water, with the drain at the side door.
(5b) I started out using it with a shower curtain, but soon got rid of it. The curtain was in my way as I showered in my small van space, and trying to dry it before putting it away was so impractical. It is so much easier to just be open and free in your van (and careful where you spray).

 

[Dingfelder]

I got a pretty cheap solution that works well enough most seasons of the year where I live.

I went to Home Depot and got a black 5-gallon bucket with a black lid. Fill the bucket with water, cover, and leave it out in the sun in the morning or, if you're in a hot area, even later than that. Move it out of the changing shade every so often if you have to. It gets nicely warm after a few hours. Use an immersion pump/showerhead combo, $35-ish online when I got mine, and a shower tent or whatever works for you to get a nicely warm, even hot, shower for a pretty minimal investment. And when done, dry out the bucket and use it to store whatever you usually store. The rechargeable immersion pump/showerhead lasts a long time and takes up a trivial amount of room. And there you have a nice shower right outside your door.

 

[LoupGarou]

A quality Stainless Steel "Weed Sprayer" tank...

I've been thinking of getting a 1 1/2 gal SS Weed Sprayer. Seems simple enough. Kind of depends how much effort one wants to put into it. Not looking for a full blown shower, more like a warm water rinse.

What have you been using for a spray head?