outdoor shower

[steve rollnick]

Can anyone help with the design or purchase of a shower to use outdoors. We have a wood-fired stove inside a large shelter. Perhaps one can link this stove to a shower? Or use water heated on the stove? We assume that solar-powered products wont really do the trick in damp Wales?

many thanks.

[RichardKing]

You need to divide up your problem into manageable bites.

1. Source of water

2. Heating it

3. Delivering hot water

.

1. You will have to sort out by yourself.

.

2. You could fit a back boiler in your stove, but be aware that it will ALWAYS be heating water while the stove is on, . Where would you take this hot water to when not needed for the shower?

It will reduce the heat output from the stove itself.

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3. Pipes could be run up from back boiler to a insulated storage tank at a higher level (hot water rises) & shower water tapped off from there. But of course you will need a yet higher level tank to supply water cold to the hot water tank. That tank would need to insulated as well to stop it freezing. Dont forget that you will need pipework from the cold tank to the shower mixer to controll temp using water at the same pressure. Some of the pipework could be run in plastic.

.

I am not a plumber, but I installed central heating in my previous house almost 30 years ago & it worked from when I first turned it on. Also I installed a back boiler in a woodstove in my house connected to an upstairs radiator last year.

[steve rollnick]

Dear Richard, many thanks.

That's quite a complicated process you describe. I get the logic.

Yet I hesitate because we would really only use this occasionally in bursts on visits to the wood, and to lose heat in these colder months would be a real loss.

If I think of a simpler alternative, am I talking about heating water on top of the stove, and pouring it into bucket with holes, and that's it?

I was hoping there was something in between these two possibilities.

Thanks for your help.

Steve

[tracy]

Steve, we have a similar problem, we do have a solar shower bag thing that is ok, but the water is such a trickle! We used water heated in the fire in a bucket and a big sponge! Gets more water on you in a controlled way...and we use nature happy soap too so we don't pollute the place!

Tracy

[greyman]

I thought the idea was to go up your woods, do things, have bonfires and come home all muddy, dirty and smelling of woodsmoke - plus in my case your grey hair stained yellow with all the smoke (kippered).

[RichardKing]

How about :-

1. Heat bucket of water to suitable temperature on stove

2. insert length of hosepipe

3. Connect hose to one of those little rotary pumps that you can fit in the chuck of a power drill (£9.99 from Maplin 10 litres a minute)

4. Connect second length of hose to pump.

5. Fit pump to chuck of rechargable power drill.

6. Squeeze the trigger & direct jet at person requiring shower.

[athelstan]

Personally I am of the Greyman school, but if you must then how about one of these?

http://www.tooled-up.com/Product.asp?PID=122160&source=affwin

[RichardKing]

Yeah I guess you would have the advantage of using the same one that you use for insecticide!

. After a week in the woods you might need it

[Darren]

use a metal watering can. Heat up can on the fire tie a rope to the spout then tie above. Just pull the rope tied to the spout to release the water.

[steve rollnick]

Richard, youre a star, tuned in to the needs of a family who demand different things.....

Greyman, Athelstan - try talking to my partner about being a week without a shower!

I am an authentic Ape from the Cape (Cape Town), wear my bush man image with pride, yet receive only scorn from my family.

Darren, that idea seems brilliant. We used to do that in the African bush, but whether I get this past the family ... we'll see!

Cheers guys.

Steve