Portable shower

[Pete C]

Ok, I have done some experimenting with a 12v immersion heater element.

I bought a 100W 12 volt heater element on eBay for £26.



I mounted this in the side of a 13 litre plastic water container from Kiravans, and put about 12 litres of water in it.
I then crudely wrapped this in bubble wrap - sides and bottom.



I used a 12volt power supply to power it - about 8 Amps is needed.

I measured the temperature of the water over the next few hours. There seemed to be a fair temperature gradient top to bottom of the container. The ambient temperature started at 17°c and finished at 23°c.

Start - 22°c
1 hr - top 31°c - bottom 22°c
2 hrs - top 38°c - bottom 26°c
3 hrs - top 43°c - bottom 30°c
4 hrs - top 47°c - bottom 31 °c
5 hrs - top 52°c - bottom 31°c

I worked on the basis that 13 litres should be enough for a shower, and that 40°c seems to be the general figure for a good shower temperature. Based on that, I think it is easily possible to heat water for a shower daily, either from solar generated electricity, or with a 12v power supply on hookup.
If the weather is good, then these times should be reduced.

The usual provisos exist: it could over heat the water and scald you. The power supply could catch fire. if you do it on solar and the sun goes in then it could kill your leisure battery without an under voltage circuit.

Anyway, I’ve convinced my wife that it is do-able, so just need the campsites to open now !

Pete

 

[Sharpe]

https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/15899166/hi-gear-solar-shower-20-litres-15899166

There is always the cheap option, they work well enough with a bit of sun

 

[Pete C]

https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/15899166/hi-gear-solar-shower-20-litres-15899166

There is always the cheap option, they work well enough with a bit of sun

Yes, have used one of those. We could never get it hot enough in the UK, and the flow of water was too slow.
My wife wants more !

Pete

 

[Ayjay]

A few years ago, I used one of those as my only shower for nearly 2 months. Agree they work if you've got the sunshine but there was no shortage of it where I was at the time (indeed, in the afternoon, the bloody thing could get too hot if you didn't stick it in the shade!). It forms part of my plan if we can't access the usual facilities later in the year but I've not yet discussed that bit with my wife who might well take a different view as she does not share my taste for cold showering.

 

[Andyf]

My wife wants more !

Don’t they always lol

 

[Pink78]

Ok, I have done some experimenting with a 12v immersion heater element.

I bought a 100W 12 volt heater element on eBay for £26.

View attachment 71205

I mounted this in the side of a 13 litre plastic water container from Kiravans, and put about 12 litres of water in it.
I then crudely wrapped this in bubble wrap - sides and bottom.

View attachment 71206

I used a 12volt power supply to power it - about 8 Amps is needed.

I measured the temperature of the water over the next few hours. There seemed to be a fair temperature gradient top to bottom of the container. The ambient temperature started at 17°c and finished at 23°c.

Start - 22°c
1 hr - top 31°c - bottom 22°c
2 hrs - top 38°c - bottom 26°c
3 hrs - top 43°c - bottom 30°c
4 hrs - top 47°c - bottom 31 °c
5 hrs - top 52°c - bottom 31°c

I worked on the basis that 13 litres should be enough for a shower, and that 40°c seems to be the general figure for a good shower temperature. Based on that, I think it is easily possible to heat water for a shower daily, either from solar generated electricity, or with a 12v power supply on hookup.
If the weather is good, then these times should be reduced.

The usual provisos exist: it could over heat the water and scald you. The power supply could catch fire. if you do it on solar and the sun goes in then it could kill your leisure battery without an under voltage circuit.

Anyway, I’ve convinced my wife that it is do-able, so just need the campsites to open now !

Pete
Ha ha thanks Pete for that info! Just toying with the idea as just having van converted and solar panels put on. Food for thought tho

 

[Bargy62]

We had exactly the same thoughts no facilititys so got one of these and tried it in our shower at home I can get away with using 10 water in a collapsible bucket and it worked fine sites might even let you have hot water to take back to use at your van hopefully it will be only this year then back to the new normalView attachment 69930

Used this cheapo shower for the first time today and it worked a treat didnt even use 10 litres of water as expected plenty of room in the toilet tent as well so all in all well happy

 

[Ayjay]

Bargy, I see the picture but any chance of a link to the actual item on eBay (or wherever you got it from). Cheers in advance.

 

[Bargy62]

Bargy, I see the picture but any chance of a link to the actual item on eBay (or wherever you got it from). Cheers in advance.

@Ayjay sorry mate can't copy the link off my phone but you can do a google search of the image I think it's a well used shower under various different names and they use the same image

 

[Petro]

Here.

 

[Andrew Coates]

Any thoughts on the outdoor solar shower? I've been happy with GAME. Shower works very well and really does produce warm water on a sunny day

 

[$immo]

We use this one in the summer.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/pressure-balanced-solar-shower-for-camping-10-litres/_/R-p-303362

 

[Ricardo T]

Decathlon one looks good, guess you can add some hot water if required too?Good price.

 

[$immo]

Decathlon one looks good, guess you can add some hot water if required too?Good price.

Yep normally fill up with hot water from a shower if on site, then use when out of the sea etc or for washing off sand etc.

 

[Ayjay]

@$immo. That Decathlon jobbie looks good - can you advise what sort of size it packs down to please (I'm assuming it packs down anyway!). Cheers.

 

[$immo]

@$immo. That Decathlon jobbie looks good - can you advise what sort of size it packs down to please (I'm assuming it packs down anyway!). Cheers.

It's about 30cm long and about 8-10cm thick depending on how well you rolling up. Pressure is good when pumped up. We use it to wash off when coming out of the sea, wash the dog off & wash up when off grid.

 

[Ayjay]

@$immo. Nice one - thanks.

 

[Petro]

We had a shower like this before; Caravan Matkasuihku, 12V | Motonet Oy You can find these on eBay and Ali too. We had a plastic 16L tank with big enough opening for the pump to dump in. We had the shower head hang from the tailgate. The system was ok for the money, however we used it with 2 person, one who takes the shower telling the other when to turn the water on. We poured some of the water from the container to a pot and boiled it and poured it back to get a bit warmer shower. I've now ordered a shower head with on/off switch and a water pump with pressure switch, so that the one taking the shower can easily operate it alone. Gonna upgrade because didn't want to handle any electric switches while taking a shower.

 

[deftonkorn]

I made a shower to be mounted on top of the roof, and with a 12V electric pump, pressurise the inside to had a good flow.

 

[deftonkorn]

Here are some pictures, if you wanna replicate it: