# gravity powered solar heated shower



## kbamvakais (Dec 31, 2009)

if anyones intreasted or already doesnt know how to build a warm water shower with out running water or electricity, 

What you'll need
1. 55 gal. Drum w/ lid
2. some kind of old METAL shower head and piping low flow high pressure is perfered
3. Teflon tape or pipe sealer.
4. Sandpaper and Black Gloss Spray paint
5. enough wood to make a stand for it atleast 6ft high
6.


Step one
Drill hole in bottom of drum, tap and thread shower head in to it sealing it with the teflon tape or pipe sealer.
Step Two,
Sand any rust and old paint off the drum and and paint it Gloss Black including the shower head neck
Step Three,
use your imagination here you want to make a stand mostlikely 6ft high with a platform for the drum to sit on and a few rungs on one side to climb it.
Step Four,
move it to a place that has good exposure to the sun, fll with water and after about 24hrs you will have warm water and a shower, its not the best pressure but it takes 0 energy to run and heat it


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## *Andi (Nov 8, 2009)

And don't forget the towel ...  ... You never know when someone will drive up to your house. (or climb over your locked gate.)

Not that I have ever done that ... :sssh:


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## kbamvakais (Dec 31, 2009)

lol, yes dont forget the towel


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## sailaway (Mar 12, 2009)

I would first wash as high as possible, then wash as low as possible and then I would wash possible.:ignore:


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## Jason (Jul 25, 2009)

When did Dolly Parton join the forum?


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## Al-Thi'b (Jan 6, 2010)

Nice guide, not easy to conceal though :x


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## bunkerbob (Sep 29, 2009)

Welcome, :welcome:Al-Thi'b, from a long time preparer. Look forward to more replies and posts.
And what were we concealing.:tmi:


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## Al-Thi'b (Jan 6, 2010)

bunkerbob said:


> Welcome, :welcome:Al-Thi'b, from a long time preparer. Look forward to more replies and posts.


Thanks for the welcome brother! 
Nice site you got going in your sig, good info and ideas:2thumb:


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## dragon5126 (Nov 30, 2008)

A bit of advice from someone who has used one of these... skip the showerhead and add a plain hose nozzle to fill a black painted five gallon water jug OR preferably a HALF painted clear jug (so the sun shines through it) Or even better one that has a mirror behind it so the light passes twice. Now be careful wit THIS set up, the water CAN get hot enough to scald but it will heat up much faster, AND it can also be used for cleaning clothes and dishes instead of showers... The draw back to the 55 gallon barrel is the volume of water keeps it from getting very hot in most elevations and climates as it will cool at night when there is no solar energy to heat it. Ive seen schemes that have used enclosed boxes with clear covers and black interiors with hose running through it to heat the water as it flows through it. The trick with any passive solar is the latitude at which it is being used. In Wisconsin this 55gallon setup will work as a preheater in warm weather,and a cooler in colder, but down south will work great. So when you see passive solar ideas like this, TRY THEM, EXPERIMENT, make it your own and RUN with it anr let us know what worked for you. Ive used the painted 5 gallon jugs, and clear plastic jugs painted on one side as well as with the mirror on one side. One helper messed up and didnt leave the spigot open on one mirrored jug and it literally exploded from the pressure build up inside it. Knowledge is power, Get powerful!


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## Brumfield (May 10, 2012)

Camp solar shower. A solar water heater. Holds 5 gallons of water. About $10.00 at walmart and other camping supply stores. Rolls up for easy storage. Weighs a few ounces empty. Lay it out, or hang it, in the sun for a good hot shower after a few hours direct exposure to the sun. Has a twist on/off shower head, and cord for hanging over a tree limb. Excellent for washing dishes or hands, and good for extra water storage around the camp site. Packs up small. I keep two, one for bathing, and one for kitchen clean up.
Brum


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## prepare_survive_thrive (May 7, 2012)

The best set up i have seen was 55 gallon gravity fed though copper tubing spiraled around a small five gallon propane tank converted to a wood burning stove. The water heats from the stove then flows to the shower. It was set up like a normal shower with hot and cold knobs. The cold ran directly from the 55 gallon tank with no exposure the the stove. The 55 gallon tank was kept in a shady elevated area as to not heat from the sun.


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## DKRinAK (Nov 21, 2011)

at 8 pounds for one gallon of water, 55 gallons (440 #) is enough to kill you if the barrel support fails.

So, word to the wise and all that.


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## mpguy18 (Sep 7, 2011)

Prepare, we have a setup like that at one of the large Boy Scout camps here. Only difference is it's a 30 gal barrel and the boys can only fill it five gallons at a time for each person. The barrel sets on a huge bolder up stream. The hot ran through a coiled 3/4" pipe that was elevated over a fire pit and hooked up only after the fire was down to coals. Works great for the field and SHTF, but getting the mix was hell. You either froze or the water was so hot, you didn't worry about any bacteria! But a hot shower in the field, is a hot shower in the field that is wonderful after a few days of "pond baths"


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