Camp Shower...

[TheOtherSide]

I'm still working on my built-in shower idea for the roof rack of my Jeep. Last July long weekend trip was enough... 4 days of bug spray and sunblock. Really glad on the afternoon of the 3rd day when we all got a chance to dip into the freezing river for a bath... you remember the results... here, let me refresh you:
http://www.overlandcanada.com/net/shower/001.jpg

:D... one of my favorite photos of all time. Nathan's look of "holy whatchamacallit" when he sprung back out of the water from a full body dip!!

Anyhow... I want to build something on my roof rack... maybe an "L" shaped 3" or 4" black ABS pipe... fill it up with water... warms up during the daytime via sunlight... and pressurize it and put a flexy shower head on it and have at it. Hope to make something to put together a 5 min shower or so.

Any thoughts? Oh... no, not interested in a "shower bag" that you hang from a tree... I want to make something cool.

I saw this on BC4x4... a bit too much for me... maybe 1/4 the plumbing and double the pipe diameter or something:
http://www.overlandcanada.com/net/shower/002.jpg

Fire back your ideas if you have any!!

:headspin:

[Jeremy]

I would get some 4" black PCV about 4' long with a air fitting on the top and a shower head fed from the bottom, easy and cheap is it breaks.

Jeremy

[BigWhiteFord]

It's all about surface area. I don't think those pipe systems would hold a large enough volume of water to make them worthwhile. Realistically the easiest solution is just to heat water over a fire or stove, or stick to baby-wipes. On that summer trip, half the fun was the shock of going from sweltering heat to frigid river water!

[Jeremy]

It's all about surface area. I don't think those pipe systems would hold a large enough volume of water to make them worthwhile. Realistically the easiest solution is just to heat water over a fire or stove, or stick to baby-wipes. On that summer trip, half the fun was the shock of going from sweltering heat to frigid river water!

HAHA that was fun, I just remember the wind and how it felt like we were standing in front of a huge hair dryer on high. Never felt wind that hot before it was quite a shock then hitting the water and the difference in temp.

Good Times!

:headspin:

[TheOtherSide]

I agree on the shock & fun value of a river bath. I'm not really worried about water temp for the shower... more just having a shower. I hate the sticky feeling!

Apparently that pipe system in the above photo held 40 litres of water. I believe it was the frameworks of his roof rack. No the best roof rack idea in my mind... but interesting anyways.

Got to find a good online pipe volume calculator.... will give me a good idea how many litres of water I'd have in a given length of pipe etc...

[Jeremy]

I agree on the shock & fun value of a river bath. I'm not really worried about water temp for the shower... more just having a shower. I hate the sticky feeling!

Apparently that pipe system in the above photo held 40 litres of water. I believe it was the frameworks of his roof rack. No the best roof rack idea in my mind... but interesting anyways.

Got to find a good online pipe volume calculator.... will give me a good idea how many litres of water I'd have in a given length of pipe etc...

Only problem I would see is the possibility of slime build up inside and keeping it farily clean inside.

[Lazerus]

I agree on the shock & fun value of a river bath. I'm not really worried about water temp for the shower... more just having a shower. I hate the sticky feeling!

Apparently that pipe system in the above photo held 40 litres of water. I believe it was the frameworks of his roof rack. No the best roof rack idea in my mind... but interesting anyways.

Got to find a good online pipe volume calculator.... will give me a good idea how many litres of water I'd have in a given length of pipe etc...

I've used several "warm water wash" ideas the simplest is a jug or container that will hold water and pour it back out at a controlled rate then painted tremclad flat black, set in sun or beside fire. While hunting in sept we've used old liquid tide jugs with great results for simple hand and grouse knife rinsing. Even on a cool day it warms up enough in the sun to take the sting out of the water.

As for your volume question I don't know of any online ones but the formulas are simple enough.


Warning these formulas are out of my head rules of thumb I use at work. I may be off by a decimal but they work into the thousands of gallons.
Volume of pipe;
piR^2xL = CI..... 3.14xRxRxL=CI
R= 1/2 inside diameter L= length. CI= total cubic inches of water.
CI/ 231= US gal USG x 3.785 = LT
CI/ 277= Imp gal

Water;
Cubic foot 62.5lbs (ci/1728 = cf)
USG = 8.35lbs
ImpG = 10lbs

sched 40 pipe id. (steel pipe, I think abs uses the same id, Od is the same.)
1"= 1.049
2"= 2.067
3"= 3.068
4"= 4.026
5"= 5.047
6"= 6.065
8"= 7.981
10"= 10.020
12"= 11.934
Any bigger than a foot and you should be building square anyway.

Your 90's and T's are going to affect the volume but unless your over 25% fittings just enjoy the extra water, the extra weight should be minimal.

If you can't grind that out I should be able to dump the calc's to a spread sheet that would output volume and weight.

[ChrisR]

Warning these formulas are out of my head rules of thumb I use at work. I may be off by a decimal but they work into the thousands of gallons.
Volume of pipe;
piR^2xL = CI..... 3.14xRxRxL=CI
R= 1/2 inside diameter L= length. CI= total cubic inches of water.
CI/ 231= US gal USG x 3.785 = LT
CI/ 277= Imp gal

Water;
Cubic foot 62.5lbs (ci/1728 = cf)
USG = 8.35lbs
ImpG = 10lbs

sched 40 pipe id. (steel pipe, I think abs uses the same id, Od is the same.)
1"= 1.049
2"= 2.067
3"= 3.068
4"= 4.026
5"= 5.047
6"= 6.065
8"= 7.981
10"= 10.020
12"= 11.934
Any bigger than a foot and you should be building square anyway.


:huh: Outta your head ? Holy crap Batman! I feel like I need to go take a break just looking at this :D
I personally vote for the good old fashioned black shower bag you hang in the sun to get hot. They work great and are about 10 bucks. Only formula I need with that is how do I shower without everyone seeing me now :)

[Lazerus]

:huh: Outta your head ? Holy crap Batman! I feel like I need to go take a break just looking at this :D
I personally vote for the good old fashioned black shower bag you hang in the sun to get hot. They work great and are about 10 bucks. Only formula I need with that is how do I shower without everyone seeing me now :)

:D I regularly use those formula on the floor with soapstone.

My plan when I get to it is an under hood heat exchanger and pump. My 4x4's have a 302 or a 460 so waste engine heat isn't an issue. Using it with my pickup allows for a large counter stream side to put soap and shampoo on... mind the 8274 :woot:, My Bronco is still needing a front bumper but it wont have as big a shelf. The other side affect of this is the act of driving to the creek usually gets you and the misses a little privacy.

[bcghosttowns]

I have also looked at a lot of these sorta set ups and a few i have even liked but the problem i see that hasnt been mentioned yet is the weight,and the placement of the weight.When i am on the road with the camper i dont water up till the last possible place to keep the weight down and i most certainly wouldnt want and extra 10lbs per gallon of water at the highest point on my rig.
We all want to be the envy of everyone out on the trails but function first right? Dont over think it.I had a real nice hot water shower for under my hood and it worked very well but i dont have it anymore and would like to get something else.

http://www.rubicon-trail.com/G/shower-original.jpeg

[gasman]

http://www.rubicon-trail.com/G/shower-original.jpeg

now thats a shower i would like to try..

but.. what i use is just an good old weed sprayer (new of course )
two kettles full of hot water on the fire and one cold from the lake.. pump it up and you can get 2 quick showers.. or shower together,,

[Lone Ranger]

Steve D off of bc4x4 built an ingenious one for his previous Ranger, worked well.

12v sump pump with a 20' or so lead, dropped in to a creek.
Installed an auto rad into his 5 spd truck (or run an aux cooler if you're auto), pump pumps water up through the heat exchanger, out the other end through a standard shower head. He used regular garden hose, and simply idle the truck and fire it up. Works like a dandy, even had to install a higher flow pump because the original one didn't move the water fast enough and it got too hot. LR

[Landy_Andy]

Hi,

How about a Helton heat exchange & shower kit, there not cheap but have been proven in the field and are easy to install. Can save plenty of trial & error development time.

Linky here : http://www.cruiseroutfitters.com/helton.html

Cheers,
Andy

[gasman]

i think canadian tire has the colman hot water on demand system on sale , very nice, very portable, thats what im looking at ,

[AxelR]

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41236&highlight=coleman+shower

Don't buy it in Canada though. $$$$

[Jeremy]

Steve D off of bc4x4 built an ingenious one for his previous Ranger, worked well.

12v sump pump with a 20' or so lead, dropped in to a creek.
Installed an auto rad into his 5 spd truck (or run an aux cooler if you're auto), pump pumps water up through the heat exchanger, out the other end through a standard shower head. He used regular garden hose, and simply idle the truck and fire it up. Works like a dandy, even had to install a higher flow pump because the original one didn't move the water fast enough and it got too hot. LR

:D

Added to my list, I even have an open tranny cooler on my rad. :verynice:

[Lone Ranger]

Yeah, it all coils up nicely under the hood usually. Shopping bag around the pump and showerhead to keep the dirt out and you're good for storage. The most expensive part about the whole mod was when he bought the 3 or 4 core rad he used, which he wanted anyways so it was all a plus for him. LR

[Sero]

i think canadian tire has the colman hot water on demand system on sale , very nice, very portable, thats what im looking at ,

http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/showthread.php?t=41236&highlight=coleman+shower

Don't buy it in Canada though. $$$$

I've eyed that heater up a few times at CT, it's alot bigger than I thought, the pictures make it look small. Still very tempted by it. It does go on sale at CT, and their sale price's are usually pretty good, just gott keep your eyes peeled for the flyers.

[TheOtherSide]

now thats a shower i would like to try..

but.. what i use is just an good old weed sprayer (new of course )
two kettles full of hot water on the fire and one cold from the lake.. pump it up and you can get 2 quick showers.. or shower together,,

Never thought of that... a simple idea... I like it!

[Sero]

Came across this:

http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/eccotemp-portable-water-heater/37786

All you should need is a pump and hose.

[Gaidheal]

Mine's rigged up much like the bug sprayer but I used one of my surplus kegs (stainless steel Pepsi pop keg I use for my beer... my fridge holds three and I have lots of extra ones). The bug sprayer is neat as you can pump it up as required but I had lots of spare kegs and no bug sprayer. :D

kitchen sink sprayer attached to the outlet, tire valve stem attached to the input.

Dump in hot water, close the lid, hit it with the air pump for a few secs and hot pressurised water!

The keg doesn't weigh much, is rugged as hell (survives retail & delivery industry folks for years), cleans up super easy being stainless and doesn't leak if used to carry extra water. Impervious to UV rays so I can toss it up on the roof rack. Full of win.

:cheers: