Camp Shower (Merged)

[ChasingOurTrunks]

There are a lot of solutions out there I'd love to see what people are using and their impressions. Since I carry propane have water tank and 12v pump I was considering something like this:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/MAREY-2-0-GPM-Liquid-Propane-Gas-Portable-Tankless-Water-Heater-GA5PORT/204357330?cm_mmc=Shopping|THD|G|0|G-VF-PLA-D26P-WaterHeaters|

At first blush this is the same as the Ecotemp model I have, just a different brand. No complaints other than the bulk.

I previously posted talking about the fiddlyness, but it's not too bad as I just used it this past weekend. The key is to prime the system in stages -- prime the pump lines, THEN prime the shower. Doing it all at once causes air to get trapped.

 

[Overlandllama]

There are a lot of solutions out there I'd love to see what people are using and their impressions. Since I carry propane have water tank and 12v pump I was considering something like this:

http://www.homedepot.com/p/MAREY-2-0-GPM-Liquid-Propane-Gas-Portable-Tankless-Water-Heater-GA5PORT/204357330?cm_mmc=Shopping|THD|G|0|G-VF-PLA-D26P-WaterHeaters|

I just received one like this. It's an Eccotemp like some have mentioned... runs on propane. I'm currently working through how I want to set it up but I think I'll just keep it in a plastic container with the hoses and hang it off the truck's rack. I'll test it out in the next month and post the results here. Cheers

Update: May 5, 2019: After using the Eccotemp tankless water heater on about 5 trips, we’ve found that we rarely use it, mostly due to the lack of a good deployment system to use it. I’ve used it to give our dog a shower at home outside more often than on trips. However, for longer and more remote trips, it’ll be nice to have. The setups I’ve seen on trailers would be a great way to use it. A bit more challenging for a rig like mine but will keep thinking on it.

 

[LostInSocal]

We've been using the tried-and-true water basin and wash cloth technique. I have a shower pump which runs off an internal, rechargeable battery I picked up from Amazon. However, I've found we tend to take longer showers (especially my daughter) when we use the pump. For an overnighter, I pack about 4 gallons of potable water which we use for everything.

A question maybe suited for another thread, how much water do you pack for each day out on the trail, assuming no fresh water source will be available?

 

[Trail_Blazer]

View attachment 3157 Has anyone built a hot water supply by using black pvc pipe a schrader valve and mounted it on their roof? You can pressurize the pvc with a small compressor to get water pressure.

I've tried several versions of this and liked them all. The issue is pressure and weight. The pressure issue was easy. I used my on-board air compressor while using the shower. No issue with pressure. Next issue was with how much and how long. I take colder showers than my wife and she takes longer showers than me. When I put a big enough PVC pipe on the rack for both of us, it took too much of my rack load, better used for other essentials, like water and gas. I'm going with a small water pump, with a filtered intake I can drop into rivers and lakes.

 

[Ingvarhh]

After a couple of days in the car, it's good to get a little washed.
How are your washing options on the go? :)

 

[Craig M]

We bought one of those cheap solar shower bags years ago but have yet to use it. :o

I've always been a big fan of the whore's bath.. A carryover from time in the field while in the Army. Washrag, soap, basin and do the pits and undercarriage last! :D

 

[Ingvarhh]

Have looked at solar shower bags
Takes up little space and are cheap :)

 

[Daniel Etter]

I have a Road Shower and love it do to its multiple usages, showering, spraying off dogs, cleaning dishes, etc.

 

[Ingvarhh]

that was a good idea, it's easy to make yourself too
Can actually run on some compressed air for a bit more pressure as well

 

[Daniel Etter]

that was a good idea, it's easy to make yourself too
Can actually run on some compressed air for a bit more pressure as well

You can also use it for clean/safe drinking water as well if you clean it before and after usage.

 

[CDN Offroader]

For the first couple days, baby wipes. After that, a bird bath with warm water and wash cloth, maybe a dip in a lake or river. Still need to look into a longer term shower solution though.

 

[Ingvarhh]

Baby wipes and bird bath is what we do as well, taking a dip in the lake is fine in the summer in Norway (July / August)

 

[britz]

I take a black Scepter military water can (solar heated or I add heated water) and toss in a cheapie dc 30.00 shower unit from Amazon. We even use it several times a week in Summer here at the cabin since we don't have indoor plumbing and sometimes I don't feel like firing up the Sauna.

 

[Excursioner]

I simply use a new, dedicated for overlanding, weed sprayer. All sorts of wand tips available for different spray patterns. The sprayer is handy for all sorts of other things like rinsing dishes, cleaning mud off of boots etc. Just a couple of pumps of warm water is all you need.

 

[Yonatan Ryabinski]

I found this cool video with a step by step instructions for a DIY 4 gallon pressurized shower.

Original idea

My implementation

What do you guys think?

 

[flyinion]

Nice! I'm gonna have to check this out. I was wondering how to do something like this. One of the Jeep guys I offroad with just mentioned on our little Jeep forum that he was going to build something out of PVC etc. that sounded just like this then when he went to get the parts he ran across a 15 gallon weed sprayer that was on sale and grabbed that instead and painted it black. He said with a 105 external temp today in the sun on tank the water was 94. Your solution looks a lot easier to mount though.

 

[Yonatan Ryabinski]

Nice! I'm gonna have to check this out. I was wondering how to do something like this. One of the Jeep guys I offroad with just mentioned on our little Jeep forum that he was going to build something out of PVC etc. that sounded just like this then when he went to get the parts he ran across a 15 gallon weed sprayer that was on sale and grabbed that instead and painted it black. He said with a 105 external temp today in the sun on tank the water was 94. Your solution looks a lot easier to mount though.

It was a perfect size. I didn't even have to cut the pipe at all. I will test it soon. Wonder how long it will take from river water temperature to something that you can take a comfortable shower with.

 

[Ingvarhh]

Nice
Thank you :)

 

[fstfrd00]

I use a modified weed sprayer

Sent from my LGLS992 using OB Talk mobile app

 

[VCeXpedition]

Has anyone mentioned the Waterport yet?

I have one of these mounted on my roof rack and it's become my go to for a quick shower on a warm afternoon.
It seems to get warm enough to not be a shock to the system, and now I heard they come in black to help absorb the sun.

Generally, I'm too lazy to warm up water most of the time.

This is one step above the wipe-ups, not quite the luxury of my next option which is heated water and a RV waterpump. But that's a lot like work.

Dan.