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Simple & CHEAP backyard solar water heater, based around a kids shell paddling pool! The approach uses a wide & shallow (100-150mm) water tight container,& in high summer (or with high angle tropical sun) this readily provides 60 litres of shower temperature water.
Sturdy plastic bag camping showers abound of course, but these hold only 20 litres, and can be heavy to lift up into position. Further more they may become dangerously hot, and sunny positions are not always the most private for later ablutions either!
More ambitious plumbed in solar water heating installations can easily cost thousands,& require pumps or well placed header tanks. Such systems annoyingly work best at just the sunny time of year when you may be on holiday elsewhere-or when you are short of gardening water that could be doing double duty solar showering!
Sturdy plastic bag camping showers abound of course, but these hold only 20 litres, and can be heavy to lift up into position. Further more they may become dangerously hot, and sunny positions are not always the most private for later ablutions either!
More ambitious plumbed in solar water heating installations can easily cost thousands,& require pumps or well placed header tanks. Such systems annoyingly work best at just the sunny time of year when you may be on holiday elsewhere-or when you are short of gardening water that could be doing double duty solar showering!
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Mark a position low down on the plastic shell wall, suitable for fitting an access pipe. (An old stainless 900mm x 900mm shower base could instead be used, but these bases are now quite costly even as scrap,with inconvenient bottom outlets, & can be difficult to drill anyway).
If threaded stock is not available,an old tap can provide both a useful threaded 15mm pipe and the hex screw rings. Hacksaw free this off cut, then drill and file the plastic shell base to suit. Remove any metallic burrs & sharp edges.
If threaded stock is not available,an old tap can provide both a useful threaded 15mm pipe and the hex screw rings. Hacksaw free this off cut, then drill and file the plastic shell base to suit. Remove any metallic burrs & sharp edges.
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For extra hot add a higher below water fitting and attack a coil of black poly pipe.
For mega hot super-lux, run a 12v bilge pump off a battery to circulate the water through the piping.