Van Essential: Solar Shower

[Van-Tramp]

I admit, I was not expecting much from a black pvc bag of water, but it has surprised me, in a good way.

It did take three attempts before I figured out what I need to do to make this solar shower work. The first attempt resulted in a lukewarm drizzle. The second resulted in a much warmer bag of water. The most recent attempt gave me a hot and satisfying shower while boondocking in the desert.

What I found;

1) Do not fill the bag. It takes too long for the sun to warm all 5 gallons. 2-3 gallons seems to warm quickly and gets very hot.
2) Lay the bag of water flat and on something that will not sap the heat away. Concrete and asphalt will sap away the waters temperature. If you must, place some insulation (cardboard?) in between.
3) Hang the bag from as high as possible so the nozzle can always point down. If you have to point the nozzle up, the pressure drops to near-nothing.
4) Take your shower at the hottest part of the day. Don’t wait for evening, as the water will cool, shower at 2-3 pm and you will have your hottest water.

I used the above ideas in my most recent shower. By 1pm on a sunny Arizona day, with the bag sitting on top of my fiberglass van topper, the water was nearly too hot to shower. For me it was perfect, but I like scorching showers normally. Hey, if you have no other means of a hot-shower, this does work!

 

[Free Range Human]

Thanks for the tips!
The last time I used a solar shower (about 30 years ago) I DID end up with water that was too hot to shower with, but that's easily rectified. Just add cool water to the bag.

 

[caseyc]

Good to know it works. I bought one of those several months ago, stuck it in the back somewhere and forgot about it. Will have to give it a try next time I'm in the boonies.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

Oh yeah, solar shower bags are da bomb
I've been using them for years and we carry one in our RV.
Following VT's lead you should have hot water that you can cold to regulate in a few hours. When we're boondocking it provides hot water for not only showers, but also dishes, etc and showering outside saves space in our holding tank. Margie finds it easier to wash her long hair outdoors too.

WalMart has one by Coleman that is pretty cheap...around $12-15.
This is an item every Vandweller should add to their equipment IMO.

 

[akblack10]

Van-Tramp, all good tips you provided on the solar-shower bag. I recommend you get a small pressurized bug sprayer (15 bucks at a hardware store), paint it black and use it much in the same way you use the solar shower bag. The advantage of the bug sprayer is that you can actual pressurize it with a few pumps, then you will use much less water to shower. The only down-side is that the bug sprayer is not collapsable, thus taking up more room in the van! Many happy showers!
-AK

 

[SternWake]

I've gone through many Sun showers over the years. I always had issues with the bag leaking from the fill cap so they had to be hung upright, which of course reduces the footprint and the area that sunlight can hit it and do its job. Usually the bag fails when the seam which holds the upper bar fails.

I now use a more expensive bag with a big screw cap, and mostly it resides on my turned around front passenger seat. Summershower brand, about 25$ on Amazon. I've modified the hanging system slightly with a wood dowel as the plastic tube they provide bends in the heat and allows the bag to begin to tear in this area.

I usually try and park facing south, and put the bag on my black dashboard. If ambients are a bit cooler I will attempt to block airflow with my black towel so the bag itself is sitting in hotter air and can warm quicker.

I also have an old school 55watt heating pad without a safety timer on it. I rest the bag on this on top of a few layers of reflectix on my front seat, and under other insulation, but it takes ~14 hours to take the water from mid 50's to low 90's, so only really viable if I am plugged in. I would not subject my batteries to that load for that long just for a hot shower. Heating anything with battery power alone is unwise in the extreme.

I do however use my inverter to keep the water hot for when I go surfing. It is extra special rinsing off in a steaming cloud. Usually my solar can offset the draw from the heating pad during the day.

I've also heated water on my stove and pour it back into the bag and refill the pot from the bag. This is a pretty fast method but a little labor intensive, and it is much better to not add boiling water from pot to bag. A funnel and a method to hold it upright helps.

 

[akrvbob]

I have that same solar shower and have been very happy with it. Like yours mine started to tear after hanging for too long. I just set it up on the roof of the van now to heat. That also puts the shower head at a good height. It is laying flat so it isn't as warm but I don't have a problem with that. A bigger problem is it getting too hot and scalding me, so slowing down the heating is a good thing for me.
Bob

 

[Geodoc]

New member here (been watching the thread for over about two years) and just wanted to let those who don't have the space (or ability to lift a heavy shower 4' over their head) that I've invented (and have a patent pending) for a device that turns any 1 or 2 liter bottle into a shower. I believe that one person here has used it (apparently without success) but just wanted all aware of it (after all, this website was the inspiration for its development).

The website is http://www.simple-shower.com, and it's available on Amazon. The Simple Shower also fits on Platypus brand collapsible bladders (which frees up space in a van).

Any questions, ask away or shoot me a PM.

VanTramp, if you're still in the Seattle Metro area, you can pick one up at a local retailer in Enumclaw (the Simple Shower is made in Washington State).

 

[Van-Tramp]

I think that is a brilliant idea and the price is right too. I think I will have to order one of these little guys for those overnight backpacking trips.

 

[GotSmart]

On my Amazon wish list. Something to add to an order to bring it up to free shipping...

 

[WheelEstate USA]

That simple shower a neat looking/sounding shower.

VT, I've had a few of those Coleman solar showers. The current one has been with me for so long that they were still under 10 bucks at WalMart when I got it and it gets used fairly often, especially in the last year, so I find it a good bargain. My last one tore due to the short PVC (schedule 20) pipe in the top/handle. This one I cut the end open, slid out the short piece and replaced it with one (schedule 40) that goes the full length.
Recently the fill cap began to leak a little when laying flat while heating. I simply elevate that part with a rock or my soap bottle till I hang it. Might be getting close to time for a new one.
I'm a cheapskate and see no sense in spending the big bucks on something when there is a product that gives me the same results for 1/3 to 1/2 the cost.
After all, I believe the name of this site is CHEAPrvliving.

 

[Reducto]

I had one of the Coleman solar showers for about 2 weeks before a seam split. Maybe I handled it too roughly or I got unlucky, but it was enough for me to write them off.

 

[WheelEstate USA]

I suppose, like many products, our results vary.
I only put in maybe just less than 2 gallons, and "burp" the air out.
I've had good luck, so for me its all good.